Screenwriter of the Week- The Muppet Christmas Carol
Part one of what I optimistically plan to be a two part Christmas
special looks at one of my favourite adaptations of one of my
favourite stories. I try to make a point of seeing as many versions
of A Christmas Carol as I can, I even have the incomplete Scrooge,
or Marley's Ghost, produced by British film pioneer R W Paul in
1901 (still can't quite face the Jim Carey/Robert Zemeckis version
though), I know the version I've chosen here is performed by pieces
of felt but I still find it one of the most moving. Perhaps it's
because I grew up with the Muppets so when Kermit the Frog cries I
feel like I'm watching someone I know in pain.
In 2005 The Muppets lost possibly their most important 'collaborator' since the horribly premature death of Jim Henson. Kermit has never sounded quite the same since Henson's death (though all credit to Steve Whitmire for the excellent job he does) and, though I am looking forward to the new film, I feel that none of the Muppets will ever sound the same since the death of Jerry Juhl.
One of the first of the regular team, Juhl met Henson in 1961 and worked initially as a puppeteer as well as writer on Henson's series Sam and Friends. He stayed on as writer for Sesame Street and was head writer on the one and only Muppet Show. Juhl's mix of childish puns, well timed slapstick and jokes that play to kids and adults alike is almost pantomime but it's only half the story. Though the characters were created and brought to life by their performers, the way in which Juhl wrote for them showed a great talent for character comedy. Kermit may play Bob Cratchit but he's still Kermit and we won't accept him as anything else. A Fozzie joke will not work in the mouth of Miss Piggy. Juhl was essentially writing for a theatrical troupe of regulars, he knew and understood his cast and the material he wrote for them was suited to their particular talents and their sense of humour. The way they interact with each other shows the same savvy mind at work. The comedy is so inventive, so anarchic and so surreal that it's easy to overlook this character element but without it we would not believe in the Muppets, and that's the only reason they work; we buy into the fantasy without question.
Juhl was involved in almost every Muppet venture (and other Henson projects like Fraggle Rock as well) right up to Muppets in Space, and yet Christmas Carol, written over 15 years after the first Muppet Show, shows no lack of imagination, no dulling of the humour, and no boredom with the characters, it is a joyous experience. As I said, I hope the new movie will be good, but it will be missing a voice. I also hope the writers have the sense to look at what Jerry Juhl achieved, not just as a gag writer, but as a character writer.
In 2005 The Muppets lost possibly their most important 'collaborator' since the horribly premature death of Jim Henson. Kermit has never sounded quite the same since Henson's death (though all credit to Steve Whitmire for the excellent job he does) and, though I am looking forward to the new film, I feel that none of the Muppets will ever sound the same since the death of Jerry Juhl.
One of the first of the regular team, Juhl met Henson in 1961 and worked initially as a puppeteer as well as writer on Henson's series Sam and Friends. He stayed on as writer for Sesame Street and was head writer on the one and only Muppet Show. Juhl's mix of childish puns, well timed slapstick and jokes that play to kids and adults alike is almost pantomime but it's only half the story. Though the characters were created and brought to life by their performers, the way in which Juhl wrote for them showed a great talent for character comedy. Kermit may play Bob Cratchit but he's still Kermit and we won't accept him as anything else. A Fozzie joke will not work in the mouth of Miss Piggy. Juhl was essentially writing for a theatrical troupe of regulars, he knew and understood his cast and the material he wrote for them was suited to their particular talents and their sense of humour. The way they interact with each other shows the same savvy mind at work. The comedy is so inventive, so anarchic and so surreal that it's easy to overlook this character element but without it we would not believe in the Muppets, and that's the only reason they work; we buy into the fantasy without question.
Juhl was involved in almost every Muppet venture (and other Henson projects like Fraggle Rock as well) right up to Muppets in Space, and yet Christmas Carol, written over 15 years after the first Muppet Show, shows no lack of imagination, no dulling of the humour, and no boredom with the characters, it is a joyous experience. As I said, I hope the new movie will be good, but it will be missing a voice. I also hope the writers have the sense to look at what Jerry Juhl achieved, not just as a gag writer, but as a character writer.
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8 Comments
I used to love Fraggle Rock too! Really imaginative and a delightful little world to disappear in to.
As for The Christmas Carol. I don’t think you can beat the Alistair Simms film. Many have tried to replicate his portrayal of Scrooge without luck, and attempts to vary the character from Simms's portrayal fail in my opinion. I do like the animated film too though.
I really didn’t enjoy the Jim Carey version. I don’t think you’d like it much either? Even though the storyline is far fetched, the latest version felt too surreal which made it too unbelievable. To me, the best Christmas Carol films are the ones you are able to believe without question.
I did watch the original Miracle on 34th Street yesterday. And recently bought It’s a Wonderful Life which I am watching with friends on Thursday. I won’t be watching the coloured version!
I think Patrick Stewart did a good job of trying to make the role of Scrooge his own, but... Alistair Simms has it for me.
Alec Guinness is Scrooge like in The Ladykillers, so I wondered if there was a connection?
By the way, I met someone for the first time the other day, and the moment they opened their mouth all I could think was 'It's Kermit! It's KERMIT!'
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