MCC: What would you have changed?

[CensoredAlso]

I'm strongly on the fence about it. On the one hand, it would have been a much funnier, more Muppety film if they did have established character, but I really think it was more creative and daring that they didn't.

It didn't come off as daring to me; it came off as just like any other kid's movie. The Muppets had always been about putting a unique stamp on things.

 

[Drtooth]

I get what you're saying... the way the movie turned out, it might as well have been a Creature Shop film, with JHC Creatures just as the ghosts. But I really like the concept of having the Ghost of Christmas Past being a puppet filmed underwater. That's the part of puppetry that engages me the most. Experimental effects like that. Jim would have been proud for that alone.

But when it comes to the actual project, there is one huge problem. It's too darn accurate to the book! It's even more accurate than straight up adaptions. MTI was a much more fun film because of how much stuff that had to be made up just to accommodate other characters. MCC had no such flexibility. The only major change was giving Jacob Marley a brother to accommodate both Hecklers and clumsily adding in that Fezziwig's was a Rubber Chicken factory, yet not elaborating on that.

Though I will say, since most of the characters were yet to be recast, I don't really see how many Muppets could have been used. Bunsen and Beaker could have been funny as Ghosts and using some weird malfunctioning scientific means to go back in time. Too bad they went for accuracy instead of funny.

 

[Mo Frackle]

Yeah, I definitely second that. The ghosts as humans really would have livened things up. I know they didn't use Muppets so that the ghosts would seem more effective, but for some reason I still feel like with a right choice of Muppets they could have pulled it off.

I know I remember reading that they had considered Muppets for ghosts, who were they? I think they wanted Scooter for one and maybe Piggy for another? Can't say for sure though without doing some research.

I really don't know which Muppets I would want there. Gonna have to think about that.

According to Brian, Scooter was going to be present, and Piggy was going to be past (or it may have been the other way around). Gonzo was going to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, with only his nose sticking out of that dark cloak. It's possible that the earlier drafts were written when Richard Hunt was still with us.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I get what you're saying... the way the movie turned out, it might as well have been a Creature Shop film,

Oh you know you're right! It does kinda read more like a Creature Shop film at times. That's interesting.

Gonzo was going to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, with only his nose sticking out of that dark cloak.

Wow...you know I had the exact same image in my mind?! Lol

 

[Mr Sweetums]

This is such a big coincidence seeing as I’ve recently been obsessed with my own version of MCC to the point where I even wrote down my notes. When I saw this message I decided to finally sign up so I could share it with you guys. The following list can be explained by the fact that I am currently out of work.
I remember watching MCC at the cinema when it first premiered and did not appreciate it for the masterpiece it truly is. Now I love MCC as it’s nice to have something in my Muppet collection where heart out weighs humour (although I’m glad they didn’t make a trend of it). Anyway as I child I felt that this movie lacked a great deal of Muppets (original Muppets) especially when it comes to the three ghosts and to an extent I still feel this way.

Now being realistic and keeping in mind that both Jim Henson and Richard Hunt’s characters hadn’t been recast at the time makes for a really difficult Muppet cramped movie. I agree with all of you who say Scooter should have played the role of Scrooge’s nephew but sadly at the time that was not possible. Seeing as back in 1992 Disney had still not come into the picture meant The Muppets, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock could still gather together for a family Christmas. This was a tribute to Jim Henson and at the time the Muppet Cast was low so why not have a grand celebration of everything Henson and once again bring everyone together although still mainly keeping it as a Muppet movie.
This is the cast list I came up with a few weeks ago

Scrooge/Michael Caine
Charles/Fozzie
Dickens/ Gonzo
Dickens Pet Rat/ Rizzo
Jacob & Marley/ Statler & Waldorf
Scrooge’s Trash/ Oscar the Grouch (outside house)

Bob Cratchit/ Kermit
Emily Cratchit/ Miss Piggy
Tiny Tim/ Robin
Peter/ Elmo
Betina & Belinda/ Snowths
Dog/ Sprocket

Scrooges Workers/ The Fraggles
Scrooges Nephew/ Floyd
Charity Collectors/ Ernie & Bert
Carol Singers/ Bean Bunny/Snuffy/Doozers

Towns People Grover, Crazy Harry, Lew Zealand, Uncle Deadly, Marvin Suggs, Strangepork, Barkley, Telly, Random Fraggles, Trash-Heap, Philo and Gunge
Ghost of Christmas Past/ Animal
Young Scrooge/ Young Beaker
Teenage Scrooge/ Beaker
Adult Scrooge/ Michael Caine
Scrooges Only Friend/ Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Scrooges Teacher/ Sam the Eagle

Bunsen and Beaker could have a fight and when Beaker stops hanging out with Bunsen we see him transforming from Beaker into Michael Caine (Michael Caine with a Beaker nose?)
Fozziwig/ Cookie Monster Mrs Fozziwig/Rosita Belle/ Ma Gorg
At Fozziwig's cookie party there could be a special tribute to Jim Henson where his characters all appear together playing instruments on stage including... Rowlf, Dr Teeth, Link Hogthrob, The Swedish Chef, Newsman, Mahna-Mahna, Guy Smiley, Cantus the Minstrel, Convincing John amongst others

Christmas Present/ Pa Gorg

Guests at Floyd’s (Scrooges Nephew) Christmas Party Zoot, Beauregard, Lips, Pops, The Count, Uncle Matt
At Floyd's party there could have been a tribute for Richard Hunt with his charcters performing on stage including Janice, Scooter, Junior Gorg, Sweetums amongst others

Christmas Future/ Big Bird

If you've actually read through my entire post thank you, makes me feel I didn't waste a full day of my life

 

[Hubert]

Hiya, Mr. Sweetums! Welcome to the forum! I feel really glad that my piddly little thread drove you to make an account here, but we're really glad it did!

I did read your whole post, and I really like a lot of what you posted here. The idea of a crossover Christmas Carol is pretty sweet, especially with some of the casting you put in there. For some reason I'm loving Ernie and Bert as charity collectors. Awesome fit!

I also have a question: Why do you have a Charles and a Dickens? Just wondering about that.

 

[Mr Sweetums]

Thanks for reading Hubert

I decided to steal a great idea from MCC and just like they did with Jacob Marley I decided to seperate the character into two seperate characters so I could add Fozzie along with Gonzo and Rizzo as the narrators

 

[Hubert]

I see. Very interesting idea, it might play out nicely. We never really have gotten to see all three of those interact together much, but the results might be fun.

(also, lovin' your new avatar! )

 

[Mr Sweetums]

I can see Fozzie having no idea what the story is about, Gonzo trying to change everything about it and then Rizzo (the pet rat) being the only one trying to stay true to the actual story

 

[Hubert]

I like the idea of Fozzie not knowing what it's about. Interesting addition to it all, as long as he doesn't seem too dumb, which with good writers, shouldn't be a problem.