As someone who purchased a seven-foot skeleton this morning in preparation for Halloween, I’m not ready for the onslaught of Christmas cheer that’s already invading the spookiest of holidays. My lawn currently looks like a spooky graveyard, and my brain is firmly tuned to ghosts, ghouls, and pumpkin spice. Still, I’ll make an exception for Walmart’s latest commercial, which recreates my all-time favorite holiday movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, for a holiday promo that’s sure to have sugarplums dancing in your head.
Halloween Can Wait, the Muppets Are Here
When Brian Henson, son of legendary creator Jim Henson, directed the original 1992 film, he managed to capture a surprisingly faithful yet delightfully whimsical version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale. Anchored by Michael Caine’s legendary, deadpan performance as Ebenezer Scrooge (who treated every Muppet on set with absolute dramatic seriousness), the movie became an enduring holiday staple for generations of viewers.
Bah, Humbug! Meet Walmart’s New Scrooge
Walmart’s new commercial lovingly recreates a performance of the classic opening song, “Scrooge,” with new characters joining the festivities and singing along while bringing cheer to the Victorian streets of London. The song playfully highlights Scrooge’s notorious stinginess, cheekily suggesting that if he wanted to be a better human and join in the fun, he could have just gone to Walmart for gifts to save a few coins.
The promo is hosted by the original film’s iconic narrating duo, Gonzo the Great (as Charles Dickens) and Rizzo the Rat, and it even throws in a hilarious cameo by Pepe the King Prawn, a fan-favorite character who wasn’t even around yet when the 1992 movie was released! To top it all off, the commercial casts Walton Goggins as Scrooge, following in Caine’s footsteps with a brilliant mix of theatrical villainy and comedic brilliance.
It might still be October, but if anything is going to make me put down my Halloween decorations a few days early, it’s watching Muppets sing about holiday savings. In fact, I’m going to pull my copy of The Muppet Christmas Carol from my shelf right now in preparation for this year’s annual watch party.
Source:
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