Brian Henson on The Muppet Christmas Carol: “It’s quite possibly the best thing I ever did”

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Three years ago, in 2022, The Muppet Christmas Carol celebrated its 30th anniversary since release.

When a movie reaches its 30th anniversary, it’s often a special occasion. It can bring back longtime fans who haven’t seen it in years, and introduce it to a new generation of viewers.

Unlike some Christmas classics that fade from view, The Muppet Christmas Carol has remained consistently popular. Every year, countless fans continue to enjoy watching it, making it a true holiday tradition alongside other beloved Christmas films.

Meredith Braun, who played Belle, Scrooge’s former love interest in the movie, never expected to be part of this yearly event.

Honestly, it never even crossed my mind how big this would be! I’m a bit clueless sometimes, like a goldfish constantly being surprised, and it’s a really wonderful feeling. It’s just gorgeous to be connected with the Muppets – how could anyone not love that? I’m incredibly proud of the whole thing. I really threw myself into it, but it was pure joy, a genuine pleasure. And when do you actually get to say that about anything in life?

Brian Henson, the film’s director, has mixed feelings about it. When asked if he enjoys revisiting it, he simply said, “Yeah, I suppose so.”

Actually, I think this is probably the best thing I’ve ever accomplished. It’s a little strange to say that something I did at 28 was my greatest achievement, though. I’ve done many other things I’m proud of, but nothing quite compares to ‘A Christmas Carol’.

Let’s start at the beginning. I asked Henson about the film’s origins, and he readily explained that the initial idea wasn’t his own.

To be honest, my agent, Bill Haber, came up with the idea. He suggested doing ‘The Christmas Carol’ with the Muppets, and at first, I hesitated. I thought it had been made so many times – it’s probably the most adapted story in film – and I was a little concerned about that.

Henson explained that he, along with screenwriter Jerry Juhl and head of development Alex Rockwell, began brainstorming ideas. They first considered a TV special that would playfully imitate A Christmas Carol, but quickly realized that the original story was too well-respected to parody, so they decided to create something original and heartfelt instead.

We were confident the project was going to be great after Jerry finished the initial draft. Then, someone secretly sent the script to Disney, and they loved it so much they suggested turning it into a movie instead of a TV show, which was really thrilling.

So what was it that made this movie such a surefire hit from the off?

Henson described how, in The Great Muppet Caper, the Muppets pretended to be characters within a movie, but were essentially just being themselves. He realized that if they fully embraced acting as the Muppets within the story, they could play their roles convincingly, but still maintain their unique, quirky Muppet personalities.

We didn’t need to change much of the dialogue from Charles Dickens’s story. Some people even believe The Muppet Christmas Carol is the most accurate adaptation because it includes Dickens’s original writing throughout the film. We knew it would give the Muppets a different feel, but we were confident it would be successful.

But it wasn’t a universally shared opinion, and this disagreement eventually resulted in a song that was ultimately removed from the project – we’ll discuss it later.

According to Henson, Disney wanted The Muppet Christmas Carol to be much more overtly comedic. Traditionally, Muppet movies aimed for a high joke density – about two jokes per page – following classic comedy formulas. However, this film took a different approach, prioritizing a dramatic storyline with humor woven in. While the characters and moments are funny, the scenes weren’t built around being comedic.

After the movie production began, the filmmakers started looking for actors. Emma Braun was chosen to play Belle at the age of 19, while she was performing as Éponine in Les Misérables in London. She was thrilled when she got the chance to audition for the part.

She shared her childhood love for the Muppets, recalling how she and her family would watch The Muppet Show every Sunday night around 6:30 PM in New Zealand. She was a huge fan growing up.

The audition was extremely straightforward, and filming was a genuinely pleasant experience. She barely had to miss any performances of Les Misérables. Braun recalls the striking contrast of spending her days surrounded by the joy of the Muppets and then immediately switching to the intense, dramatic role of a dying character in Les Misérables, often covered in fake blood each night.

I was curious about what it was like to film in the Muppets’ recreation of Victorian London back in 1992, and wanted to learn more about the actual sets used during those days.

Val Strazovec, the production designer for the film, cleverly used forced perspective when building the sets. This technique makes the locations appear much larger than they actually were.

According to Henson, the movie The Muppet Christmas Carol uses a lot of forced perspective – a classic filmmaking technique. He explains that if you were walking down the street as seen in the film, buildings would appear to dramatically change size very quickly, like a one-story building becoming three stories tall within just 60 feet. This visual effect was largely the work of Val and the skilled British art departments involved in the production.

Following a technique often used by Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, the filming sets were built higher off the ground. This allowed puppeteers to stand and fully operate their characters from underneath, creating a more effective performance.

Henson notes that his father always raised the puppet stage. He believed a puppeteer could give a much stronger performance standing directly below the puppet, rather than sitting on the ground and struggling to move around.

You know, I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to puppet shows. I always made sure the puppeteers weren’t stuck sitting on the floor – it just didn’t look right! I’d always take the time to raise a part of the stage so they could stand comfortably underneath. It was a little extra effort, but worth it for the performance, in my opinion.

Braun remembers that during breaks while filming Fozziewig’s Christmas party, she’d chat with Fozzie Bear himself – not the person controlling the puppet – when he wasn’t acting as Fozziewig.

She clarified that it wasn’t the person controlling the puppet who was acting, but Fozzie himself. Once filming resumed, he’d revert to playing his character, Fozziewig. She said the whole thing was a very strange experience.

As an actor, I’m used to unusual experiences, but it was still strange growing up watching the Muppets and then finding myself wearing a revealing top and playfully interacting with Fozzie Bear on set. I completely forgot to even think about talking to the person controlling the puppet!

Michael Caine has had a remarkably successful career, so it might surprise some that he’s remembered so fondly for his role in this particular film. However, the emotional power and seriousness he brought to the character are what have kept the movie popular for so long.

Henson believed Caine’s performance was crucial in bringing all the different elements and moods of the film together into a cohesive whole.

The movie is built around the contrasting styles of Charles Dickens and Jim Henson. Scrooge was meant to embody Dickens’s approach, while Bob Cratchit represented Henson’s.

The film relied heavily on the contrast between the worlds of Charles Dickens and Jim Henson – you can see it in the music, the visuals, and the overall design. We needed an actor with strong comedic timing, but someone who could play the role sincerely to make that contrast really work.

Michael Caine, known for his versatility in films ranging from comedies like The Italian Job and Alfie to dramas such as The Ipcress File and A Bridge Too Far, immediately impressed Jim Henson. Henson felt Caine instinctively understood his vision.

I remember meeting Michael Caine and one of the very first things he told me was he was going to play Scrooge ‘completely straight,’ with no winking at the camera. I immediately thought, ‘perfect!’ You see, before The Muppet Christmas Carol, most movies with the Muppets just had actors popping in for quick cameos, and they usually did really silly, over-the-top things for laughs. It was fantastic that Michael understood this was going to be different – he really got how we wanted to approach this film.

From an actor’s point of view, working with him was wonderful, according to Braun. She says she’s never witnessed anyone become emotional so quickly, describing him as a genius and a true gentleman.

Considering how dedicated Michael Caine was to the role, did he immerse himself completely in the character of Scrooge while filming? According to Braun, not really. “He was very professional, but not overly serious,” she explains. “He understood when to be quiet and let others concentrate, giving them the space they needed to get into character.”

She explained that he was simply respectful, demonstrating his professionalism and experience without being arrogant or self-important.

Ah, but cover your eyes, Michael – you might not want to read this next part.

To be honest, I was more excited to meet the Muppets,” Braun admits. “And Miss Piggy is nothing like the diva everyone thinks she is – she really doesn’t fit that reputation at all.

I have to say, one of the best things about this movie – and a huge reason why it’s still so loved today – is the music! The songs are just so catchy and fun, they get stuck in your head for days!

I realize asking this is difficult, like having to pick a favorite child, but I’m curious – which one does Henson prefer?

Henson admits he has trouble choosing a favorite, but says ‘It Feels Like Christmas’ is likely the most cheerful song. He also really enjoys ‘One More Sleep Till Christmas,’ sung by Kermit.

Paul Williams, a composer famous for the music in Bugsy Malone and the lyrics to Barbara Streisand’s hit song ‘Evergreen’ from A Star is Born, wrote the music.

Honestly, signing Paul Williams was a total no-brainer for me. I always wondered why my dad only worked with him on two projects, because those songs – especially in Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas and the very first Muppet Movie – are just incredibly strong and felt perfect for the Muppets. They really captured the heart of what those characters were all about.

He explained that the songwriter primarily creates folk music, which seemed unusual for a story set in Dickensian London. However, he believed it would work well because Williams’ songs would represent a playful, Jim Henson-like quality, contrasting with Miles’ more dramatic and traditionally Dickensian score for the rest of the scenes.

As it turns out, Henson also believes the film took on an extra layer of significance for Williams.

Henson explained that Paul had struggled for several years, battling addiction and only recently getting his life back on track. This likely explained why Henson’s father hadn’t been working with him – Paul’s life had taken a difficult turn.

This was Paul’s first film project after overcoming his struggles with addiction, and it resonated with him deeply. The movie’s theme of redemption mirrored his own journey towards healing, making it a particularly meaningful experience for him.

We haven’t mentioned the song “When Love Is Gone” yet, which was a key moment for Braun in the film. For many years, it was actually removed from most versions shown in theaters. This happened because of an agreement between Jim Henson and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg: Katzenberg wanted it cut from the theatrical release, but they agreed it could still be included on the home video version.

Both Henson and Braun told me, completely independently, that Katzenberg actually wanted to cut ‘Part of Your World’ from The Little Mermaid! I was shocked to hear that – it’s such an iconic song, and I can’t imagine the movie without it.

Henson observed that the filmmaker didn’t believe movies needed romantic ballads, reasoning that young children find them uninteresting. During test screenings, Henson noticed that whenever the song ‘Love Is Gone’ played, the children would suddenly need to go to the bathroom, proving his point.

Jeffrey originally requested that the song ‘Love Is Gone’ be removed only from the first theatrical release of the film. The plan was for all subsequent versions to include it. However, when Disney lost the original film negative, it caused a major problem and complicated things.

Henson says this scene was the only one completely cut from the final film. He explains that, being new to directing at the time, he didn’t shoot any additional footage. While he worked with Jerry on the script and rewrites, once filming began, they stuck to it exactly as written – no changes were made on set.

There wasn’t much unscripted material, though some physical comedy was added on the spot. The only scene that didn’t make the final cut was the one where that happened.

After the film clip went missing, Jim Henson passionately campaigned for its recovery and inclusion in the movie. His efforts were successful – the lost footage was discovered in 2020. Now, since 2022, viewers can watch the complete version on Disney Plus.

Braun remembers Henson’s dedication to recovering the forgotten song and his initial efforts to have it included. He even sent her a letter after the final decision was reached, which showed her how much it meant to him.

She recalls not being particularly upset by it, which she finds amusing now. She saw it as a short, enjoyable job before returning to her work on Les Misérables. Knowing a video of it still existed, she was pretty relaxed about the whole thing – she just figured, ‘Okay, that’s that.’

He clearly understood how important it was more than I did, and he was very kind about it. He explained that keeping it in was crucial for the story, and he was right – it really did matter to how the story unfolded.

Now that the film has been restored and is available on Disney Plus, how does Veronica Braun feel about seeing her iconic scene back on screen after all the work that went into making it happen?

She mentioned seeing some old campaigns over the years. While she doesn’t use social media much, she thought it was really funny. She thanked Brian for finding and reposting it, saying they’ll be watching it soon, likely while enjoying sloe gin and roast potatoes.

It’s remarkable that this film has remained popular for 33 years, and it’s especially heartening to see its appeal with younger audiences continue to increase.

I recently rediscovered a song by Lalah Hathaway – she put out an album called ‘When Love Is Gone’ in 2017 with a really beautiful take on it, and you can tell it still means a lot to her. But honestly, I was thinking about the movie it’s featured in, and it got me wondering… where does it actually stand when you compare it to all the other classic Christmas movies out there?

I really enjoy ‘Arthur Christmas’ – it’s definitely one of my favorites. I recently rewatched it last Christmas after not seeing it for a while, and it still holds up – it’s a fantastic movie!

I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this, and it’s something I continue to cherish. It’s been wonderful that my children have grown up with it as well, and I still find it hilarious. I’m truly grateful to Brian and Paul for giving me the opportunity, and I’m so happy it remains a part of my life.

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Henson’s feelings about the film are complex. While he doesn’t look back on it with pure happiness, it’s clear the movie remains important to him.

Looking back, I have wonderful memories. Creating it was definitely a rewarding experience. And yes, it was also incredibly frightening – truly terrifying, actually.

When my dad passed away, I was 28 and unexpectedly found myself directing a Muppet movie. Many people, including the press, doubted whether the Muppets could succeed without Jim Henson, which was a really challenging time. But in the end, it proved to be a very fulfilling experience.

You can now watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney+. A Disney+ subscription starts at just £5.99 per month.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a global TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2025-12-19 09:39