It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is an NBC television movie produced by Jim Henson Television in 2002, starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Template:Spoiler The plot of the movie revolves around the old Muppet Theatre going through financial hardship, and the entire Muppet cast looking towards Kermit the Frog for guidance. Kermit eventually gets fed up, and an angel is sent to help him out. The movie then follows the formula of It's a Wonderful Life, as Kermit is shown what would have happened to his friends if he had not existed. In the opposite world, Joan Cusack's character has changed the park near the Muppet Theatre into a shopping centre. Gonzo is now homeless and Rizzo the Rat has been shoved onto an episode of Fear Factor where a woman has to eat him alive. Dr. Teeth and his band have become country dancers. The biggest change is the Muppet Theatre, which has become a dreadful night club. Dr. Honeydew became a rapper, Beaker became a bodyguard, and Fozzie is now a pickpocketer. Miss Piggy is a widow who lives in an apartment with a series of cats.
The film stars the usual assortment of Muppets characters, as well as three primary human roles: David Arquette played Daniel, the angel sent to help Kermit; Joan Cusack played the woman trying to purchase the Muppet Theatre; and Whoopi Goldberg portrayed God. As is customary in Muppet movies, a wide assortment of cameos were also made in the film (including, for the first time, cameos by other puppets—Yoda and Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog).
Trivia
- This movie makes at least two references to the first Muppet feature film, The Muppet Movie: Kermit passes by a statue erected in his honor, the caption of which reads "For the lovers, the dreamers, and you"; Kermit finds out that without him, Doc Hopper's Fried Frog Legs would have become a very successful enterprise.
- This movie contains the first spoken lines by Rowlf since the death of Jim Henson. After Henson's death, Rowlf was placed in semi-retirement to honor him (Henson's other signature character—Kermit—was obviously too popular to shelve).
- The play the muppets do at the Muppet Theater is their version of Moulin Rouge!, entitled Moulin Scrooge.
- Near the start there is a series of parodies of The Gift of the Magi, as various Muppet double acts (Kermit and Piggy, Bunsen and Beaker, Gonzo and Rizzo etc.) exchange gifts, only to find that both parties have sold the item their gift would compliment in order to buy the others' gift. This concludes with Sal Manella telling Johnny Fiama he traded his motorcycle to buy Johnny a gold record player. Much to Sal's shock, Johnny just says "Oh, thanks, Sal."