SQUARE EYES - New Zealand Children's Film Foundation

'TIS THE SEASON FOR LOVE, LAUGHTER, MUPPETS AND ONE OF THE MOST CHERISHED STORIES OF ALL TIME!

We know the story well - one fateful Victorian Christmas Eve, crotchety, greedy, penny-pinching Ebenezeer Scrooge, a miser extraordinaire who couldn't care less about anything Christmasy, is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Together with kind, humble Bob Cratchit and his family, the Spirits open Scrooge's eyes - and his heart - to the true meaning of Christmas, creating a stirring and emotional story of triumph and redemption in the face of mortality.

Brian Henson directs his late father's creations in this much-loved Muppet-led musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, one of the best known, and most often-filmed, Christmas stories. The brilliant Michael Caine plays 'bah-humbuging' Scrooge, with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Mrs Cratchit, and a host of Muppets - including the Great Gonzo adopting the persona of Dickens himself - taking other primary roles in this cautionary tale of the importance of love, family, and friends.

AGE RECOMMENDATION

Rated G, Square Eyes recommends this film for ages 6+. As is characteristic of many truly great films for young audiences, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL does not pander to notions of anything being 'too scary' - nor does it shy away from the innate darkness of the material at hand. Dicken's tale is one that revolves almost uniformly around themes of corruption, poverty and death.

The source material obviously has a sense of Victorian melancholy and somber drama, and the film has faithfully retained much of these wonderfully darker edges - but the device of having Gonzo tell the story to Rizzo the Rat allows for the tension and scare-factor to be cut somewhat, making this an entirely suitable filmic experience for even the youngest of audience members. Not that there aren’t moments that very small viewers may still find a tad unnerving, but Gonzo and Rizzo are a terrific help, at least until they get too frightened and elect to leave the movie during the 'Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come' sequence, returning at the end of the movie when all is well in the world, and Scrooge redeemed.

As always, Square Eyes age recommendation is intended to guide parents and guardians in selecting the most emotionally and intellectually appropriate films for their children. While these recommendations are based on our Square Eyed knowledge, we recognise that all children respond to films in different ways and leave the final decision to the adults who know them best. We encourage you to select films that you feel to be suitable viewing based on the information provided, and to accompany your child or children to the screenings.

SCREENING:

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19th 2010
11.00am

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

United States 1992
Directed by Brian Henson
86 minutes, G, Recommended for ages 6+

TICKET PRICES

Adults and Children $10.00

Tickets available at EMBASSY THEATRE
located 10 Kent Terrace, Wellington.


	'TIS THE SEASON FOR LOVE, LAUGHTER, MUPPETS AND ONE OF THE MOST CHERISHED STORIES OF ALL TIME! © Muppet character images by arrangement with The Walt Disney Company. All rights reserved. We know the story well - one fateful Victorian Christmas Eve, crotchety, greedy, penny-pinching Ebenezeer Scrooge, a miser extraordinaire who couldn't care less about anything Christmasy, is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Together with kind, humble Bob Cratchit and his family, the Spirits open Scrooge's eyes - and his heart - to the true meaning of Christmas, creating a stirring and emotional story of triumph and redemption in the face of mortality. Brian Henson directs his late father's creations in this much-loved Muppet-led musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, one of the best known, and most often-filmed, Christmas stories. The brilliant Michael Caine plays 'bah-humbuging' Scrooge, with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Mrs Cratchit, and a host of Muppets - including the Great Gonzo adopting the persona of Dickens himself - taking other primary roles in this cautionary tale of the importance of love, family, and friends. AGE RECOMMENDATION Rated G, Square Eyes recommends this film for ages 6+. As is characteristic of many truly great films for young audiences, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL does not pander to notions of anything being 'too scary' - nor does it shy away from the innate darkness of the material at hand. Dicken's tale is one that revolves almost uniformly around themes of corruption, poverty and death. The source material obviously has a sense of Victorian melancholy and somber drama, and the film has faithfully retained much of these wonderfully darker edges - but the device of having Gonzo tell the story to Rizzo the Rat allows for the tension and scare-factor to be cut somewhat, making this an entirely suitable filmic experience for even the youngest of audience members. Not that there aren’t moments that very small viewers may still find a tad unnerving, but Gonzo and Rizzo are a terrific help, at least until they get too frightened and elect to leave the movie during the 'Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come' sequence, returning at the end of the movie when all is well in the world, and Scrooge redeemed. As always, Square Eyes age recommendation is intended to guide parents and guardians in selecting the most emotionally and intellectually appropriate films for their children. While these recommendations are based on our Square Eyed knowledge, we recognise that all children respond to films in different ways and leave the final decision to the adults who know them best. We encourage you to select films that you feel to be suitable viewing based on the information provided, and to accompany your child or children to the screenings. SCREENING: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19th 2010 11.00am THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL United States 1992 Directed by Brian Henson 86 minutes, G, Recommended for ages 6+ TICKET PRICES Adults and Children $10.00 Tickets available at EMBASSY THEATRE located 10 Kent Terrace, Wellington.	© 2011 Square Eyes. All Rights Reserved.