It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002) (TV)

Director:

Kirk R. Thatcher

Writers (WGA):

Tom Martin (written by) and
Jim Lewis (written by)

Release Date:

29 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

More holiday fun then humanly possible!

Plot:

On Christmas Eve, an angel petitions God to send help for Kermit the Frog who has lost all hope after losing the Muppet Theatre.

Plot Keywords:

Angel | Christmas | Despair | Puppet | The Muppets

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Steve Whitmire	...	Kermit / Rizzo the Rat / Beaker / Bean Bunny / Mr. Poodlepants / Statler (voice)
Dave Goelz	...	The Great Gonzo / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew / Waldorf
Bill Barretta	...	Pepe the Prawn / Dr. Teeth / Rowlf the Dog / Swedish Chef / Johnny Fiama / Bobo the Bear / Howard / Lew Zealand
Eric Jacobson	...	Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Yoda (voice)
David Arquette	...	Daniel
Joan Cusack	...	Rachel Bitterman
Matthew Lillard	...	Luc Fromage
William H. Macy	...	Glenn
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Daniel's 'Boss'
Carson Daly	...	Himself
Kelly Ripa	...	Herself
Joe Rogan	...	Himself
Molly Shannon	...	Herself
Robert Smigel	...	Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice) (as Triumph the Insult Dog)
Zach Braff	...	Himself
Sarah Chalke	...	Herself
Neil Flynn	...	Janitor
John C. McGinley	...	Himself
Judy Reyes	...	Herself
Bill Lawrence	...	Himself
Mel Brooks	...	Joe Snow (voice)
Brian Henson	...	Scooter / Sal Manilla / Janice (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Robin the Frog / Statler / Announcer / Pops / Floyd Pepper / Kid #1
Kevin Clash	...	Sam the Eagle (voice)
John Kennedy	...	Animal (puppetry) / Sam the Eagle (puppetry)
Alice Dinnean	...	Additional Muppets (as Alice Dinnean-Vernon)
Allan Trautman
Geoff Redknap	...	Puppeteer / Sweetums Suit Performer (as Geoff Rednap)
Denise Cheshire
Drew Massey
Adam Behr
Gordon Robertson
John Henson	...	Sweetums
Dawn Lewis	...	Fear Factor Contestant
Colin Foo	...	Security Guard
Yee Jee Tso	...	Angel 1
Dan Joffre	...	Angel 2
Jonathan Bruce	...	Fat Angel
Cameron McDonald	...	Safari Animal Tracker
Darrell Lee-Izeard	...	Thin Angel (as Darrell Izeard)
Chantal Strand	...	Nancy Nut-What
Robin Mossley	...	Nicki Nut-what
Dan Payne	...	Handsome Executive
Dave 'Squatch' Ward	...	Sally Ann Santa
Julia Arkos	...	Sally Ann Representative
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jon Stewart	...	Himself (scenes deleted)
Sisi Wang	...	Old Muppet's Date
Marci Dacus	...	Fear Factor Contestant (uncredited)
Ray Galletti	...	(uncredited)
Conan Graham	...	Executive Assistant (uncredited)
Lawrence Trilling	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Kirk R. Thatcher

Writing credits (WGA)
Tom Martin		(written by) and
Jim Lewis		(written by)

Produced by
Martin G. Baker	....	producer
Bill Barretta	....	co-producer
Juliet Blake	....	executive producer
Warren Carr	....	producer
Brian Henson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Desmond Child
Davitt Sigerson
Mark Watters

Cinematography by
Tony Westman

Film Editing by
Gregg Featherman

Production Design by
Michael S. Bolton

Art Direction by
James Steuart		(as Jim Steuart)

Set Decoration by
Linda Vipond

Costume Design by
Sandra J. Blackie

Makeup Department
Sandy Cooper	....	key makeup artist
Harlow MacFarlane	....	special makeup effects artist
Charles Porlier	....	special makeup effects artist
Debra Wiebe	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Warren Carr	....	production manager
Annie Court	....	post-production supervisor
Drew Locke	....	unit manager: second unit
Ritamarie Peruggi	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Frame	....	second unit director
Leann Harvey	....	trainee assistant director
Alexis Hinde	....	second assistant director: second unit
Patrice Leung	....	first assistant director
David Mills	....	first assistant director: second unit
Tracey Poirier	....	second assistant director
Patrick Stark	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Dave Conway	....	construction coordinator
Brian Epp	....	assistant property master
Kevin Griffin-Park	....	on-set dresser
Frank Haddad	....	greensman
John Marcynuk	....	set designer
Wendy McAllister	....	storyboard artist
Roxanne Methot	....	assistant art director
Beth Nelson	....	assistant set decorator
Christine Shaw	....	set dresser
Grant Swain	....	property master
Patrick Zahorodniuk	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Michael Atwell	....	ProTools recordist
Darren Brisker	....	production sound mixer
Darren Brisker	....	sound recordist
Tim Bryson	....	additional mixes
Neil Cedar	....	adr recordist
Ryan Darden	....	assistant sound editor
Stephen Fitzmaurice	....	sound mixer (as Steven Fritzmaurice)
Richard C. Franklin	....	adr supervisor (as Rick Franklin)
Sara Kohlman	....	sound assistant
Carey Milbradt	....	foley recordist
Charles O'Shea	....	boom operator (as Charlie O'Shea)
Chris Ostler	....	sound recordist
Larry Stensvold	....	sound mixer
Richard Taylor	....	sound supervisor
Sarah Workhoven	....	adr assistant

Special Effects by
Jim Fisher	....	first assistant special effects
Brant McIlroy	....	special effects
Robert Yeager	....	special effects coordinator (as Rob Yeager)

Visual Effects by
John B. Anderson	....	senior shader writer: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Adrian Banton	....	digital artist: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Adrian Banton	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Hal Bertram	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Hitesh Bharadia	....	matchmove supervisor/technical director: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Jason Bielski	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Clare Burgess	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Mike Connolly	....	digital compositor: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Charlene Eberle Douglas	....	on-set visual effects coordinator (as Charlene Eberle)
James Furlong	....	digital tracking: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Myf Hopkins	....	head of production: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Alan Latteri	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Nick Lloyd	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Alberto Montañés	....	digital compositor: Jim Hensons Creature Shop
Mike Pope	....	digital compositor
Dan Sheerin	....	digital artist
Dusan Strugar	....	digital character and visual effects: Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Stunts
Marny Eng	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
John Adams	....	gaffer: second unit
Toby Armitt	....	second assistant camera
Trevor Butt	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Harvey Fedor	....	key grip
Niall Fraser	....	best boy electric
Rob Graham	....	video assist operator: second unit
Peter Grotek	....	dolly grip (as Pete Grotek)
Peter Grotek	....	key grip: second unit
Martin Hass	....	dolly grip
Colin Hudson	....	steadicam operator
Simon Hunt	....	gaffer
Armin Matter	....	camera operator
Carl Pederson	....	video engineer
Randal Platt	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian Rose	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Charlie Schultz	....	best boy grip
Lance White	....	video assist
Keith Woods	....	rigging gaffer

Casting Department
Lynne Carrow	....	casting: Canada
Allison Cowitt	....	casting: US
Mike Fenton	....	casting: US
Ann Frederick	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jessica Lythgoe-Green	....	costumer
Kurtis Reeves	....	costume supervisor: second unit

Editorial Department
Brian Anton	....	assistant editor
Frank Mazzaro	....	on-line editor
Leeanna Romero	....	post-production intern
Sati Tooray	....	colorist

Music Department
Michael Atwell	....	score recordist
Desmond Child	....	composer: "Everyone Matters"
Audrey DeRoche	....	music coordinator (as Audrey deRoche)
Ross DeRoche	....	orchestra contractor (as Ross deRoche)
Ira Hearshen	....	orchestrator
Jimmy Hoyson	....	second score engineer
Andrew Kinney	....	orchestrator
Christopher Klatman	....	composer: additional music
Christopher Klatman	....	orchestrator (as Chris Klatman)
Dino A. Moriana	....	music editor
Don Nemitz	....	orchestrator
Bill Newlin	....	orchestrator
John Richards	....	score engineer
J. Eric Schmidt	....	orchestrator (as Eric Schmidt)
Nan Schwartz Mishkin	....	orchestrator (as Nan Schwartz)
Davitt Sigerson	....	composer: "Everyone Matters"
Stephen James Taylor	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Ron James	....	transportation coordinator
Tony Johnson	....	transportation captain
Jason Wayne Spencer	....	driver: van

Other crew
Mike Atwater	....	production assistant
Adam Behr	....	muppet performer
Mary Brehmer	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Simon Bright	....	key production assistant
Sophie Brodovitch	....	script coordinator
Brittan Brown	....	post-production accountant
Raimey Casiro	....	key production assistant
Denise Cheshire	....	muppet performer
Allison Chretien	....	set supervisor
Edward G. Christie	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop (as Ed Christie)
Kevin Clash	....	muppet performer
Annmarie Crivelli	....	assistant: Mark Walters (as Annemarie Crivelli)
Ric De Groot	....	assistant accountant (as Ric Degroot)
Andrea Detwiler	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Alice Dinnean	....	muppet performer (as Alice Dinnean-Vernon)
Ian Doig	....	animal trainer
Brad Elliott	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Sandy Fox	....	loop group voice
Kathleen Gati	....	loop group voice
Jerry Gelb	....	loop group voice
Jane Gootnick	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Catherine Gordon	....	assistant accountant
Michael Gough	....	loop group voice
Teresa Gough	....	assistant location manager
Paul Hartis	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Brian Henson	....	muppet performer
John Henson	....	muppet performer
James Hibbard	....	choreographer
Ann Marie Holdgruen	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Robert Irving III	....	synthesizer programmer (as Robert Irving)
Lauri Johnson	....	loop group voice
John Kennedy	....	muppet performer
Lorne Kostyshin	....	craft service
Lana Krotenko	....	script supervisor: second unit
Lex Lang	....	loop group voice
Stephanie Leavitt	....	assistant to producers
Laura Livingstone	....	production coordinator
Grace MacLeod	....	cat trainer
Danny Mann	....	loop group voice
Mona Marshall	....	loop group voice
Tom Martin	....	executive consultant
Drew Massey	....	muppet performer
David M. McLoughlin	....	office assistant (as Dave McLoughlin)
Tim Miller	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Kelly Moon	....	script supervisor
Robert Murdoch	....	location manager
Jerry Nelson	....	muppet performer
Tom Newby	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Joan Parkinson	....	Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
Karen Pelrine	....	second assistant coordinator
Geoff Redknap	....	muppet performer (as Geoff Rednap)
Michael Roberts	....	production accountant
Gordon Robertson	....	muppet performer
Lia Sargent	....	loop group voice
Adrienne Sol	....	assistant production coordinator
Jason Wayne Spencer	....	production assistant
Rhonda Taylor	....	assistant to director
Allan Trautman	....	muppet performer

Production Companies

• Jim Henson Productions

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Chum Television
• Disney Channel (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM International TV Distribution (worldwide)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (2002) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Complete Post  on-line editing
• Deroche Music  music preparation (as deRoche Music, Inc.)
• Ear Whacks!  loop group casting
• Freaky Beats and Eats  catering
• Panavision  camera equipment
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  dailies
• Technicolor Creative Services  post-production audio
• Westwind Media  post-production audio
• William F. White International  lighting equipment (as William F. White Ltd.)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:G | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Jim Henson Productions

Trivia:

Jon Stewart was to make a cameo as himself but his scenes were deleted.

Goofs:

Continuity: Kermit's hand shifts on and off the back of the bench between shots during Gonzo's song in the alternate universe

Quotes:

Daniel's 'Boss': Why do you care about Kermit's credit problems?
Daniel: Just keep watching. I promise you you'll want to help Kermit.
Daniel's 'Boss': Okay, I'll keep watching. You're just lucky Spongebob isn't on right now.
Daniel: I love Spongebob.
Daniel's 'Boss': Do I care?

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Crocodile Hunter" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Lacrimosa

A Ridiculous Muppet Christmas Indeed

I think that the people who made this film had the people who grew up with the Muppets (people in their 20's and 30's) in mind. But that's the problem. We watch the Muppet movies to "escape" from the crap that other movies dish out, not wanting to see a movie that celebrates it. Basically, instead of using a plot, the movie tries too hard to use "pop cultural references" (such as referring to Britney Spears, or Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) and also uses inappropriate characters and situations (such as using seemingly gay characters; a rave scene where they have Scooter dancing as a cage dancer in a club, the Shrimp, Pepe, even using the word "sexy", etc.) It's not that we viewers can't "handle" more mature and modern Muppets, it's just that we don't want to. And I don't think parents want their kids to watch this. I just think this kind of stuff would confuse them. Plus the violence, although mild and cartoonish, is unnecessary. They have characters who say "let's go beat up" Fozzie, and fight scenes between humans and Muppets, and Muppets and Muppets, that are uncalled for, and not humorous at all. Bizarrely enough, the humans in this movie (except for one) all have these bizarrely happy smiles on their faces, and don't talk. It's just weird. It's almost like the Muppets are acting worse off than the innocent-looking humans. This movie just failed with me. I was upset how the people who wrote this tried to "sell out" and break something that don't need to be fixed. I will never watch this again, and I would not want to let kids see it. The Muppets have little personality in this, and any plot is substituted with references to other movies, as if the Muppets don't have any worth of their own. Which they should.