Brian Henson , the son of Muppet founder Jim Henson , took over directing duties after the untimely death of his father for The Muppet Christmas Carol , a sluggish re-telling of the Charles Dickens tale. Michael Caine , surrounded by legions of fuzzy, felt puppets, plays it straight as the crotchety Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who could care less about Christmas and the joy the season brings. Working for the skinflint is his faithful employee Bob Cratchit ( Kermit the Frog ), who begs Scrooge for a day off for Christmas. Scrooge reluctantly agrees and goes home on Christmas Eve filled with bile at the holiday merrymakers. But then he is visited by the sprits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and Scrooge, after revisiting his sorrowful past, hate-filled present, and doomed future, turns over a new leaf and becomes the most generous and celebratory person in town. — Paul Brenner