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| A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Screenplay by | Hugh Fink Scott Ganz Andrew Samson Paul Williams |
| Story by | Paul Williams Hugh Fink Scott Ganz Andrew Samson |
| Directed by | Kirk R. Thatcher |
| Starring | The Muppets Uma Thurman Jane Krakowski Nathan Lane Jesse L. Martin Madison Pettis |
| Composer | Chris Caswell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Anthony Katagas Martin G. Baker |
| Cinematography | Luke Geissbuhler |
| Editor | Jamie Kirkpatrick |
| Running time |
|
| Production company | The Muppets Studio |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | December 17, 2008 (2008-12-17) |
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa is a 2008 Americantelevision special directed byKirk R. Thatcher featuringThe Muppets in a Christmas mission to personally deliver three letters toSanta Claus, accidentally diverted byGonzo, to the North Pole. The special aired onNBC on December 17, 2008. The special, shot inBrooklyn andMidtown Manhattan, was released byWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment onDVD in 2009.[1]
OnChristmas Eve inNew York City, the Muppets aren't planning to spend Christmas together.Kermit the Frog andMiss Piggy are headed forthe Caribbean,Gonzo is going toHawaii, andFozzie Bear is heading out on a comedy tour. Before they go, however, they go to the post office to deliver each of their letters toSanta Claus withMayorMichael Bloomberg denying Piggy's offer to move the line along as people in New York should be polite. The Muppets deliver their letters as Gonzo accidentally speeds up the letter conveyor belt as a postal worker (Jesse L. Martin) has the Muppets delivered back to their apartment building. When they head back to their apartment, Gonzo discovers that three letters wound up in his coat from a mishap there. One of those letters he recognizes as being written by his friend, a neighbor girl named Claire (Madison Pettis).
With the post office closed early andSam Eagle warning Gonzo and Fozzie about the pitfalls of opening someone else's mail, the Muppets try different attempts like a pigeon delivery service and the enlistment of two Mafia members (Steve Schirripa andTony Sirico). Finally, after Piggy leaves to the Caribbean herself, Gonzo suggests that Kermit, Fozzie,Rizzo the Rat, andPepe the King Prawn would come with him to theNorth Pole and deliver them personally. They get there in a taxi while scavenging money to pay the taxicab driver (Whoopi Goldberg). The Muppets end up getting tickets from a North Pole Airlinesclerk named Joy (Uma Thurman) and getting caught by a bittersecurity guard Officer Frank Meany (Nathan Lane) who, for being a bully in his youth, perpetually ended up on Santa's naughty list. It's also because of his appearance that people often fear him. He andBobo the Bear allow the Muppets to pass through.
They eventually reach the North Pole, only to find out from the ChiefChristmas Elf (Paul Williams) that Santa has already left to deliver the presents. The real Santa (Richard Griffiths) overhears their grieving and returns. While on a sleigh ride after being helped by Joy, they hand him Claire's letter and the other two which are revealed to have come from Pepe the King Prawn and Frank Meany. Pepe wanted to become an expert opera singer which Santa grants. Frank wanted to be taken off the naughty list. Santa grants this wish enabling Frank to finally get that red tricycle he wanted as it appears before him and Bobo. Santa brings them home to New York in time to spend the rest of the holiday with Claire and her mom (Jane Krakowski), which was all Claire wanted in the first place. All the Muppets, along with Piggy (who has surprisingly returned from the Caribbean for the party), show up after cancelling their vacations where they celebrate Christmas with Claire and her mom as they decorate her apartment.
Additional Muppets performed byPam Arciero,Heather Asch,Kevin Clash,Stephanie D'Abruzzo,Alice Dinnean, James Godwin,John Kennedy, Jim Kroupa,Tim Lagasse,Peter Linz,Jim Martin, andPaul McGinnis
| A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (Soundtrack from the TV Special) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP by The Muppets | ||||
| Released | November 23, 2009 | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 12:03 | |||
| Label | Walt Disney | |||
| The Muppets chronology | ||||
| ||||
This is the fourth time that songwriterPaul Williams has contributed songs to the Muppets. A version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" byThe Crystals was also used during the opening credits but was not available on the soundtrack itself.
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Delivering Christmas" (featuringJesse L. Martin) | Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Pepe the King Prawn, Pepe, Sweetums, Camilla the Chicken, and Everyone Else | 3:41 |
| 2. | "It's All About Heart" | Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Pepe the King Prawn, Rizzo the Rat | 1:43 |
| 3. | "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus" | Gonzo & Fozzie Bear | 2:26 |
| 4. | "My Best Christmas Yet" (featuringJane Krakowski andMadison Pettis) | The Muppets | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 12:03 | ||
