A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008) (TV)

Director:

Kirk R. Thatcher

Writers:

Hugh Fink (teleplay) &
Scott Ganz (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 December 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Music

Plot:

When Gonzo accidentally diverts three letters to Santa, he talks Kermit and his friends to try to deliver them personally to the North Pole. |

Plot Keywords:

Letter | Puppet | Post Office | Airplane | Santa Claus

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Steve Whitmire	...	Kermit the Frog / Rizzo the Rat / Statler / Beaker (voice)
Dave Goelz	...	The Great Gonzo / Waldorf / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew / Zoot (voice)
Bill Barretta	...	Pepe the Prawn / Swedish Chef / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Bobo the Bear / Husband Pigeon (voice)
Eric Jacobson	...	Fozzie Bear / Miss Piggy / Animal / Sam the Eagle (voice)
Michael Bloomberg	...	Himself (as Mayor Michael Bloomberg)
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Taxi Driver
Richard Griffiths	...	Santa Claus
Jane Krakowski	...	Claire's Mom
Nathan Lane	...	Officer Meany
Jesse L. Martin	...	Postal Worker
Petra Nemcova	...	Beaker's Girlfriend
Madison Pettis	...	Claire
Steve Schirripa	...	Mobster
Tony Sirico	...	Mobster
Uma Thurman	...	Joy
Paul Williams	...	Elf
Pam Arciero	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Heather Asch	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Tyler Bunch	...	Wife Pigeon / Additional Muppets (voice)
Leslie Carrara	...	Additional Muppets (voice) (as Leslie Carrara-Rudolph)
Stephanie D'Abruzzo	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
James Godwin	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
James J. Kroupa	...	Additional Muppets (voice) (as Jim Kroupa)
Matt Vogel	...	Floyd Pepper / Robin the Frog / Son Pigeon / Additional Muppets (voice)
Tim Lagasse	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Peter Linz	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Noel MacNeal	...	Additional Muppets (voice) (as Edward Noel MacNeal)
Jim Martin	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Paul McGinnis	...	Additional Muppets (voice)
Martin P. Robinson	...	Crazy Harry / Additional Muppets (voice) (as Marty Robinson)
David Rudman	...	Scooter / Janice / Additional Muppets (voice)
Nadine Ellis	...	Dancer
Kevin Sateri	...	Dancer
Douglas Caldwell	...	Dancer
Mary Ann Lamb	...	Dancer
Terrance Reddick	...	Dancer
Warren Adams	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Becker	...	Postal Dancer (uncredited)
Peter Conboy	...	Holiday Commuter (uncredited)
Kermit the Frog	...	Himself (uncredited)
Paul T. Gosselin	...	Postal Customer (uncredited)
Miss Piggy	...	Herself (uncredited)
Bill Timoney	...	Additional voices (uncredited)
Guy Veryzer	...	Mailman - Muppet Tosser (uncredited)

Directed by
Kirk R. Thatcher

Writing credits
Hugh Fink		(teleplay) &
Scott Ganz		(teleplay) &
Andrew Samson		(teleplay) &
Paul Williams		(teleplay)
Paul Williams		(story) and
Hugh Fink		(story) &
Scott Ganz		(story) &
Andrew Samson		(story)

Produced by
Martin G. Baker	....	producer
Anthony Katagas	....	producer

Original Music by
Chris Caswell		(score)
Paul Williams		(original songs)

Cinematography by
Luke Geissbuhler

Film Editing by
Jamie Kirkpatrick

Casting by
Kathleen Chopin

Production Design by
Michael Shaw

Art Direction by
Ryan Heck

Set Decoration by
Carol Silverman

Costume Design by
Luca Mosca

Makeup Department
Michelle Johnson	....	key hair stylist
Nuria Sitja	....	makeup department head
Jason Shur	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
John Fedynich	....	production supervisor
Ann Gray	....	post-production supervisor
Anthony Katagas	....	unit production manager
Paul A. Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Francisco Ortiz	....	second assistant director
Doug Torres	....	first assistant director
Aurora Warfield	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Melissa Creighton	....	puppet builder: Muppet Workshop
Akeo Ihara	....	property master
Katie Kemsley	....	scenic artist
Peter MacKennan	....	puppet builder: Muppet Workshop
Tom Newby	....	puppet builder: Muppet Workshop
Heather Prendergast	....	assistant set decorator
Stephen Rotondaro	....	puppet builder: Muppet Workshop
Pierre Rovira	....	construction coordinator
Nithya Shrinivasan	....	assistant art director
Peter Allburn	....	charge scenic artist (uncredited)
Jasmine E. Ballou	....	props (uncredited)
David Boyd	....	lead scenic artist (uncredited)
David Cooney	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Michael Cory	....	props (uncredited)
Brian Haimes	....	puppet builder: Muppet Workshop (uncredited)
Robert Ludemann	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Michele Mayas	....	camera scenic artist (uncredited)
Dave McAllister	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Eugene Melvin	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Alyssa Motschwiller	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Dennis Tillberg	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Matthew Haasch	....	foley supervisor
Glenfield Payne	....	supervising sound editor
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Noah Timan	....	sound mixer
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist
Greg Crawford	....	adr mixer: Atlanta (uncredited)
Dan Guachione	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Egor Panchenko	....	ProTools playback mixer (uncredited)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Fred Buchholz	....	special effects supervisor
Doug Coleman	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Colleen Bachman	....	visual effects producer
Katie Biese	....	roto artist
Martin Boksar	....	matte painter
Dan Schrecker	....	visual effects supervisor
Greg M. Silverman	....	digital compositor
D. Walt Cameron	....	2d supervisor, LookFX N.Y. (uncredited)
Joseph Oberle	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Adam Schwartz	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
John Semerad	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip (as Bob Andres)
Howard J. Cournoyer	....	best boy rigging gaffer
Bill Floyd	....	first assistant camera
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician
Aaron Medick	....	camera operator
Charles Meere III	....	rigging gaffer
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Wayne Paull	....	camera operator
Steve Ramsey	....	gaffer
Chris Skutch	....	best boy grip
Craig Striano	....	techno crane operator
Ryan Webb	....	electrician
Lamont Crawford	....	crane technician grip (uncredited)
Michael J. Maurer	....	best boy (uncredited)
Thomas McGrath Woods	....	grip (uncredited)
David Satin	....	digital imaging technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Anne Davison	....	casting associate
Jamie Sparer Roberts	....	executive in charge of casting
Eric Zuckerman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clare Cardoni	....	costume assistant
Meghan Kasperlik	....	assistant costume designer
Chrissy Kuhn	....	key costumer
Amy Pickering	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Adam Der Aris	....	first assistant editor
Brian Boyd	....	colorist
Antonia Law	....	additional assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Caswell	....	musical arrangement
Frank Filipetti	....	music mixer
Michael Kosarin	....	conductor
Derik Lee	....	assistant music engineer
Sandra Park	....	orchestra contractor
Jason Poss	....	music transcription
Sally Swisher	....	music editor
Tony Finno	....	orchestra librarian (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mo Fitzgerald	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Tom Ara	....	legal counsel
Bill Barretta	....	puppet captain
Ashley Bearden	....	production coordinator
Paul Becker	....	choreographer
Kate Boyer	....	production assistant
Lisa Burrascano	....	set production assistant
Claudia Cifuentes	....	assistant to producers
Bob Corna	....	assistant to producers (as Robert Corna)
Maura Gannett	....	studio teacher
Steve Gilbaud	....	production accountant (as Steve Guilbaud)
Jane Gootnick	....	supervisor: Muppet Workshop
Vicky Lambert	....	associate choreographer
Patrick Mahoney	....	craft service
Jason Messeri	....	key set production assistant
Anthony Pettine	....	script supervisor (as Tony Pettine)
Alex Starke	....	location assistant
Daniel Tresca	....	assistant location manager (as Dan Tresca)
Sasa Watt	....	second assistant accountant
Daniel Wong	....	office production assistant
Warren Adams	....	associate choreographer (uncredited)
James Coker	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Christina Cortez	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Natalie Damico	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Scott Ferlisi	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Trish Gray	....	location scout (uncredited)
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager (uncredited)
Yana Collins Lehman	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Colin Markowitz	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael L. Mizrahi	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Sara Webster	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Yves Wilson	....	office production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Muppets Studio
• Walt Disney Studios

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (2008) (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• LOOK! Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Corbis  Halle Berry image
• Henry's International Cuisine  catering (uncredited)
• Legacy Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Mosquito Productions  script clearance (uncredited)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks
• New York State Office for Motion Picture and Television Development  special thanks
• Puppet Heap  puppets provided by
• ScriptE Systems  script supervision software (uncredited)
• Semerad  titles
• Sound One Orbit Digital  post-production facilities
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  background casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Muppets Studio

Trivia:

At the airport, announcements are made for one Frank Oznowicz and one Jerry Nelson. This is a reference to Frank Oz (whose real last name is Oznowicz) and Jerry Nelson, both former Muppeteers.

Quotes:

Mobster:Hey, it's that looney shrimp that called us earlier.
Pepe the Prawn:They call me the Prawn.
Mobster:Hey! Are you correcting my friend over here? Because if you are, I'm gonna dip you in cocktail sauce and bite your tasty little head off!
Pepe the Prawn:Shrimp is fine.

Movie Connections:

References "The Yogi Bear Show" (1961)

Coming from a Muppet fan, this was a big disappointment

I love the Muppets, the show and most of their movies. However, this special was a big disappointment. Granted it has its good points, I loved the chemistry between Kermit and Miss Piggy, the production values are at least decent and I liked Gonzo very much here. Also the Muppet performers do do a decent job with weak material.

Pretty much everything else is a big disappointment. The story was fresh and original I agree at first glance, but it was a completely different story when it came to the execution. Most of it actually is very predictable and rushed. This isn't helped by the fact it is too short.

I also agree about the special's writing. The script is pretty much terrible, Gonzo and Fozzie have their moments but most of the other Muppet parts are under-written and very rarely was it funny. The jokes were also very lame and childish, and the sentimentality gets mushy.

The music was also a big disappointment. Other than Gonzo and Fozzie's duet, which was compared to everything else delightful, the music is little more than mediocre and I say forgettable too. The lyrics are also trite and the melodies are unmemorable afterwards.

The Muppets do try their best, and I was thrilled at the return of some old favourites, but let down severely by bad material, and I missed Gonzo and Rizzo's chemistry which was always delightful. The cameos are even more disappointing. Some of the characters are somewhat superfluous to the story or are poorly explored- I concur that the whole believing in Santa thing was quite poorly done- and Paul Williams' cameo especially is completely out of place and unfunny.

In conclusion, I am a Muppet fan, but I have to agree, A Muppets Christmas:Letters to Santa is quite weak. It has its moments, but it is a shame especially about the writing and music. 4/10 Bethany Cox