"Actor: David Rudman"

• The Muppet Christmas Carol | DVD | (14/11/2005) from £5.77   |  Saving you £12.22 (211.79%)   |  RRP £17.99

  For a unique twist on a holiday favorite don't miss The Muppet Christmas Carol. Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge - alongside all your Muppet favorites - in this version of the classic Dickens' tale about a stingy old man who learns to change his ways one lonely Christmas Eve. Kermit the Frog plays lowly Scrooge employee Bob Cratchit while Miss Piggy plays Bob's feisty wife Emily. Tune in for Christmas cheer only the Muppets can bring!

• Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland | DVD | (08/03/2004) from £6.73   |  Saving you £-0.74 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Elmo loves his fuzzy well-worn blue blanket better than anything in the whole wide world. In fact, they are inseparable... a perfect team.

• A Muppet Family Christmas / The Christmas Toy | DVD | (03/11/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  A warm Yuletide special, A Muppet Family Christmas pairs the Muppet gang with the perennial favourite Sesame Street cast for a seasonal celebration. With a blizzard brewing outside, Fozzie's childhood farmhouse on Christmas Eve becomes the backdrop for a medley of holiday tunes--eight in all--ranging from the Muppet band's rousing "Jingle Bell Rock" to Big Bird's sweet rendition of "The Christmas Song". Though the script meanders in part, the 42-minute programme shines as a musical revue, seasoned with quick-witted interludes by the culinary comedic Swedish Chef, slapstick odd couple Ernie and Bert, and the diva-like escapades of Miss Piggy. While lacking the irresistible sizzle of The Muppet Movie, the show's finale, which includes Kermit and Piggy under the mistletoe and a cameo appearance by Jim Henson, proves that nothing can dim the Muppets' appeal. --Lynn Gibson In the 50-minute Christmas TV Special, The Christmas Toy, Rugby the Tiger is Jamie's favourite Christmas toy from last year. Rugby is convinced that he will be wrapped up and placed under the tree again this year. When it's Christmas Eve and all the other toys try to explain to him that that is not going to happen, Rugby decides to take matters into his own paws and place himself under the tree. He makes the dangerous trip from the playroom to the living room trying not to be seen, for if a toy's secret of being able to move when humans aren't around is discovered, it becomes frozen forever. Now all his friends from the toy room must get him back before it's too late. This sweet story about friendship and loyalty is delightful, as are the songs, including "Try the Impossible" and "Old Friends". Think Toy Story with Muppetts. --Peggy Maltby-Etra

• The Muppet Christmas Carol | DVD | (18/11/2002) from £19.99   |  Saving you £-2.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Brian Henson directs his late father's creations in the Charles Dickens classic, the best known (and most oft-filmed) Christmas story of all time. Michael Caine plays the old miser Scrooge with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Cratchit's wife, and a host of Muppets (including the Great Gonzo as an unlikely Charles Dickens) taking other primary roles in this bright, playful adaptation of the sombre tale. Or at least it starts brightly enough--the anarchic humour soon settles into mirthful memories and a sense of melancholy as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future take Scrooge on a journey of his lonely, wasted life. Michael Caine makes a wonderful Scrooge, delightfully rediscovering the meaning of life as fantastic creations from Henson's Creature Shop (developed specially for this film) take the reins as the three ghosts. While the odd mix of offbeat humour and sombre drama undercuts the power of Dickens's drama, this kid-friendly retelling makes an excellent family drama that adults and children alike can enjoy. --Sean Axmaker