As The Muppet Christmas Carol celebrates its 30th anniversary, a survey has revealed that two-thirds of film fans rewatch the hit Dickens adaptation every single year.
Over 2,500 film fans from across the UK took part in the exclusive poll for RadioTimes.com, the results of which also revealed that a whopping 80 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds who are fans of the film watch it each year.
More than a third of respondents also said that the film was their favourite Michael Caine film, with the iconic actor portraying Ebenezer Scrooge.
Kermit the Frog said of the survey results: “It’s incredible that fans have made The Muppet Christmas Carol part of their Christmas celebrations for 30 years now.
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/12/100982832-2726x3400-bb65e79.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
“We hope fans young and old continue to enjoy Sir Michael Caine as Scrooge, the songs, the costumes, the ice-skating penguins, the blue, furry Charles Dickens who hangs out with a rat, and everything else that makes The Muppet Christmas Carol such a gift for many more years to come!”
The Muppet Christmas Carol was first released in 1992 and is directed by Brian Henson, son of Muppets creator Jim Henson. It re-told Charles Dickens’s iconic tale with both human actors and Muppets in the roles.
The wide-ranging survey also revealed fans’ favourite songs from the movie, with One More Sleep ’til Christmas coming in as the clear favourite with 18 per cent of the vote. It Feels Like Christmas came second with 14 per cent, while When Love is Found/It Feels Like Christmas, which acts as the grand-finale of the film, came third with 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, fans picked Bob Cratchit, played by Kermit the Frog, as the most iconic Muppet character in the film, while Gonzo’s Charles Dickens and Rizzo the Rat came in second and third place respectively.
When it came to the film’s messages, 38 per cent of fans said that the most memorable lesson they took away from watching it was the importance of sharing kindness and compassion. Fans also picked the message that it is never too late to change (29 per cent) and money doesn’t buy you happiness (16 per cent) as key to the film.
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/12/100996523-3400x2237-6d11886.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
Morgan Jeffery, executive editor at RadioTimes.com, said: “These results from our reader survey prove without a doubt what we all suspected – that 30 years on from its original release, The Muppet Christmas Carol remains a festive favourite for audiences, many of whom revisit the film each year.
“It ranks not just as one of the all-time great Muppet outings but also as one of the very best screen adaptations of Charles Dickens’s tale of redemption, kindness and compassion, with Michael Caine delivering one of the finest performances of his career as Scrooge (and Kermit the Frog doing likewise as Bob Cratchit!).”
Meanwhile, film critic James King added: “The Muppet Christmas Carol is a joy from start to finish – the gags (“Light the lamp, not the rat!”), the sets, the songs by the great Paul Williams. It has such a big heart. And then there’s Michael Caine as Scrooge – a pitch perfect performance that’s played wonderfully straight, never with a knowing wink.
“All of these things are why we still love the film 30 years since its release. It’s certainly the best Muppet film and I think there’s a strong argument for it being the best movie version of the classic Dickens story full stop.”
This year is to be the first where fans will be able to watch the full-length version of the film on Disney Plus, including the song When Love is Gone, which was removed for the theatrical run and subsequently lost.
Following an extensive process it has now been restored, with this version set to stream on the platform from 9th December 2022.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is available to stream on Disney Plus now. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on.
The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.