Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 17, 2017

If you think about it, the whole “Santa Claus thing” is kind of an odd exercise in willful prevarication — involving children, no less. Anyone who grew up believing in the jolly old elf can probably relay exactly when the blinders fell away and the truth in all its horrifying, magic destroying, power became evident. Perhaps that very subtext is something that helps to inform the charming and still moving Miracle on 34th Street, one of those evergreen “holiday classics” that speaks to a certain world weariness which kind of ironically makes the film’s original release in the supposedly halcyon days of post World War II America kind of interesting. I recently mentioned in my The Old Dark House Blu-ray review how a certain “seasonal disconnect” is often apparent at shopping establishments, and indeed even in the world of home video releases, with films obviously geared toward or at least referencing this or that holiday typically coming out weeks, if not months, before whatever holiday is in fact being referenced. That’s the case with this supposedly new 70th Anniversary edition of Miracle on 34th Street, which Fox has released weeks before Halloween, let alone Christmas. That said, it’s interesting to note that Miracle on 34th Street was originally released in the summer of 1947, and that its whole emphasis on Christmas was largely ignored in its initial marketing materials. That may seem odd to longtime fans of the film who have found Edmund Gwenn’s unforgettable (and Academy Award winning) turn as one Kris Kringle the centerpiece of the film, but it’s perhaps indicative that George Seaton’s screenplay is attempting to address issues that are more universal than any one special day.

With a film whose general storyline is as well known as Miracle on 34th Street, I’m assuming that most coming to this review are wanting some information about how this version differs from the previously released Blu-ray (hint: it doesn’t). For those who would like a recap of the impish plot mechanics of the film, I refer you to my colleague Casey Broadwater’s Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray review.

Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While I don't have the first release of Miracle on 34th Street to do an authoritative comparison, my bet is this is exactly the same disc as the first release, based on a sampling of screenshots and Casey's comments in his Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray review. I concur with Casey's general assessment, and my only added comment is that Fox has offered us some pretty stunning restorations of its catalog in the years subsequent to the first Blu-ray release of Miracle on 34th Street, and if there are sufficient elements to provide adequate sourcing, this would seem to be a near perfect candidate for similar treatment.

Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

We've had a bit of an "evolution" in how we show specs for Blu-ray releases, and so don't be confused that Casey's review lists Dolby Mono tracks, since the audio section of his Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray review clearly states that the disc he reviewed had Dolby 2.0 (mono) tracks in addition to the rejiggered DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. While I concur with Casey's assessment, I'm going to be a bit more of a curmudgeon and downgrade my score a half a point to 3.5, simply because I don't feel the surround track really adds that much ambience and (as Casey himself mentioned) there's really no appreciable uptick in clarity in the lossless rendering. When Fox takes my advice and restores Miracle on 34th Street for its next Blu-ray release, they might want to consider a lossless offering of the film's original mono mix to preserve some semblance of Miracle on 34th Street original theatrical exhibition.

Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release offers exactly the same supplements that Casey detailed in his review of the first release:

• Commentary by Maureen O'Hara


• AMC Backstory: Miracle on 34th Street (480i; 22:06) is an enjoyable documentary giving a lot of production history.


• Fox Movietone News: Hollywood Spotlight (480p; 1:46) has footage from the Academy Awards.


• Promotional Short (480p; 5:08) is a fun piece that supposedly gives some insight into Fox's difficulties in deciding how to market Miracle on 34th Street. This features a bunch of "random" encounters with several prominent performers working on the Fox lot at the time.


• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Floating in History (480i; 15:32) references the then impending 60th anniversary of the film, which gives some indication of its age.


• Poster Gallery (1080p; 00:39)

Miracle on 34th Street Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Does Fox deserve a lump of coal in its stocking for gussying up the packaging of Miracle on 34th Street and at least suggesting this is something "new and improved" by slapping on a "70th Anniversary" marketing banner? I'll leave that each individual Santa Claus to decide, but I will say that a film as unique and beloved as Miracle on 34th Street could benefit from one of Fox's deservedly acclaimed restorations. This is a film with an enduring message and some wonderfully apt writing, with a story that's perhaps even more important for our jaded sensibilities than it was in the seemingly "happily ever after" days of a post World War II America. Technical merits are generally very good, but maybe Fox will give us all an unexpected Christmas present by going back to the (restoration) drawing board for any new release of the film. No need to double dip here, but for those who don't already own Miracle on 34th Street on Blu-ray, this release comes Recommended.