6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A six-year-old has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle... Santa Claus. The arrival of one Kris Kringle, a department store Santa who believes he's the genuine article, turns the skeptical child's world upside down.
Starring: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, Mara Wilson, J.T. WalshFamily | 100% |
Holiday | 43% |
Fantasy | 29% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.0
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
No matter what you may think about its merits as a film, the 1947 original Miracle on 34th Street is just as indelibly a part of the holiday season as mistletoe, wrapping paper, debt, overeating, and long lines at the local Wal-Mart. For a film with such a strong anti-commercialism message, though, it’s a strange candidate to be remade. I mean, what is a remake besides a nostalgia-fueled cash-grab? There are notable exceptions—John Carpenter’s The Thing always comes to mind—but this 1994 iteration of Miracle on 34th Street is not one of them. While it isn’t slavishly devoted to recreating, note for note, the 1947 masterpiece, it’s not exactly bold enough to drum up any real plot or thematic expansions of its own, and this John Hughes-produced reimagining struggles under the burden of sameness and predictability. Had the first film never existed, the remake might have made more of a mark—it is as warm and sweet as a freshly baked cinnamon roll—but with the original still commanding legions of devoted fans, this version seems completely unnecessary, a holiday redundancy on par with getting the same novelty sweater from two separate relatives. Seriously, one is enough.
This updated take on a classic gets a decent visual upgrade on Blu-ray, with a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that's about what you'd expect from a mid-1990's catalog title. Though overall clarity is adequate, the film isn't incredibly sharp, especially when it comes to fine detail. A few of the scenes look like they may have been shot with some kind of soft-focus/diffusion filter, but I also detect traces of very slight digital noise reduction in the way that the grain in the film seems smoothed out. It's not as pronounced as some of the over-zealous DNR I've seen, but you will notice that facial textures, especially, don't seem as crisp as they could be. The color palette is warm and stable, though, showing expectedly rich 'n velvety reds and skin tones that are rosy and natural. Black levels are fine throughout, with no overt crush apparent, but a slight bump in contrast wouldn't hurt during a few duller scenes. There are no show-stopping moments of high definition splendor here, but the film looks good for what it is.
Likewise, the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is sufficient but never superb, ample but uninvolving. Aside from the jaunty Christmas score bleeding into the rears, the surround channels don't get much play here, and during the few times when they are used, the effects are stocky and abrupt. During one scene, when a horde of children rush into the Cole's department store, their shuffling and chatter kicks in suddenly and then drops out just as unexpectedly with an almost audible click, like someone hitting a "stop" button. When the track confines itself to the front channels it proves much better, with a passable dynamic range and a mix that puts proper emphasis on dialogue. The audio is consistently coherent and clear, but this track does little to impress.
There are no supplementary materials included on this disc.
When Bryan takes Susan to see Santa Claus at Cole's, Susan, ever the doubter, says, "This seems like a pretty pointless exercise." It's a sentiment that sums up my thoughts about the film exactly. Both version of Miracle on 34th Street were released on Blu-ray this week, but only the original is worth your time and money.
70th Anniversary Edition
1947
1984
25th Anniversary Edition
1985
2017
1995
2003
2013
1989
1966
Warner Archive Collection
2016
2008
1985
2006
2020
1993
20th Anniversary Edition
1992
1992
Remastered
1984-1989
Grinchmas Edition
2000
2010