I would definitely have to name this movie. I watched the original version right before the remake and the difference was so huge that I hated this one.
So my winner for worst remake is Miracle on 34th Street
actully the 1973 tv remake of miracle was much worse.
dewey dewey dewey
This was a very bad remake.
shareI actually saw this before the original, My Middle School showed this every Christmas, I never like Elizabeth Perkin Character alot. But this is no way better then the original.. They should've just left the original alone.
shareI think this is great! It was much needed, 'cause the story is great! The original was probably well made, but it's is too old, past a point where I can't possibly enjoy it. And I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way.
shareActually I hear more people who hates the new one more then the old one, A wonderful life is old but no one would dear say what you did Miracle on 34th street, because old has nothing to do with it. The new one even made the worse remake list for I can't remember the magazine or catelog I saw it on... but it was rate number 5
Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress.
Out of all the remakes I've seen, this one is the worst! This movie was so horrible Macys refused to lend their name to it as to not tarnish the original classic. Dylan McDermott is no John Payne, Mara Wilson is no Natalie Wood for sure, and Attenborough is certainly no Edmund Gwenn. The chemistry between the actors in the original was like lightning captured in a jar. And that kind of lightning doesn't strike twice. You couldn't pay me to watch this!
Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
I don't think Elizabeth Perkin was as good Maureen O'hara either, in fact I couldn't stand Perkin in the movie
Sadly I grew up with the new one, that only version my school would watch ad I didnt see the old old one til I was older which is very sad, I didn't much care for it when I was young, I wouldnt say I hated it, but it was not my favorite, I watch it recently and yes I can't even fiish it.. So yes it should be in the worse category.
Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress. So Glad I got her Autograpgh!!!
I looooove this remake! The older version was always slightly annoying to me. And thank God Mara Wilson is no Natalie Wood! I think she was what annoyed me so much in the first one. Not a big fan of hers. Elizabeth Perkins was awesome in this as far as I'm concerned, and Dylan McDermott, too. My family has both versions and my mom keeps the original at her house while I have the remake at my place. There were several scenes added to the remake that I really miss every time I watch the original.
shareMara Wilson is awful! Whispering and lisping all your lines is not acting in my book. There's a reason why Natalie Wood thrived in Hollywood long after she was a child star and why Mara Wilson is another has-been child star. THE REMAKE will never ever have the charm and enjoy the longevity that the original has. I won't even call the 1994 version by the title because its not deserving of it, I just refer to it as THE REMAKE. Like Maureen O'hara said "100 years from now people will still be looking at Miracle On 34TH Street (1947)" don't think you can say the same of the 1994 movie thats the epitome of mediocrity.
Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
I enjoy the remake better, because I've seen it far more times and it was the film I grew up with. I was 11 when it came out, so it resonates with me far more than the original.
I like the job that Mara Wilson did...and the job that she did in the other films she was in (Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda). She has a very distinct speaking voice and it was something that I enjoyed.
hating on a young girl acting oh you big hero you, Mara is a great actress and i hope she makes a comeback one of these days but she's a brilliant author also , go away fred gay-ley
shareTHis is way late but did you ever think all the whispering and all the acting things you didn't like were things that she did because that is what the director wanted.
shareMara Wilson was only six or seven when this was filmed and I thought she did a good job. Natalie Wood did a good job too but she was nine or ten. Three or four years makes a big difference at this age. Personally I dislike the term "has been" Not every actor wants to act all their lives. Many people change careers and they are not insulted for it. Mara Wilson chose to leave acting because she wanted to concentrate on school and try different things. No one knows how she would have done had she continued acting. I have to agree that Natalie Wood was a better actress but I don't think Mara was awful.
N.B: I'm watching the 1994 version of MoTFS on TV for the first time even as I type this! I guess I'm not as hard to please as you are, Fred Gailey (now, where on earth did you find that name? ;-). I think all three of the actors you list *could* have done a decent job, given the chance (though I'm not crazy about Elizabeth Perkins in the Maureen O'Hara role, even though, to be fair, MH wasn't perfect in it either). As for Mara Wilson, great child actors are hard to find at any time, and as I said, I think she could have done a decent job. The problem is not so much with the actors, but with the direction. I agree that the remake is simply not in the same league with the original "Miracle", but that's the usual problem with remakes, especially of classic films. It's hard to put my finger on it, but it seems that part of the problem with modern remakes might be having *too much* money to throw around, not too little. Remakes are often so glitzy and glamourous that they seem disconnected from real life. Maybe I'm looking at it from a modern POV, but the original makes me feel like I'm watching real people (albeit in a fantasy situation!)
One thing I do notice is that the basic courtesy and civility of the 1947 version is lacking in the 1994 version. For instance, in the opening scene, RA's Kris Kringle actually looks like he's about to get violent with his cane, while EG's Santa, while angry, only uses his cane as a weapon once in the whole movie, and that's when he raps Mr. Sawyer once on the forehead. Also, I love the scene in the original where Mrs. Walker tells Fred Gailey that Susan is *her* responsibility and that she must raise her as she sees fit. Their attitude towards each other is civilized and respectful, though they disagree profoundly. This should be an example to other script-writers of how to write a disagreement between equals!
I also much prefer the original "post office" ending, and always thought it was a great and original twist! Don't worry - when I want to lift my spirits, I'll definitely be re-watching the original!
I don't think you are being fair, Maureen was awesome in her role, now was it personally her best acting movie in the world no, but she was good and she had great love and spirit for the movie then Elizabath Perkins did. atleast Maureen didn't make her character dislikable.
even when I was little (and i saw the remake first) I didn't like Elizabeth interpretation.
Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress. Got Maureen O'Hara and Julie Andrews autograph 2008!
Blah blah blah...
The forties version is boring. Its black and white, cardboard acting, and the plot ending...well you're Santa Claus because the US Postal Service says you are...Yeah its a classic only because they showed it a hundred thousand times on TV.
But I like John Hughes produced films...I like Christmas Vacation, I like Home Alone and I like this version of Miracle. I'm not saying its a grand masterpiece either. Its just a Christmas movie I grew up with. It was modern, it featured beautiful sets, filmed beautifully capturing all the color of the season, and the acting was certainly better. Sir Richard Attenborough? Yeah that Old Kringle from the 40's couldn't top him. Both Perkins and O'Boyle I could care less for but I thought the Dylan McDermot and Mara Wilson both did a fantastic job in this film. But I know its law that you should hate remakes. I know I suppose I'm that way with other films.
But hey you know...it could be worse...right? I mean what Christmas movies out there that have come out lately...Fred Claus???
HA HA HA ROTFLMAO, you said it all in your first line "the forties version is boring. its black and white..." yeah, I guess thats the way to base the judgement of what makes a good film or not, because its black and white, a fact you mention twice!!! So lets dismiss any film made thats pre-color. Great logic! To not be able to recognize and appreciate good film because one can't get passed watching a movie thats b/w is absurd and ignorant. Whats wrong with todays generation (which I'm part of) is summed up all in your first statement -everything has to be flashy and fastpaced to hold ones attention span these days. The original is from a time when people made movies with quality and integrity, where there was a pride and sincerity the actors had for their roles and for the message of the movie - not the assembly line produced drivel they put out now where mostly the actors give a half-@ss performance just to collect their paycheck.
And your argument point of THE REMAKE having better sets reminds me of those people who are always clamoring for 'The Wizard of Oz (1939)' to be remade because the Emerald City and other backdrops look like cardboard. The 'Wizard', an uber classic didn't survive 70 years, as well as earning the distinct honor of being the most watched film ever, because of its special effects, obviously. The movie has survived instead because of its story telling and sentiment. The same can be said of 'Miracle (1947)', it does not need to rest on fancy sets for it to survive (which I'm not even sure in where that argument lies) as it was filmed IN Macy's during the actual Xmas season of 1946, and Gwenn was filmed in the actual Macy's parade, how much more realistic would you like it to be?
To try to strip the original of its title of "classic", a place that it earned rightfully is sickening. They could play THE REMAKE 24/7, 365 days of the year and it would still never reach the pinnacle of classic, the only place that lousy film has earned is at the bottom of the $5 bin at Walmart.
Although, I do agree on one thing, there is worse Xmas movies being made, like 'Fred Claus' as you mentioned and 'Deck The Halls' comes to mind as well, both of which are fully lacking in charm and will be one day joining THE REMAKE in that bin where low budget/quality movies go to die.
Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
Just saw this movie on the telly.. and both husband I agree.. This remake is an insult to the writer of the book and the original film screenwriters, actors, director and production crew..(oh please..none of the leads in this one can even come close to the originals: Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O'Hara, John Payne and darling Natalie Wood...)The entire cast..and John Hughes..( a one time flash in the pan who clearly blew it big time with this)were God awful. I simply cringed.
Why oh why do idiots feel the need to remake a classic.
They blow junks.. big time.
I don't need no fancy foods like beans with ketchup!!
Haven't watched the original so can't compare but this version is a good film in it's own right.
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Super Luka Modric
Good point regarding black and white movies. I think it is so stupid when people won't even give a movie or television show a chance because it is in black and white.
shareJesus criminy there's alot of hate going on in this thread.
I just love how when one person doesn't like something it becomes 'TEH WURST MUVEEE EVAR!!!!!!11ONE1! This is certainly not the worst remake ever, either of Miracle or of all movies that have been remade.
This was the first version of Miracle I ever saw. I grew up with it and i'll always have a soft-spot for it. Eventually I saw the original and now I love both. I do agree that in comparison to the original this version doesn't hold a candle, but I still enjoy it. Moments like the first shot of Kris in his amazingly beautful Santa-Suit. You have to admit that was the single most awesome Santa-Suit ever. Also the 'I Believe' sequence with the whole city rallying to Kris' side. Then there's the scene that fans of the original seem to hate, the part with Kris talking to the deaf girl. I found that jus as touching as the Dutch-Girl scene in the original. Yes I understand the significance of Santa speaking dutch, but one must admit no kid in the 90's would make that connection, either with 'Sinterklaas' or poor dutch refugees. So for me it's a forgivable change. That and that deaf girl was just so adorable. Anyway, my point eing if you take of your nostalgia goggles for a moment and watch the movie for it's own merits you'll enjoy it more than if you sit there and pick apart reasons why it's not the original.
"The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect." - Luna Lovegood
I like this movie,i don't see anything wrong with the movie at all.The storylines are very similar apart from a few changes here and there.Mara Wilson was very good in it.And i don't understand why everyone doesn't like Elizabeth Perkin's character when i thought she was a good character.Of course i like the original 1947 version better.But i don't think this is a bad movie.But it's a matter of opinion.
Matthew Followill is so purty.And he has dimples to make him purty
There are some movies that can never have a remake which can live up to the quality of the original and "Miracle on 34th Street" is one of them. I just saw this remake and all I could think was it was very bad. The original movie has a charm to it that is greatly lacking in this one. There was just too much slime in this one, and I'm refering to some of the characters whne I say that. It makes you wonder if the poor quality is why Macy's didn't want to be associated with a movie that makes you think of Macy's under normal circumstances.
shareThis would have made a fair to average Xmas movie, except for the title. You just can't make a movie this mundane and try to pretend it is a remake of a classic. It wasn't as good because the story was hacked into Cole slaw, and spread on a bean sandwich.
They should have either stuck to the story, or done a different one with a different title, as this one was just blah. The most impressive thing about this movie, is that I stayed awake during it... probably because I was waiting for that great ending the first one had.... but it never came. Me sad.
Has no-one on this board been alive for the past, oooh, ten years? There are plenty of awful remakes that make this film seem bloody spectacular. I personally like this version. Sue me, freedom of opinion and all that!
Im an agent of chaos!
I've never watched this version before. I saw the '73 version first, way way back, then saw the '47 version about 25 years ago, never really knew it existed. I avoided it for a while as the only version airing was colorized, but I finally watched it and enjoyed it, mostly for Maureen O'hara and the department store scenes.
All the character actors in the courtroom scene (Lockhart, Frawley, etc.) were much more fun too.
I'm listening to the '94 version, but I'm going to change the channel. It's just too intense. If you watch something of how these things evolve, the remakes all but have an air about them like Bugs Bunny with the three Bears or Red Riding Hood; like they know what the outcome will be, so they can say or do whatever they like.
"Kick him in the balls, Kris. You're Santa Claus!"
The transition from the first movie, where Kris strikes the doctor to here are interesting to note as well.
A 50s tv remake with Thomas Mitchell (who I think has to be one of the worst actors I have ever seen) as Kris Kringle has him almost gleeful when he strikes the doctor.
There have been far worse remakes out there.
share"There have been far worse remakes out there."
Agree 100%.
This was not the best remake I've ever seen, no. But it had some very good qualities about it. I love Mara Wilson (she was ADORABLE in "Matilda"), and I thought the rest of the cast was perfectly done. The sets were great, and the colors were gorgeous. I loved all the deep reds and greens in this film, so lush and appealing. There were a few things that I didn't care for (showing Santa's butt crack, some of the pratfall things) that felt out of place, but overall I thought it was a fine remake.
But yes, there are MANY more remakes that were far worse...