Miracle on 34th Street – 1994 & 1947 – ep 120

You better watch out, you better not cry, because Santa Claus is going to the loony bin! In "Miracle on 34th Street," a single mother is a real Scrooge McDuck about the magic of Christmas, specifically about telling her young daughter that Santa Claus is a lie. Enter a convincing (but violent prone?) old man, who decides that he wants to work RETAIL during the busy holiday season. We don't know if it's magic, but give that guy a medal for wanting to deal with all those snot-covered kids and demanding parents for several weeks. For many Old Millennials, the 1994 remake was the first version they saw of "Miracle on 34th Street." After all, that cute kid Mara Wilson from "Mrs. Doubtfire" was there, and so was "Jurassic Park" visionary John Hammond. He even has a cane! Plus the 1994 movie has COLOR, and kids don't fool around with black and white movies. Fans of the beloved 1947 original didn't turn out for the remake (a familiar correlation with this year's "West Side Story"?), even though the studio thought people would love this sentimental update written by John Hughes. Turns out, people wanted Hughes in "Home Alone" pratfall mode, and "Miracle on 34th Street" also had to contend with another holiday superhit, Tim Allen's "The Santa Clause." More power! *GRUNT GRUNT GRUNT* Old Millennials Remember Movies co-hosts Tyler and Angela both have memories watching the 1994 version before discovering the original. In this episode, the pair discuss the creative changes, some bad and some surprisingly good, as well as why the movie tanked with a cynical 90s audience. On one hand, the 1994 movie adds an extra 20 minutes of unnecessary content,  On the other hand, is this movie a canonical prequel to "The Practice" starring Dylan McDermott?! Tyler and Angela also dissect the two distinct courtroom climaxes (U.S. mail vs. U.S. currency), the shift from real stores Macy's and Gimball's to Cole's and Shopper's Express, and the 40s-era accent deployed by national treasure Allison Janney, who appears in one scene of the 1994 film. Is Richard Attenborough better as Kris Kringle compared to the original's Oscar-winning turn by Edmund Gwenn? Are Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott's characters dating, or what the hell? And would you trust some random old man with possible delusions of grandeur to babysit your 6-year-old daughter? Merry Christmas from Old Millennials Remember Movies, ya filthy animals! Also discussed on this episode of Old Millennials Remember Movies Arthur Christmas (2011) Noelle (2019) Frosty the Snowman (1969) Saved By the Bell (Season 2 on Peacock) MacGruber (Limited series on Peacock) Check out these other holiday episodes of OMRM The Santa Clause - 1994 - episode 61 Home Alone - 1990 - episode 26 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - 1992 - episode 63 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - 1964 - episode 93