In Search of the Crystal Skull Episode 19: Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

In this episode of In Search of the Crystal Skull, Patricia and Arun tackle another theme. This time, it's 90s Christmas movies and they start with the 1994 film Miracle on 34th Street, the remake of the 1947 film of the same name. The Cole's department store hires an old man in the street named Kris Kringle to become their Santa Claus on their Thanksgiving Day parade after firing their previous Santa learning that he was intoxicated during his shift. He becomes so successful as their mall Santa that Cole's rival store Shoppers Express wants to do everything they can to stop their competitor, even willing to sabotage Kris with his claim that he's the real Santa Claus. Cole's director of special events, Dorey Walker, and her daughter Susan don't believe that Kris is the real Santa, but find him welcoming, caring, having a loving personality, and charming. Things get more complicated when Santa assaults a man and is arrested and Susan makes an impossible Christmas wish.   The film received mixed to negative reviews when it premiered in theaters making $46.3 million dollars calling it "inferior" and "unnecessary" since the 1947 version was already a Christmas classic. It currently has a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. What did Patricia and Arun think of the film? Listen and find out.