Home Alone (1990)
The McCallister
family are all convened in their Chicago suburban home a few days before
Christmas. It’s mayhem, as they get ready for an overseas trip that holiday
season. One of the youngest members of the family – Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) -
threatens to ruin the trip before it’s even begun with his pesky attitude and rambunctious
behaviour. Sent to bed early, the family then make a mad dash for the airport
the next morning, barely making their flight. But alas, young Kevin emerges
from the attic bedroom to an empty house. Just the night before he had wished
his whole family would disappear. And he gets his wish.
Once his
parents realise they’ve left him at home, they try to return amidst the busiest
travelling time of the year. But Kevin is in his element; enjoying the peace
and quiet, eating ice cream for dinner and running around the house. That is
until some would-be burglars show up to try break into his house.
Home Alone was an original film in some ways, although it was the brainchild of writer / director John Hughes. He made his mark in the 1980’s with some classic family and teen comedies, but his first foray into a family film was surely a gamble. Made on a modest budget and casting an unknown child actor, all bets were off as no one could really predict if the film would work or be a success. But the idea of a kid home by himself, setting up booby traps to trick some dumbass thieves struck a chord with kids everywhere. Adults enjoyed it too, for its sweet message about the magic of Christmas and the importance of family.
Home Alone
was such a gargantuan hit, that it changed the life of its young star, and gave
birth to an onslaught of family movies focusing on kids giving adults a run for
their money. Culkin returned for the sequel and at the time was the highest
paid child actor in movie history, pocketing a cool $10 million dollars for “Home
Alone 2: Lost in New York” at just twelve years of age. He also starred in a
string of other hits until he was about fourteen, at which point he took a long
break from the movies. But in his wake and trying to cash in on the successful
formula of Home Alone, film after film about kids who were either the loners,
outcasts or targets of bullies, became the heroes; showing adults a thing or
two about life, playing tricks and pranks and making kids everywhere lap up
every minute of it.
Released at the start of the decade, Home Alone reeks of the 90’s. There are references everywhere, from the setting of American mid-western suburbia, where kids played Nintendo, watched cartoons, and started to ignore their parents. Aside from the silly antics of Kevin taking on bumbling robbers Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), the Home Alone movies also had a thoughtful, and kind message at their heart. Choosing to be played out around Christmas time, the unforgettable music score by John Williams is festive, spirited and touching, reminding us why we love these movies. At their core, they’re really about the spirit of Christmas, the love for family and the memories of childhood.
Home Alone
spawned a few direct to video sequels featuring other child actors, but the
results were mixed at best. It’s the film that everyone has seen, and every
year around Christmas time you can bet it will play on TV. After Macaulay Culkin
left the spotlight, he was forgotten for a while, until making something of a
comeback in his early twenties. He now acts occasionally but blogs and does
podcasts more often, living off his millions. But we will never forget his
first starring role in Home Alone; with his blonde hair, cheeky smile and that
famous scream with hands clapped on his face, that became meme fodder
twenty-five years before memes were even created.
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