Nearly three quarters of a century ago, the Christmas movie season was forever changed with the release of one of cinemas all time greats. Akin to the holiday staple that is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 1990s “Home Alone” has vaulted into untouchable status as a perfect and completely original Christmastime masterpiece, and a must watch each and every Christmas season.
Hitting theaters in mid-November of 1990, few films before it carried the anticipation of “Home Alone” and it proved to be well worth the hype, earning 17 million at the box office in its first weekend, and eventually going on to become the highest grossing comedy, and one of the highest grossing films of all time with a staggering cinema run that netted nearly half a billion dollars.
Written by 80s icon John Hughes, and directed by Academy Award nominated Chris Columbus, “Home Alone” is jam packed with laughs and the flavor of Christmas. It owns great acting, and unlike yesteryear classics “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street” employs a more realistic (albeit somewhat far fetched) premise, devoid of the supernatural elements common in other Christmas stories.
Young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is inadvertently left behind in his family’s palatial estate when the clan departs for a holiday trip to Paris. The role would define the career and life of Culkin who at the time was just ten years old, and sadly has been unable to duplicate it since.
As Kevin’s comical parents (Catherine O’Hara and John Heard) attempt to get back to the states to rescue their son, two bungling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) make the mistake of targeting the McCallister home in which Kevin dutifully defends by any means necessary.
While Culkin is the primary character in the story, the accolades belong to Pesci and Stern. Their portrayal the “Wet bandits” is flat out priceless comedy, with hysterical being a gross understatement to their screen time. Both Pesci and Stern will have you in tears as they do battle with the rabblerousing Kevin, taking the art of physical comedy to untouchable heights.
Chris Columbus gets the most out of his cast, and uses his own personal touch to add to the laughs, like the subtle inclusion of the fictitious gangster movie “Angels with Filthy Souls” which plays a recurring role in the story, or the more in your face laughs that accompany an escaped pet tarantula that’s roaming the McCallister house.
Legendry John Hughes demonsrates his great talents as a writer with the story itself. On the surface, the plot is a simple one of a boy being left alone and encountering the criminals. Hughes also includes deeper elements as well. At first, Kevin is looked at as a helpless and annoying little brother. His circumstances force him to grow up and take control of his own life.
Kevin must overcome typical fears associated with a young child, like summoning the courage to go into the basement. He also puts aside misguided terror in effort to help a neighbor reconnect with his family. Amidst the chaos of laughs, Kevin learns a valuable lesson about himself, and his family, managing to grow in considerable fashion from start to finish.
Adding to the decorations and timeframe is the soundtrack, which is also a thing of beauty. Academy Award winning composer John Williams creates a perfectly festive score, with classics such as Carol of the Bells and O’ Holy Night included to go along with awesome radio hits like The Drifters version of White Christmas and the Chuck Berry classic Run Rudolph Run.
“Home Alone” stands as one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Its a perfect picture with all the elements included for fun. Twenty plus years after its release, its a must own for every DVD collection, and a once a year must watch for every fan of film.
by – Matt Christopher
