Home Alone (1990)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writer (WGA):

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Family

Tagline:

A Family Comedy Without The Family.

Plot:

An eight year-old, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.

Plot Keywords:

House | Christmas | Vacation | Holiday | Booby Trap

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Macaulay Culkin	...	Kevin McCallister
Joe Pesci	...	Harry
Daniel Stern	...	Marv
John Heard	...	Peter McCallister
Roberts Blossom	...	Marley
Catherine O'Hara	...	Kate McCallister
Angela Goethals	...	Linnie
Devin Ratray	...	Buzz
Gerry Bamman	...	Uncle Frank
Hillary Wolf	...	Megan
John Candy	...	Gus Polinski
Larry Hankin	...	Officer Balzak
Michael C. Maronna	...	Jeff (as Michael C. Maronna)
Kristin Minter	...	Heather
Daiana Campeanu	...	Sondra
Jedidiah Cohen	...	Rod
Kieran Culkin	...	Fuller
Senta Moses	...	Tracy
Anna Slotky	...	Brooke
Terrie Snell	...	Aunt Leslie
Jeffrey Wiseman	...	Mitch Murphy
Virginia Smith	...	Georgette
Matt Doherty	...	Steffan
Ralph Foody	...	Johnny - Gangster #1
Michael Guido	...	Snakes - Gangster #2
Ray Toler	...	Uncle Rob
Billie Bird	...	Woman in Airport
Bill Erwin	...	Man in Airport
Gerry Becker	...	Officer #1
Victor Cole	...	Officer #2
Porscha Radcliffe	...	Cousin
Brittany Radcliffe	...	Cousin
Clarke Devereux	...	Officer Devereux
Dan Charles Zukoski	...	Pizza Boy
Lynn Mansbach	...	French Woman
Peter Siragusa	...	Lineman
Alan Wilder	...	Scranton Ticket Agent
Hope Davis	...	French Ticket Agent
Dianne B. Shaw	...	Airline Counter Person
Tracy J. Connor	...	Check Out Girl
Jim Ryan	...	Stock Boy
Ken Hudson Campbell	...	Santa
Sandra Macat	...	Santa's Elf
Mark Beltzman	...	Stosh
Ann Whitney	...	Drugstore Clerk
Richard J. Firfer	...	Store Manager
Jim Ortlieb	...	Herb the Drugstore Clerk
Kate Johnson	...	Police Operator
Michael Hansen	...	Airport Driver
Peter Pantaleo	...	Airport Driver
Jean Claude Sciore	...	French Gate Agent
Monica Devereux	...	Flight Attendant
Edward Bruzan	...	Polka Band Member
Frank Cernugel	...	Polka Band Member
Eddie Korosa	...	Polka Band Member
John Hardy	...	Polka Band Member
Robert Okrzesik	...	Polka Band Member
Leo Perion	...	Polka Band Member
Vince Waidzulis	...	Polka Band Member
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Nazimek	...	Airline Pilot (uncredited)
Luciano Saber	...	Airport Traveler (uncredited)
Linda Wylie	...	Stewardess (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Columbus

Writing credits (WGA)
John Hughes		(written by)

Produced by
Tarquin Gotch	....	executive producer
John Hughes	....	producer
Mark Levinson	....	executive producer
Mark Radcliffe	....	associate producer
Scott M. Rosenfelt	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Julio Macat

Film Editing by
Raja Gosnell

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
John Muto

Art Direction by
Dan Webster

Set Decoration by
Eve Cauley
Daniel B. Clancy		(as Dan Clancy)

Costume Design by
Jay Hurley

Makeup Department
Dominic Mango	....	assistant hair stylist
Linda Melazzo	....	assistant makeup artist
Kimberly Phillips	....	key makeup artist (as Kim Phillips)
Linda Rizzuto	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Mack Bing	....	unit production manager
Ron Payne	....	post-production supervisor
Jeanne Van Cott	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Giovannetti Jr.	....	second assistant director
Geoffrey Hansen	....	second second assistant director
Mark Radcliffe	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Troy Borisy	....	lead person
William Dambra	....	property manager
Edward England	....	construction coordinator
Karen Fletcher Trujillo	....	set designer
William B. Fosser	....	set designer
Joeseph H. Gilmartin	....	construction foreman
Randy Gordon	....	construction foreman
Mark Haack	....	assistant to production designer
Kim S. Hobbs	....	assistant set decorator
Bill Jackson	....	art department
Cyril A. Matthys	....	set dresser (as Cyril Matthys)
Amie McCarthy	....	buyer
John Mikels	....	stand-by painter
Pat Raney	....	construction foreman
Sam Ruggiero	....	buyer
Barb Schuppert	....	assistant props
Paul Stanwyck	....	painter
Robert Bernacchi	....	art department production assistant (uncredited)
David J. Chamerski	....	props (uncredited)
Robert E. Knight	....	signwriter (uncredited)
Troy Osman	....	construction foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound mixer
Robert Batha	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Chau	....	sound editor
Chris Connelly	....	sound recordist
Dino Dimuro	....	sound editor
Victor Ray Ennis	....	assistant sound editor (as Victor Ennis)
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound designer
Stan Gilbert	....	supervising adr editor
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin Hearst	....	sound editor (as Raoul)
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley mixer
Glenn T. Morgan	....	sound editor
Alan L. Nineberg	....	adr editor
Kelly Oxford	....	sound editor
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor
Bob Ryan	....	cable person
Jill Smith	....	assistant sound editor
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Kim Waugh	....	digital sound effects recordist
Tim Webb	....	sound recordist
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey A. Williams	....	boom operator
Corey Coken	....	additional adr recordist (uncredited)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Steve Mann	....	sound editor (uncredited)
David Young	....	digital sound technician (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sam Barkan	....	special effects foreman
Fran Beirs	....	first special effects
Kenny Myers	....	special effects makeup
William Purcell	....	special effects coordinator (as Bill Purcell)
Ron Wild	....	assistant special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Kevin Nordine	....	optical effects

Stunts
Troy Brown	....	stunts (as Troy James Brown)
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Leon Delaney	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
Manny Perry	....	stunts (as Manuel Perry)
William Purcell	....	stunts
Troy Brown	....	stunt double: Joe Pesci (uncredited)
Leon Delaney	....	stunt double: Daniel Stern (uncredited)
Larry Nicholas	....	stunt double: Macaulay Culkin (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Allen Jr.	....	grip
Art Bartels	....	key grip
Rick Brown	....	grip (as Richard D. Brown)
Michelle Crenshaw	....	second assistant camera
Vincent Donohue	....	chief lighting technician
Lex DuPont	....	first assistant camera
John P. Friday	....	electrician
Brian C. Glover	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Mark R. Lindberg	....	electrician
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Daniel A. Miller	....	dolly grip
Dick Oakes	....	best boy electric
Brad Ruby	....	camera loader
Dick Sayers	....	grip
Ronald Sherman	....	generator operator
Don Smetzer	....	still photographer
Dennis Smith	....	camera operator
Tama Takahashi	....	first assistant camera
Nick Thomas	....	best boy electric
Joe Tomko Jr.	....	best boy grip

Casting Department
Catherine Holzer-Ballowe	....	extras casting (as Holzer-Roche)
Jacqueline King	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles (as Jackie King)
Barbara L. Roche	....	extras casting (as Holzer-Roche)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mickey Antonetti	....	costume supervisor
Jane Blank	....	seamstress
Jennifer Jobst	....	costumer
Cathy Newport-Logan	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Jerrie Fowler	....	assistant editor
Kathryn Himoff	....	assistant editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Tim Silano	....	first assistant editor
Steve Kraus	....	editing systems technician (uncredited)
L. James Langlois	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Mose Brown	....	composer: song "Please Come Home For Christmas"
Terry Brown	....	scoring crew
John Bruno	....	scoring crew
Chuck Garsha	....	scoring crew
Albert Hague	....	composer: song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
Jo Ann Kane	....	music copyist
Southside Johnny Lyon	....	music producer: "Please Come Home for Christmas"
John Neufeld	....	orchestrator
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator
Armin Steiner	....	score mixer
Jorge Vdovichenko	....	scoring crew
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor
John Williams	....	music producer: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
Angela Morley	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Brichetto	....	driver
John Hardy	....	transportation captain
James F. Hogan	....	transportation captain
Patrick Lynn	....	driver
Kevin Maxwell	....	driver
Tom O'Malley	....	driver (as Thomas O'Malley)
Armand Paoletti	....	transportation coordinator
Arnie Plutz	....	driver
George Voss	....	driver

Other crew
Jacolyn Baker	....	location manager
Craig Bernstein	....	assistant: Mr. Rosenfelt
Raymond Bulinski	....	craft service
Kathleen Caton	....	production coordinator
Andrew Charlton	....	set production assistant
Elizabeth Devereux	....	assistant: Mr. Columbus
Heather Ehret	....	location production assistant
Jan Evans	....	script supervisor
Adam Goodman	....	office production assistant
Charmian Jago	....	assistant: Mr. Levinson
Tammy Karabas	....	assistant production coordinator
Aimee Kohn	....	set production assistant
Ernie Malik	....	unit publicist
Mark Mamalakis	....	assistant location manager
Dianne Mapp-Cheek	....	production accountant (as Dianne Cheek Blasco)
William Ryan	....	assistant: Mr. Hughes (as Bill Ryan)
Gayle Sandler	....	assistant production accountant
Bob Saunders	....	office production assistant
Robert Schick	....	set production assistant
Seth Vamos	....	set production assistant
Jane Vickerilla	....	assistant: Mr. Hughes
Judith Walder	....	accounting assistant
Cathy Weiss	....	production secretary
Kevin Bassett	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mark Gulbrandsen	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Mark Gulbrandsen	....	dailies technician (uncredited)
Ross L. Kulma	....	set paramedic (uncredited)
Bailey Pryor	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Bailey Pryor	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Lieutenant Billy Gallagher	....	special thanks
Charles Geocaris	....	special thanks
Lisa Howard	....	special thanks
Colleen McShane	....	special thanks
Lt. Joe Sumner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Hughes Entertainment
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (1990) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1991) (Japan) (theatrical) (Far East)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1990) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox Film (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• CBS Records  soundtrack released by
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  copying
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• Sony Classical  soundtrack published by
• Tux Wagon Catering  catering

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/6 | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:AL (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Norway:10 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

656 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka, Illinois, USA

Company:

Hughes Entertainment

Trivia:

The concept for this movie originated during the filming of a scene in Uncle Buck (1989) in which Macaulay Culkin plays a character who interrogates a would-be-babysitter through a letterbox.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the beginning of the movie after Peter realizes he will not be able to shave in Paris without a power adapter, Kate tells him to grow a goatee. This would be impossible, since a goatee would still require shaving part of your beard.

Quotes:

Jeff McCallister: He went shopping? He doesn't know how to tie his shoe and he went shopping?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: (#7.7)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Carol of the Bells

Heartwarming Holiday family classic.

'Home Alone' has succeeded in establishing itself as a Christmas tradition, spawning off three sequels (including a made-for-television flop), and a whole franchise in and of it.

Macaulay Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, the average American child. He has an attitude almost expected of a Chris Columbus film from the eighties. He lives with a large family, which, right now, being around Christmas time, is about quadrupled, flooded by relatives' children, all of whom pick on poor, poor Kevin (sympathy long lost later into the film).

One day Kevin wakes up from his sleep to find his wish has come true: his parents (John Heard and Catherine O'Hara) have disappeared. Enthralled by this, he proceeds to do everything and anything he was not allowed to do before, including eating ice cream in the morning, watching violent gangster films, jumping on the bed, wrecking his brother's room, and having some fun with a BB gun. Unfortunately for Kevin, his parents have not just disappeared - they have accidentally left him at home before going to Paris!

Trouble really starts when two pesky burglars, Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern), decide that their next burglary will be at the McCallister residence. Little do they know Kevin is more than prepared, arming the house with an array of booby-traps that would impress top spies in the American government.

John Hughes, writer/director/producer of my favorite comedy, 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' wrote this film, and it is no wonder. It is just like Hughes' humor. It mixes emotion, belly laughs and a warm-hearted ending all into one little bundle called a movie. John Hughes' films, in my experience, are usually very good, mainly because he approaches films at a very classic level. He doesn't resort to crude, kid jokes, like 'The Master of Disguise' or 'The Tuxedo,' to name a few recent flops. He almost always levels everything out perfectly in his scripts, and nothing is different here. Also, he places Kevin and co. in a large brick home in a large neighborhood in Chicago; a home that very much resembles those in 'Planes.' and 'Uncle Buck' (I would not be surprised if it is the same home).

As for the acting.

Macaulay Culkin is not at his best here. His best performance would have to be in an earlier John Hughes film named 'Uncle Buck,' where he had more of a cute charm than an acting charm. Here, he could barely act his way out of a plastic bag. Fortunately, with great performances by John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Pesci and Stern, his bad acting is long forgotten by the time we become absorbed into the film.

John Heard and Catherine O'Hara bring Kevin's parents to life. They seem almost complete opposites. Kevin's father, Peter (Heard), is very calm and laidback. His mother, Kate (O'Hara) is extremely nervous almost all the time, fretting throughout the film. She is aggravated very easily and, like all mothers, her instinctive nature to care for her child is what drives her to the point she goes to in the film.

And then there's Pesci and Stern. My favorite lot of the film. They perfectly blend humor, pain and aggravation to the film.

Pesci's character Harry is very strict, easily agitated and picks on Marv for a great many things. Marv, the stereotypical 'tall, stupid one,' is completely stupid. He does things that would make a hamster blush. Yet he is the character I have found many like the most, mainly because he is so stupid you have to feel sorry for him. Stern brings a great trait to the character of Marv, and I am very pleased he got the part. It's a hard choice to decide which baddie is better, so I just say I like them both the same.

All in all, 'Home Alone' is probably the best Christmas movie to rise out of the film industry in the last twenty years. It seamlessly blends humor, pain, emotion, human instinct and some great booby-traps all into one little bundle. This film has stood the test of time greatly.

4.5/5 stars -