HOME ALONE: Still The Silver Tuna
One of the most iconic Christmas films of all time is Home Alone. Chris Columbus directed this 1990 instant classic that appeals to today’s youth as much as it did for myself when I was younger. I wondered recently if I was remembering the film with nostalgia tinted glasses, but after deliberation I believe it’s worthy of praise.
An unforgettable performance by our pint sized lead (who acts as if he’s triple his age at times) lends itself to a playful, endearing, and outright fun festive feature.
“I Made My Family Disappear.”
The holidays can be a wonderful time, filled with family and cheer. It can also be stressful, hectic, and sometimes a bit disorienting. For the McCallisters, who are flying to France for Christmas with several kids in tow, things are especially chaotic.
Add their electricity going out and their alarm not going off? It’s a race to the airport to make it on time, which means you might end up forgetting something on the way out.
Like, a child?
Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is feeling a bit left out, forced to sleep with his cousin (who wets the bed) and picked on by his brother Buzz (who eats all the cheese pizza). Eventually, he can’t hold his aggravation in any longer. This leads to an argument that sends him to bed.
On the way he tells his mother Kate (Catherine O’Hara) that he wishes his family would disappear. What’s said in anger, especially to a parent, hardly ever carries some weight, and when he wakes the next day to an empty house he can’t believe it’s come true.
There are a lot of terrific sequences where Kevin exercises his freedom as any eight-year-old would do: eating and jumping on the bed, watching bad movies, even sledding down the staircase. These moments entice us, making us yearn for such pure instances of elation.
One moment Kevin can seem wise beyond his years and in the next frame he can be the child that he is, both in joy and sorrow. He also manages to thwart the “wet bandits” (though don’t let Harry hear me saying that) who intend to rob the wealthy block the McCallisters live on.
Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) and Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) are almost fooled by Kevin when he tries to make them think the house is full of people. When the initial jig is up, their obsession for this home only increases, which demands that Kevin prepare.
The kid saving the day trope was basically born here, and if it wasn’t – it was improved. The resilient Kevin uses a variety of boobie traps, including some pretty intense ones that include fire, nails and bowling balls. Things that should probably kill them, but we won’t linger there.
“Keep The Change You Filthy Animal.”
John Williams’ score is among a list of excellent decisions in Home Alone, and it’s one that was crafted with expert precision. It’s somehow cheery and mischievous at the same time, always alluding to potential antics around every corner.
It’s never fully acknowledged the degree of parental neglect, perhaps because mistakes make us human (though the second film is a little it more “really?”), but another area that’s portrayed and yet hardly really felt, is the actual danger Kevin is in. These two might be complete idiots and he might be the master of homemade home security, but they could have really hurt him.
Of course they don’t, and despite being villains, Pesci and Stern are remarkably watchable. Yes, they are putz (and I rarely use this word but it seems meant for them) and criminals who are quite pathetic at their intended profession. But, damn if we don’t like seeing them topple down the stairs (even if it is extreme). The two stars also sell it very well, ensuring laughs.
It’s a movie that probably wouldn’t be made today, and it’s unique in a variety of ways, including Kevin’s fourth wall breaking acknowledgments to the audience.
The house, which is nearly a character in and of itself, is where a majority of the film takes place and the production is so good it feels lived in. There’s never a moment where you forget it’s Christmas either, through appropriate color schemes and frequent cues, the Holiday is very much alive.
Some of the movie careens, such as how Old Man Marley (Robert Blussoms) – even if it is sweet – helps to convey the “lessons learned” aspect of the narrative. The supporting cast members including the feisty Kate and his even keeled father (John Heard) do their diligence.
Part of the film is the family rushing back to Kevin after realizing what’s happened. The determined Kate decides to take an early flight, but it’s not direct, so she ends up riding with a polka band.
A cameo by John Candy, while not really a requirement of the plot, (they all arrive at the same time anyway) brings some light to an otherwise stressful situation. And, in my book, Candy is always a necessary addition.
Conclusion: Home Alone
The charisma of Macaulay Culkin matched with the intelligent script by John Hughes makes this the definitive holiday story that it is, appealing to all ages. Culkin is adorable, and we laugh alongside his signature moments, but he’s also just the right amount of emotion when it’s needed.
While you may have to suspend your disbelief a bit, Home Alone is feel good cinema at its finest.
What do you think? Do you love this classic Christmas film? Let us know in the comments below!
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