Home Alone (1990)

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writer (WGA):

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

A Family Comedy Without The Family.

Plot:

An 8-year-old boy, 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 | France | Vacation | Home

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 4 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
Kristin Minter	...	Heather
Diana Rein	...	Sondra (as Daiana Campeanu)
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:
Lionel Barrymore	...	Henry Potter (archive footage) (uncredited)
Larry Nazimek	...	Airline Pilot (uncredited)
Paula Newsome	...	Shopper who tells Kevin which aisle Fabric Softener can be found (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 (as Scott Rosenfelt)

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Julio Macat		(director of photography)

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 (as Geoff Hansen)
Mark Radcliffe	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Troy Borisy	....	lead person
William Dambra	....	property master (as Bill Dambra)
Edward England	....	construction coordinator (as Eddie England)
Karen Fletcher Trujillo	....	set designer (as Karen Fletcher-Trujillo)
William B. Fosser	....	set designer (as Bill Fosser)
Joeseph H. Gilmartin	....	construction foreman (as Joe Gilmartin)
Randy Gordon	....	construction foreman
Mark Haack	....	assistant to production designer
Kim S. Hobbs	....	assistant set decorator
Bill Jackson	....	art department
Cyril H. 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 (as Jim Alexander)
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 (as Gary 'Wrecker' Hecker)
Glenn T. Morgan	....	sound editor
Alan L. Nineberg	....	adr editor (as Alan Nineberg)
Kelly Oxford	....	sound editor
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor (as Dan Rich)
Bob Ryan	....	cable person
Jill Smith	....	assistant sound editor (as Jill A. Smith)
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Kim Waugh	....	digital sound effects recordist
Tim Webb	....	sound recordist
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeff Wilhoit)
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey A. Williams	....	boom operator (as Jeff Williams)
Cory Coken	....	additional adr recordist (uncredited)
Ed Golya	....	adr mixer (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 (as Ken Myers)
William Purcell	....	special effects coordinator (as Bill Purcell)
Ron Wild	....	assistant special effects makeup (as Ron Wild-Figuly)

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 (as Rick LeFevour)
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 (as Vince Donohue Jr.)
Lex DuPont	....	first assistant camera
John P. Friday	....	electrician (as John Friday)
Brian C. Glover	....	camera assistant: "b" camera (as Brian Glover)
Mark R. Lindberg	....	electrician (as Mark Lindberg)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Greg Lundsgaard)
Danial Miller	....	dolly grip (as Danial A. Miller)
Dick Oakes	....	best boy electric
Brad Ruby	....	camera loader
Dick Sayers	....	grip
Ronald Sherman	....	generator operator (as Ron Sherman)
Don Smetzer	....	still photographer
Dennis Smith	....	camera operator
Tama Takahashi	....	first assistant camera
Nick Thomas	....	best boy electric
Joe Tomko Jr.	....	best boy grip (as Joseph Tomko Jr.)

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

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 (as Michael Milliken)
Tim Silano	....	first assistant editor
Steve Kraus	....	editing systems technician (uncredited)
L. James Langlois	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Terry Brown	....	scoring crew
Chuck Garsha	....	scoring crew
Jo Ann Kane	....	music copyist
John Neufeld	....	orchestrator
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
Armin Steiner	....	scoring mixer
Jorge Vdovichenko	....	scoring crew
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
Angela Morley	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Brichetto	....	driver
John Hardy	....	transportation captain
James 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 (as Ray Bulinski)
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 (as Ernest Malik)
Mark Mamalakis	....	assistant location manager
Dianne Mapp-Cheek	....	production accountant (as Dianne Cheek Blasco)
Bill Ryan	....	assistant: Mr. Hughes
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
Billy Gallagher	....	special thanks: Winnetka Police Department (as Lt. Bill Gallagher)
Charles Geocaris	....	special thanks: Chicago Film Office
Lisa Howard	....	special thanks
Colleen McShane	....	special thanks
Joe Sumner	....	special thanks: Winnetka Police Department (as Lt. Joe Sumner)

Production Companies

• Hughes Entertainment (producer)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Australia (1990) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Fox Film (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1990) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (1990) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1990) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Chile (1990) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Centfox Film (1991) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1991) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1991) (Japan) (theatrical) (Far East)
• SF Home Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (2010-2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (1991) (Argentina) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• SF Home Entertainment (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• SF Home Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• American Airlines  special thanks
• BridgeStreet Worldwide  production housing
• CBS Records  soundtrack released by
• Chicago Film Office  special thanks
• City of Chicago  special thanks
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Holzer Roche Casting  extras casting (as Holzer-Roche)
• Illinois Film Office, The  special thanks (as Illinois Film Office)
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  copying
• Norm Marshall and Associates  special thanks (as Norm Marshall & Associates)
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment supplied by
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• Republic Pictures  archive (clip from "It's a Wonderful Life") (as Republic Pictures Corporation)
• Sony Classical  soundtrack published by
• Tux Wagon Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

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 (Approved No. 30598) | Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/6 (Qualidade) | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:AL (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

656 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka, Illinois, USA

Company:

Hughes Entertainment

Trivia:

Although the part was written especially for Macaulay Culkin by John Hughes, several hundred other boys were auditioned by director Chris Columbus just because he wanted to confirm that Culkin was right for the part.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The house loses power in the night from the falling tree branch. This causes them to oversleep. The power gets restored before they leave, obviously, because we see the parents' alarm clock showing 12:00. The timers for the lights would be affected, and the lights would not turn on at the same time that the burglars were expecting. However, Kate asks Peter on the plane if they set the timers on the lights. Peter says "I did." This indicates that they did in fact re-set the timers.

Quotes:

Kevin McCallister:I took a shower washing every body part with actual soap; including all my major crevices; including inbetween my toes and in my belly button, which I never did before but sort of enjoyed. I washed my hair with adult formula shampoo and used cream rinse for that just-washed shine. I can't seem to find my toothbrush, so I'll pick one up when I go out today. Other than that, I'm in good shape.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scooby-Doo (2002)

Soundtrack:

Please Come Home for Christmas

Funny and highly entertaining.

Home Alone (1990) Rating: 8/10

It might be dumb and corny, but I've actually liked this highly entertaining flick. The plot's unbelievable, but who cares: it's funny! Macaulay Culkin plays 8 year-old Kevin, a misunderstood kid who lives in a big ass house with his family. They're about to leave for Paris, where they're gonna spend Christmas. About 20 people are running around the house, frenetically preparing for the trip. Kevin's mad at everyone, because no one pays attention to him, unless it's to yell at him. Hence, Kevin goes to sleep wishing that his whole family would disappear, and the next morning, they do! The thing is that they somehow woke up late, left home in a hurry, and hey, they forget Lil Kev! At first, he's happy as a monkey, but after a while, things get messy. Two dumbass robbers are planning to rob his house, but Kev ain't gonna let them!

Okay, I know, this is one stupid story, but it's developed into a wonderful family film, as enjoyable as it is warmhearted. Mac Culkin is awesome in the lead. He really carries the film: he's got style, he's funny and he's even a good actor! Too bad his personal life screwed up, because he had the talent to become a grown-up movie star. The idiotic criminals are also really cool, because they cast good actors instead of some Ernest-style lame-o over-actors. Oscar-winner Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern (the narrator on The Wonder Years) are hilarious, but they also bring a bit more depth to what could have been cardboard characters. Pesci plays an aggressive thug, and anyone who's seen him in a Scorsese film knows how good he is at it. Stern plays a total dufus, and he's also really convincing at it. The film's humor might seem dumb, but hey, it's funny. John Hughes' screenplay has Kevin protecting his home by turning the thieves into human Wile E. Coyotes, and like the cartoon, it made me laugh. The gags might be old, but they're played with inventiveness, and the acting is always right. I just love this film, and you will too if you look beyond the fact that it's a family film.