Home Alone
Home Alone (1990)
Thirty years old eh? Which means I was a spring chicken when this came out. I don’t wanna make this all about me (yes I do) but I can’t help feeling smug that my early 80’s buddies and I really hit the jackpot here. We were the key demographic upon release in 1990 and with the convenient benefit of nostalgia bias it only gets better with age. When a film makes you feel this good is it simply the power of sentimentality, or is it just a good film?
In a nutshell Kevin (Macauley Culkin, like you didn’t know) is abandoned while his family fly to Paris for Christmas. Home alone this industrious 10 year old is left to defend his property from determined crooks.
I’m really struggling to be objective. To me it’s a perfect film! The plot is tight. In five minutes all the major players are introduced; the chaotic family, the villain and the mysterious neighbour (even the pizza boy) all while foreshadowing what fun mayhem lies in store.
The legend John Williams provides the iconic mischievous score (swiping an Oscar nomination for his efforts). I challenge anyone familiar with the trailer to not play the theme tune in your mind if you’re ever running late for a flight. The choice of music is again, perfect. From Christmas party classics to standards. It made me fall in love with O Holy Night. Its use in the church scene where the neighbour introduces himself to Kevin never fails to achieve a standing ovation from the hair on my arms. In fact this entire scene is flawless.
The colour palette for the entire film has informed my festive taste ever since. Bold reds, greens and red and green tartan. All you classy folk with elegant white and beige decorations on your Christmas tree are frankly betraying John Hughes’ Christmas vision.
John Hughes’ power of persuasion is stronger than The Force. I covet everything; the house, Kevin’s range of knitwear, the whole adventure. I want an all cheese pizza AND a microwave Mac & cheese. Watching Kevin transform his mansion into a torturous funhouse is as thrilling today as it was when I was ten.
Harry and Marv delight as they provide enthusiastic pratfalls and high pitched squeals like Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote in human form. I still still laugh out loud at Kevin cheerfully baiting them with “I’m up here ya morons” and I still get emotional at the finale. I went backpacking at 19 and in a lovely little motel in Memphis I came across Home Alone on TV. I’d only been away for about a month. It is no exaggeration when I tell you that I sobbed like a running tap when Kevin is reunited with his mum. And then the neighbour with his son finishes you off nicely.
Watch this on Christmas morning to get you in the spirit and be thankful you don’t have to rig up a fake party to ward off bad guys.
10 Filthy Animal Thumbs Up!
