Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus, with a screenplay written and produced by John Hughes. As the first installment in the Home Alone series, the film features Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O’Hara in key roles. Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, a boy who must protect his suburban Chicago home from two burglars after his family inadvertently leaves him behind during their Christmas trip to Paris.
Hughes came up with the idea for Home Alone while on vacation, and the film was initially to be financed and distributed by Warner Bros. However, when production went over budget, Warner Bros. halted it, leading to 20th Century Fox taking over the project, following secret negotiations with Hughes. Columbus and Culkin soon joined the crew, and filming took place between February and May 1990, with various locations in Illinois
serving as the backdrop. The film premiered in Chicago on November 10, 1990, and was released in theaters in the United States on November 16. Although early reviews were mixed, the film’s reputation has grown over time, earning praise for its performances, comedic elements, and music. Home Alone grossed $476.7 million worldwide, holding the record for the highest-grossing live-action comedy until The Hangover Part II was released in 2011, and catapulted Culkin to fame. It was also the second-highest-grossing film of 1990, after
Ghost. The film received Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Culkin, as well as Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score for John Williams and Best Original Song for “Somewhere in My Memory”. Over time, Home Alone has come to be regarded as one of the best Christmas movies ever made. A sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, was released in 1992.
