Home Alone is a 1990 Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. It follows the eight year old Kevin McCallister after he is accidentally left behind by his family during their vacation. At first, Kevin cherishes his newfound freedom but then must defend his home against the burglars Harry and Marv by placing clever booby traps.
The writer and producer of the film is John Hughes. Interestingly, his inspiration for the film was derived from his real life experience of accidentally leaving his home as a child.
The film´s humor is highly influenced by 1930s classic gangster movies. Within the film is another film, Angels with Filthy Souls in this classic style which Kevin watches on VHS. Angels with Filthy Souls was created specifically for Home Alone and it features Ralph Foody as Johnny and Michael Guido as Snakes.
Kevin´s resourcefulness and booby traps in the film convey the expected chaos and ridiculousness of situations which people are unfamiliar with. Kevin learns that even though freedom and independence are enjoyable, struggles will usually arise along with it.
Home Alone was one of the highest grossing films of 1990 with over 476 million dollars. The film has come to be a holiday classic beloved my countless families around the world and its significant success can be credited to its humor and relatable themes.
