It has been 35 years since the American family comedy "Home Alone" first appeared on screens and forever changed the perception of Christmas cinema. The film about eight-year-old Kevin McCallister, who was accidentally left home alone during a family trip to Paris, became not just a box office hit, but a true cultural phenomenon.

From idea to franchise

The film's idea was born to screenwriter John Hughes while working on "Uncle Buck," which also starred Macaulay Culkin. Interestingly, the entire screenplay was written in just nine days. Director Chris Columbus, together with Hughes, created a story that instantly captivated audiences.

The success of the original film was so impressive that it grew into a full franchise of five films. After the first film, the world saw "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992), "Home Alone 3" (1997), television parts from 2002 and 2012, as well as the modern 2021 version.

Record box office earnings

The original 1990 film became the highest-grossing comedy of that year in the USA, collecting over $476 million worldwide. For 27 years, the film held the record as the highest-grossing comedy in cinema history, making it one of the most profitable Christmas comedies of all time.

Besides financial success, the film won the People's Choice Awards in the "Favorite Comedy" category, and young Macaulay Culkin was recognized with nominations for Young Artist Awards for best child performance.

Interesting facts from filming

Few know that most scenes were not filmed in the luxurious McCallister house, but on sets built in a school gymnasium. The film crew created the first floor with stairs going up, the second floor on a raised platform, and the basement as a separate set.

Due to age restrictions, Macaulay Culkin could work no more than five hours a day. Sometimes he got so tired that he would simply fall asleep on the floor between takes. The famous "plan" for protecting the house from burglars was drawn by the boy himself with colored pencils.

Failure of the modern version

Meanwhile, the film "Home Sweet Home Alone" (2021), which viewers unofficially call "Home Alone 6," became one of the loudest failures in Christmas franchise history. On IMDb, the film received only 3.6 out of 10 stars, on Rotten Tomatoes - about 15% positive reviews.

The key problem of the new version is a radical change in moral emphasis. If in the classic "Home Alone" the viewer unquestionably supported the child defending himself from professional bandits, in the 2021 version the situation is fundamentally different. The main character Max Mercer is a wealthy and arrogant boy, while his opponents are an ordinary family couple in financial difficulties.

Cultural impact

For 35 years, "Home Alone" remains a mandatory attribute of Christmas holidays in many countries worldwide. Quotes and scenes from the film have become legendary, and the house where Kevin's adventures take place has become a popular tourist attraction in Illinois.

The film proved that family comedy can be both commercially successful and culturally significant, creating a formula that they still try to replicate today.