Tuesday Night is Film Night is back for some more festive film fun. This week we hope to overcome the disappointment of last week, with a good old favourite from 1990, as we watch;
Home Alone
It has to be said that Home Alone is a Christmas classic, whether you like it or not it deserves it's place in the annals of the Christmas film favourites. We all know the story, it follows the escapades of young Kevin McAllister (Mcaulay Culkin), who during the lead up to a family trip to France, manages to alienate himself from his rather large family, so much so that his absence from the holiday party was not noticed until everyone else was halfway across the Atlantic! Allied to this we have the villains of the piece; Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) and the brilliant Joe Pesci as Harry Lime, who has been eyeing up the street dressed as a police officer, checking to see who will be away for the holidays, so that himself and Marv can rob them in relative safety. However, they did not reckon on the evil and very young genius Kevin and his ingenious efforts to keep the bad guys out of the house.
Obviously the slapstick moments are the best loved scenes in the film, where Marv and Harry are trying to get past Kevin in the McAllister home and although not unique, the general premise of the film was clearly a fresh and new idea in 1990 and it has stood the test of time as the best of the genre and certainly the best in the run of all four Home Alone films. It's clearly this fresh approach that makes it so enjoyable. Also having the fresh faced Culkin being the hero, outwitting the dimwitted villains, gives the film that family appeal, so it can be enjoyed by young and old.
There is also a lovely sub-plot which runs through the film, where the grouchy neighbour (played by Roberts Blossom) is made out to be a murderer by the kids, but who is in fact a rather kindly man who has fallen out with his son and is also home alone at Christmas. This parallel sub plot sits in a nice juxtaposition to Kevin's own plight and provides a tender, seasonal joy side to the story.
Yes, Home Alone is a feelgood festive film, with fantastic slapstick comedy. Alongside this you have a child star who was clearly made for the role, making the film such a hit when it came out. And ever since it has been a regular Christmas film, which you just cannot help watching when it is on. The jokes are just as funny, Pesci and Stern are fantastic as the hapless villains and Culkin is a delight to watch. The story is well written and directed. It's just a great Christmas film. It was certainly a high scoring film here at TNiFN Towers.
More festive film fun next time.
TNiFN Rating 89%
IMDB Link
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