Things You Never Knew About Home Alone

Written 9th July 2024 | Subscribe to our Christmas newsletter

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On 7 December 1990, Home Alone was released and watched by millions worldwide. It became a huge success and is still voted one of the most popular Christmas films.

We found some surprising facts you never knew about Home Alone.

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The Main Role

The role of the main character Kevin McCallister was written specifically for Macaulay Culkin, after he was seen in the film 'Uncle Buck'.

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Family

Macaulay Culkin's younger brother Kieran was also in Home Alone, he played Kevin’s bed-wetting cousin, Fuller

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Buzz's Girlfriend

Buzz's girlfriend was actually a boy in a wig. Producers thought it would be cruel to cast a girl for this role.

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Original Cast

Robert De Niro was originally cast as Harry Lime but chose not to take the part.

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Tarantula

The tarantula on Marv's face was real. He asked to do the scene in one take.

Family Home

The family home is still a popular tourist attraction.

Tree House

Kevin’s tree house was not part of the original home. It was built for filming and demolished afterwards.

Rude Words

Daniel Stern (Marv) accidentally said a rude word during the scene where he retrieves his shoe from the cat/dog door. Have a watch to see if you can spot it.

Real Life

In real life Harry and Marv would not have survived the attacks on them.

John Candy Scene

John Candy filmed all his scenes in 1 day. A long one though - it took 23 hours.

Script Written in a Rush

John Hughes wrote the entire script for "Home Alone" in just nine days. He was inspired by his own experiences and fears about travelling with his family and the potential of forgetting a child.

Culkin's Audition

Macaulay Culkin wasn’t the only actor considered for the role of Kevin McCallister. Other young actors, including Elijah Wood, auditioned for the part. However, director Chris Columbus was convinced by Culkin’s performance in Hughes' previous film, "Uncle Buck."

Fake Snow

The snow used in the film was actually a combination of mashed potato flakes and plastic snow, since real snow was not consistent enough during filming.

Culkin’s Hand Drawn Map

The map that Kevin uses to plan his traps was actually drawn by Macaulay Culkin himself. The production team decided to use his version because it looked more authentic as a child's drawing.

The Role of Old Man Marley

The character of Old Man Marley, played by Roberts Blossom, was not in the original script. John Hughes added the character later to provide the film with a more emotional storyline and to give Kevin someone to connect with.

Filming Locations

While the exterior of the McCallister house is a real home in Winnetka, Illinois, many of the interior scenes were filmed on a set built inside the gymnasium of a nearby high school.

Fake Film Noir

The gangster movie "Angels with Filthy Souls" that Kevin watches was created specifically for "Home Alone." It was filmed in just one day and was meant to parody 1930s gangster films.

Real Burn on Pesci

In the scene where Harry (Joe Pesci) burns his hand on the doorknob, Pesci decided to actually touch the doorknob after it had been heated, resulting in a minor real burn. He wanted his reaction to be as authentic as possible.

Kevin's Sled Ride

The scene where Kevin rides a sled down the stairs and out the front door was achieved with a lot of movie magic. In reality, the front door of the house is not aligned with the staircase, making this stunt impossible in real life.t

Airport Scene Filming

The hectic airport scene where the McCallister family rushes through O'Hare International Airport was filmed in the middle of the night when the terminal was mostly empty to avoid disrupting regular airport operations.

Kevin's Sled Ride

The famous scene where Kevin zip-lines from his house to the treehouse includes a Tarzan yell. This was a direct homage to the character Tarzan, emphasizing Kevin's adventurous and fearless spirit.

Iconic Poster

The iconic poster for "Home Alone," featuring Kevin with his hands on his face, was inspired by Edvard Munch’s painting "The Scream." The filmmakers wanted an image that captured Kevin’s shock and surprise.

Real Calls to Pizza Place

When Kevin orders a pizza from "Little Nero’s," the phone number given was a real number at the time of filming. This led to many prank calls to a local business.

Double Casting

Actors Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were initially hesitant to commit to the film because they didn’t believe it would be successful. Both actors had to be persuaded to take on their roles as Harry and Marv.