When we think of Christmas films, one of the absolute classics that come to mind is Home Alone.
The 1990 festive film is known worldwide, with everyone doing the ‘Macauley Culkin shocked face’ every time its mentioned.
And of course, it’s one of the biggest films synonymous with this time of year.
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So, it’s hard to imagine that the film was very close to not actually being filmed, and was nearly canned at pre-production.
The surprisingly feel-good film follows Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) who is accidentally left at home as his family fly away for a Christmas vacation.
He really must not be the family favourite, as the film has two other sequels, where they forget him... again.
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Anyway, as he’s left alone, two hap-hazard burglars enter the house and find themselves at the mercy of home-made boobie traps.
It’s a great film that everyone seems to enjoy and can quote at least one line from.
But believe it or not, Home Alone almost wasn't even a thing.
As recounted in the documentary The Movies That Made Us: Home Alone, when scriptwriter John Hughes took his creation to Warner Bros production office, they said they could make the film for $10 million and expected a half decent revenue return.
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But as the film was being tallied up, it turned out that the film would actually take $14 million to make, and upon learning this, Warner Bros shut it down.
In a flurry of emotions, the cast and crew were told within the same morning that production had been closed and they had lost their jobs.
Thankfully though, they were later told that 20th Century Fox had picked up the film and we’re willing to take it all the way.
What a morning.
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The team then set to work to find just the right location for each scene, working 'around the clock' to find the iconic brick house 'that came to represent a specific kind of upper-middle-class American life for the next decade', according to Hughes.
Macauley Culkin was apparently pre-selected for the part of Kevin, in the role that would make him a household name.
He was selected after casting directors spotted his performance alongside John Candy in Uncle Buck and knew he was the right fit for the part.
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The movie ended up grossing $285 million at the box office - a net gross that has only been made by two other films, E.T and Star Wars.
The movie played for 12 weeks through the holiday season, solidifying its place as one of the greatest Christmas films of all time.
Topics: Film and TV, Christmas, Macaulay Culkin