Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

For the video game based on this film, see Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (video game).

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Chris Columbus
Produced by	John Hughes
Written by	John Hughes
Starring	Macaulay Culkin Joe Pesci Daniel Stern John Heard Tim Curry Brenda Fricker Catherine O'Hara
Music by	John Williams
Cinematography	Julio Macat
Editing by	Raja Gosnell
Studio	Hughes Entertainment
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	November 20, 1992 (1992-11-20)
Running time	120 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Box office	$358,991,681

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the Home Alone series and the direct sequel to Home Alone. The film stars Macaulay Culkin in the lead role as Kevin McCallister, while Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern reprise their roles as the Wet Bandits. Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Devin Ratray, Kieran Culkin, Gerry Bamman, Tim Curry, Rob Schneider, Dana Ivey, and Brenda Fricker are also featured.

Eddie Bracken plays a minor role, while Ally Sheedy (who previously worked with Hughes in The Breakfast Club), Bob Eubanks, and Donald Trump make cameo appearances. The movie was filmed in Winnetka, Illinois, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Miami and New York City (which was star Culkin's hometown at the time). Despite receiving mostly negative reviews from critics, the film became the second most successful film of 1992, earning over $173 million in revenue in the United States and over $358 million worldwide.

Home Alone 3 followed in 1997, and Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House followed in 2002. Culkin did not appear in either film nor did the rest of the cast.

Plot

The McCallister family prepares to spend Christmas in Florida. Kevin, Peter and Kate's 10-year-old son, sees Florida as contradictory to what he believes to be an appropriate Christmas environment, particularly noting the lack of Christmas trees. During the school Christmas concert, Kevin's older brother Buzz humiliates him during his solo, causing Kevin to retaliate. Kevin refuses to apologize for his actions, and, still angry with the family's decision to go to Florida, he storms up to the third floor bedroom of the house, where he wishes that he had his own money so he could go on his own vacation by himself. During the night, the family's alarm clock is reset and causes them to oversleep. The family hastily departs to the airport. In the confusion, Kevin loses sight of his family while loading his Talkboy with new batteries from Peter's bag, and ends up following a man wearing the same coat as his father onto a flight bound for New York.

After landing in New York, Kevin realizes his family is in Florida and he is alone in New York. He begins touring the city alone using money from his father's bag, visiting some well-known attractions before he gets scared by a woman tending to pigeons in Central Park. He then creates a ruse to check in to the Plaza Hotel using Peter's credit card. Once in Florida, the family realizes that Kevin is missing. The family checks into their hotel; however, the warm weather they had been expecting in Florida is disrupted by heavy rain. On Christmas Eve, Kevin tours the city in a limousine and visits a large toy store called Duncan's Toy Chest, where he meets the philanthropic owner, Mr. Duncan. Kevin discovers the proceeds from Christmas sales will be donated to a children's hospital. After donating some money, Mr. Duncan allows Kevin to take a pair of ceramic turtle doves as a gift, instructing him to give one to another person as a sign of eternal friendship. After leaving the toy store, Harry Lyme and Marv Merchants, now called the Sticky Bandits according to Marv, spot Kevin and confront him. Harry and Marv have been in prison since one year earlier, but escaped from a prison riot, and plan to rob Duncan's Toy Chest. They chase Kevin through the streets, but he runs away. Kevin attempts to retreat into his hotel room, but Mr. Hector, the hotel concierge, confronts Kevin about the credit card, which came up as being stolen. Kevin flees, but is stopped by the bandits. They discuss plans of breaking into the store before Kevin hides in the back of a hansom cab.

In Florida, the McCallisters discover that Kevin has been found using Peter's credit card in New York. The family flies to New York and confronts the Plaza staff. Kate decides to search for Kevin on the streets against the advice of Peter and the staff, while Mr. Hector gives the family a complimentary suite. Having noted earlier that his uncle Rob has a townhouse in New York, Kevin attempts to visit Rob; however, the house is vacant and undergoing renovations. While in Central Park, he comes across the pigeon lady, only to get his foot caught while attempting to escape. After she frees him, they watch a local orchestra perform in a loft above Carnegie Hall. Kevin learns how her life has fallen apart and how she dealt with it by taking care of the pigeons in the park; he promises to be her friend.

Kevin sets up various booby-traps in the townhouse, and then arrives at the store during the break-in and photographs Harry and Marv before setting off the burglar alarm by throwing a brick tied with a note to Mr. Duncan through the window. The bandits break into the townhouse. After the two spring every trap in the house, Kevin flees to a phone booth and dials 911. The bandits catch Kevin when he slips on a patch of ice and take him to Central Park. They attempt to kill him, but the pigeon lady appears and incapacitates them with birdseed while Kevin escapes and sets off fireworks he had bought earlier to signal the police. Shortly after, they are arrested. At the toy store, Mr. Duncan finds Kevin's note and realizes his role in stopping the bandits.

Kate comes across two police officers in Times Square, and remembers Kevin's fondness for Christmas trees. Kevin makes a wish at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. He then sees Kate, and the two meet and reconcile. A truckload of gifts from the toy store comes to the Plaza on Christmas Day as a reward for Kevin's foiling of the robbery. Buzz suggests that had it not been for Kevin getting on the wrong flight, they would not be in the suite with the Christmas tree and free gifts in the first place, and allows Kevin to open up the first present as a sign of reconciliation. During the festivities, Kevin runs out to give the pigeon lady a turtle dove to reaffirm his promise. Buzz receives Kevin's room service bill totaling $967.43, and Peter interrupts Kevin by calling out, "Kevin!!! You spent $967 on room service?!!". He immediately runs back and the film ends.

Cast

• Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister
• Joe Pesci as Harry Lyme
• Daniel Stern as Marvin "Marv" Merchants
• Catherine O'Hara as Kate McCallister
• John Heard as Peter McCallister
• Devin Ratray as Buzz McCallister
• Hillary Wolf as Megan McCallister
• Maureen Elisabeth Shay as Linnie McCallister
• Mike Maronna as Jeff McCallister
• Gerry Bamman as Frank McCallister
• Terrie Snell as Leslie McCallister
• Jedidiah Cohen as Rod McCallister
• Senta Moses as Tracy McCallister
• Daiana Campeanu as Sondra McCallister
• Kieran Culkin as Fuller McCallister
• Anna Slotky as Brooke McCallister
• Ray Toler as Rob McCallister
• Tim Curry as Mr. Hector
• Rob Schneider as Cedric
• Dana Ivey as Mrs. Stone
• Brenda Fricker as Bird Lady
• Eddie Bracken as Mr. Duncan
• Ally Sheedy as NYC Ticket Agent
• Bob Eubanks as himself
• Donald Trump as himself
• Eddie Bracken as the ghost of Mr. Duncan

Soundtrack

Track listing

1. "All Alone On Christmas" (4:14) (Darlene Love)
2. "A Holly Jolly Christmas" (2:14) (Alan Jackson)
3. "Somewhere in My Memory" (3:58) (Bette Midler, composed by John Williams, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse)
4. "My Christmas Tree" (2:35) (Home Alone Children's Choir, composed by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman)
5. "Sleigh Ride" (3:44) (TLC)
6. "Silver Bells" (4:15) (Atlantic Starr)
7. "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" (2:40) (John Williams)
8. "Jingle Bell Rock" (2:09) (Bobby Helms)
9. "Cool Jerk (Christmas Mix)" (2:39) (The Capitols)
10. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (2:14) (Johnny Mathis)
11. "Christmas Star" (3:16) (John Williams)
12. "O Come All Ye Faithful" (3:26) (Lisa Fischer)

Score album

In addition, a CD with excerpts from the score by John Williams was issued in 1992.^[1] The track listing is as follows:

1. Somewhere in My Memory (3:49)
2. Home Alone (2:01)
3. We Overslept Again (2:46)
4. Christmas Star (3:18)
5. Arrival In New York 1:41)
6. Plaza Hotel And Duncan's Toy Store (3:45)
7. Concierge And Race To The Room (2:04)
8. Star of Bethlehem (3:28)
9. The Thieves Return (4:35)
10. Appearance Of Pigeon Lady (3:19)
11. Christmas At Carnegie Hall (O Come All Ye Faithful / O Little Town Of Bethlehem / Silent Night)

(5:02)

1. Into The Park (3:49)
2. Haunted Brownstone (3:01)
3. Christmas Star And Preparing The Trap (4:17)
4. To The Plaza Presto (3:22)
5. Reunion At Rockefeller Center (2:36)
6. Kevin's Booby Traps (3:41)
7. Finale (3:55)
8. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas (2:51)

Special edition album

On the film's tenth anniversary, Varèse Sarabande released a two-disc special edition soundtrack, containing the previously noted cues along with additional compositions that were left out from the final film.^[2]

The complete track listing is as follows:^[2]

Disc One

1. Home Alone (Main Title) (2:07)
2. This Year’s Wish (1:47)
3. We Overslept Again / Holiday Flight (3:19)
4. Separate Vacations* (1:58)
5. Arrival in New York** (2:59)
6. The Thieves Return (3:28)
7. Plaza Hotel (3:04)
8. Concierge (1:31)
9. Distant Goodnights (Christmas Star) (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (2:05)
10. A Day in the City (:59)
11. Duncan’s Toy Store (2:41)
12. Turtle Doves (1:29)
13. To the Plaza, Presto (3:27)
14. Race to the Room / Hot Pursuit (4:08)
15. Haunted Brownstone (3:02)
16. Appearance of the Pigeon Lady (3:21)
17. Christmas at Carnegie Hall (5:15) O Come, All Ye Faithful / O Little Town of Bethlehem / Silent Night

Disc Two

1. Christmas Star - Preparing the Trap (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (4:22)
2. Another Christmas in the Trenches (2:33)
3. Running Through Town (1:16)
4. Luring the Thieves* (4:02)
5. Kevin’s Booby Traps (7:23)
6. Down the Rope / Into the Park (5:06)
7. Reunion at Rockefeller Center / It’s Christmas (5:21)
8. Finale (2:00)
9. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Traditional) and Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (2:51)
10. End Title (1:32)
11. Holiday Flight (alternate) (2:32)
12. Suite from “Angels with Filthy Souls II” (:56)
13. Somewhere in My Memory (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (3:57)
14. Star of Bethlehem (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (3:32)
15. Christmas Star (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) (3:23)
16. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas (orchestra) (2:23)

Release

Box office

The film opened to $31.1 million from 2,222 theaters, averaging $14,008 per site.^[3] While it started off better than Home Alone, the final box office gross was much less.^[4] $173,585,516 was taken in the United States and a total of $358,994,850 worldwide.

Critical reception

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York received mainly negative reviews from film critics. Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two out of four stars and stated that "cartoon violence is only funny in cartoons. Most of the live-action attempts to duplicate animation have failed, because when flesh-and-blood figures hit the pavement, we can almost hear the bones crunch, and it isn't funny."^[5] Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 24% of film critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 25 reviews.

Home media

The film was released on VHS on July 28, 1993.

It was released on DVD on October 5, 1999 as a basic package, with no special features other than theatrical trailers for the film and its sequels. However, it was later re-released on Blu-Ray on October 6, 2009 with no features included.

Tie-ins

As with the first Home Alone movie, video games based on the sequel were released by THQ for such systems as the Sega Mega Drive, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy and personal computers, mostly in late 1992. A separate hand-held game was released by Tiger Electronics.

The Talkboy handheld tape recorder that Kevin used in the film was actually a non-working prop. A huge letter-writing campaign by young fans of the film led Tiger Electronics to produce a fully functional retail version of the recorder in 1993, when the film was first released on home video. There was also an audiobook released by Harper Audio read by Tim Curry.

As they had in the first film, American Airlines also had very prominent product-placement in Home Alone 2, with Kevin and his family completing their trip to Miami on an AA B767 (the first film's trip was on a DC-10).

Changes after 2001

Because the World Trade Center prominently features at the beginning of the film, some TV companies made changes to the film when showing it on television after the 9/11 attacks in New York City. Fox cut the scene with the World Trade Center out entirely when they showed the film on TV later that year.

The scene with the World Trade Center was not cut out of the 2009 DVD re-release of the film.

Angels with Even Filthier Souls

Angels with Even Filthier Souls is a fictional gangster film that appears within Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. It is a sequel to the fictional Angels with Filthy Souls, which Kevin McCallister watches in the original Home Alone; he uses both films for similar purposes.

The only shown part of Filthier is when a woman named "Susie" appears and confesses to "Johnny" that she was having an affair and asks for forgiveness; but Johnny ends up shooting her. While being chased by Mr. Hector and the staff in the Plaza, Kevin plays a home video of it to trick the staff into thinking that there is an armed, dangerous man in the room.

References

1. ^ SoundtrackNet : Home Alone II: Lost In New York Soundtrack
2. ^ ^{a b} varesesarbande.com^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - Weekend Box Office Results". http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=homealone2.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
4. ^ "Home Alone Weekend Box Office Results". http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=homealone.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-24. 
5. ^ Ebert, Roger (11-20-92). "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". rogerebert.com. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19921120/REVIEWS/211200302/1023. Retrieved 8-10-2011. 

External links

• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York at the Internet Movie Database
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York at AllRovi
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York at Rotten Tomatoes
• Movie Locations Guide.com - Maps and directions to Home Alone 2 Filming Locations