Home Alone 3

Last updated

Home Alone 3
Home Alone 3 film.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Raja Gosnell
Written by John Hughes
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Julio Macat
Edited by
Music by Nick Glennie-Smith
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • December 12, 1997 (1997-12-12)
Running time
102 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$32 million [2]
Box office$79.1 million [2]

Home Alone 3 is a 1997 American family comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell in his directorial debut, written and co-produced by John Hughes, and starring Alex D. Linz and Haviland Morris. A standalone sequel to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), it follows Alex Pruitt, an 8-year-old boy who defends his home from a dangerous band of international criminals working for a terrorist organization. It is the third film in the Home Alone franchise, and the first not to feature actor Macaulay Culkin, director Chris Columbus, or composer John Williams; Gosnell had previously served as editor on the first two Home Alone films. It is also the final film in the Home Alone franchise to receive a theatrical release.

Contents

The film received mixed to negative reviews, with critics praising Linz's performance but criticizing the film's departure from the previous installments, including its themes and cast. Home Alone 3 was followed by a made-for-television sequel, Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House , in 2002.

Plot

Peter Beaupre, Alice Ribbons, Burton Jernigan, and Earl Unger are four internationally wanted criminals who work for a Hong Kong-based terrorist organization. In Silicon Valley, California, they steal a $10 million missile-cloaking microchip and hide it inside a remote control toy car to sneak it past security at San Francisco International Airport. However, a luggage mix-up causes a Chicago-bound elderly passenger named Mrs. Hess to inadvertently take the thieves' bag containing the car. The thieves arrive in Chicago and systematically search every house in Hess's suburban neighborhood to find the chip.

Eight-year-old Alex Pruitt is given the remote control car by Hess as payment for shoveling her driveway. He returns home and discovers that he has chicken pox and must stay home from school. The next day, Alex discovers the thieves while spying on his neighbors. After two failed attempts to have them apprehended, Alex attaches a camera to the remote control car and uses it to spy on them, leading to the thieves chasing it when they spot it. Wondering what they want with the toy car, Alex opens it and discovers the stolen chip. He informs the local U.S. Air Force Recruitment Center about the discovery and asks if they can forward the information about the chip to the right authorities.

The thieves finally realize that Alex has been watching them and decide to break into the Pruitt house. Alex rigs the house with handmade booby traps with help from his pet rat Doris and his brother Stan's loud-mouthed parrot. The thieves break in, spring the traps, and suffer various injuries. While the quartet pursues Alex around the house, he flees and rescues Hess, who has been duct taped to a chair in her garage by Ribbons. Beaupre ambushes Alex, but the latter uses a bubble gun resembling a Glock to scare him off.

FBI agents and the police later arrive and arrest Ribbons, Jernigan, and Unger, having received a tip from the recruitment center. However, Beaupre hides in a makeshift snow fort in the backyard. Stan's parrot discovers him and threatens to light fireworks, which are lined around the inside. Beaupre offers a cracker in exchange for silence, but the parrot demands two. Since Beaupre has only one, the parrot lights the fireworks, alerting the authorities to Beaupre's location.

That evening, the Pruitts, Mrs. Hess, and the authorities hold a celebration for Alex as the Pruitt house is being repaired, with Alex's father Jack returning home from a business trip. At the police department, the thieves are shown to have contracted Alex's chicken pox during their mugshots.

Cast

Production

Home Alone 3 was pitched at the same time as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York , and both films were meant to be produced simultaneously; however, those plans fell through. [3] The idea for a third Home Alone movie was revived in the mid-1990s; early drafts called for Macaulay Culkin to reprise the role of Kevin McCallister as a teenager. However, by 1994, Culkin had taken a hiatus from acting. As a result, the idea was reworked, centering on a new cast of characters. [3]

It was filmed in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, with the airport scenes in the beginning of the film being shot at two different concourses at O'Hare International Airport.

Principal photography began on December 2, 1996, and filming concluded on March 22, 1997.

Fox Family Films was the division of 20th Century Fox responsible for the production on the film. [4]

Music

Home Alone 3: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedDecember 12, 1997
Label Fox Music
Home Alone chronology
Home Alone 2
(1992)		Home Alone 3
(1997)
Track listing
No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."My Town"Cartoon Boyfriend3:18
2."All I Wanted Was a Skateboard" Super Deluxe 2:34
3."I Want It All" Dance Hall Crashers 3:19
4."Almost Grown" Chuck Berry 2:20
5."School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)"Chuck Berry2:42
6."Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" (version not in the film) Jim Croce 3:01
7."Green-Eyed Lady" (version not in the film) Sugarloaf 3:40
8."Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Dean Martin 1:57
9."Home Again" Oingo Boingo 5:26
10."Nite Prowler"The Deuce Coupes1:46
11."Tall Cool One" The Wailers 2:35
12."Home Alone 3 Suite" Nick Glennie-Smith 8:01

Release

Home media

Home Alone 3 was released on VHS and Laserdisc [5] on June 2, 1998, and on DVD on November 3, 1998, which was later reissued in December 2007 (and, as part of Home Alone multi-packs, in 2006 and 2008). While the DVD presents the film in its original Widescreen format (1.85:1), it is presented in a non-anamorphic 4:3 matte.

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $79,082,515 worldwide. [2]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 32% based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Macaulay Culkin's precocious charisma is sorely missed in this hollow sequel, which doubles down on the broad comedy while lacking all the hallmarks that made the original a classic." [6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. [7]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and said that he found it to be "fresh, very funny, and better than the first two." [8]

Accolades

The film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Remake or Sequel, losing to Speed 2: Cruise Control . [9]

Novelization

A novelization based on the screenplay was written by Todd Strasser and published by Scholastic in 1997 to coincide with the film. ISBN   0-590-95712-0

Related Research Articles

<i>Miss Congeniality</i> (film) 2000 film by Donald Petrie

Miss Congeniality is a 2000 American action comedy film directed by Donald Petrie, written by Marc Lawrence, Katie Ford, and Caryn Lucas, and produced by and starring Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, a tomboy agent who is asked by the FBI to go undercover as a contestant when a terrorist threatens to bomb the Miss United States pageant. Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and Ernie Hudson star in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaulay Culkin</span> American actor (born 1980)

Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin is an American actor and musician. He rose to prominence as a child actor starring as Kevin McCallister in the first two films of the Home Alone film series. One of the most successful child actors of the 1990s, Culkin was placed 2nd on VH1's 2005 list of the "100 Greatest Kid-Stars". His awards include a MTV Movie Award from three nominations, a Young Artist Award, and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. In 2023, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<i>Home Alone</i> 1990 film by Chris Columbus

Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus and written and produced by John Hughes. The first film in the Home Alone franchise, the film stars Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O'Hara. Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, a boy who defends his suburban Chicago home from a home invasion by a pair of robbers after his family accidentally leaves him behind on their Christmas vacation to Paris.

<i>Home Alone 2: Lost in New York</i> 1992 film by Chris Columbus

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus and written and produced by John Hughes. The sequel to the 1990 film Home Alone and the second film in the Home Alone franchise, the film stars Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Tim Curry, Brenda Fricker and Catherine O'Hara. It follows Kevin McCallister as he is separated from his family on their holiday vacation to Florida, this time in New York City where he has another encounter with the Wet Bandits after their escape from prison.

<i>The Good Son</i> (film) 1993 film by Joseph Ruben

The Good Son is a 1993 American psychological thriller film directed by Joseph Ruben and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was written by English novelist Ian McEwan. Its story follows a 12-year-old young boy named Mark who, after the death of his mother, is sent to stay with his aunt and uncle while his father is away on business trip. While there he meets his cousin Henry, who shows signs of violent and evil behavior. It stars Macaulay Culkin, Elijah Wood, Wendy Crewson, David Morse, Daniel Hugh Kelly, and Jacqueline Brookes.

<i>Blue Streak</i> (film) 1999 film by Les Mayfield

Blue Streak is a 1999 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Les Mayfield. Inspired by the 1965 film The Big Job, the film stars Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Dave Chappelle, Peter Greene, Nicole Ari Parker and William Forsythe. Lawrence plays Miles, a jewel thief who tries to retrieve a diamond he left at a police station, whereupon he disguises himself as a detective and gets paired with a real policeman to investigate burglaries. The film was shot on location in California. The prime shooting spot was Sony Pictures Studios, which is located in Culver City, California.

<i>After the Sunset</i> 2004 film

After the Sunset is a 2004 American heist action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a pursuit with FBI agent Stan Lloyd, played by Woody Harrelson. It was shot in the Bahamas. The film was met with negative reviews and flopped at the box office.

<i>Getting Even with Dad</i> 1994 film by Howard Deutch

Getting Even with Dad is a 1994 American comedy film starring Macaulay Culkin and Ted Danson.

<i>Richie Rich</i> (film) 1994 American film

Richie Rich is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Donald Petrie and based on the comic character of the same name created by Alfred Harvey and Warren Kremer. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. under their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label. The film stars Macaulay Culkin, John Larroquette, Edward Herrmann, Jonathan Hyde, and Christine Ebersole, while Reggie Jackson, Claudia Schiffer, and Ben Stein appear in cameo roles. Culkin's younger brother, Rory Culkin, played the part of Young Richie Rich. In theaters, the film was shown with a Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoon called Chariots of Fur, and was followed by the 1998 direct-to-video sequel Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kieran Culkin</span> American actor (born 1982)

Kieran Kyle Culkin is an American actor. Culkin starred as Roman Roy in the HBO television series Succession from 2018 to 2023, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

<i>Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous</i> 2005 American film

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous is a 2005 American female buddy action comedy film and sequel to the 2000 film Miss Congeniality directed by John Pasquin and written by co-producer Marc Lawrence with the title role played once again by star and co-producer Sandra Bullock. William Shatner, Ernie Hudson and Heather Burns also reprised their roles from the previous film with Regina King, Enrique Murciano, Diedrich Bader and Treat Williams joining the cast.

<i>Analyze That</i> 2002 film by Harold Ramis

Analyze That is a 2002 American crime comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and produced by Paula Weinstein and Jane Rosenthal. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film Analyze This. The film starred Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal who respectively reprise their roles as mobster Paul Vitti and psychiatrist Ben Sobel.

<i>Dennis the Menace</i> (1993 film) 1993 film by Nick Castle

Dennis the Menace is a 1993 American family comedy film based on the Hank Ketcham comic strip of the same name, directed by Nick Castle, written and coproduced by John Hughes and distributed by Warner Bros. under its Family Entertainment label.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been a staple of American popular culture since its christening in 1935. That year also marked the beginning of the popular "G-Man" phenomenon that helped establish the Bureau's image, beginning with the aptly titled James Cagney movie, G Men. Although the detective novel and other police-related entertainment had long enthralled audiences, the FBI itself can take some of the credit for its media prominence. J. Edgar Hoover, the Bureau's "patriarch", took an active interest to ensure that it was not only well represented in the media, but also that the FBI was depicted in a heroic, positive light and that the message, "crime doesn't pay", was blatantly conveyed to audiences. The context, naturally, has changed profoundly since the 1930s "war on crime", and especially so since Hoover's death in 1972.

<i>Along Came a Spider</i> (film) 2001 film by Lee Tamahori

Along Came a Spider is a 2001 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is the second installment in the Alex Cross film series and a sequel to the 1997 film Kiss the Girls, with Morgan Freeman and Jay O. Sanders reprising their roles as detective Alex Cross and FBI-agent Kyle Craig. The screenplay by Marc Moss was adapted from the 1993 novel of the same title by James Patterson, but many of the key plot elements of the book were eliminated. The film was a box office success, although receiving mixed reviews from critics.

Home Alone is a series of American Christmas family comedy films originally created by John Hughes. Chris Columbus directed Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Raja Gosnell directed Home Alone 3 (1997), Rod Daniel directed Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002), Peter Hewitt directed Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012) and Dan Mazer directed Home Sweet Home Alone (2021). The films revolve around the adventures of surrounding children who find themselves alone during the holiday season and faced with the challenge of defending their family's house or themselves from invading burglars and criminals.

Kristin Minter is an American actress. She is best known as Heather McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and Miranda 'Randi' Fronczak in ER (1995–2003).

<i>Walking Tall: The Payback</i> 2007 American film

Walking Tall: The Payback is a 2007 American action-thriller film, released direct-to-video as a stand-alone sequel to the 2004 film Walking Tall. Directed by Tripp Reed, it stars Kevin Sorbo, A.J. Buckley, Haley Ramm, Bentley Mitchum, Jennifer Sipes, Brad Leland, Charles Baker and Marc Macaulay.

<i>Home Sweet Home Alone</i> 2021 film by Dan Mazer

Home Sweet Home Alone is a 2021 American Christmas comedy film directed by Dan Mazer, written by Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell, and starring Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Archie Yates, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson, Pete Holmes, Ally Maki, and Chris Parnell with Devin Ratray reprising his role as Buzz McCallister from the first two films. The sixth film in the Home Alone franchise, Home Sweet Home Alone was produced by 20th Century Studios as an original title for Disney+, the first 20th Century Studios film to be produced for the streaming service. The film was announced after The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox and inherited the rights to the Home Alone franchise. Home Sweet Home Alone was released on November 12, 2021, to generally negative reviews from critics.

Uncle Buck is an American comedy franchise that consists of one film and two television series. The series tells the story of the titular "Uncle Buck" Russell, a bachelor and all-around-slob who babysits his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her younger brother and sister. Starring John Candy, Kevin Meaney and Mike Epps, the series also co-stars Amy Madigan, Macaulay Culkin, Lacey Chabert and Nia Long.

References

  1. ↑ Petrikin, Chris (February 18, 1998). "Fox renamed that toon". Variety. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Home Alone 3 (1997)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "What Ever Happened To Alex D. Linz, The Kid From 'Home Alone 3'?". uproxx.com. January 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ Petrikin, Chris (February 18, 1998). "Fox renamed that toon". Variety. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Home Alone 3". LDDB. March 30, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Home Alone 3 (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 5, 2021. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  7. ↑ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
  8. ↑ Ebert, Roger (December 12, 1997). "Home Alone 3". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Razzies.com - Home of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation". April 26, 2012. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.