Home Alone 2: Lost in New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Home Alone 2: Lost in New York |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Chris Columbus |
| Produced by | John Hughes |
| Written by | John Hughes |
| Starring | |
| Music by | John Williams |
| Cinematography | Julio Macat |
| Editing by | Raja Gosnell |
| Studio |
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | November 20, 1992 |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $28 million |
| Money made | $359 million |
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a super fun Christmas comedy film from 1992. It was directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes. This movie is the exciting sequel to Home Alone (1990). It's the second film in the popular Home Alone series.
The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister. Also featured are Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Tim Curry, Brenda Fricker, and Catherine O'Hara. The story is about Kevin accidentally getting separated from his family. They were going on vacation to Miami, Florida, but Kevin ends up all alone in New York City!
Kevin enjoys his freedom at first. But soon, he runs into the "Wet Bandits," Harry and Marv, again. These two criminals had escaped from prison. The movie was filmed in places like Illinois and New York, including the famous Rockefeller Center.
Home Alone 2 came out in theaters on November 20, 1992. It earned over $359 million around the world. This made it one of the highest-earning films of 1992. It's special because most of the original cast from the first Home Alone movie returned for this sequel.
Contents
Kevin's Big Adventure in New York
A Christmas Mix-Up
The McCallister family is getting ready for Christmas in Miami, Florida. Ten-year-old Kevin isn't happy. He thinks Miami won't feel like Christmas without snow. At a school play, his older brother Buzz embarrasses him. Kevin pushes Buzz, which causes the whole choir to fall over!
Back home, Kevin argues with his family. He wishes he could spend Christmas all by himself. That night, Kevin's dad accidentally resets the alarm clock. Everyone oversleeps and rushes to the airport. In the confusion, Kevin gets on the wrong plane. He flies to New York City instead of Miami! He also has his dad's bag with a credit card.
Exploring the Big Apple
At first, Kevin is scared to be alone in New York. But soon, he realizes he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. He uses his dad's credit card to check into the fancy Plaza Hotel. Kevin explores the amazing city. In Central Park, he meets a woman surrounded by pigeons, which startles him. Meanwhile, his family in Miami realizes Kevin is missing and calls the police.
The Wet Bandits Return
On Christmas Eve, Kevin visits a toy store called Duncan's Toy Chest. He meets the kind owner, Mr. Duncan. Kevin learns that the store's Christmas money will help a children's hospital. Mr. Duncan gives Kevin two ceramic turtledoves, which mean lasting friendship. He tells Kevin to give one to someone special.
Outside the store, Kevin sees Harry and Marv! These are the "Wet Bandits" he stopped last Christmas. They had escaped from prison and are now in New York. They threaten Kevin, but he quickly runs back to the Plaza Hotel. The hotel staff find out Kevin used a stolen credit card, so he has to escape again. Harry and Marv catch him and tell him they plan to rob Duncan's Toy Chest. But Kevin gets away once more.
Traps and Friendship
Kevin sets up many clever booby traps in his uncle's empty townhouse. He then throws a brick through the toy store window to set off the alarm. This makes Harry and Marv follow him to the townhouse. The criminals get caught in all of Kevin's hilarious traps! Kevin calls the police and leads Harry and Marv to Central Park. He slips on ice, and they catch him. Just as they are about to get their revenge, the pigeon lady appears. She throws birdseed at them, and a huge flock of pigeons attacks Harry and Marv! The police arrive and arrest them. Mr. Duncan later finds Kevin's note explaining why he broke the window.
A Happy Christmas Reunion
Kevin's mom, Kate, remembers how much Kevin loves Christmas trees. She goes to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. There, she finally finds Kevin! They hug and say sorry to each other. On Christmas morning, Mr. Duncan sends a truck full of gifts to the McCallisters' hotel room. After celebrating with his family, Kevin goes back to Central Park. He gives one of his turtledoves to the pigeon lady, showing their special friendship.
Meet the Cast of Home Alone 2
- Macaulay Culkin as Kevin, the clever 10-year-old boy
- Joe Pesci as Harry, one of the "Sticky Bandits"
- Daniel Stern as Marv, the other "Sticky Bandit"
- Catherine O'Hara as Kate, Kevin's mom
- John Heard as Peter, Kevin's dad
- Brenda Fricker as the Pigeon Lady, a kind woman in Central Park
- Tim Curry as Mr. Hector, the suspicious concierge at the Plaza Hotel
- Eddie Bracken as Mr. Duncan, the owner of Duncan's Toy Chest
- Devin Ratray as Buzz, Kevin's older brother
- Kieran Culkin as Fuller, Kevin's youngest cousin
- Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank, Kevin's uncle
- Rob Schneider as Cedric, a bellhop at the Plaza Hotel
- Dana Ivey as the desk clerk at the Plaza Hotel
- Hillary Wolf as Megan, Kevin's older sister
The movie also features other members of the McCallister family and many other characters who help or hinder Kevin's adventure. A famous businessman, Donald Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel at the time, even made a small appearance in the film.
Making the Movie: Behind the Scenes
How the Film Was Developed
After the first Home Alone movie was a huge hit, everyone wanted a sequel! John Hughes, who wrote the first film, quickly started working on the story for Home Alone 2. The movie had a budget of $28 million to bring Kevin's New York adventure to life.
Filming Locations and Fun Facts
Filming for Home Alone 2 happened from December 1991 to May 1992. The crew filmed in several real places. These included Winnetka, Illinois, and famous spots in New York City. You can see places like the Plaza Hotel and the Rockefeller Center in the movie.
The director, Chris Columbus, shared an interesting fact. The owner of the Plaza Hotel at the time, Donald Trump, allowed them to film there. In return, he made a small appearance in the movie. During filming, Joe Pesci, who played Harry, had a minor accident. He got a small burn on his head during a scene where his hat was set on fire for a special effect.
Music from the Movie
John Williams, a very famous composer, created the music for Home Alone 2. He also scored the first Home Alone film. The movie features the beautiful theme song "Somewhere in My Memory" and a new song called "Christmas Star."
Two soundtrack albums were released on November 20, 1992. One album featured John Williams's orchestral score. The other album included popular Christmas songs and other music heard in the film.
Movie Release and Fun Merchandise
Marketing and Cool Toys
Many video games based on Home Alone 2 were released. These games came out for systems like the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Game Boy. A special hand-held game was also made by Tiger Electronics.
One of the most famous items from the movie was the Talkboy cassette recorder. It was first designed as a prop for the film. After the movie came out, Tiger Electronics released it as a real toy. It became a best-selling toy, letting kids record and play back their voices at different speeds!
Watching at Home
The film was first available on VHS and LaserDisc on July 27, 1993. Later, it was released on DVD on October 5, 1999. You can also find it on Blu-ray, often in collections with other Home Alone movies.
The Book Version
A book version, or novelization, of Home Alone 2 was written by Todd Strasser. It was published by Scholastic in 1992, at the same time the movie came out. An audiobook version was also released, read by Tim Curry, who played the concierge in the film!
More Home Alone Adventures
The Home Alone series continued with more films. Home Alone 3 came out in 1997 with a brand new cast and characters. Later, two TV movies, Home Alone 4 (2002) and Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012), were released. In 2021, a sixth film, Home Sweet Home Alone, was released on Disney+. This movie even featured Devin Ratray returning as Buzz, Kevin's older brother!
See also
In Spanish: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York para niños
- List of Christmas films
- List of films featuring fictional films
