9. Spider Sense
The tarantula placed on Marv’s face during the film’s climactic home invasion was a real spider, but actor Daniel Stern only agreed to the shot if it was just one take. He also had to mime his terrified reaction rather than scream because that might have frightened the spider. Weird to think that the tarantula could have been the one bricking it at that particular moment, but there we go.
Speaking of Marv, the scene where he steps on Kevin’s ornaments barefoot wasn’t as painful as it looked: the ornaments had to be made out of candy so that Stern didn’t cut his feet. Mmm, forbidden, delicious foot ornaments…
10. Marley Saves the Day
Old Man Marley, the elderly gentleman who tells Kevin his distressing backstory and eventually rescues him from the Wet Bandits, may seem integral to Home Alone and its satisfying ending now, but the character wasn’t originally supposed to be in the movie. Columbus only added him in later to give the film more emotional depth.
11. Gym a Tonic
The power of set design makes viewers feel as if all of Home Alone’s interior scenes are shot in a real, cozy house, but Columbus and co. filmed the basement stuff in a pool at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and built interior sets in the school’s gym.
12. One Tree Kill
The tree Kevin chops down in the backyard scene was an actual tree on the property of a house in Winnetka. The house’s owners only discovered this after seeing the film and being amazed at how realistic the tree felling was. Returning home to check the backyard, they finally noticed the missing tree. Hey, they probably got over it eventually!
