Thursday, May 5, 2011

Home Alone house for sale!

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Iconic: The Chicago house featured in the Home Alone films is on the market for $2.4 million


It was as much a star of the blockbusting 1990 hit as child sensation Macaulay Culkin, and now the the Chicago house which featured in Home Alone is having another moment to shine.

This time the home on Chicago's North Shore is merely featured in real estate photographs, as it's owners seek to sell the 1920s Georgian mansion for $2.4 million.

But many will remember the colonial-style building in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka as the home of the McCallisters, and of course, the battlefield where little Kevin took on those bumbling burglers.


Movie history: The stairs look very different now but they're still clearly recognisable as those so central to the film's hi-jinx


And the building, though not bedecked in Christmas lights and decorations, is instantly recognisable.

Agents have billed the ultimate piece of movie history as: 'Classic residence offers timeless and inspired family living.'


Magical: The dining room looks like it could star in a Peter Jackson film


And listing agent Marissa Hopkins told TMZ: 'Very few homes have a leading role in a movie, in a sense becoming an additional character.'

The property has a four-room master suite, a stunning forest inspired dining area and the notorious attic bedroom where Kevin had to spend the night with his bed-wetting cousin in the film.


All white: The home has been given a makeover since it was used in the 1990 hit


Grand: The opulence is reflected throughout the property, there's even a piano room


All about the area: The property is just minutes away from Lake Michigan


It's described as having plenty of 'nooks and crannies' in which to hide, which harks back to the rambunctious movie franchise, which limped on to a a third and fourth film after Columbus moved on, but never captured the magic of the original.

It sprawls over 4,250 square foot and three stories Winnetka and is just blocks from Lake Michigan and the affluent suburb's village centre.

The property's owners John and Cynthia Abendshien had only lived in the house for 18 months when Chris Columbus, the director of the first two Home Alone films, asking to film the movie there.


Supporting role: Macauley Culkin in the film's famous pose using a bathroom connected to the master suites



Times they are a changing: The kitchen as it was in 1990


A scout for director John Hughes had approached the couple previously about using the home in another Macauley Culkin film, Uncle Buck.

'I think what attracted Hughes to the home is what's exemplified in the movie,' Coldwell Banker agent Marissa Hopkins told AOL Real Estate. 'It's a beautiful home with a lot of space and a warm feel. He liked to have real homes as his stage.'

It's arguable that this silent star of the films has fared better over the past 21 years than it's real star, Macauley Culkin, now 30.

The child star became embroiled in controversy over his friendship with Michael Jackson, was cautioned for possession of marijuana in 2004 and split from Black Swan actress Mila Kunis, 28, earlier this year after a long relationship.

One of his last screen appearances was British insurance company Aviva in 2009 where he appeared on the screen to ask: 'Remember me?'


source: dailymail