As a cinephile who appreciates the intricacies of Hollywood, I find Chris Columbus’ experiences with Chevy Chase truly fascinating. It’s not every day that a director encounters such an unexpected turn of events during pre-production. The story of Columbus walking away from “Christmas Vacation” because he couldn’t work with Chase and then finding the gem that was “Home Alone” is as inspiring as it is bizarre.
Chris Columbus, the director of “Home Alone,” mentioned during an interview with Vanity Fair that it was Chevy Chase who provided him with the opportunity to take charge of the 1990 Christmas comedy masterpiece. This is because Columbus was initially collaborating with screenwriter John Hughes on “Christmas Vacation” in 1989, a film starring Chase. Columbus had been appointed to direct the comedy and was engrossed in second unit filming when he first met Chase for the first time.
I had already been hired for a project…and then I encountered Chevy Chase. Despite my urgent need to produce a film at the time, I found myself unable to collaborate with him,” Columbus explained. “Many others shared this sentiment, and I confided in John, saying, ‘This is difficult for me, but I can’t be part of this movie with Chevy Chase.’ We were still in the process of shooting additional scenes. We hadn’t started filming the main parts or constructing sets yet. However, it was December, so I had to go to downtown Chicago and capture all the department stores and more. I had two meetings with Chevy.
In our initial encounter, we found ourselves seated together. It was simply the two of us, Columbus explained. He needed to establish that I was in charge of directing the movie. I went on for nearly half an hour discussing my vision for the film, but he remained silent. Eventually, he interrupted and asked a question that left me puzzled – “Wait a second. You’re the director?” I confirmed, and he responded with something utterly perplexing: “I thought you were a drummer.” I replied, trying to move past the confusion, “Let’s focus on the film again.” After a brief moment, he suddenly excused himself, saying, “I have to go.
As a movie enthusiast, I found myself taken aback by Chase’s remark during our initial encounter. Fast forward to another dinner, this time with the legendary director, Hughes, in tow. Sitting around the table, Hughes was almost a ghost, lost in conversation with Chevy about everything but “Christmas Vacision,” as if it didn’t exist at all.
During our two-hour meeting, I ended up leaving the dinner feeling doubtful about collaborating with him, as I mused, ‘It seems impossible that I could create a movie with this person.’ Initially, he wasn’t committed to the project, and his behavior was disrespectful. I didn’t feel it was worth my time. In fact, I preferred writing instead. Frankly, who talks like that to someone? It doesn’t make logical sense. However, I found myself compelled to share this story because it actually occurred. I wondered, Is this how our collaboration would unfold? Would he ignore me on set?
Columbus phoned Hughes to inform him that he wouldn’t be able to collaborate with Chase, and Hughes accepted this news graciously. The director then explained, “I’ve left ‘Christmas Vacation.’ Over the next weekend, I received another script from John – it was ‘Home Alone.’ For me, ‘Home Alone’ was incredibly personal and had a superior script. I thought to myself, I have an opportunity to make something special with this, without having to work with Chevy Chase.
EbMaster has reached out to Chase’s representatives for comment.
Following Christopher Columbus’ departure from “Christmas Vacation,” director Jeremiah S. Chechik took over as replacement. The film hit theaters in 1989, marking its place as the third movie in National Lampoon’s “Vacation” series on the big screen. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo starred in all three films together.
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2024-12-24 01:16