Home Alone: 25th Anniversary
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD
La-La Land Records / 20th Century Fox 2015
Back in 2010, as one of my first projects for La-La Land Records, I was tasked with providing the design and art direction for an expanded CD of John Williams's score to Home Alone (1990). Five year's later, this time celebrating the film's 25th anniversary, anyone who'd missed grabbing a copy of that CD before it sold out were given another shot, in the form of this all-new release, produced, mixed and mastered by Mike Matessino.
As is usually the case, I began with the cover. I think there was some talk early on about re-using the 2010 cover, with perhaps a snipe to signify the anniversary. But, as the album assembly began to take shape, the new release was looking to be an entirely new listening experience, as it was being built from newly discovered audio elements and would feature dramatically improved sonic quality, and be spread across two CDs.
(above L) The now iconic Macaulay Culkin "scream" pose was used on the original 2010 cover.
(above R) Alternative, unused cover options for the 2015 release.
In order to distinguish this new album from the previous single-disc release, early design options opted for subtle changes, swapping day for night and the setting from interior to exterior, etc. Newer combinations of photos from the original publicity shoot were also proposed. But, in the end, the cover chosen hewed more closely to the 2010 album, but with darker tones to make it clear to collectors that this was a brand new edition. Below is a short video animation, showing the various photos, color and image adjustments used creating the final cover.
(above) Images from the film were arranged in chronological order and combined seamlessly into collages across several spreads of the booklet.
Home Alone: 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Soundtrack can still be purchased from La-La Land Records. Click here.
