A number of my friends on social media have been getting in the holiday spirit the past few days... shopping for gifts, spending time with family, and watching... “Die Hard”...?
It appears that the 1988 action masterpiece — directed by John McTiernan — has aged like a fine wine. Not only does the movie harken back to a time when action movies featured practical effects, sweat, testosterone, and numerous f-bombs, it has also become a Christmas tradition for a number of my friends.
As far as I am concerned, it is FANTASTIC. I remember when I first saw the movie at AMC Westroads 8 back in 1988.
“Die Hard” represents an era of action movie that will likely never be matched. Sure, the superhero movies we see today have action, and often have brawny men in dire situations. But they aren’t the same. They just aren’t.
Some question whether or not “Die Hard” qualifies as a Christmas movie. Let’s take a look:
“Die Hard” takes place at Christmas. That is a key for any Christmas movie. The attempted robbery of the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles happens on Christmas Eve. NYPD cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies out to spend Christmas with his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) and their two kids. A limo picks McClane up at the airport, and delivers him to the Nakatomi holiday party.
Like any good Christmas movie, “Die Hard” focuses on working-class people. Whether we are talking about George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” or Bob Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol,” the best Christmas stories focus on working-class stiffs trying to beat the odds and make a better life for their families.
John McClane epitomizes that archetype. Not only is he trying to make amends with his wife (they’re separated because she took the job with the Nakatomi Corporation), he’ll do anything to keep his family in one piece — even if it means brandishing a H&K MP5 to take out a bunch of euro-trash terrorists on Christmas Eve.
Let’s face it, “Die Hard” is basically the same movie as “Home Alone” — a movie that became the biggest movie in the world when it was released in 1990.
Yet some people consider “Home Alone” a holiday classic, while poo-pooing “Die Hard” in the same breath.
There is very little difference between Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) and John McClane.
First of all, both have last names of Irish descent. Both are unappreciated by their families. And both have to kick the crap out of robbers on Christmas Eve.
McClane toys with baddie Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in the same manner that Kevin toys with crooks Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) — causing their nemeses fits throughout the movie.
“Home Alone” gets a pass because Kevin has that poignant Christmas Eve moment in church, and decorates his house for Christmas.
McClane doesn’t have that luxury. The guy can’t even find a pair of shoes that fit, and has to root around the Nakatomi building barefoot throughout the movie (even though he kills a number of terrorists along the way who were bound to have shoes bigger than the “one with feet smaller than [his] sister”).
“Die Hard” also features ample Christmas music — a staple of any good holiday movie. We hear “Jingle Bells,”Christmas in Hollis,” “Let It Snow!,” and “Winter Wonderland.”
McClane also sends messages of holiday spirit... like this one where he wrote: “NOW I HAVE A MACHINE GUN HO-HO-HO.”
While some might shrug off the tradition of “Die Hard” as being a social media-induced way for guys to be all contrary and ironic with their Christmas movie traditions, there is something to the notion that the exploits of John McClane are true to the spirit of Christmas in the same way that egg nog and mistletoe is to holiday cheer.
Let’s face it, what most of us want for Christmas is to imbibe in holiday beverages, kiss the one we love, and beat the snot out of a bunch of bad guys who try to ruin the day.
If you aren’t one of the denizens who follow the “Die Hard on Christmas” tradition, maybe you need to start. If you do, all I can say is, “Welcome to the party, pal!!”
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