DIE HARD is a
Christmas movie!
Below are 20 reasons
that help to confirm why
"Die Hard" is indeed a Christmas movie: 1. The basic narrative situation of "Die Hard" is a man returning to his family for Christmas. 2. It's set at Christmas Eve. Furthermore, it takes place during a holiday office party. 3. It has Christmas music. The "Die Hard" soundtrack is loaded with Christmas songs. Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow!, Christmas in Hollis, and Ode to Joy are all on the soundtrack and make appearances in one form or another in the film. 4. John’s wife, Holly, has a Christmas-y name. She could have been named Molly or Polly, but no, she’s named after the quintessential Christmas plant. 5. Santa Claus makes an appearance. 6. It has nearly two dozen different Christmas references. (Exactly 21 according to stephenfollows.com) 7. It has a Grinch. (Hans Gruber) 8. Hans Gruber explicitly invokes the Christmas spirit: It’s Christmas, Theo, it’s a time for miracles. 9. In 2017, the screenwriter, Stephen E. de Souza, said it is, via a tweet from his personal account. 10. Director John McTiernan confirmed it is. ("We hadn't intended it to be a Christmas movie," the director told the AFI, "but the joy that came from it is what turned it into a Christmas movie.") 11. A woman about to give birth features prominently.
12. There are gifts
involved. First we see McClane carrying a large teddy bear, a gift most
likely for his daughter Lucy. Later, Sgt. Al Powell buys snack cakes for his pregnant wife at
a convenience store. Holly was given a Rolex watch as a company
present. Finally, FBI gifts Hans Gruber with exactly what he
wanted... access to the Nakatomi vault
by shutting off a local power grid.
14. The film values family and the
spirit of friendship over greed and materialism - a solid Christmas
message! 16. Wikipedia includes it in their list of Christmas films. 17. Christmas wrapping tape is a crucial prop. The climax of the story is the showdown between John McClane and Hans Gruber, and Christmas wrapping tape is crucial to how this plays out. 18. Much like Joseph and Mary, John McClane was a weary traveler. 19. In December 2018, 20th Century Studios released a special "Die Hard - Christmas Edition" 4K DVD, including a recut of the trailer. You can view that wonderful trailer here: 20. Argyle, the limo
driver (De'voreaux White) confirms it, with his final line: If
this is your idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Years.
Not only is it a Christmas movie,
"Die Hard" is the greatest
Christmas movie of all time! "Welcome to the party, pal." The following sites obviously
agree. They all include "Die Hard" in their ranking of the
best Christmas movies of all time:
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