Poll of the Day > Do you believe Die Hard is a Christmas Movie?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Do you believe Die Hard is a Christmas Movie?

In my opinion no, but I get it

I don't care one way or the other but I enjoy the movie

Don't know. Never seen it.

CaptainStrong posted...

Don't know. Never seen it.

thats fine nobody can watch every single movie

its weird when people flip out about someone not being familiar with some pop culture thing

Yes. One of the better Christmas movies. Probably my fourth favorite Christmas movie after Gremlins, Home Alone and Ernest Saves Christmas.

UnMead posted...

thats fine nobody can watch every single movie

its weird when people flip out about someone not being familiar with some pop culture thing

I have it on Blu-ray, but I rarely have the patience to watch movies anymore. And when I do watch a movie, it's usually one I've seen a million times before like The Blues Brothers or Back to the Future.

It absolutely is and so is Lethal Weapon.

Lethal Weapon is also the better movie.

CaptainStrong posted...

I have it on Blu-ray, but I rarely have the patience to watch movies anymore. And when I do watch a movie, it's usually one I've seen a million times before like The Blues Brothers or Back to the Future.

I was just thinking about watching The Blues Brothers again

No, the story doesn't really have anything to do with Christmas, it's just an action movie that takes place during Christmas time

Yep! In my opinion, the second one is too. I like that one.

No, its an action movie that happens to take place during Christmas.

Also if any of you were too young this was so awesome at the theater!

RIP Theaters, probably

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Wat?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

You mean

THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS??!

Dunn Dunn Dunnn!!

Muscles posted...

No, the story doesn't really have anything to do with Christmas, it's just an action movie that takes place during Christmas time

Multiple elements of the movie reference it, though. And it's the reason why he's visiting his ex-wife in the first place.

It's like Gremlins - you might not like the idea, but taking place at Christmas does add an element to the overall story that would be lacking if it was just set on "some random Tuesday". So it's as much a Christmas movie as plenty of other Christmas movies.



Zangulus posted...

The best argument Ive seen about whether its a Christmas movie or not is to refute/confirm the idea that the entire movie could have any other Celebration be substituted and it would still work.

The problem is, there is almost no "Christmas" movie that can't have Christmas replaced with a different holiday (or no holiday at all). Including tons that most people wouldn't hesitate to call Christmas movies.

Unless it's explicitly about specific aspects of Christmas (something like "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), almost anything can be swapped out or dropped. Because Christmas itself is almost always used as the backdrop more than the core of the story.

Even White Christmas - a movie literally named after a popular Christmas song and which has been a Christmas standard for decades - could easily be changed because the plot just requires the two leads to help save their old mentor's resort from bankruptcy, and the Christmas aspect is almost entirely superfluous. A Christmas Carol is mostly just rooted in the idea that the main character is a cheap bastard and has to change his ways or he's going to die. A Christmas Story could just as easily revolve around Ralphie's birthday. Even Frosty the Snowman really just needs winter, not Christmas.

No; it didn't come across as Christmas-y to me.

I haven't watched it in so long, I forget. But I don't think so.

Obviously.

it's just the plot device to setup the movie.

it could have been thanksgiving, or some random office party on a weekend when john was in town to see his kids.

No, it's a movie that takes place at Christmas time

The Director has settled this argument.

"We hadn't intended it to be a Christmas movie but the joy that came from it is what turned it into a Christmas movie," McTiernan said. The director, who also helmed the 1995 entry Die Hard With a Vengeance, then connected this message to the problems of today.

It's a Christmas themed movie, but not a traditional Christmas movie

A Christmas movie is something heavily Christmas themed like home alone or bad santa. Die hard is just a movie that happens to take place during Christmas time with some small references to the holiday sprinkled in

I never thought of it as a Christmas movie but I do remember the very first one had a holiday setting.

OhhhJa posted...

A Christmas movie is something heavily Christmas themed like home alone or bad santa. Die hard is just a movie that happens to take place during Christmas time with some small references to the holiday sprinkled in

home alone would still work if it were thanksgiving

Krazy_Kirby posted...

home alone would still work if it were thanksgiving

The entire movie would be completely different. The dialogue, set design, etc. Die hard would have a couple very minor quick changes and it would be literally the same movie. Home alone would need a complete overhaul, especially the 2nd one

OhhhJa posted...

The entire movie would be completely different. The dialogue, set design, etc. Die hard would have a couple very minor quick changes and it would be literally the same movie. Home alone would need a complete overhaul, especially the 2nd one

christmas was just used to get the family on a trip.
thanksgiving would set the same scenario up

Krazy_Kirby posted...

christmas was just used to get the family on a trip.
thanksgiving would set the same scenario up

Yeah but I think you aren't really comprehending just how much of the movie would have to be rewritten and how much of the set design would have to be completely changed

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/5/AAZslrAACsUN.jpg

OhhhJa posted...

Yeah but I think you aren't really comprehending just how much of the movie would have to be rewritten and how much of the set design would have to be completely changed

because it takes place at christmas.

if it took place at thankhsgiving, the set would change, but plot would be the exact same

Batman Returns also

It's certainly not your typical Christmas movie, as seen in near-infinite versions on Hallmark Channel this time of year, but YES. It is.

I don't believe Die Hard is a Christmas movie

I KNOW Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

papercup posted...

I don't believe Die Hard is a Christmas movie

I KNOW Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

So you don't believe something you think is true? How does that work?

Krazy_Kirby posted...

because it takes place at christmas.

if it took place at thankhsgiving, the set would change, but plot would be the exact same

So you're saying that if it took place during another holiday that the set and dialogue would change to mirror that holiday instead of Christmas, and that's why it's not a christmas movie? Interesting logic lol

Absolutely.

OhhhJa posted...

So you're saying that if it took place during another holiday that the set and dialogue would change to mirror that holiday instead of Christmas, and that's why it's not a christmas movie? Interesting logic lol

christmas was just used to set up him being home alone

Not really. It take place at Christmas time, but does not have any of the trappings of a Christmas movie. I mean Christmas is less about hostage rescue and more about kicking back with family and friends in front of the fire. And as #32 said, it could take place pretty much anytime of the year without affecting the plot. You pretty much spend the majority of the movie in an office building anyways.

No, it's just a movie that takes place around Christmas. Gremlins, on the other hand, IS a Christmas movie. However, Gremlins does a lot more than just take place around Christmas.

No.

The first "Die Hard" took place during the Holidays so yeah I guess you could call it a Christmas movie.