Is Die Hard a Christmas film?

Cher_Alumni
Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
edited August 2023 in Coffee lounge

One of the biggest festive online debates, that comes around every year, is Die Hard a Christmas film? Many have argued that it is simply a film set at Christmas, whilst others say it’s a Christmas ‘classic’. 

IMDB describes the plot as; “NYPD cop John McClane goes on a Christmas vacation to visit his wife Holly in Los Angeles where she works for the Nakatomi Corporation. While they are at the Nakatomi headquarters for a Christmas party, a group of robbers led by Hans Gruber take control of the building and hold everyone hostage, except for John, while they plan to perform a lucrative heist. Unable to escape and with no immediate police response, John is forced to take matters into his own hands”. 

So, we put it to you. What do you think? Is it a ‘Christmas classic’ or just another action movie?  Tell us your thoughts below :)

Comments

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 3,617 Championing
    I'd say it's a good bit of marketing to set a film around Christmas that can be enjoyed all year round!  ;)

    I'm a big fan of the Die Hard movies...and I'm not generally a fan of Christmas films.  So for me it's just a film that happens to be set at Christmas.
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    Agreed, just an action movie set around Christmas. Home alone is a Christmas movie.
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Agree I don't class it as Christmas film nor in the true sense like for example miracle on 34th Street 
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Die Hard is definitely and action movie set at Christmas. 

    I love Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street! They are some of the best Christmas films :) 
  • Grinchy
    Grinchy Online Community Member Posts: 1,953 Championing
    I think of it as an action film set in christmas time, so yes a christmas movie, still a great movie that holds up today
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    This is a really interesting thread! Thanks for initiating it @Cher_Scope :)
  • daz2
    daz2 CP Network, Scope Member Posts: 134 Empowering
    edited December 2023
    Just found this thread so sorry it has taken a year to reply. I watched a documentary on Die Hard. Bruce Willis says it is NOT  a Christmas movie. However, the film's screenwriter Stephen E De Souza regards it as a Christmas film and the sheets of paper falling from the windows at the end of the film represent snow. 
  • Autism_at_40
    Autism_at_40 Online Community Member Posts: 899 Pioneering
    I believe that Die Hard is definitely a Christmas film.  Would you say that Home Alone is not a Christmas movie?? That's just set at Christmas time. 
  • and15
    and15 Online Community Member Posts: 73 Contributor
    Yes and yes to die hard 2 and the french connection and arthur 2 on the rocks,all good Xmas films

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