Yippee Kay Yay
Technically it is set during Christmas, but it’s not about Christmas. But a movie tons of people like to watch at Christmastime is a Christmas movie.
Diehard is 100% a Christmas movie, however, Die Hard 2 which also takes place at Christmas time, is NOT a Christmas movie, as the fact that it’s Christmas is coincidental and not at all integral to the plot.
Christmas being part of the plot is irrelevant - The Wizard of Oz is a Christmas movie. I think what makes Diehard a Christmas movie is simply that people like to watch it at Christmas.
Who says the Wizard of Oz is a Christmas movie?
About 75 years of tradition - until the 3 major TV networks lost their dominance it was always on during Christmas season. I don’t watch them anymore so I don’t know if they still play it.
Why is it always Die Hard? 29 Alternative Christmas Movies That Aren’t Die Hard
In the same way that tomatoes are fruit and bananas are berries.
Technically correct. The best kind of correct.
My dad was arguing that it wasn’t because being set at Christmas isn’t enough, and said a bunch of things typical of a Christmas movie to have; while I countered with a list of things that happen in Die Hard that met his criteria.
“Someone needs to receive a gift.”
“McClane was gifted a machine gun.”
“There needs to be a miracle.”
“It’s a miracle John survived.”
“It needs to capture the feeling of Christmas.”
“Have you never spent time with your relatives at Christmas? It feels just like being held hostage at Nakatomi Plaza.”
Haha this is very funny.
Well, yeah. What else would it be?
Bruce thinks it’s a Bruce Willis movie.
… he gets a pass.
Absolutely a Christmas movie
There are 2 kinds of people, those who say die hard is a Christmas movie, and those who are wrong.
I just think it’s a nondenominational winter season celebration movie.
I think its important to establish why it’s a Christmas movie. I consider it one not just because it’s Christmas time in the movie but because it’s heavily Christmas themed the entire movie. For this exact same reason I think other movies also fall into this category like gremlins and terrifier 3.
So is Gremlins.
Every scene in this movie is a work of art. It’s so rare for a movie to check as many boxes as this one does so perfectly. it has humor, a love story, action, Alan Rickman, a heist, and most of all Christmas!
Happy holidays everyone! Hoping you can all get together and have a few laughs with your loved ones.
Astonishingly, that was also Rickman’s movie debut
Why Die Hard is a Christmas Movie:
- there’s a grinch who spoils the party
- “You’re, uh…?” “Clay. Bill Clay.” (checks directory to see if naughty or nice)
- need help? call a plump do-gooder (the cop at the donut shop)
- anxiously expecting a vehicle to land on the roof
- “It’s Christmas, Theo! It’s the time of miracles, so be of good cheer!”
- a good guy climbs down the chimney / elevator shaft
Also, it’s about a man attending a party in order to fix his family, and he needs to learn to let go of his pride. Classic Christmas movie message.
Jumping on here, because this is often overlooked. If you didn’t know the title of the film, and someone played the first 20 mins to you you’d expect a hallmark film. Going to see the estranged wife, trying to repair a relationship, the awkwardness at the Christmas party.
The whole thing subverts Christmas movie tropes. It’s not just an action movie set at Christmas. It’s a Christmas movie which gets hijacked.
Even the final scene plays on the parody with the ‘snow’ falling, the comedy comeuppance for the nuisance bad guy, and then they kiss and drive off as ‘let it snow’ plays.
If only there were Lemmy gold…
The best I can do is the ol’ feddit.uk handjob. Handshake, I meant handshake!
