That time of year again! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄#diehardisachristmasmovie pic.twitter.com/jWLeLpBrdL
— William Nunn (@VoiceThatCooks) December 1, 2021
News that I missed, courtesy of The Babylon Bee:
LOS ANGELES, CA—A huge crowd turned out Sunday for the Hans Gruber memorial service. Gruber was the victim of police violence, having been thrown from Nakatomi Plaza by police officer John McClane, which many consider one of the most excessive uses of force ever witnessed. After the incident, there were protests all week, and now thousands from all over the country came to pay respects to Gruber, widely described as an “intelligent and witty soul.”
“That man was a hero,” said Doyle Graham, who traveled from Nevada to pay respects. “I mean, I don’t really know much about him other than that some police officer killed him, but he seems like someone we should all honor and emulate.”
Gruber was part of a mainly peaceful protest against the Nakatomi Corporation, which was goaded into violence by the actions of McClane. Ultimately, McClane threw Gruber from the 30th floor, even though Gruber was completely unarmed (or at least he was when he hit the ground). Even LAPD Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson denounced the actions, calling McClane a “nutcase” who should have “just stayed put.”
Go here to read the rest.
“It’s the battle that rages every Christmas – is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?
While in the past most people haven’t considered it a classic of the festive genre, the movie’s writer has settled the debate once and for all, confirming it is indeed a Christmas classic.
Steven E de Souza gave us a handy checklist while appearing on the Script Apart podcast, comparing it to the ‘baseline’ Christmas movie – 1954’s White Christmas…”
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a35053882/die-hard-christmas-movie-writer/
A lot of movies capture various parts of Santa’s spirit.
Die Hard captures his heretic punching spirit I’m sure.
After reading Quotemeister’s checklist, I’m convinced it’s a Christmas movie. The season doesn’t really start until Hans Gruber flies…
Not a Christmas movie.
Plus, I’m so old, I can no longer sit and watch such implausible nonsense. In the real world, one of those tango’s 600 bullets would have hit him in the first 30 seconds of the first fake firefight.
Even, worse is Schwarzenegger’s “Commando” wherein he goes to an island and singlehandedly kills 800 or 900 heavily-armed revolutionaries. Still, I believe Arnold was [gross injustice] denied his Oscar for “Conan the Barbarian,”
This argument always annoys me– because the folks who are loudest don’t HAVE a definition of “Christmas Movie,” other than “I think it’s a Christmas Movie.”
I have zero problem with making a definition– since it’s just a lead-in to making a list of movies that someone wants to talk about– as long as there is a good reason for what’s on it.
I do mind “you must respect my hair-brained notion that a rude 80s comedy that recognizes Christmas only for punchline fodder is a Christmas Movie, but an 80s action movie where Christmas, family, love and sacrifice are major themes is not, BECAUSE I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE MORAL AUTHORITY!”
Even the “suitable for kids to watch with some kind of vaguely Christmas related theme” definition fails, though for different reasons.
Now, the argument that Lord of the Rings is a Christmas Movie, since it’s about gifts, and it has elves, and (after you’ve got it mostly sold) Gandalf looks like low-carb Santa? THAT one would be fun. 😀
https://ifunny.co/picture/the-thing-is-die-hard-wasn-t-a-christ-mas-MFuyH8KB8
Ha! Ha! Ha! 😀
If Die Hard is a Christmas movie, so is the superior Lethal Weapon.
“Die Hard producer Joel Silver also made Lethal Weapon, which is another thriller set during the holiday season, one year earlier. Steven de Souza, who penned Die Hard’s original script, revealed in December 2017 that the Christmas backdrops were intentionally used in both films.”
https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/christmas-movies-that-arent-technically-christmas-movies/
I believe Die Hard is a Christmas movie. As evidence, I submit this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0CL__Tvp-o
How could he dress up the dead body with a Santa hat and write “ho-ho-ho, now I have a machine gun” unless it’s a Christmas movie? He was very excited about his new Christmas present.
Audio (and chart) of Steven E de Souza’s argument on the Script Apart podcast:
Well you now have got the LWW movie which actually has Santa in it as well.
Seriously though, our holiday slate is: Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone, Christmas with the Kranks, and Ernest Saves Christmas.
I’m inclined to consider Die Hard a Christmas movie … But, then again, my favorite Christmas movie is “The Crossing” 🙂
“Set at Christmas” does not equal “Christmas movie.”
My way of looking at it is this: if you removed the Christmas setting or framework, would you still basically have the same movie or something different?
If the answer is “different,” then it’s a Christmas movie.
I’ll fling a controversy grenade in response: I don’t think “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a Christmas movie, either.
An excellent metric I approve of, Dale.
Though going by it, I now wonder if a Christmas Carol is really “christmasy.” If it can be removed by the metric, then yes “It’s a wonderful life” can be as well. Hmm…
Scrooge: “If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with [holiday reference deleted] on his lips should be boiled with his own [holiday food reference deleted] and buried with a stake of [holiday decoration reference deleted] through his heart.”
Scrooge: “I will honour [holiday reference deleted] in my heart and try to keep it all the year.”
Nate: Thank you!
However, I’m with Quotermeister on ACC: I can’t envision anyone in Dickens’ time talking about, say, Easter, as a “false and commercial festival.” Christmas is embedded there.
If you are going to consider “Die Hard” to be a Christmas movie then you would need to add “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as well. It has the song “Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?” sung by Nina as part of its soundtrack.
*
With clips from the movie:
*
A video of the song only:
Take your pick.
You both make compelling arguments. Though I would say a similar “spirit” is woven into “Wonderful Life” as well.
Though I haven’t seen it in awhile so I will concede I could be due for a rewatch to check details and quotes.
I do dearly love the film though for being a modern parable about how important social capital is.
“He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Hans Gruber: Theo, are we on schedule?
Theo: One more to go then it’s up to you. And you better be right, because it looks like this last one is going to take a miracle.
Hans Gruber: It’s Christmas, Theo. It’s the time of miracles. So be of good cheer… and call me when you hit the last lock.
But that kind of reference is ironic. Die Hard uses a Christmas backdrop but throws non-Christmassy things at the viewer. There’s no character who takes Christmas seriously, and no Christmas themes. I don’t think any of the sequels or rip-offs used Christmas.
The bad guys don’t take Christmas seriously, other than as an opportunity to get what they want.
The good guy does take Christmas seriously, wanting his family to be together for Christmas even when his marriage is falling apart; he’s the one that goes cross-country, she doesn’t even miss the office party.
So you have those who wish to use it, those who are wrapped up in the superficial, and those who are dedicated to The Season.
That’s a lot more than most ‘Christmas movies’ manage.
“A character who takes Christmas seriously …”
I nominate Ben Hur. Heck, you even get the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Even if only for about three seconds.
🙂
Seriously, folks, I have no idea what makes a Christmas movie other than it makes me feel like Christmas season. But it has to be a movie I LIKE, and that aces out the “action” flicks. To each his own. So my winner of the contest is Patrick Stewart’s rendition of Scrooge, which IMO is the best made so far and is my favorite Christmas movie. Next in order of things I love to watch at this time of year are Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, because of the songs, and the Grinch, because Boris Karloff and Dr. Seuss are an amazing team. These don’t really qualify as movies, both being made-for-TV specials less than an hour long. But I really love to watch them, as well as the Charlie Brown Christmas show, which among its many virtues introduced me to the music of Vince Guaraldi.
And a blessed Advent to all!
“… you even get the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Even if only for about three seconds.” (Plus, the Three Wise Men):
Another 80s Classic!
The best Christmas movie is the one where you walk your wife, your children, your loved ones up to the communion rail. You prepare to receive Him. You look upon the Nativity Scene as the priest makes his way down the rail towards you and yours.
You look one more time at the empty manger just before He is placed upon your tongue. Amen. He’s there now.
In you.
Merry Christmas each and every time you go to Mass and receive him worthily.
Movie?
Oh yes…
In the sense that your the main character in a recorded history that has the potential to be the second greatest story ever told, written and lived.
That’s your Christmas movie.
Die Hard is the ultimate Christmas Movie.
John McClaine tries to reconcile with his wife and see his kids for Christmas. His wife and her coworkers are taken hostage and McClaine attempts to save them. How many movies have been about family and “saving Christmas”? So is Dies Hard.
Al Powell is a George Bailey like character. Feeling sorry for himself, until the intervention of another shows him his value.
Deputy Captain Dwayne T. Robinson is a Scrooge like character that meets Powell (Like Ebineezer met Jacob Marley), and is given a breakdown as to what’s going on. He then meets three others: The SWAT Team leader (violence), and the two Agent Johnsons (ego / protocol), each giving Robinson insights into his own personality. He learns that he must adapt to overcome.
Argyle is a Rudolph like character. He is a bit of a misfit until he steps up and sees he is of some use afterall.
Hans Gruber is a Grinch like character who steals everything. He has no sentimentality about Christmas or anyone other than himself (rolls his eyes when he’s told there’s a pregnant woman, icily kills two people, drags political prisoners into his sceme as a smoke screen, and plans on blowing up innocent civilians in order to get his way), yet in the end, he ends up pulling all the characters together in the movie (not by design, or through any change of heart, but through them having to stand up to his actions).
Tie in a Christmas party, a soundtrack filled with Christmas classics, and the constant reminder of Christmas, and you have a Christmas movie.
To those who say it only takes place at Christmas: Home Alone is accepted as a Christmas movie. It takes place at Christmas, yet has nothing to do with Christmas itself. It’s about a self-absorbed family that abandons their son. That’s just disgusting.