Die Hard: A Christmas Movie?

It's a Wonderful Life is also movie set at Christmas time, and for the same reasons, one could question whether it's really a Christmas movie.

I think what makes something a Christmas movie is use of Christmas themes (and people could have a debate about that for Die Hard). Eyes Wide Shut wasn't set at Christmas for no reason (as if Kubrick happened to be shooting on locations when Christmas stuff was up). Christmas does works into the themes of that movie, but not as obvious as with It's A Wonderful Life.

As as side note, Eyes Wide Shut, like Die Hard, also came out in the theaters the middle of summer.

 

I agree with your point, then Eyes Wide Shut is a Christmas movie.

 

Any movie that uses Vaughn Monroe's 1963 stereo recording of "Let It Snow" over the closing credits
has to be a Christmas movie . Actually both "Die Hard" and "Die Hard 2" use it over the credits.

 

Actually, most of It's a Wonderful Life is not set around Christmas. All of Die Hard takes place on Christmas (well, Christmas Eve). So Die Hard is more of a Christmas move than It's a Wonderful Life.

Kidding of course. I voted no. Although I do tend to watch it every year around this time.

 

Heh. That one has been sitting on my PVR for almost a year, gonna watch it this weekend. Back in the late '70's Global TV in Ontario used to play it every December, unedited. It was part of my Xmas tradition for many years. This'll be the first time in hi def!

 

Of course it's a Christmas movie.

It's the kind of Christmas movie that makes you think.

Think about things like "what kind of company holds a Christmas party for its employees on Christmas eve"?!?? Why aren't they all home with their families?

 

In the movie, McClane comments at the party, "I didn't know they had Christmas in Japan." One of Holly's Japanese co-workers says, "We're flexible". Then another of Holly's co-workers tells McClane, "Actually, it's kind of a double celebration. We closed a pretty big deal today and a lot of it was due to Holly."

It was a closing party for a deal Holly's company had closed that day.

 

It was the 80s, man - no one cared about stinkin' families back then! Didn't you see "Wall Street"???

 

Would you believe I never saw Die Hard until a couple of months ago? I was not disappointed!! I didn't even know about the "we'll get together, have a few laughs..." line! Working my way through the Blu-ray box set little by little.

 

Sure it is! It's got:

1. Christmas music ("Christmas in Hollis" and "Let it Snow")
2. The lines "Ho-ho-ho" and "...be of good cheer"

That's all you need in my book.

 

My take on it exactly. As a result, we watch it every Holiday Season!

 

So here's what I think about this.

1) The movie is not about Christmas
2) The movie was not marketed as a Christmas movie.
3) The movie was released in July.

Here is what we do have:
1) There are a handful of Christmas songs that are played throughout.
2) The employees and guests being held hostage are at a building where a Christmas party was (note that it quickly became something entirely different than a Christmas party once guns were used to threaten their lives).
3) Bruce Willis says his "Ho, ho, ho..." line after he kills a guy and happens to see a Santa hat on a Christmas party decoration that was lying around so he dresses the guy up to get his kicks.

Yet at this point, over 80% of you are saying this is a Christmas movie.

I'm at a loss.

 

A Christmas season action film?

 

that sounds good!

 

nah, just cave and expect the inevitable: it's a Christmastime movie!

 

Rebuttal: McClane yells out "Jesus!" or "Jesus H. Christ!" like 20 times throughout the movie. So obviously the movie is about Christmas.

You list omits the biggest argument why Die Hard is not a "Christmas" movie: the simple fact that it is the greatest movie of all time.

 

I voted no, but if anybody wants to consider it a Christmas movie and watch it at Christmas time, I'm not going to rain on their parade.

It is a great movie that I need to revisit soon, though.

 

"Come out to the coast, have a few laughs..." Fantastic scene. The little sarcastic asides make the whole movie.

I use Hans' line "OK, so we do it the hard way" all the time. Especially when dealing with stubborn computers.

 

hurry! Christmas is coming soon...get it in for the Holiday! then it's official...

 

It's a Christmas movie, but even with a supposed terrorist attack (in actuality, a high-tech robbery), the office party still isn't as exciting as the one in "The Apartment."

This explains post #32. I was a little worried by how well you could recall the dialogue in this film.

 

Yippy-Ki-Yay Christmas!

 

Of course it's a Xmas movie. There's even something for the kids - Snape is in it!
Love this movie (and the others in the series except the last one).

 

It's a Christmas movie, because McClane is affected by the circumstances on Christmas, and makes positive changes in his life as a result of it.

 

Yes it is.
As is Stalag 17!

 

I watched Die Hard 3 just to finish the 3 out...