Die Hard: 'Twas a Christmas Movie

Jake Tapper makes the definitive case to settle a longstanding debate.

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? The answer is obviously yes, and not just because it takes place on Christmas eve. The movie's underlying themes -- overcoming adversity in pursuit of family reunification and reconciliation -- are quite common for holiday fare.

For those who remain doubters, CNN's Jake Tapper makes the case on Twitter--and in rhyme no less. The thread begins here:

'Twas the night before Christmas
At Nakatomi Tower
When our story of homecoming
Begins with brute power pic.twitter.com/WPxtQY6rmE

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 26, 2017

The original thread is from a few years ago, but Tapper has added an update:

Five years later this poem I wish to amend
To further the argument it's my joy to defend,
About cinema's most perfect Christmas action potboiler —
But please be forewarned THE BELOW IS A SPOILER
???? https://t.co/4mA7X5V38p

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 25, 2022

Comments

[Frank Drackman]

B. Willis peaked in "Pulp Fiction" (he's a great actor, just everyone has a "Peak") and if "Diehard's" a "Christmas Movie" so is "Goodfellas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvvkDSXj_I

Frank "Whatever happened to "Kwanza"??"

[Mr. Bumble]

According to Winebox Nancy it is now Shwanza.

[Frank Drackman]

So she's riffing on Howard Stern (gone Howard Hughes "because Covid") with his "Cock-tober" ??

Frank

[Intelligent Mr Toad]

Have you seen Bruce Willis in Twelve Monkeys? He's very good.

[Krayt]

He was in Death Becomes Her, and I didn't realize it until several years later. He really is good.

[Roger S]

It is also a cop movie, an action movie, a buddy movie, a terrorism movie, a horror movie, a dark comedy, a high-concept movie, a psychological thriller, a mystery, and a love story. It is the most perfect genre-blending movie ever made.

[Frank Drackman]

OK, haven't watched it, but does it have a single scene that matches Pulp Fiction's "Honey Bunny", "Any of you motherfucking pricks moves, I'm executing every last motherfucking one of you!!!!"(just typed that from memory, lets got to the IMDB and see how I fucked it up)

Actual line "Any of you fucking pricks move, and I'll execute every motherfucking last one of ya!"
pretty close, although considering I've seen the movie 500 times, (Including in Pasadena 1995) embarrassed I didn't get it exactly right,

Frank " Did I break your concentration? sorry bout' that"

[Roger S]

There are scenes where immediate execution of innocent attendees is threatened, and even carried out. But no Honey Bunny.

[arbitrary aardvark]

My favorite Xmas movie is The Long Kiss Goodnight. Geena Davis as a mom trying to get home to her daughter on christmas. Samuel Jackson plays a helpful elf.

[GrumpyScott]

Going to get controversial on everyone: it's unwittingly a Chanukah movie!

A small force defeating a much larger one, so that a family (representating a nation) can be reunited in the absence of the invaders, tracks much more closely to the macabees than the birth of Jesus.

Hope whoever reads this is having a good: whatever you celebrate,

David

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you questioning the true meaning of Christmas? /sarc

[Frank Drackman]

The imaginary birthday of an imaginary Surpreme being, who's main claim to fame (in addition to walking on water/healing the sick/lame, Loafs and Fishes, )
and the biggie, rising on the 3rd day, (why not the Second? did He have a Comp day He had to use?)
so he's basically a gullible Zombie,
who's taking his Sweet Time coming back,

Frank "Yes, I know I'm Damned"

[SRG]

It's certainly more of a Christmas Movie than Trading Places.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

But Trading Places has the xmas gift of Jamie's tatas.

[SRG]

Tru dat.

[Carlos Inconvenience]

Love "Die Hard," but hands down "Lethal Weapon" is more of a Christmas film. Strip away the action sequences and it's the classic tale of a man who's lost his faith and goes on a journey of spiritual redemption at Christmas.

[Jonathan Affleck]

Die Hard's Christmas miracle consisted of successfully taping the guy to his back.

[Doug Huffman]

Good. We need a new happy noisy Western Opera Christmas movie. It is on the marquee for tonight (if my 1 Mbps is able).

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

Watched again this year. This time noticed the Control Data computers. Also, the cinderblock walls (!) at the 30th+ floor of the skyscraper.

[Carl_N_Brown]

Definitively, DIE HARD is a Christmas movie.
Yippee ki yay! That's now settled science.
Next question?

[HarrietLi]

This is quite suitable for watching at Christmas)) Especially if you have already separated from your parents and found your soul mate)) We discussed this before the holidays in hookup chat - https://www.nastyhookups.com/hookup/chat-room.html By the way, I pay more and more attention to the fact that people choose old films for holidays .. Our modern cinema is clearly lacking something ..