Another trope that the truly great Christmas movies all have is that they create phrases that enter our popular culture. These include: "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings;" "God bless us, every one;" and, "You’ll shoot your eye out" (there are many more, but these are enough of an example). Die Hard actually contains one of the most well-known entries into this category: "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker."
It is also essential to note that the film itself is quite clearly trying to be a Christmas movie. It understands that it is not a typical Christmas movie, but it still wishes to be counted in the genre. Remember McClane’s discussion with his limo driver, Argyle, once he gets in the car. Upon hearing the up-beat rap music Argyle has on the radio, McClane asks Argyle about Christmas music, and if there are no carols on. Argyle laughs at McClane and says they are listening to Christmas music and turns up the volume. Sure enough, once the lyrics to the song start, they’re all about Christmas. True, it’s not your traditional Christmas carol, it’s updated, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There are several updated versions of the film A Christmas Carol that are wonderfully fun to watch. Bill Murray’s fantastic take on this, Scrooged, comes to mind immediately. Just because it is a Christmas movie does not mean it need take place in the past.
So, to recap, Die Hard is a great movie and Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Is there anything then that separates a great movie that happens to take place during Christmas from being a great Christmas movie? Any number of criteria would push a movie from the former to the latter; chief among these criteria is that the movie should promote the spirit of Christmas and the holidays. Die Hard, as a film, does just this. It is a movie about the triumph of good over evil; more importantly however, it is a movie the throws into stark relief the importance of the family, particularly during the holidays. McClane makes his family, during the holidays, the most important thing in the world. He goes through hell in order to rebuild his family and strengthen those bonds. And McClane certainly makes Christmas morning one of the happiest days ever for those he saves.
It’s not easy to believe, but it’s undeniable. Die Hard just may be one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
DH is a very good movie.
The Christ analogy is very interesting. I can see what you are saying, but what is the sacrifice he makes? Haven't seen the movie in a while.
2 - TV and Film Guy
He gives himself up to Hans at the end of the movie, knowing Hans is going to try to kill him. He has an ace up his sleeve, but so did Jesus.
3 - Lisa McKay
"Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker."
Thanks. You've helped me solve the dilemma of what to print on my Christmas cards this year.
4 - TV and Film Guy
I think everyone would appreciate that much more than "you'll shoot your eye out."
5 - RJ Elliott
Great article! A bit of a stretch, but I'm with ya...
6 - handyguy
Very good addition to the holiday list. I agree that Die Hard is a great movie...too bad the sequels are so inferior. It has fantastic photography by Jan de Bont [Hunt for Red October, Basic Instinct, and director of Speed and Twister] and direction by John McTiernan [Red October also].
Willis, de Bont, and McTiernan have all hit career snags since. Maybe there's a curse?
7 - Mat Brewster
I love it. Bruce Willis as Jesus. So would you say he was baptizing in blood?
8 - Phillip Winn
The analogy is more than a little stretch, but I agree with you overall. Over the summer I re-watched Die Hard and realized at the time that it was far more of a Christmas movie than I had remembered.
I'd call it one of the top ten best Christmas movies ever, no problem. Maybe even top five.
Great article!
9 - Phillip Winn
Mat, Jesus never baptized anybody. He was Himself baptized, by John "The Baptist," and He instructed His followers to baptize others, but that's it. Weird, eh?
10 - TV and Film Guy
And here I thought that everyone would yell at me again rather than being amused or agreeing in principle. Not that I think I'm wrong with my argument, I'm just pleasantly surprised.
11 - Baronius
Guy, you're undervaluing the importance of Lethal Weapon. Released a year earlier, it explored similar themes of good versus evil, and personal sacrifice. It spawned at least as many low-quality sequels. And it featured a shootout at a Christmas tree lot. I think it meets your standards for a classic Christmas film.
12 - Brandon Valentine
Die Hard is a cinematic gem. In terms of films that "take place during Christmas," it is - without a doubt - the shining star atop the tree.
13 - DJ
DH has been my favorite Christmas movie for many years. It would not be Christmas without the annual viewing of this great movie. How about the resurrection scene, when John is shown bloody and backlit with radiant light as he confronts Hans who is holding Holly hostage? I believe her response on seeing him appear is "Jesus."
14 - Dean
All I can remember is that classic Christmas line:
"Now I have a machine-gun. Ho, Ho, Ho."
15 - mike new jersey
I've been watching die hard every christmas eve for 5 years. this has become a big tradition. there is nothing wrong with this movie.
16 - Dave
Well I'm a year late on finding this, a friend forwarded it to me when we were discussing Christmas movies. We have been watching Die Hard on Christmas Eve since it first came out on VHS in the early 1990s. Personally I think Josh is reading to much into it what Hollywood screen writer thinks about JC unless it is to slam. DH is just a great action movie, No. 2 forgot the humor except for Dennis Franze, No. 3 forgot Christmas, and No.4 just forgot. Sorry Bruce.
17 - Mad Holman
But you are all really underrating lethal weapon about christmas,in die hard that christmas were more important,john was speaking about it,yet lethal weapon must be close behind in these terms it still had this bloody action on christmas and its classic!!!