MovieChat Forums > Die Hard (1988) Discussion > THIS IS NOT A CHRISTMAS MOVIE!

THIS IS NOT A CHRISTMAS MOVIE!

posted 6 years ago by lukejbarnett (1869)
63 replies | jump to latest

ok, just stop it, just stop it. everyone, everywhere stop foolishly sending out ill informed messages making this movie seem like a Christmas movie. this isn't a Christmas movie. the reason why is Christmas is always in the background and Christmas is not a big part of this movie. John McClane doesn't go out and buy a Christmas tree, he doesn't get ornaments, he doesn't shop for Christmas presents, he doesn't sing Christmas songs, you never see a Santa Clause, and this movie is not jolly and it doesn't have a Christmas spirit in it, and in the end, this movie isn't about Christmas. this movie is about survival, action, violence, and getting to his wife. Christmas is just used as a backdrop, a plot device, but it's not the main plot motive.

A Christmas movie has to be about Christmas in an essential way where it moves the plot in the direction of anticipating Christmas and thinking about Christmas and it has to have enough Christmas images to make you think of Christmas and a spirit of Christmas.

Also, the way you know for a fact that this is not a Christmas movie is when you were a little kid and you watched this movie did you think it is a Christmas movie? if the answer is no, then it's not a Christmas movie and when i watched this movie as a like 10 year old, i didn't think this is a Christmas movie i just noticed the slight Christmas presence in this movie. the reason i say this is because when you are from the ages of 4 to 12 years old and you watch a movie you don't overthink things so you form rational explanations and logical conclusions about things that are correct.

oh, and another point, does the cover on here show any Christmas related things? no, it doesn't because this is not a Christmas movie.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 6 years ago

This is my favorite christmas movie, hence I think it's a christmas movie.

When I was a little kid I didnt' consider this a christmas movie, hence it's not a kiddie christmas movie, but it's and excellent adult christmas movie. The fact that kids don't consider it a christmas movie doesn't make it less of a christmas movie. There are also porn christmas movies you know? That doesn't mean they are for everybody. Nor it means that they are not christmas movies.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 6 years ago

right, because when you were a kid you didn't overthink this christmas movie subject. so don't overthink this now. as adults we often overthink things. just think about a little and think does it feel like a christmas movie when you watch it.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 6 years ago

I agree with your christmas shopping parallel. Not every movie set around christmas is a christmas movie. This one is. It has a lot of christmas reference, the characters address it themselves. it wouldn't exist without christmas (he's going there for that reason, he's reuiniting with his family because of that).
And, as a viewer, I get the feeling that the production wanted us to think of it as an modern christmas film, not your grandpa's christmas movie, with all the rap music and violent references etc.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

No end to the people who think they make the rules. OP is the same as these people who say that Star Wars is fantasy and not science fiction.

Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Just not your kind of Christmas movie.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 6 years ago

you're wrong, die hard is not a christmas movie. it can't just be a movie which happens to take place around christmas time to be a christmas movie. a movie isn't automatically a christmas movie because it takes place around christmas. for example just because it's around christmas and you go shopping for something at a store that is unrelated to christmas doesn't mean you are christmas shopping.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

No, you!

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 6 years ago

But John McClane literally went to Nakatomi plaza to attend a Christmas party with his wife. He didn't go to Nakatomi plaza to talk to his wife about investing in stocks and it happened to be Christmas.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 6 years ago

For god's sake it fucking ISN'T a Christmas movie. Do you feel like Santa is all around, the family reunites for a joyful dinner, Christmas songs all around? No. So shut the fuck up, op is right, it is NOT.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

Do you get this spastic when trying to convince your friends of the same nonsense?

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 6 years ago

Not if it is not necessary... but when I see some retards argue about the same bullshit over and over again and they don't want to listen to people who give them a valid opinion and just stick to their horseshit... yes, I get mad.

Now Fox took the reputation of this being a "Christmas movie" and used the opportunity to make a box-set with Christmas design to make MONEY. And because of that.. they gave an argument to morons like you to say that it is a christmas movie while it wasn't meant to be.

This movie could totally be set on any other period of the year and work... a Christmas movie like The Santa Clause or Jingles all the Way simply wouldn't make sense if they weren't set on Christmas time.

So fuk you honestly, I'm tired of morons lile you who stick to their retarded opinion. Actually, you know what, keep believing that it is a Christmas movie if it makes you feel better. I don't give a fuck after a second thought.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

Oh you give a fuck. You feel it necessary to be extremely insulting over difference of opinion.

Here is a quote from you that says it all about what kind of person you are:

"listen to people who give them a valid opinion"

Opinion. You hate people who have a different opinion than you.

The players in this movie come together at a Christmas party. That's enough for lots of us retards. I like that that raises your blood pressure. Would love to have a face to face talk with you about it.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 6 years ago

thank you. i mean, can't they just use common sense. not enough focus on christmas actions and activities to be a christmas movie.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 6 years ago

Movies like the Die Hards and Gremlins (my fave Christmas movie) express the MODERN spirit of Christmas far more accurately than films like It’s A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story and Miracle On 34th Street do. Our consumer society, isolated from family values, a sense of belongingness and the Social Contract, has sucked all the spirituality and joy out of what was formerly a season of peace on earth and goodwill to humankind. It’s become a time of year when we feel obligated to force ourselves to be with people whom
we avoid the rest of the year (our relatives) because we don’t like them, or worse. It’s a time of year when those who still shop in stores run roughshod over each other to buy stuff; and a time of year when those who know better shop online and insulate themselves from the world at large, where Christmas is supposed to be. It’s long been a time of year when the suicide rate goes up. Gluttony skyrockets, retailers dance a celebratory jig of pure greed, alcohol consumption zooms skyward. Gimme Die Hard and Gremlins as emblems for what our world has done to the second-most Holy Christian holiday.

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 6 years ago

A movie doesn't have to be about Christmas in order to make it a Christmas movie.

People often say "if you take out the Christmas party and make it a Thanksgiving party nothing would change." But that's like saying Fargo isn't a snow movie because if you take the snow away, nothing changes because it isn't about snow. The snow is what makes the movie what it is. The entire tone changes. Reservoir Dogs is not about a warehouse, it takes place in one. It could have taken place in a garage, airplane hanger or a basement. But it doesn't so that makes it a warehouse movie.

In reality, this movie contains more Christmas songs than White Christmas and takes place during the party the entire way through. And I feel more jolly watching this than White Christmas.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 6 years ago

yes it does, otherwise it's not a christmas movie. there has to be a rule for what makes a movie a christmas movie and this is the least rule that is needed. uh faro is a snow movie? really? ok weather and locations have nothing to do with what kind of movie a movie is. they are just story elements that aren't important to the story enough to just call a movie a "something" movie. we have genre movies, and we have christmas movies and that's it.

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 6 years ago

Really? Locations and weather have nothing to do with what a movie is? So Titanic is not a boat movie? Twister is not a tornado movie? Speed is not a bus movie? 12 Angry Men is not a courtroom movie? Green Book is not a car movie?

Your genre example doesn't make sense. How can you equate Christmas with Film-noir, Horror, Comedy, Action? It's a sub-category. Does The Breakfast Club fall under the "Detention" or "School" genre? No, but it's a detention movie that takes place in a school. Why should Christmas count as a genre?

Like I said in my first comment, it doesn't have to be about Christmas to make it Christmas movie.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 6 years ago

there are genres and subgenres and nowhere in any film review book or any professional place is there such a thing as a snow movie genre so fargo is not a snow movie. i'm not saying christmas movies are subgenres or genres i'm saying just in a non professional casual talking way there is a christmas movie category.

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 6 years ago

But there are subgenres for transportation movies (Speed, The Poseidon Adventure, Strangers on a Train), movies in one room (Buried, Tape, Saw), underwater movies (The Abyss, Finding Nemo, Das Boot) so I don't see why snow would be any different. I don't think it would be that unheard of if someone was asking for recommendations for snow movies.

[–] MichelleDessler (424) 6 years ago

It ain't Christmas until you see Hans Gruber fall off Nakatomi Plaza. :-)

Quick question, do you class Home Alone as a Christmas movie?

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 6 years ago

Is there any other way to start Christmas?

[–] MichelleDessler (424) 6 years ago

:-) Exactly!! lol

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7993) 6 years ago

Well I'll give my 2 cents. I feel like the only reason people want to watch this at Christmas is because they're tired of traditional Christmas movies like A Christmas Story, A Christmas Carol, and Miracle on 34th street. Frankly I watch Die Hard more in the summer than at Christmas and the 3 movies I mentioned are what I want to watch in December. Along with other Christmas movies like Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, The Santa Clause, and It's a Wonderful Life. If someone else doesn't agree with that, that's fine. But I don't consider Die Hard a must see at Christmas. However I actually feel Die Hard 2 despite me not watching it at Christmas actually feels more Christmassy because of all the snow in it. In fact, that song let it Snow fits more there than it does in the first where they're in L.A where it never snows.

[–] PaladinNJ (21784) 6 years ago

No better way to say Merry Christmas

[–] MichelleDessler (424) 6 years ago

:-)

[–] howgamer (3988) 6 years ago

I guess it's not, but I like to watch it during the Xmas season.

[–] EvilPinata (1186) 6 years ago

Fox straight up marketed it as a Christmas movie last December.

https://youtu.be/4Wi28Vsi_ZU

[–] mitzibishi (2013) 5 years ago

The movie would'nt happen if there was not a Christmas party for the top staff and the rest of the people who worked there had gone home over the christmas period.

Gruber had an empty skyscraper on the quietest time of the year. The cops would have half their force at home on call and surrounding buildings in the area would be empty because its Christmas.

"when you were a little kid and you watched this movie did you think it is a Christmas movie?"

The slay bells in the score made sure I didn't forget that the film was set on Christmas eve along with multiple references to it being set on Christmas eve like christmas jumpers, people saying it, christmas trees, santa hats etc

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 5 years ago

This is perfectly clear and true. Where are the Warriors of Superior Opinion now? Surely they have calm, reasoned rebuttal to this, right?

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 5 years ago

RIGHT??