Die Hard (1988, 20th Century Fox, John McTiernen)
It's no mistake that the film begins with a scene of a person's hand tightly gripping while seated. This, too, shall be you upon first and likely subsequent viewings. Die Hard is a pure action vehicle. In many ways, it reinvented the action genre and forever put its stamp on how such movies should be made. However, it wisely begins by establishing the stakes (rather than in action-packed Shakespearean fashion): a family trying to come together over the holiday. Granted, the movie takes place on Christmas Eve, it doesn't feel right to watch it then, so I hedged and decided within 5 days of Christmas is about right (given that that's analogous to how much time left on a ticking bomb is dramatic or not). Die Hard may not be a "Christmas movie," but it's arguably the best at getting one to feel excited for the season. And it handily wraps all the gritty action up in tidy Yuletide trappings.
Die Hard is SO thoroughly 80s. It's dated. But in a good way. CDs, VHS, Japanese companies headlining America, the soundtrack, Bruce Willis. The man practically emerged in the 80s out of Moonlighting fame. But the story ultimately benefits from all these things. If it had been told in any other era, it simply wouldn't have worked.
Having been married for 9 years now, the conversation in the beginning between John and Holly about their marriage is solid in its accuracy. Accurate in how quickly a nice, warm conversation can turn to bitter tongue lashing in no time. Marriage isn't defined by moments like those, but it definitely highlights how we can become so easily cross at the ones we love the most when they appear to disappoint us.
The quick and cold-blooded way that Hans's men come in and kill really sets the tone. It's nicely coupled with a wicked playfulness exhibited by a few of the terrorist members, in particular Theo, as they stride and vault about with ease and comfort. These early scenes depict more than a few vulgar moments, too. It's that cold-blooded playful vulgarity that is one of the series' hallmarks, and never done better than in the first film.
Alan Rickman's cinema debut is in this film. That's actually quite a surprise to me. It doesn't come off as if he's never been in front of the camera before. I'm not going to say it any better than others have before me, but Rickman's Hans is the quintessential executive baddie. He's in the same vein and better than most (if not all) Bond villains.
The way Karl moves (played by a famous Russian-American ballet dancer) is clearly different than the others. He has a dangerous bounce in his step, and in his long blonde locks.
The scrape between John and Tony (the first German to die) is messy and brutal. Just the way a fierce grapple for life between desperate combatants should be!
It's hella Californian of McClane to be walking around at Christmastime barefoot and in a wife-beater! (Really puts his earlier statements on California on trial here, doesn't it?)
This movie works best when watched after 9 PM. Those nighttime rooftop scenes are completely ruined if you watch it during the day.
In my own head canon, Reginald VelJohnson's character in this movie is the same guy from Family Matters. Far as I'm concerned, he moved his family back to Chicago after the Nakatomi Tower incident, and changed his name to "Carl," in memory of the German he guns down at the end.
The scene where McClane climbs down and nearly falls to his death in the glossy metal air shaft still makes my sphincter tighten to watch it.
That is the dirtiest wife-beater you'll ever see in a movie.
"Welcome to the party, pal!" in a New York accent is good for use at any time of year. Even when someone just nonchalantly walks through the door.
"Yippee-kai-yay, motherfucker!" is legendary. If it hadn't been written it would have had to been ad-libbed. Amazingly, it's both!
I love how long Willis pauses before he says, "…cigarettes." John is clearly sorting through stuff, and he'd have to be extra attuned to the slightest noise in the building since he's gunned down several at this point. Perfect.
The subplot with William Atherton's character is only valid for showing us John and Holly's kids, which brings all the family members into focus.
Great writing to have Holly's name change shield her from harm when she has her first encounter with Hans.
Willis's character takes on full form from the scene when he talks to Dwayne, the deputy police chief, via the radio. It's at that point that you start to see the aggravated, partly manic and mouthy McClane that we've all come to know and love.
The scene where Hans meets John is such a fun twist. Hans's social intelligence and wit are matched only by John's supreme cool and streetwise confidence.
It's kind of interesting how this movie's weakest link is probably its soundtrack. For as awesome an action flick as it is, the music doesn't ever really reach a thematic high note. It's sort of average action movie fare, but doesn't detract from the whole.
The "glass shards in the feet" scene is still one of the most painful and teeth-gritty to watch. It's almost entirely due to Willis's delivery when he's talking to Al on the radio, which neatly captures the agony of what that would be like.
John's "bad feeling speech" is maybe one of the most natural and plain spoken monologue's in film history.
Love the sound of the blows in the brawl between John and Karl.
Hans's state of cool becomes as unraveled as does Holly's blouse as the movie goes on.
Gotta love, too, McClane's little squeals, chirps, and expressions as he readies to do or recovers from having done something really stupid!
The end is satisfying and completely earned, even if Karl's brief resurrection is a bit cliché. Too bad the only worthy follow-up to the original is Die Hard with a Vengeance. Makes a good duology, though.
December 21 — 4 of 365 logged
December 21 — 4 of 365 logged
