DIE HARD (1988) Breakdown | Hidden Details, Making Of, Things You Missed And More

[@heavyspoilers]

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[@mikeworkman3593]

LOL, that's not a vest, that's a wife beater. A vest is something you'd wear over a shirt, not under it

[@mikeworkman3593]

Also, the monitor was used just for extra weight. The detonators have their own primary charge, and the would explode in a heavy impact. this is why he added extra weight, and also why he said, "fuck it" and added another detonator just to make sure it would go off.

[@MsBLACKSCREEN]

The woman blonde News reporter, in the blue shirt , also played the psychiatrist in all the Lethal weapons movies !

[@mikeworkman3593]

@@MsBLACKSCREEN Yeah, she was like Richard Donners good luck charm. She was in a lot of his movies. Of course, being married to Robert Zemeckis for 20 years and being good friends with Kathleen Kennedy didn't hurt helping getting roles lol. She actually is the one who introduced Kathleen to Spielberg.

[@SirKnight1096]

You're right, you don't speak English well. You were ENVIOUS of someone speaking Spanish. Not jealous. It wasn't yours to begin with. You wanted what someone had that you hadn't earned.

[@Alexvander10]

Alan Rickman plays one of the best villains in cinema here. Really believable to be educated and his accent used here just adds to the iconic performance.

[@asvarien]

Alan Rickman was just the best :(

[@camillevote7901]

He was so good !!

[@mikes5637]

Even more impressive considering it was his first movie role.

[@hedgehog1965uk]

"I don't play villains. I play very interesting people" Alan Rickman (as recounted by John Sessions on QI). RIP Alan and John.

[@Dr.Frankensteen]

Most likeable villain in movie history until John Wick

[@liferealgood]

Crushes me to see the current state of Bruce Willis. He was such a childhood hero. It feels like he was never caught in any Hollywood mess or drama that I'm aware of. He was a simple family man and father that wanted to entertain and act.

[@Akkordeondirigent]

I was sort of angry about Willis as I saw him betraying his own legacy in espeacially the fifth installement of Die Hard. But now I kind of understand him, because maybe he knew about his conditions for quite a while.

[@LittleBlueOwl318]

He is still a hero - now more than ever, considering what he is going through!! What's with this "was" BS?!

[@liferealgood]

@@LittleBlueOwl318 notice I said “childhood hero.” I’m no longer a child so “was” is apt.

[@ActuallyDoubleGuitars]

I bet Kevin Smith doesn't tell that story he was telling for years about how Bruce was lazy for not learning his lines. He went hard on him. Poor guy suffered in silence.

[@liferealgood]

@kychristell1779 I’m not sure if you are trolling or what but I’m sure your grandmother would understand if someone who had never met her sympathized for her condition. I don’t need to know someone to feel bad for them going through something as serious as dementia.

[@ThereAre2TypesOfPeople]

"Mr Takagi won't be joining us for the rest.. of.. his life" Brilliant delivery by Rickman. Just one of many in the film really.

[@beestingza]

The contrast between Willis' smart working class hero and the worldly, overeducated villain is perfect and also a reflection of the culture war that was going on in the late 80's in the U.S., which was sort of a prelude to the even more intense culture war that continues today between working class MAGA people and effete, overeducated elites who just want more power and control.

[@Bhamloud47]

Doesn’t make sense though. “Our lives” would’ve been much better.

[@justinmusicstuff6819]

Your lives would've made more sense. But still a brilliant character

[@J.R.in_WV]

I’ve had it with these Melon Farmer Terrorists in this Monday-Friday tower.

[@EddieBloecher]

Wasn't that cool? Epic Villian!

[@Dadof5-4]

There is another clue to John's past that you may not know. In the late 1980s, the NYPD carried revolvers. The one exception being their Emergency Service Unit (SWAT Team) which carried Beretta 92s. This hints that John may have had swat training.

[@TheLAGopher]

It could also be that in the late 80's the Los Angeles Police Department had just authorized officers to transition to the Beretta 92. Most seasoned officers (Such as Sgt Powell) still went with a Smith and Wesson 38 caliber revolver.However many other veteran officers both in high crime patrol areas and in higher risk undercover assignments such as Vice and Narcotics, went with the Beretta which had just been adopted by the US military as a standard sidearm in 1985. This could be looked at as John being something of a "gunfighter" a cop who wants to be where the action is an expects violent encounters on a regular basis. This is a similar dynamic to Martin Riggs carrying a Beretta undercover while Murtaugh who was focused on surviving to get his pension, and didn't want to take unneccesary risks,carried a .44 Magnum revolver in Lethal Weapon. Most likely,the technical advisors regarding weapons handling and Police tactics for DIE HARD were Los Angeles Police Officers since the film was shot in LA and since the LAPD is a major factor in the plot.

[@packrat76]

​@@TheLAGopherS&W model 19 4" barrel chambered in .357. Few police officers carried .44 magnums.

[@mrj3217]

The Beretta 92 is a very comfortable gun to shoot. Great gun.

[@coppertopv365]

I like the possibility McClain was likely a veteran and was likely SWAT. It explains some things to me. Most regular cops could not do what he did, how he did it, or would be as Composed. I was an Army MP, and I hunt, yet I ain't sure without some movie magic I could do anywhere near as good.

[@cccycling5835]

@@mrj3217yet so awkward to operate 😂

[@deadcard13]

I totally read it different with the girly posters. I thought he was focusing on them as a way of getting his bearings in all the commotion. When he comes back and taps the poster, he's doing it because he's glad to see it again, meaning he's moving back towards where he's familiar with the site.

[@ellessandraramsay1841]

Yeah. That's what I thought too. Sort of he was happy to see her again because he knew where he was.

[@agentsculder2451]

Same. He was using it as a way to orient himself in the unfamiliar building.

[@riproar11]

@deadcard *differently

[@devonhappe]

I always thought that he was using them as a landmark, so he knew where he was in the building.

[@treybrannon4964]

Absolutely correct. The movie meticulously shows us releated locations deliberately to allow the audience to understand the structure, and proximity to one another, etc, That is why he slaps the girl's poster, as he's subconsciously giving a physical bearing (right side)- we humans do this, and Tony was seeing doing it earlier in the movie when doing to cut the wires.

[@shortbusjedi]

I always took him seeing the nudie poster as a landmark of sorts while he was still navigating the unknown. Then when he finds it again, he taps is as a touchstone kind of thing. He's saying "okay, I've been here before..." Nothing to do with his wife/ marriage.

[@NineteenEighty-Four]

Yep

[@boardwalkbarber]

100 I never thought anyone else noticed that.

[@MrMann0123]

I always think of this as being a film that flips a lot of conventions. Hans is the protagonist and John is the antagonist. John kind of just shambles in but Hans gets the hero shot when he arrives along with hero music. When the safe opens we get a big heroic moment too.

[@Sanford]

Couple of errata on this spoiler show: Pacific Bell was the ACTUAL phone company at the time of the film; Killing the power killed the final electromagnetic lock; The power guy (who would have been PG&E) is a comedian Rick Ducommun (also in Groundhog Day).

[@camillevote7901]

What !!? Wow 😮

[@therealking6202]

Came here to say the same. Nickname Pac Bell, as in Pac Bell Park, the former name of where the SF Giants play (now known as Oracle Park).

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Rick also played Tom Hanks' neighbor in the film *The Burbs*

[@laumay7364]

Yes, Pacific Bell was the phone company on the Pacific Coast, not in New York where Die Hard 2 was located.

[@therealking6202]

@@laumay7364 Huh.

[@realbop]

One of the few movies you can watch over and over and never get tired of!!

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

And I do !!

[@MrChriscable]

Me and my wife watch diehard every Christmas Eve for the last 12 years

[@shazanali692]

I can watch 1 and 3, the airport one the second one was okay for a few years, but now I am bored of it, so the second one drags, but the first and new York. Anytime every year

[@vyctordraco948]

The part with the playmate poster lends credence to the belief that John had military training. It is a landmark so to speak to keep track of where he is in the building and tapping it in the later scene is making note of him passing the landmark.

[@iddqd214]

Fun fact: Pacific Bell was an actual company. In the U.S. there was just American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) which held a monopoly on all telephone service. The government broke them up into separate entities I believe which led to the creation of Pacific Bell

[@MrShadowpanther3]

Bell Telephone was acquired by one of it subsidiaries AT&T early on, but the Bell System was still the thing. In 1984 all of the Regional Bell companies under AT&T were chunked up into other subsidiary Companies, but for the most part it was just a corporate restructuring. But they truly did essentially own telecommunications in the United states as well as most of the patents for it. To the point if you wanted to use a Non-Bell-Approved phone, you had to buy it yourself, ship it to them to get "properly wired" for their system and also pay a fee.

[@joeyyung911]

And now, they've come full circle.

[@robhamilton4736]

Well the real error is the cut on his shoulders. It's real not character driven. When Bruce was just out of High school he was severely injured working in a Steele mill causing the scar on his shoulder. A long known and verifiable bit of information.

[@TheSaltySeaman]

Pacific Bell wasn't just some company, it was the only phone provider for the west coast at the time before the Bell Corporation (it was the west coast division naturally) was broken up for being a monopoly and the US got separate providers like AT&T, Sprint and MCI. If you ever hear an old US movie or similar talk about "Ma Bell" it's a reference to the then all-powerful Bell, named after it's founder, some guy named Alexander. And this is the best Christmas movie of all time. Cheers!

[@bigredd690]

MCI?! God damn u went way back lol

[@CamaraenMano]

Merry christmas, Paul and the whole team. You guys gifted us with awesome content the whole year so as a consumer and a colleague i just wanted to say thank you! Greetings from Argentina!

[@heavyspoilers]

Thanks so much mate, hope you have a good one

[@jaseydalts]

@@heavyspoilers Merry Christmas Paul, and to the misssus and twins too. You do a proper job at getting the content out there quickly but still at a high level of quality, its fully appreciated. I use you like the Radio Times a bit, HS has got a new vid out, there must be something new out to download, lol Jared does well too, and whoever your editting team out are worth whatever pittance you give them too, lol. Your feud with Ryan Arey makes me laugh, though I think he got back you well on his death of DCEU vid For a suggestion on which classic films to look at in future, you cant go wrong with the Cornetto Trilogy. Edgar Wright and SImon Pegg making their names, in entertaining movies with plenty of easter eggs. Surely your fanbase will lap them up

[@antonalberts9230]

We watched this yesterday for Christmas, it was our teenage daughter's 1st viewing, now it is a mandated christmas "must" every year! What an amazing film.

[@YouWillBeHappyOrElse]

Hans' quotation of Plutarch is a very important one for reasons few casual viewers really recognize: He alleges to have a Classical education, but that quote doesn't exist in Plutarch's works. In fact, the thing mentioned is a young (well, youngER) Alexander lamenting that Anaxarchus spoke of there being infinite "realms", but that the Greeks had yet to make themselves lords of one. Between Hans' error here, and his natter about suits (seeming to be more concerned with WHO has one, rather than the more pragmatic merits of a bespoke suit of notorious quality), it shows that he is pretentious, egotistical, and overrates his own intelligence. He has CONSIDERABLE intelligence, to be sure, but he's got that villainous flaw of not being QUITE as smart and upper-crust as he'd like others to believe. And that is why he melts down particularly hard when Holly calls him "nothing but a common thief."

[@AC-hj9tv]

Whoa

[@aidanmac2002]

I always felt that the point of the playmate poster was to ground you in the maze of grey walls, it showed you that he knew where he was and allowed the viewer to reset.

[@Gunnar-h3y]

As I remember from my military time, there were two types of blasting caps, electrically detonated, or time fuze detonated. But the other reality is that all blasting caps are volatile. So if the blasting caps were crushed by falling down the elevator shaft, they could conceivably go off and detonate the explosives. We never carried primed explosives (blasting caps already inserted into the explosive) on a mission, but kept the blasting caps and explosives separate until we were on the objective.

[@acb9896]

In your "military time" did you learn to spell "FUSE"?. Even an E nothing recruit with no training wouldnt spell FUSE with a z.

[@Gunnar-h3y]

Seriously? Spelling?

[@512k]

@@acb9896 according to wikipedia: Fuse: Cord or tube for the transmission of flame or explosion usually consisting of cord or rope with gunpowder or high explosive spun into it. (The spelling fuze may also be met for this term, but fuse is the preferred spelling in this context.) Fuze: A device with explosive components designed to initiate a main charge. (The spelling fuse may also be met for this term, but fuze is the preferred spelling in this context.) Sorry pal

[@GhostRanchStudios]

I kind of stumbled upon your channel and was immediately impressed and intrigued by your content and the way you go through the movies that I love. You even have one that I was in. (Starship Troopers). Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.

[@Invictus2189]

Also interesting to note is that the reason John gets to shoot Marco through the table is because Marco completely fumbles the reload on his HK94 (the modified civilian version chopped to look like an MP5 in most movies). Had he had a real MP5, the paddle magazine release and a smooth reload technique could have given Marco the slight edge.

[@the21stsergeant]

A true cinematic masterpiece. Watch this every Christmas without fail.

[@MsNikkibuzz]

The Ghostbusters joke was hilarious. 😂😂😂 I love all Die Hard movies except that last one.

[@Bjamz1138]

I really like the crunch bar scene as a way to date the movie. Not that the gas prices, lack of TSA, etc. But something about the candy bar packaging being so different then it is now really highlights aomething like packagings role in a "period piece" movie

[@Bjamz1138]

The elevator ding was brilliant. I never attributed it to that shift in the mood

[@AC-hj9tv]

Also the price of Glock 7s back then 😮

[@Renegade2786]

Funny enough Little Johnson and Big Johnson both appeared in *License to Kill* with composer of Die Hard composing the incidental music for that film. And the terrorist that John killed first was in Timothy Dalton first Bond film as a KGB agent.

[@Aaron-zl5gq]

Yup it’s 1000% a Christmas movie, and it’s my all time favorite action movie. I’ll never forget my parents showing me this movie as a kid it’s set the stage for my love for movies.

[@HouseholdDog]

Christmas or not I love watching it.

[@None-lx8kj]

Movie has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. Great Christmas movie, though.

[@AC-hj9tv]

​✂️ It 👍

[@damianstarks3338]

This is and still is the perfect Christmas action movie. Merry Christmas and happy new year

[@ginoc.8596]

Watched all 5 of them back-to-back last night on Christmas

[@oneandonlyTan]

John using the CRT to detonate the explosive could show some previous knowledge, much like you said about a past as SF

[@patriciafenwick5846]

Great visiting these "old" classics, and the ingenuity they used for their practical effects. Alan Rickman, RIP, was brilliant. It's tragic what happened to Bruce Willus, but at least he left a memorable legacy for us all to rewatch and enjoy. Thank you

[@Tony-.]

Good news. Bruce is surrounded by his loving family and gets to spend Christmas with them.

[@FloridaMysterio]

The line from Ellis about how he uses a gun while Ellis uses a fountain pen is likely a reference to the song “Pretty Boy Floyd” sung by Woody Guthrie. “Yes, as through this world I've wandered I've seen lots of funny men; Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some with a fountain pen.“

[@Nuschler22]

Pacific Bell is an actual company. It doesn't have anything to do with this movie other than they used a telephone while filming in the west in Diehard 2, which was supposed to be on the east coat. Bell Atlantic is related to Pacific Bell and would have been the phone in Dulles Airport. So, if anything, Pacific Bell in Diehard 2 was a mistake, not a callback. Other than that, great video.

[@dwboston1]

The seven "Baby Bells" were created in the aftermath of the breakup of the original AT&T (Ma Bell) at the beginning of 1984 for being a monopoly over wired telephone service. These were smaller regional companies created to deliver telephone service in the US. AT&T stifled innovation in the telecom business for decades - afterwards the US saw competition for long distance service and the emergence of cellular service.

[@bernardchandler5386]

@@dwboston1 we will have to keep an eye on fiber.

[@GSMnocap-memesdaily-]

Great choice for a Christmas breakdown

[@LookAtThisRock]

Like you pointed out, the creators didn't write it as a Christmas movie. But what people don't realize is, it has BECOME a Christmas movie. It's doesn't have to be black and white and we don't need to have the same argument every year. Both sides are right. It WASN'T originally a Christmas movie, but it IS a Christmas movie now. 🤷‍♂

[@davida12345]

.... Nah you're just a tool

[@ActuallyDoubleGuitars]

What do you mean, it's completely set at Christmas time. Everyone says Happy Christmas loads of times. Now I have a machine gun Ho Ho Ho... it's clearly an action Christmas movie.

[@abegarfield7031]

@@ActuallyDoubleGuitars The film was clearly written like that. Like you pointed out, there's too many yuletide references and plot points to be afterthoughts but the book has nothing to do with Xmas.

[@NiKiMa023]

@@abegarfield7031we don’t talk about it being a Christmas book. 😂 It’s set during an office Christmas party

[@pamelalansbury94]

agreed

[@billtron182]

Paul dropping one of the best breakdowns for one of my favorite movies and he’s dropping it on Christmas! Thanks Paul for all the great work u do all the time for us merry Christmas and happy new years to u and ur family brother! Cheers man 🍻

[@milddairylifesavers6172]

Another incredible piece of work here Paul. When Bruce slaps the Playboy centerfold, I never thought it was a high five. I always saw that as him coppin a feel! Just how I always saw it.

[@iggtastic]

I always read it as a gesture for good luck, like how people touch statues in public places. "Boobs for luck!"

[@Resimaster]

The scar on Bruce's arm is real. It was from surgery when he broke his arm as a teenager. Ironically, it's also where the metal cable injures him in Die Hard With A Vengeance.

[@abegarfield7031]

I used to think the tattoo was real but it turned out to be a subtle character detail belonging to John, not Bruce. I'm not sure if it's in the first Die hard but it's quite prominent in .....with a vengeance.

[@abegarfield7031]

Because I wrote that comment before watching the video, I didn't realise it's mentioned in the video.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

If I recall BW broke his collar bone in a ID ski 🎿 accident. It was after he married Demi Moore.

[@acb9896]

Did you know "John" as a teenager? What was his COMPLETELY FICTIONAL teeage life like?

[@AC-hj9tv]

No way! I have the same scar. From surgery after I broke my arm too. Cool 😎

[@ScrambledAndBenedict]

I love just how well paced this movie is. How practically every scene does double-duty establishing multiple things.

[@hymanroth560]

4:50 The shooting of the villain off a roof & the main character’s kid going off too reminds me of “Last action hero”

[@johnimusprime1979]

Same director 😊

[@robertpreciado1274]

Great video glad too have you take the time to give us this masterpiece

[@tcrashg60]

Thank you for this breakdown Paul, bring on more 80s and 90s films! I absolutely love 'em! Enjoyed the BTTF breakdown and look forward to the other sequels. You could even do the next two sequels for Die Hard. Merry Christmas Paul and wish you and your team the best! Great job as always!

[@morticiaheisenberg9679]

The 80's & 90's were the best movies ever!!

[@natebudarz8725]

I don’t know about anyone else but I fall back to sleep to these beautiful breakdowns😀

[@NeverLetOff]

Epic review! This was fantastic! Huge thank you!

[@ToffeeTVEFC]

i love the classic breakdowns more than the new ones. So much more knowledge and history to pull from.

[@kareningram6093]

Great breakdown. I'm loving these classic films you've been covering lately.

[@gingerkittiesfour]

26:12 - This actually happened back then in Southern California. A police officer shot a little boy who was pointing a toy gun at the cop. The cop responded to a burglary in progress. He entered a dark house, saw a person pointing a gun and shot him dead.

[@GeorgePyles]

Another "Christmas" movie I'd loved to see broken down is Gremlins. So much potential there. Thanks for the good content Paul, I look forward to watching your channel.

[@Ezra0]

Thoroughly enjoy your humor. Thanks for another awesome breakdown. I’ll see you on the next one.

[@grkpektis]

If this was from the perspective of just John this would feel like a horror movie and a lot less fun. It was such a great idea to follow multiple characters to make the movie feel less intense

[@Caltops78]

These videos are way more entertaining than 99 percent of the movies that come out in the theater today. Until they start making decent movies again I will just enjoy the classics or watch KZbinrs talk about the classics.

[@AthenaisC]

This was such a great film. Alan Rickman is gone, and Bruce Willis is ill. They just don't make them like that anymore. 😢😢😢

[@gemo8806able]

I love that you did this, thank you. I've been watching this movie every year for Christmas for like 8 years now.

[@TetsuyaMcCuddin]

26:06 - Something that doesn't get brought up much, is that until the mid-eighties or so, toy guns that were visually _identical_ to the real thing were still being sold ("Entertech" being probably the best known line). They were involved in a handful of accidental shootings, and stuff like that is why toy guns were manufactured with orange tips from then on. Not sure why Al was written as calling out his own incident as a "ray gun" though.

[@ninjaswordtothehead]

I remember getting the Tec-9 and my dad telling me that pointing it at any adult would get me hurt or in a lot of trouble. At least half the kids on base had one, looking back I'm kind of surprised nothing ever happened.

[@cheekster777]

Thoroughly enjoyed this breakdown Paul having just rewatched the movie in 4K on Christmas Eve. 🙏🏻 Next up I plan to listen to both of the audio commentaries. 😎

[@Ezrumas]

There is the subtext of East versus West and the divide in cultures. Maybe accidental, with the script being a bit improvised, but it does provide excellent tension and dynamics between multiple characters.

[@RobertMunro-wb6jb]

This movie and lethal weapon are my 2 favourite Christmas movies !!! I watch them every Christmas and think about the great times me and my grandma used to watch them together at Christmas time !!!

[@cheekster777]

Did a Die Hard 1 & 2 double-bill in 4K myself last night on Christmas Eve. The first one is a classic and definitely can be classed as a Christmas movie imo. Shall watch this then listen to the two audio commentaries. 😎 Thank you, Paul. 🙏🏻

[@josephserenson166]

How was 4k? I watched it on my DVD copy I have on a 4kQLED TV and it looked horrible. Think it's time to update it to 4k haha

[@cheekster777]

@@josephserenson166 - Not 4K crispy to my eyes, picture looked quite soft and often times it felt like I’ve seen better looking standard Blu-rays but I think that is all down to the source material. It is how the movie has always looked. I’ve seen this movie in 35mm, 70mm and 4K at the cinema.

[@Skullyally5]

Not christmas movies

[@Nick-v7b3l]

Alan Rickman was an exceptional loss. What a fantastic actor. Seeing Willis in his current state of health breaks my heart. He's one of my childhood movie heroes.

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah it’s so sad, life is cruel

[@twcc406]

Excellent breakdown, must re-watch the Die Hard movies again. Bruce once responded to the question 'Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?' with the answer that Die Hard was a Bruce Willis movie. On a tangent, I consider 'Striking Distance' (1993) to be Die Hard on the water.

[@CrookedSkew]

A tour de force. A video to make Peralta proud. Nice to see FPS Doug come outta retirement for a cameo! Thanks. That was extremely satisfying.

[@OVALetsPlay]

i definitely recommend watching Epic rap battles of history John Wick vs John McClane vs John Rambo. thank you guys for making such detailed and well thought out videos on movies. ive been binge watching one after another. truman show , the dark night terminator 1 and 2 etc

[@radwolfgaming6879]

One thing I noticed is that Marco’s death (loosely) foreshadows two more deaths, that being Franco (both their knees were shot out) and Hans (both fell from roughly the same floor onto the street below). Also a very similar shot is used for the scenes where John holds his gun to Tony’s neck, and when Karl does the same to him a few hours later before their fight

[@johnshaw359]

In the directors cut they cut the power, however the building has it's own back up generators that kick in and relight the building, making the FBI agents look stupid and perhaps not as clever as they think they are and that's why the agent is so rude and insistent to the power engineer to 'Lose the grid or you lose you're job' and gets the power cut locally.

[@emom358]

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year! This is one of my top 10 Holiday movies so thanks for this.

[@iloveentertainment]

Thanks Paul for your hard work with this one 👍✌️ I think it was a trend, at the time, for women to keep their maiden names for professional reasons. So, it is unsurprising that Holly keeps her maiden name in the work setting. Sure, as you observed, it was part of the key reason for the division between her and John, which is further explored in the following Die Hard movies. This is a subtle way to add the female element in a male heavy movie. Which is brilliant for the time, I think. Imagine if they rebooted the movie with the kid in the pregnant woman grown up to be a cop or a villain; influenced by the events. 🤔 Also “holly” is also a symbolic reason for this being a Christmas movie 😯

[@MoistMan772]

Not going to lie this is my favorite Christmas Movie, watch it every year. Great breakdown Paul and team. Thank you!

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

To any new subscribers: WELCOME TO THE PARTY, PAL!

[@dnicej1293]

Merry Christmas, Paul! This was a great gift, thank you!

[@Noir0rioN]

"THIS *IS* CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!"

[@timoth7paul]

These classic film breakdowns are the best things on the channel

[@Fakeaorta]

29:59 Very nice Ghostbusters reference with the same actor who played Walter Peck.

[@NorwichBaker]

Sorry saw this after I posted the same

[@Fakeaorta]

No worries. I often post stuff that has already been pointed out. @@NorwichBaker

[@nicholastosoni707]

Yeah, and Hans Gruber has no less than VIGO in his ranks. (Norbert Grupe/Wilhelm von Homburg).

[@joshuabuxton237]

They say the same thing about him in Bio-Dome.

[@p.j.talavera8106]

I was immediately saying it's not a Christmas movie, and he immediately shut me down. Clever. But it's still not a Christmas movie.

[@ianj4389]

I thought the scar on McLane's arm was a real scar. If you notice in later movies that aren't part of die hard, Bruce Willis actually has an emaciated right shoulder.

[@abegarfield7031]

There's the tattoo as well. I don't think he has it in all of the movies but it's seen quite clearly in DH3. I just assumed it was Willis's tattoo.

[@keithsummers_]

Glad I got a chance to finish. Great breakdown, Paul. Really well done.

[@CharlieNixon]

Hey, just FYI: Holly's boss is Takagi, not Tagaki.

[@VindexImperiusO9A]

I always loved how John checks the weapons for ammunition as he picks them up.

[@williammiller3052]

Video idea: Discussing the fact that John McTiernan has back to back (Predator 87/Die Hard 88) genre breaking action films that solidly demonstrate the shifting of eras between 80's beef and 90's vegetarian (coined) styles. I'd never really thought of it this way, but having two such films puts McTiernan in the S class with the likes of Kubrick, Spielberg, and Cameron in terms of cultural significance and quality of craft. Seems like a decent video idea to me. It could be stretched further into the history of contemporary action films 'From Bullet to Bullshit: how action films rose and fell over the last 50 years'. The tie in to the role in Die Hard being offered to Eastwood is a wild talking point, as he was a 70's era action star that wasn't larger than life (and thus was more like McClain than Dutch), which would have sandwiched him around the entire beef era. Just some thoughts.

[@Torment92121]

McTiernan also directed The Hunt for Red October and The Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan. Man had a fantastic run of films.

[@williammiller3052]

Hell ya. Sad to think his legacy seems lost to history already.@@Torment92121

[@kieranbehan1940]

Dude watching your videos for years. Hammered on christmas night. That message was lovely. I hope youre having a great chistmas! Happy New Year!

[@moggietheantagonist3629]

Thanks so much for releasing this on Dec 25th. I'm without family this year so this meant so much today. Of course it's a Christmas movie! When I was a kid, they'd show Die Hard 2 on t.v. & the censored line was "Yippee kai yay Mr Falcon!" Best censorship ever! Lol Happy Christmas everybody!

[@heavyspoilers]

hope you had a good one mate, merry christmas and all the best for 2024

[@susanwoodcarver]

Thank you so much! This was so good. You’ve made me a subscriber. Best wishes.

[@ae6888]

Kudos to you and your team (if there is one) for all your deep dives of classic movies. It has been a delight to get details from these pivotal movies from my youth

[@midago7332]

Awesome, and definitely a Christmas movie, on my Christmas watch list with lethal weapon 1, and gremlins and home alone. Wishing you guys at the Chanel for all your top content and your viewers a very happy new year.

[@peterthx]

Terri Lynn Doss was a Playmate of the Month but not Playmate of the Year. Also the power guy was comedian Rick Ducommun, who gave Alec Baldwin the "puke" speech in McTiernan's THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER.

[@LeighHart]

With all the streaming companies charging money to watch the original movie, this was a welcome substitute. Thanks for all your hard work. Merry Christmas

[@artguilljr]

I think John knew it was Hans because of the Cigarette. When John's informing Al, he pauses on the word cigarettes, when he gives Hans the cigarette he doesn't flinch at a European cigarette, which are typically stronger. Mctiernan also does this gag in The Hunt for Red October with Jack Ryan. Also, the power guy is Rick Ducamen who is also in HFRO and The Burbs.

[@radwolfgaming6879]

I think that John said cigarettes because he noticed that Tony and Heinrich (and presumably Marco before he got thrown out the window) were all wearing the same watch. I believe he said cigarettes after that long pause as he knows that Hans and his crew can hear him on the police channel and he doesn’t want to give away the fact he knows they’re wearing the same watch (in case they take them off so it would be more difficult for John to know they’re part of Hans’ crew in the event he captures one of them).

[@Calc_Ulator]

NOPE! Not the cigs, the cigs was an afterthought afterwards. HINT- BILL CLAY

[@fatrunner]

Great video Paul. My response to anyone who says Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie is that if that's the case neither is Home Alone as it' basically a kid version of Die Hard!

[@DerekIcelord]

I always read the scene with John handing the drink to someone else as it tasting terrible. I'm pretty sure he does take a sip. The bit where he sees the woman in the other building I always thought was him getting a clue, namely that the phones only stopped working in the Nakatomi building, since the woman is clearly on the phone uninterrupted.

[@KevinGeaslin]

The stewardess that smiles at John is so cute. And holy shit, I've watched this movie at least once a year since 1988 and I can't believe I never noticed Marco's body flying off of the police car before lol.

[@Arturius_Rex_8]

If the movie requires it to be Christmas for the plot to work, it's a Christmas movie. In Home Alone you're not getting an extended family vacation to France to happen for anything other than Christmas, therefore Christmas movie. The Nakatomi Christmas party is central to the plot here, so Die Hard is also a Christmas movie. They even set the sequel at Christmas because they didn't think people would realize a movie titled 'Die Harder' was a Die Hard movie without it being Christmas (only slightly joking here).

[@matthewrobinson6872]

Good job with this channel dude, youre doing fantastic work and love that you also do classic films. I'd love to see you take a chance with something like "The Third Man" there is so much to talk about with that one.

[@stefanluciw8023]

The debate over whether "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie has been a subject of much discussion and humor among film enthusiasts. While it may not fit the traditional mold of a Christmas movie, there are several reasons why some people argue that "Die Hard" can be considered a Christmas movie: Setting: The movie is set during Christmas Eve at a holiday party in Nakatomi Plaza. The festive backdrop, complete with decorations and Christmas trees, contributes to the Christmas atmosphere. Themes of Redemption and Family: Christmas movies often revolve around themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the importance of family. In "Die Hard," the protagonist, John McClane, is attempting to reconcile with his wife, and the movie explores the theme of the importance of relationships and family. Holiday Traditions: The film incorporates traditional holiday elements, such as gift-giving (even if the gifts are explosives), Santa hats, and Christmas music (including the iconic use of "Let It Snow" during a tense scene). Iconic Christmas References: Throughout the film, there are references to Christmas-related elements, such as the use of "Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho" on a dead terrorist's shirt and the setting of the film during a Christmas party. The Spirit of Christmas: Despite the intense action and violence, the movie carries a theme of triumph over adversity, which aligns with the spirit of Christmas. John McClane's determination to save lives and reunite with his family embodies the idea of goodwill and selflessness associated with the holiday season. Ultimately, whether one considers "Die Hard" a Christmas movie is subjective, and people may have different criteria for what defines a film in that genre. Some appreciate the unconventional take on the Christmas theme, while others adhere to more traditional holiday movie conventions. The debate adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the film and contributes to its lasting popularity.

[@staceylabiosa4856]

I know a bunch of Albanians that own a pizzeria, and they were all standing out in front of it one night, as I was passing by. and I yelled to them, "you look like the cast of bad guys for a die hard movie." and they all started laughing so hard some of them fell to the floor. a cop was watching and freaked out because he could only see what was happening and thought it was a drive-by in progress. it ended well thank god.

[@serwinzzalot9989]

Mctiernan must be praised for his diverse casting in every movie. He's always had people of different races in prominent roles. He's made a point to do this in spite of studios. Tony Scott is another.

[@Tony-.]

Selecting people not based on their competencies, but based on their color is not professional. This is another reason why movies used to be stronger. Every character here is grounded, the Japanese were the economic leader, Germany was plagued by crime problems, women had a really hard time making it in their careers and they were forced to work because no one would give them a place by their gender like do today. Anyway, I agree with you, the casting is amazing.

[@wallythewondercorncake8657]

Wtf are you talking about? All the main cast in this film are white apart from one black guy lmao Also it's stupid to cast people just cos of their race.

[@karelvvv]

You, know before Fujitsu left their office building in Maarsen (near Utrecht in the Netherlands) the main hall was designed like the interior of the film with a ground floor bar with ceiling mirrors...

[@Gersheyz]

The Guy With No Dick is also the antagonist in Real Genius, another classic with a young Val Kilmer

[@josephedge88]

Also the main baddie, I guess you call him that, in biodome...... still wondering how he got that key????

[@kedzielski]

Spent Christmas watching your channel

[@heavyspoilers]

Ey thank you. Always nice knowing people take time out to check it out. Hope you had a good one and all the best for 2024.

[@soundwave-815]

"Die hard is not a Christmas movie. It's a Bruce Willis movie." - Bruce Willis

[@mitchellwebber3326]

Thank you for the Christmas episode! It’s my favorite Christmas movie of all time!

[@rhyswilliams26]

Fantastic breakdown, yet again Paul, look forward to seeing more in the new year, hope you had a good one

[@JafoThaKlown]

the actor who played Argyle, was in Blues Brothers as the kid trying to steal from Ray's Music Exchange...

[@MatthewDias25]

Merry Christmas to you Paul and everyone involved with the channel 🎄🎁