Film Is Die Hard really a Christmas film...

Unquestionably a Christmas movie.

The themes of family reconciliation and saving Christmas at the same time make it so without needing to go into more detail.
 
Is driving home for Christmas any less of a Christmas song given it could have conceivably been driving home for Susan’s 40th surprise birthday bash?
 
I think they've deliberately made it ambiguous as some sort of genius marketing ploy. I hear more people talk about this than the actual film. 8 pages on this mundane question ffs.
 
Far too many Christmas films have nothing to do with Christmas. It's usually just happening in the background (snow, Christmas lights, the occasional song and overuse of red and green).

Home Alone is one of the most famous Christmas films, but it could just as well been during in Thanksgiving. The family just need a holiday excuse to leave the house and practically none of Kevin's traps are Christmas related. I can only think of one off the top of my head, and it's the least creative one (when the crooks step on glass decoration with bare feet). I also think that part of the country (Chicago suburbs?) can be snowy, cold and slippery during Thanksgiving, which aids some of the other traps. Even the neighbour's family conflict could just as well have been solved through a Thanksgiving dinner instead.

Or to take a "modern classic": The Holiday. Super popular among the romcom lovers in my family and friend group and now considered a "must watch" every Christmas (I think it's because Jack Black is so irresistibly sexy). Half the film happens in sunny California and I don't think they even say the word Christmas or show a single piece of Christmas decoration. The other half happens in the snowy English countryside but there is only one Christmassy scene that I can think of.

The only logical conclusion is that if the story happens during Christmas and most people watch the film in the Christmas season, then it's a Christmas film.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Love Actually is a romantic comedy set at Christmas Time.
Home alone is a comedy/sadistic thriller set at Christmas Time.


Is it only a Christmas movie if it’s about an Elf or Santa?

Home alone is a Christmas movie because the entire premise is it being set at Christmas time for the ultimate ending to be saved/parents & Kevin reunited in time to celebrate Christmas together. Die Hard is exactly the same for John & his family.
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Love actually doesn't claim to be a Christmas film,
Home Alone also doesn't claim to be a Christmas film,
People associate these films with Christmas due to them being set at Christmas.
 
First time I watched it I didn't make any association with Christmas at all.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Now I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.
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Die hard is a Christmas film to me, but only because I associate it with Christmas.
It's not actually a Christmas film, as in it's not really about Christmas in any way shape of form, other then it's set at a Christmas party.

However you could take deeper meaning with the savior reborn aspect and the goodwill/family first trope behind it to give it a Christmassy message for sure.
 
Also with Die Hard the whole plot doesn’t work if it isn’t Christmas and here’s why….
  1. What motivation would John have to visit his estranged wife? She’s moved to California to pursue her career and John is too stubborn to make the effort except for the one time of the year where even he feels the festive obligation. It also comes at a time where Holly has all but given up on him hence the photo of the family being placed down. The Christmas season drives John to try again.
  2. Holly has performed exceptionally well in the new role and as such the whole company is there to celebrate their record year, the terrorist group knows they have performed well and want to target the company at the point where it will be easiest to take control. Christmas is the perfect time for this as you will have a lot of relaxed off guard people and a reduced police response due to the numerous other events they would have to attend and possible reduced force numbers. Without Holly there the company wouldn’t have been as successful and wouldn’t have been a target for the terrorist group. No Holly, no big Christmas party, no target and no John in that place. So Christmas takes an active role in getting the characters to the places they need to be for the story to work. In what other scenario would John visit her workplace and in what other scenario would every employee be in as vulnerable a position?
 
BenitoSTARR said:
Also with Die Hard the whole plot doesn’t work if it isn’t Christmas and here’s why….
  1. What motivation would John have to visit his estranged wife? She’s moved to California to pursue her career and John is too stubborn to make the effort except for the one time of the year where even he feels the festive obligation. It also comes at a time where Holly has all but given up on him hence the photo of the family being placed down. The Christmas season drives John to try again.
  2. Holly has performed exceptionally well in the new role and as such the whole company is there to celebrate their record year, the terrorist group knows they have performed well and want to target the company at the point where it will be easiest to take control. Christmas is the perfect time for this as you will have a lot of relaxed off guard people and a reduced police response due to the numerous other events they would have to attend and possible reduced force numbers. Without Holly there the company wouldn’t have been as successful and wouldn’t have been a target for the terrorist group. No Holly, no big Christmas party, no target and no John in that place. So Christmas takes an active role in getting the characters to the places they need to be for the story to work. In what other scenario would John visit her workplace and in what other scenario would every employee be in as vulnerable a position?
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A celebration party at the end of the financial year to celebrate both Holly and the companies brilliant year?

The firepower the terrorists have meant that it wouldn't matter what time of year it was, they were storming that building.
 
You can't have a Christmas movie with terrorists.

The same reason why Kevin doesn't die in Home Alone and Buddy ends up reconciling with his dad in Elf.

Setting a film at Christmas doesn't necessarily make it a Christmas movie, often it does but not always.

I'm on team no here!
 
ChrisNelson said:
You can't have a Christmas movie with terrorists.

The same reason why Kevin doesn't die in Home Alone and Buddy ends up reconciling with his dad in Elf.

Setting a film at Christmas doesn't necessarily make it a Christmas movie, often it does but not always.

I'm on team no here!
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But Die Hard has a happy ending! The terrorists don't win. They die. Hard.
 
ChrisNelson said:
You can't have a Christmas movie with terrorists.

The same reason why Kevin doesn't die in Home Alone and Buddy ends up reconciling with his dad in Elf.

Setting a film at Christmas doesn't necessarily make it a Christmas movie, often it does but not always.

I'm on team no here!
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Of course you can have a Christmas movie with terrorists; they just can't win.

Even your examples support what I'm saying. Home Alone has violent criminals, which is fine because they're thwarted by the good guy.

In Elf, not only does Buddy end up reconciling with his Dad, but they also overcome the evils of late-stage capitalist consumerism when they revolt against the suits who don't care about Christmas or disappointing orphans, and set up their own, independent bookshop that presumably acts with impeccable ethics.
 
Champ said:
A celebration party at the end of the financial year to celebrate both Holly and the companies brilliant year?

The firepower the terrorists have meant that it wouldn't matter what time of year it was, they were storming that building.
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Why would John be compelled to attend an end of financial year? How would he get the time off work to attend that?

He has the time, due to Christmas holidays, the festive pressure, Christmas is a time for being with loved ones, and the place to be able to attend.

End of financial year also doesn’t place the police response at a disadvantage.

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for police involvement in other low levels crimes.
 
Thaumaste said:
Of course you can have a Christmas movie with terrorists; they just can't win.

Even your examples support what I'm saying. Home Alone has violent criminals, which is fine because they're thwarted by the good guy.

In Elf, not only does Buddy end up reconciling with his Dad, but they also overcome the evils of late-stage capitalist consumerism when they revolt against the suits who don't care about Christmas or disappointing orphans, and set up their own, independent bookshop that presumably acts with impeccable ethics.
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Ask Mr Takagi's family if it's a happy Christmas movie :lol: I don't think you should have anyone die in a Christmas movie!
 
Just love that time of year when all the edge lords come out to argue over Die Hard. Really gets me into the spirit of the season
 
If you take the Christmas out of Die Hard, you have to take a great deal of dialogue out with it. There's Christmas jokes throughout. The entire soundtrack is essentially a Christmas album too.

I don't even care for it that much, but it's a Christmas film.
 
BenitoSTARR said:
Why would John be compelled to attend an end of financial year? How would he get the time off work to attend that?

He has the time, due to Christmas holidays, the festive pressure, Christmas is a time for being with loved ones, and the place to be able to attend.

End of financial year also doesn’t place the police response at a disadvantage.

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for police involvement in other low levels crimes.
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Could have been Thanksgiving!
Could have been 4th July!
Could have been Halloween!

His wife invited him out to spend some time 'out on the coast', could have been anytime of the year, perhaps summer would have been better.

Interesting it's the Police forces busiest time of year, yet a cop is on annual leave?
 
ChrisNelson said:
Ask Mr Takagi's family if it's a happy Christmas movie :lol: I don't think you should have anyone die in a Christmas movie!
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Surely the greatest cheer of every festive season is saved for when Ellis gets his bullet! Not all deaths are equal!
 
Champ said:
Could have been Thanksgiving!
Could have been 4th July!
Could have been Halloween!

His wife invited him out to spend some time 'out on the coast', could have been anytime of the year, perhaps summer would have been better.

Interesting it's the Police forces busiest time of year, yet a cop is on annual leave?
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McClane wouldn’t go.

Terrorists chose it due to the disruption.

People had their guards down more so at Christmas than any other time of year
 
Champ said:
Could have been Thanksgiving!
Could have been 4th July!
Could have been Halloween!

His wife invited him out to spend some time 'out on the coast', could have been anytime of the year, perhaps summer would have been better.

Interesting it's the Police forces busiest time of year, yet a cop is on annual leave?
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A Christmas Carol could have been set on Scrooge’s birthday with the ghosts just visiting him to turn his life around before he’s too old.

But it wasn’t.
 
BenitoSTARR said:
McClane wouldn’t go.

Terrorists chose it due to the disruption.

People had their guards down more so at Christmas than any other time of year
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We don't know the vested warrior wouldn't have gone any other time, it could have easily been New Years Eve, same rules would have applied.
 
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