The answer to whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie is found in one scene

As anyone who has studied “Die Hard” knows, the film has a strong sense of structure, with composition, blocking, dialogue and performances working in perfect harmony with each other to set up and pay off every element introduced in the film. . As such, its opening titles, Which extends from the beginning of the movie to eight minutes after the moviecontains a wealth of information about characters, spaces, situations, and themes to follow. From a businessman (Robert Lesser) asking John McClane (Bruce Willis) to hold his toes to combat jet lag, to the creation of Nakatomi Corporation and its Christmas party, the opening of “Die Hard” is a true holiday treat. Schedule setter.

As the titles start to end and the Nakatomi Building approaches, Argyle (De’voreaux White), the limo driver hired to take McClane to the building, suggests putting on some music. As the notes of Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” play over the limo’s sound system, McLean rolls his eyes. “Don’t you have any Christmas music?” he complains, since it’s Christmas Eve. “this He is “Christmas music,” Argyle replies confidently. The rest of the titles follow with an establishing shot of the limousine pulling up to Front entrance to Nakatomi Plaza While the song continues.

At this moment, McTiernan, and writers Jeb Stewart and Stephen E. D’Souza, and “Die Hard” itself, have expressed their intentions and sought to preemptively suppress naysayers. The casting of “Christmas in Hollis” is to illustrate how this film will be edgy, irreverent, modern, and even a little subversive, all while maintaining the holiday theme. In this way, Argyle may also be speaking to the audience, insisting that “this is a Christmas movie” as the film deviates from typical holiday scenes of cold, snowy streets, family dinners in suburban homes, gift exchanges, and events. almost. “Christmas in Hollis” even encapsulates this expanded definition of what Christmas is, as Run-DMC tells its story of the East Coast, celebrating the holiday infused with black culture. With this scene, this dialogue, and this drop, “Die Hard” cements its status as an official Christmas movie from the jump.