Die Hard (1988)

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers (WGA):

Roderick Thorp (novel)
Jeb Stuart (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It will blow you through the back wall of the theater!

Plot:

New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.

Plot Keywords:

Terrorist | Hostage | Christmas | Bond | Robbery

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Bruce Willis	...	Officer John McClane
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Holly Gennaro McClane
Reginald VelJohnson	...	Sgt. Al Powell (as Reginald Veljohnson)
Paul Gleason	...	Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson
De'voreaux White	...	Argyle
William Atherton	...	Richard Thornburg
Hart Bochner	...	Harry Ellis
James Shigeta	...	Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
Alan Rickman	...	Hans Gruber
Alexander Godunov	...	Karl
Bruno Doyon	...	Franco
Andreas Wisniewski	...	Tony
Clarence Gilyard Jr.	...	Theo
Joey Plewa	...	Alexander
Lorenzo Caccialanza	...	Marco

Also Known As:

Piège de cristal (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Stirb langsam (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
A un passo dall'inferno (Italy) [it]
Assalto ao Arranha-Céus (Portugal) [pt]
Die hard - vain kuolleen ruumiini yli (Finland) [fi]
Die hard: Operasjon skyskraper (Norway) [no]
Drágán add az életed (Hungary) [hu]
Duro de Matar (Brazil) [pt]
Duro de matar (Argentina) [es]
Jungla de cristal (Spain) [es]
Poly skliros gia na pethanei (Greece) [el]
Smrtonosná pasca (Czechoslovakia: Slovak title) [sk]
Smrtonosná past (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]
Szklana pulapka (Poland) [pl]
Trappola di cristallo (Italy) [it]
Umri muski (Yugoslavia: Serbian title) [sr]
Visa hing (Estonia) [et]
Zor ölüm (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #29160) | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2001) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (re-rating) (2001) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (cut) (video premiere) | Finland:K-16 (1989) (cut) | Finland:K-15 (DVD version) | Finland:K-18 (1988) (uncut) | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:14 | Philippines:R-18 | UK:15 (2007) | UK:18 (1988) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | India:A | South Africa:16LV | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Norway:18 (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:PG-12 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The character of Hans Gruber is rumored to be based on author Roderick Thorp's father, a known tyrant amongst friends and family.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As John is fighting Karl towards the end of the movie, Karl's harness is clearly visible as he is dragged across the room by the chains which are supposedly round his neck.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Businessman: You don't like flying, do you?
John McClane: What gives you that idea?
Businessman: You wanna know the secret to surviving air travel? After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes.
John McClane: Fists with your toes?
Businessman: I know, I know, it sounds crazy. Trust me, I've been doing it for nine years. Yes sir, better than a shower and a hot cup of coffee.
John McClane: Okay.
[the businessman sees John's gun]
John McClane: It's okay, I'm a cop. Trust me, I've been doing this for eleven years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wo shi shei (1998)

Soundtrack:

SKELETONS

A guy movie that is still fun to watch

So many things made this movie great.

This movie made Bruce Willis immortal. He soaks up this character so well, it was him. The wise cracking cop who is entertaining because he is sarcastically funny not uttering stupid catch phrases. He is a cop who looks like a normal guy, middle age, loosing some hair with wife problems. (no faked up pretty face with shaved chest and oiled muscles). He is cool without pretending to be cool. He manages to thwart the bad guys while barefoot, man that is a great twist.

The plot is great because it does not fall perfectly in line for the hero. He stumbles, gets stuck and survives only by last minute thinking. It has plenty of action without getting ridiculous.

And the bad guys are great, smart sinister and well acted.

It is one of those movies that could play every weekend and would still be watched. Is one of those top 10 movies every guy should own.

Die hard 2 was OK but not as good as the original, I wish they would have stopped after 2. Die Hard 3 is poor.