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Movies & TV

24th Dec 2017

Die Hard screenwriter definitively answers whether or not it is actually a Christmas film

Paul Moore

Yippee ki-yay! We’ve got an answer.

Much like Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson when he ignored Sergeant Al Powell’s advice about dealing with John McClane, there are some people that really can’t take instructions.

For years, we’ve argued the case that John McTiernan’s action classic Die Hard IS a Christmas film and yet, people think otherwise.

Alas, much like Hans Gruber when he arrived at Nakatomi Plaza, some people just want to ruin the party.

Truth be told, they need to “come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…”

If you’re one of the people that still think Die Hard isn’t a Christmas film then sorry. Wrong guess. Would you like to go for double jeopardy where the scores can really change?

Steven E. de Souza wrote the screenplay for Die Hard – he also wrote Commando, 48 Hours and Die Hard 2 – and he has stated that John McClane’s adventure at Nakatomi Plaza is 100% a Christmas film.

Welcome to the party pal because the debate is settled once and for all.

In an interview with Dazed, he adds: “While of course in the script I made many references to the holiday season, it wasn’t until I set foot on the set and saw the giant Christmas tree and all the decorations in the office building locations that it struck me how ‘Christmassy’ the film was, even when no one was actively mentioning it.”

Now I have a machine gun (and definitive proof that Die Hard is a Christmas film). Ho ho ho.

While you’re here, can you ace our Die Hard trivia and quotes quiz? Give it a shot!

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