MovieChat Forums > Die Hard (1988) Discussion > Not a Christmas movie, according to new ...

Not a Christmas movie, according to new poll


And you know what? I agree!

Die Hard is a movie set during Christmas, not a Christmas movie.

Article:

https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/12/05/die-hard-not-christmas-movie-new-poll-says/

And hey, Bruce Willis said as much a year ago:

https://ew.com/movies/2018/07/15/bruce-willis-die-hard-not-christmas-movie/

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Now I have a machine gun Ho Ho Ho

Yup, that's Christmassy.

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Exactly. I say it is. It's not simply set during Christmas. Christmas itself plays a role in the story and how things unfold. Character's motivations. All that.

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You could strip all the Christmas stuff out and the movie would still work.

Strip all the Christmas stuff out of Elf or A Christmas Story and you don't even have a movie left.

That's the difference between an actual Christmas movie and a movie that's just set during Christmas.

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Nonsense. You could have told the story of Elf with Leprechauns or just about any damn fairy tale.

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exactly, a Christmas movie has to have Christmas themes in it which are essential to make the movie work otherwise the Christmas things are just decorations or plot devices, they are just there to make you know it's Christmas time they are just details.

ok, just stop it, just stop it. everyone, everywhere stop foolishly sending out ill informed messages making this movie seem like a Christmas movie. this isn't a Christmas movie. the reason why is Christmas is always in the background and Christmas is not a big part of this movie. John McClane doesn't go out and buy a Christmas tree, he doesn't get ornaments, he doesn't shop for Christmas presents, he doesn't sing Christmas songs, you never see a Santa Clause, and this movie is not jolly and it doesn't have a Christmas spirit in it, and in the end, this movie isn't about Christmas. this movie is about survival, action, violence, and getting to his wife. Christmas is just used as a backdrop, a plot device, but it's not the main plot motive.

A Christmas movie has to be about Christmas in an essential way where it moves the plot in the direction of anticipating Christmas and thinking about Christmas and it has to have enough Christmas images to make you think of Christmas and a spirit of Christmas.

Also, the way you know for a fact that this is not a Christmas movie is when you were a little kid and you watched this movie did you think it is a Christmas movie? if the answer is no, then it's not a Christmas movie and when i watched this movie as a like 10 year old, i didn't think this is a Christmas movie i just noticed the slight Christmas presence in this movie. the reason i say this is because when you are from the ages of 4 to 12 years old and you watch a movie you don't overthink things so you form rational explanations and logical conclusions about things that are correct.

oh, and another point, does the cover on here show any Christmas related things? no, it doesn't because this is not a Christmas movie.

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So...home alone could have taken place on some random vacation day and that would mean that home alone is not a Christmas movie....

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TandyMan is correct. In this and Lethal Weapon, Christmas plays a role in the plot. It isn't simply "during Christmas" as in When Harry Met Sally (which is NOT a Christmas movie).
Who cares about some new poll. People can regard this as they like. This reminds me of people who think that Star Wars is not science fiction but is rather "fantasy" due to the lack of actual science in the movie.

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what about planes, trains, and automobiles? it's set during or around Thanksgiving but it's not a thanksgiving film.

ok, just stop it, just stop it. everyone, everywhere stop foolishly sending out ill informed messages making this movie seem like a Christmas movie. this isn't a Christmas movie. the reason why is Christmas is always in the background and Christmas is not a big part of this movie. John McClane doesn't go out and buy a Christmas tree, he doesn't get ornaments, he doesn't shop for Christmas presents, he doesn't sing Christmas songs, you never see a Santa Clause, and this movie is not jolly and it doesn't have a Christmas spirit in it, and in the end, this movie isn't about Christmas. this movie is about survival, action, violence, and getting to his wife. Christmas is just used as a backdrop, a plot device, but it's not the main plot motive.

A Christmas movie has to be about Christmas in an essential way where it moves the plot in the direction of anticipating Christmas and thinking about Christmas and it has to have enough Christmas images to make you think of Christmas and a spirit of Christmas.

Also, the way you know for a fact that this is not a Christmas movie is when you were a little kid and you watched this movie did you think it is a Christmas movie? if the answer is no, then it's not a Christmas movie and when i watched this movie as a like 10 year old, i didn't think this is a Christmas movie i just noticed the slight Christmas presence in this movie. the reason i say this is because when you are from the ages of 4 to 12 years old and you watch a movie you don't overthink things so you form rational explanations and logical conclusions about things that are correct.

oh, and another point, does the cover on here show any Christmas related things? no, it doesn't because this is not a Christmas movie.

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Planes Trains and Automobiles is a Thanksgiving movie. Trust me, I know all the rules about what constitutes a holiday film and I'll spell it all out for everyone ITT with high dudgeon.

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you're wrong, planes trains and automobiles is not a thanksgiving film because if it were then everybody would say that everytime they mention it.

oh and if die hard was a Christmas film then it would have to show that it is clearly on the movie video box cover which it doesn't. if it was it would have christmas colors, christmas trees, christmas words, something to indicate it is a Christmas movie.

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May I please see your Holiday-Movie-Authority Badge? I think you may be an imposter.

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To be fair Planes, trains and automobiles is not popular enough to be labelled a thanksgiving movie. If it was as popular as Home Alone or Die Hard, Im sure it would be..

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For me, my annual Xmas staples are always The Santa Clause, National Lampoons Xmas Vaca, It's a Wonderful Life, and Die Hard.

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I think it's entirely appropriate to watch it during the Christmas season but that doesn't make it a Christmas movie.

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exactly, because is not integral or essential to the things that happen in it. just think of when you first watched it as a kid, did you think it was a christmas movie then, no you didn't because you had the sense to not overthink is this a Christmas movie then.

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There are Christmas movies (ex, White Christmas, A Christmas Carol) and movies set during the Christmas season (ex, Die Hard, When Harry Met Sally, The Long Kiss Goodnight).

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Exactly.

Taking a story that could happen during any time of the year and dropping it into the Christmas season doesn't make that story a Christmas story.

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But it still makes it more fun to watch during Christmastime.

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I'd agree with that, too.

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Depends on what you deem a Christmas movie.

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exactly people are so ignorant to just jump to the conclusion that just because this movie takes place during Christmas time that it is a christmas movie, but i will spend the rest of my life trying to educate people and change people's ill informed minds about this movie not being a Christmas movie.

here you go:

ok, just stop it, just stop it. everyone, everywhere stop foolishly sending out ill informed messages making this movie seem like a Christmas movie. this isn't a Christmas movie. the reason why is Christmas is always in the background and Christmas is not a big part of this movie. John McClane doesn't go out and buy a Christmas tree, he doesn't get ornaments, he doesn't shop for Christmas presents, he doesn't sing Christmas songs, you never see a Santa Clause, and this movie is not jolly and it doesn't have a Christmas spirit in it, and in the end, this movie isn't about Christmas. this movie is about survival, action, violence, and getting to his wife. Christmas is just used as a backdrop, a plot device, but it's not the main plot motive.

A Christmas movie has to be about Christmas in an essential way where it moves the plot in the direction of anticipating Christmas and thinking about Christmas and it has to have enough Christmas images to make you think of Christmas and a spirit of Christmas.

Also, the way you know for a fact that this is not a Christmas movie is when you were a little kid and you watched this movie did you think it is a Christmas movie? if the answer is no, then it's not a Christmas movie and when i watched this movie as a like 10 year old, i didn't think this is a Christmas movie i just noticed the slight Christmas presence in this movie. the reason i say this is because when you are from the ages of 4 to 12 years old and you watch a movie you don't overthink things so you form rational explanations and logical conclusions about things that are correct.

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exactly, it's like people think you can't make a movie set around Christmas and have it not be a Christmas movie. i mean how stupid can people get? yeah that's right the long kiss goodnight takes place around Christmas but did i ever think this is a Christmas movie? of course not because it's not just like die hard.
oh,

and another point, does the cover on here show any Christmas related things? no, it doesn't because this is not a Christmas movie.

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If it's not a Christmas movie why would they release a cover like this?

https://www.amazon.ca/Die-Hard-Blu-ray-Bruce-Willis/dp/B07G29RCJV/ref=asc_df_B07G29RCJV/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312884359380&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7252790353607250024&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001397&hvtargid=pla-577522767768&psc=1

I don't think that any of the sequels are, but the first one is totally a Christmas movie.

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For money you stooge. Why else would they release that cover 30 years later?

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exactly, that's what i just thought like how they are having a comcast commercial with it nowadays it's all about making money, marketing this movie that way. all you have to do is look at the original cover of this movie, if this movie is a Christmas movie it would indicate as such on the cover. and it doesn't have any christmas colors, any christmas trees, snowflakes, or other christmas images on it's cover and it doesn't just say the word Christmas on the cover. every christmas movie has a clear indicator that this is a christmas movie on it's movie video box cover.

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Precisely. I mean it's smart of fox's part. They are like "this debate is great. we can make more money because of it."

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Lies. All lies.

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It is to people who don't watch Hallmark holiday movies.

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Thank you.
Exactly.

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The studio that made the movie begs to disagree.

Diehard... The Greatest Christmas Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=4Wi28Vsi_ZU

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it's like this. if a house has Christmas lights on it, is the house not a house, it's lights with a house? or is the house a house with Christmas light on it? it's a house with Christmas lights on it meaning the lights are not the main part of the picture of a house just like how Christmas is not a main part of die hard.

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