Today we present a ‘both sides’ article. Every year, film scholars gather to debate one of the most important philosophical issues of our time: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Opinions on both sides of this argument are surprisingly heated.
https://www.howtogeek.com/704930/is-die-hard-a-christmas-movie/
Yes, Die Hard IS a Christmas Movie
As John and the terrorists engage in a protracted battle of wits and weaponry, they often employ Christmas-themed exclamations. “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho,” John writes on the body of one of Hans’ henchmen. When hacker Theo (Clarence Gilyard, Jr.) wants to warn his fellow criminals of the impending arrival of the cops, he starts with, “‘Twas the night before Christmas … ”
Thematically, Die Hard focuses on John’s need to reconcile with his family, which is one of the most common messages of Christmas movies. Even his wife’s name (Holly) is Christmas-themed.
No, Die Hard is NOT a Christmas Movie
Just because a movie is set at Christmas doesn’t make it a Christmas movie. Over the years, movie studios and TV networks (like Hallmark) have honed in on the precise ingredients for a Christmas movie. In these films, the holiday is always central to the story. This applies to both Hallmark’s mega-successful, mega-cheesy Christmas romance movies, but also to the thriving subgenre of Christmas horror movies.
Could Die Hard take place on, say, Independence Day, Halloween, or just a random Tuesday? Of course, it could. The holiday has no bearing on the actual story. Hans Gruber and his cohorts aren’t attacking Nakatomi Plaza because it’s Christmas. Even John’s visit is more about reconnecting with his wife and children than any specific holiday tradition.