Martin Howard
In this article, we’ll take a logical approach to determine whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. We’ll even look at the movie cover and movie description to help us further identify if it is a Christmas movie.
Because we’re taking a logical approach, we’ll break this down into two sections. For and Against it being a Christmas movie.
Let’s look at how it might be considered a Christmas movie first.
For it Being a Christmas Movie
In my discussions with others, they use three primary motivators to justify that it is a Christmas movie.
They are: a Christmas party is happening, Christmas decorations are displayed in various scenes, and even some Christmas songs are played.
Let’s look at each one of those points.
A Christmas party is happening
After John arrives in Los Angeles, California, he gets chauffeured to the Nakatomi Tower where his wife works.
When he arrives, he learns that his wife works on the 30th floor. And that the only people (outside of the security guards) still in the building are those in attendance at the party on that floor.
Upon arriving at the 30th floor, John exits the elevator and notices a lot of nicely dressed people conversing and drinking. In the background, a small stringed orchestra is playing music (though not Christmas music).
There’s Christmas music
The second point I’ve heard people use for the defense that Die Hard is a Christmas movie is the use of Christmas music.
As John’s being chauffeured to the tower, the limo driver Argyle puts on some rap music. When questioned by John, Argile reassures him that what they’re listening to is Christmas music.
Throughout the rest of the movie, there’s one more Christmas song played. And then at the very end, as the credits start rolling, the third Christmas song plays.
There are Christmas decorations
And, the final reason why some believe that Die Hard is a Christmas movie is the use of Christmas decorations in various parts of the movie.
As John is walking through the entryway of the tower, we can see a Christmas tree in the background. In various areas of the building, some Christmas decorations were used sparingly.
Not to mention, when Karl’s brother dies, John puts a Santa hat on him and writes on the man’s shirt, “Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho.”
There they are. The reasons for it being a Christmas movie are that a Christmas party was happening, there was Christmas music, and there were Christmas decorations.
Against it Being a Christmas Movie
Now that we’ve looked at the various reasons for Die Hard being a Christmas movie. Let’s look at the reasons why it’s not a Christmas Movie.
Company Christmas party
Although the movie starts with a Christmas party, it could’ve easily been any type of company party. There was very little regarding Christmas decorations. Even the character Ellis said that the party had a dual purpose. They had just a big deal in no small part to John’s wife Holly. Reaffirming that it wasn’t just a Christmas party.
If it was Halloween time, the Fourth of July, or perhaps a quarterly celebration wouldn’t have changed the movie’s premise. In other words, the movie’s plot was not reliant on Christmas.
Let’s analyze it by asking this question. If it was Halloween instead of Christmas, would it have changed the plot of the movie?
The answer is emphatically, no.
It doesn’t matter the time of year that the movie takes place. Whatever time it was wouldn’t change the premise of the movie.
Music doesn’t define a movie
Except for Star Wars, music doesn’t define a movie. But even they aren’t solely defined by their music.
There’s a specific song at the beginning of every Star Wars movie that plays during the scrolling of the message. That song was copywritten for the Star Wars movies. And only Star Wars movies can have that song.
Christmas music is not specific to any movie. Even the songs “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” or “Frosty the Snowman” aren’t specific to the cartoon animated movies of the same name.
I can understand why people would use this as a sticking point for Die Hard being a Christmas movie. Because a Christmas song wouldn’t make sense in a non-Christmas movie. Right? Wrong.
Christmas music doesn’t define a movie as being a Christmas movie. Not any more than ghosts define a movie as being a Halloween movie. Otherwise, movies like Ghost, Ghost Ship, and Ghostbusters would all be considered Halloween movies.
Christmas décor helps accentuate the premise of a Christmas movie
Christmas décor does help accentuate the premise that a movie is a Christmas movie. But it doesn’t define it as one.
Because of the abundance of Christmas decorations, and the fact that Gizmo was a “Christmas gift,” some say that Gremlins is more of a Christmas movie than Die Hard.
However, if we take away the Christmas decorations, and say it was a birthday gift, would it have changed the premise of the movie? No, because the movie Gremlins wasn’t defined by it being Christmas.
It was an alien creature that replicated when it got wet. And cocooned before turning evil if it ate after midnight.
The movie cover and description
The most damning evidence that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie is the movie cover and movie description.
On the movie cover, front or back, there’s no indication of it being Christmas. There are no pictures of Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas ornaments or gifts, or anything else Christmas.
The movie description itself barely mentions that it’s Christmas time. It reads as follows:
“In the high-rise, high-stakes action thriller that raised the bar for the genre, superstar Bruce Willis rocks as New York City detective John McClane, who’s in Los Angeles to spend the holidays with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). But while McClane waits for Holly’s office party to end, terrorists take control of the building. As their sinister leader Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), and his savage henchman (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane gets ready to blast a few rounds of his own and launch a one-man war – as only McClane can!”
In Conclusion
Die Hard is an action movie. The premise is that some terrorists had broken in to steal $640 million from the volt in the tower. And John McClane, as a one-man army, took out all of the bad guys.
The fact that it took place at Christmas time doesn’t make it a Christmas movie. It could’ve easily been set to take place over Memorial Day Weekend. And the movie plot wouldn’t have changed.
Besides, if Die Hard is a Christmas Movie then so is The Godfather.
If you liked this, please consider reading: 6 Problematic Predictabilities with Hallmark Christmas Movies
