Film Is Die Hard really a Christmas film...

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
50,051
Location
W.Yorks
ivaldo said:
Only a third of polled people thought so, so fire that market exec, he's a bit thick.
Die Hard, known for it's small budget, didn't think it was right to release it during December, which in modern cinema is a bigger month than June, despite being a Christmas film. Makes perfect sense!
Click to expand...
It was released in June because, as an action film (as well as a Christmas one) it fits with being a Summer blockbuster, so the studio most likely went for the summer release.

Remember, it's the studio that's most likely going to determine when the film is released, not the creator... Who may well have wanted a December release.
 

2 man midfield

Last Man Standing finalist 2021/22
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
46,342
Location
?
I think some people have a clear idea of what a Christmas film is. Namely, a warm and fuzzy piece of fluff without a serious plot, that is suitable for all ages and makes the kids laugh. Die Hard is certainly not that, so you can sort of understand the resistance.

But it's a film, about Christmas, set at Christmas, with Christmas songs. It's a Christmas film. Short of John McClane wearing a Santa hat I'm not sure how much more they could spell it out.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,701
Annihilate Now! said:
It was released in June because, as an action film (as well as a Christmas one) it fits with being a Summer blockbuster, so the studio most likely went for the summer release.

Remember, it's the studio that's most likely going to determine when the film is released, not the creator... Who may well have wanted a December release.
Click to expand...
Yes based on the genre of the film. If they considered it a Christmas film, and it was created to be one, they would have released it for Christmas. But as it isn’t a Christmas film, and they don’t consider it to be one, they released it in June.
 

2 man midfield

Last Man Standing finalist 2021/22
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
46,342
Location
?
ivaldo said:
Yes based on the genre of the film. If they considered it a Christmas film, and it was created to be one, they would have released it for Christmas. But as it isn’t a Christmas film, and they don’t consider it to be one, they released it in June.
Click to expand...
It is possible to not have the setting of a film line up with real life. There are films about Valentine's Day released all year round, summer films released in winter and vice versa. It isn't a requirement.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,701
2 Man Midfield said:
It is possible to not have the setting of a film line up with real life. There are films about Valentine's Day released all year round, summer films released in winter and vice versa. It isn't a requirement.
Click to expand...
Of course there is. But having a setting for a film and having a film about a specific event are two entirely different things. Having it set at Christmas time doesn't make it a Christmas film, which is why they were happy to release it in the summer. What do you think the reception for Elf or Arthur Christmas would've been like if they released it in June? Would seem a little ridiculous, wouldn't it?

So only a third of people polled thought it was a Christmas film, the marketing/producers didn't think it was a Christmas film, and the connection to Christmas throughout the film is negligible to the point where you could set the film at any other time of the year and it would not affect the film at all. Sounds Christmasy!
 

Van Piorsing

Lost his light sabre
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
22,581
Location
Polska
If you don't remember John McClane Christmas greeting cards or John McCLane saves Christmas t-shirts, your childhood was a lie.
 

Sandyman

Full Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
5,884
https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2017/dec/21/die-hard-christmas-movie-bruce-willis
But Die Hard most certainly is indelibly associated with Christmas. It crops up in polls of people’s favourite Christmas films: earlier this year, the readers of Empire magazine rated it the greatest Christmas movie ever. The internet is awash with thinkpieces explaining why exactly it is a Christmas movie. If that’s not enough the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, appeared on breakfast TV in Toronto last Friday, where he asserted: “Yes, Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie. There’s no doubt about it.”
Click to expand...
Earlier this month, YouGov released a poll about the movie – surely the founders of psephology did not foresee the day that pollsters would be earning a crust assessing the seasonal status of old action films – which found that only 30% of people thought it was a Christmas film, while 52% didn’t. The age breakdown, though, was more telling . The only age group in which more people thought of Die Hard as a Christmas movie than didn’t was 25- to 34-year-olds (44% against 37%), while 35- to 44-year-olds were narrowly against the idea (42% said it was a Christmas film, 47% said it wasn’t).
Click to expand...
 

Hernandez - BFA

The Way to Fly
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
17,344
Sweet Square said:
Well yeah it's clearly a summer blockbuster.
Click to expand...
Just because it's set during Christmas time of year doesn't mean it's a Christmas film. Rocky IV is mostly set around December/Christmas time.

Home Alone has no Christmas theme/plot to it.
 

Sweet Square

ˈkämyənəst
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
24,025
Location
The Zone
Hernandez - BFA said:
Just because it's set during Christmas time of year doesn't mean it's a Christmas film. Rocky IV is mostly set around December/Christmas time.

Home Alone has no Christmas theme/plot to it.
Click to expand...
That could mean anything though. What would you say is a christmas theme/plot.
 

Hernandez - BFA

The Way to Fly
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
17,344
Rado_N said:
Can only assume you've never seen it.
Click to expand...
Two burgers try and steal from a house that has a kid in it. He sets traps to foil them. It's set around Christmas time.

How is it a Christmas film?
Many films are set around December/Christmas time. No "Christmas spirit" is felt watching this film.
 

SirAF

Ageist
Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
37,753
Location
Hernandez - BFA said:
Two burgers try and steal from a house that has a kid in it. He sets traps to foil them. It's set around Christmas time.

How is it a Christmas film?
Many films are set around December/Christmas time. No "Christmas spirit" is felt watching this film.
Click to expand...
Jesus
 

Red Stone

Full Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
8,769
Location
NZ
Hernandez - BFA said:
Two burgers try and steal from a house that has a kid in it. He sets traps to foil them. It's set around Christmas time.

How is it a Christmas film?
Many films are set around December/Christmas time. No "Christmas spirit" is felt watching this film.
Click to expand...
I'm picturing this and I definitely would pay to watch this film.
 

Giggs86

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
3,632
Location
USA
The three best Christmas movies of all time are It's a Wonderful Life, Die Hard and Home Alone. In that order.
 

Welsh Wonder

A dribbling mess on the sauce
Joined
Dec 11, 2007
Messages
12,232
Location
Wales
That only settles the debate if you give a shit what Bruce Willis thinks about anything
 

Charlie Foley

Full Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
18,562
Hernandez - BFA said:
Two burgers try and steal from a house that has a kid in it. He sets traps to foil them. It's set around Christmas time.

How is it a Christmas film?
Many films are set around December/Christmas time. No "Christmas spirit" is felt watching this film.
Click to expand...
Hey man just because you and i spend Christmas differently...
 

Deleted member 101472

Guest
Bruce Willis said it at the end of his roast on Comedy Central, die hard is not a Christmas movie
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
50,051
Location
W.Yorks
Arbitrium said:
Bruce Willis said it at the end of his roast on Comedy Central, die hard is not a Christmas movie
Click to expand...
Bruce Willis doesn't even understand the character of John McClane anymore... So i doubt he understand the concept of Christmas.
 

Reddy Rederson

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2018
Messages
3,809
Location
Unicorn Country.
SirAF said:
How the feck is that possible at your age? :D It’s on telly probably five times each december!
Click to expand...
:lol: I know. When I was a kid and the movie came out I though Macaulay Culkin was a knob so didn’t watch it. Then I grew up and the idea of not want to to see it just stuck. The strange thing is I made a plan to watch it a few years ago, downloaded it and it’s now been sitting on my hard drive for years unwatched. Maybe this will be the year I finally watch it. After a another viewing of die hard of course. Can’t have Christmas without at least one screening of diehard. :D
 

Pexbo

Winner of the 'I'm not reading that' medal.
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
68,922
Location
Brizzle
Supports
Big Days
Reddy Rederson said:
:lol: I know. When I was a kid and the movie came out I though Macaulay Culkin was a knob so didn’t watch it. Then I grew up and the idea of not want to to see it just stuck. The strange thing is I made a plan to watch it a few years ago, downloaded it and it’s now been sitting on my hard drive for years unwatched. Maybe this will be the year I finally watch it. After a another viewing of die hard of course. Can’t have Christmas without at least one screening of diehard. :D
Click to expand...
Without the nostalgia you probably won’t enjoy it half as much as the rest of us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.