Poll Die hard Christmas film

Having a boxing day argument. I think die hard is a Christmas film,my friends disagree what does trek bbs say?

 

It's a movie set at christmas.
It is not a movie about christmas.

 

Well a movie doesn't have to be about Christmas to be a Christmas film, I mean technically "It's a Wonderful Life" isn't about Christmas either, and it's probably the definitive Christmas film for many people.

So yeah, I'd say "Die Hard" fits that bill, not just because of when it's set, but also because ultimately it's about an estranged married couple reconnecting, which is totally a Christmasy theme...

 

It's all a matter if definition.
What is a christmas movie?
It it a movie about christmas as the central theme?
Is it a movie set at christmas that's just incidental to the story or only provides a thematic backdrop?
Is it a movie released on christmas, that may not even depict anything christmasy?

 

Either answer is correct as the definition of what makes a Christmas movie is determined by personal opinion.

 

I'd say it's a Christmas movie. And I suspect if you google Top Christmas movies you'll find Die Hard in most of the lists from Film Magazines, Film critics etc...

 

I wouldn't say it's Christmas movie. It's all around year movie.

 

As are GREMLINS and BATMAN RETURNS.

 

Trading Places would also be classed as a Christmas movie.

 

Not to mention LETHAL WEAPON and IRON MAN 3

But, to answer the OP's question, yes, in my view, DIE HARD is a Christmas movie, enjoyed at my household every year

 

I voted no at least in part because it's funny how people get worked up about whether or not Die Hard is a christmas movie. But in all seriousness, though I have no real interest in proving anyone wrong, I honestly won't ever consider it to be one, because the idea of a 'christmas movie' being any movie that happens to be set at christmas is entirely ridiculous to me.

A Christmas movie should in some way engage with christmas related themes (whether that's direct involvement with Santa or indirect exploration of what christmas means to real people) and should do so as part of the main plot, not a side story. Ergo, Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. Neither is the Sound of Music to name another common example. Or Gremlins or Batman.

It's a Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie because it does directly engage with the idea of Christmas (holiday depression, reflection about the year(s) gone by, the joy/burden of family, etc). Not to mention its basically half-lifted from Dickens' Christmas Carol (only instead of learning generosity and kindness, the main character is learning self-worth).

None of which, of course, has anything to do with whether or not something is a fun movie to watch at Christmastime.

 

It's a Christmas movie.

 

Yes.. But you can watch it on other times too... Its always good

 

Its got sleigh bells over the opening credits.
It's set on Christmas eve.
It's about a man visiting his estranged family at Christmas.
There are constant Christmas references and dialogue throughout.
'now I have a machine gun, ho, ho, ho'
The soundtrack has Christmas music in it.

It's a Christmas film and one of the very best. If die hard isn't a Christmas film due to its action elements then by that rationale home alone is just a comedy that happens to be set at Christmas.

 

It has become a Christmas classic, regardless.

 

Definitely a christmas movie with the sequel while part 3 is a summer movie.

 

The same can be said about every good Christmas movie.

 

The climax of Home Alone is the family getting back together (multiple scenes after the bad guys have already been arrested). The climax of Die Hard is the bad guy falling off the building, after which you get the standard 5 second action movie shot of the tough guy hero reconnecting with his wife. It's not about Christmas at all (and could literally take place any day of the year without changing anything other than shallow references like 'ho, ho, ho').

 

There's still more than enough Christmas content to justify it's Christmas movie status.

I actually own a 'now i have a machine gun, ho, ho, ho' Christmas jumper.

 

Heck, GREMLINS begins with a father desperately trying to find a "special" Christmas gift for his kid . . . which just happens to be a mogwai. Sounds like a Christmas movie to me.

And what about the original TALES FROM THE CRYPT movie from the seventies, where Joan Collins is stalked on Christmas night by a homicidal maniac dressed as Santa Claus? Does that count? Or BLACK CHRISTMAS (the 1974 original, not the remake), which is a classic slasher movie that actually has Christmas in the title. Christmas definitely figures into the plot there because it explains why nobody notices (at first) that, one by one, college students are going missing; everyone just assumes that so-and-so has left for the holidays already . . . .