Classic 80s Movie: “Die Hard”
Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from John Casu.
Movie Title: Die Hard
Year: 1988
Writers: Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, based on the book by Roderick Thorp
Lead Actors: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton and Alexander Godunov
Director: John McTiernan
Plot Summary: John McClane, officer of the NYPD, tries to save wife Holly Gennaro and several others, taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 80s Movie: IMHO, this isn’t just a classic 80’s movie, but one of the all-time greats. Not many films define their own trope or sub-genre, but this is one of them, inspiring many pitches that go something like: Die Hard in an X, or Die Hard on a Y.
For a screenwriter, it’s a masterclass on how to write an action movie: not only leveraging structure to ratchet the tension, but doing so with flawed, human characters and with heart. McClane starts out in this movie as kind of a selfish prick, who doesn’t support his wife’s ambitions, but is transformed by his battle into realizing what matters most to him.
However, the key to this movie’s greatness is Alan Rickman’s groundbreaking performance as Hans Gruber. What makes this film superior to 48 Hrs and Lethal Weapon (imho, the other two great 80’s action cop movies) is how it clearly and completely redefined the way a villain could be written, with intelligence, sophistication and clear purpose, and how the villain’s plot can forcefully propel an action movie’s narrative (note before he is finally defeated, Gruber actually succeeds in stealing the $640 Million in bearer bonds he was after).
But what makes this specifically an 80’s classic are a couple of things: first of all, Die Hard leverages a number of 80’s middle American prejudices and obsessions including LA and Japan, so when the film opens McClane’s is immediately immersed into a hostile environment such that his initial nemesis isn’t actually Hans Gruber, but LA itself (personified by Ellis Lowe) and the faceless Japanese conglomerate who in his eyes are both trying to slickly steal his wife away from him, the gruff, working class everyman.
Secondly, while it didn’t win any prizes, Die Hard has an intimate cinematic quality that actually plays better on TV than in the theater, much like a John Hughes movie, and that imhp characterizes those films we consider to be quintessentially 80’s movies. While it has plenty of explosions & the such, the film doesn’t rely on visual spectacle to entertain, but on great and memorable dialogue, a rational plot, and skillful, psychologically driven writing and action sequences: things that are particularly friendly to the small screen.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie: Two moments: When Hans and Theo finally open the vault; When Hans falls to
his death and McClane unlatches Holly’s Rolex.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie:
Only one choice:
Hans Gruber: [on the radio] Mr. Mystery Guest? Are you still there?
John McClane: Yeah, I’m still here. Unless you wanna open the front door for me.
Hans Gruber: Uh, no, I’m afraid not. But, you have me at a loss. You know my
name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a
child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he’s John Wayne?
Rambo? Marshal Dillon?
John McClane: Was always kinda partial to Roy Rogers actually. I really like
those sequined shirts.
Hans Gruber: Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr. Cowboy?
John McClane: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: Callbacks, callbacks, callbacks: Holly’s Rolex, McClane’s shoes, McClane’s fear of heights, Officer Powell’s mistake, etc…. Just an amazing job of setting up and paying off on all of these and more.
Also, note how all of the good guys, except for Officer Powell & Argyle, are portrayed as complete douche-bags in this movie: Chief Robinson, agents Johnson & Johnson, Thornburg, etc… It’s safe to say that movie pretty much despises Los Angeles and its apparent superficiality.
Thanks, John! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
Tomorrow: Another Classic 80s Movie!
I’m still looking for people to write guest posts in this series. Please email me with the movie you’d like to cover. Here is a template you should use:
Movie Title
Year
Writers (both screenwriters and any authors whose books were used as the basis for adaptation)
Lead Actors (Just the main ones)
Director
IMDB Plot Summary (You can find that directly under the Your Rating box. If you don’t feel the summary does the story justice, feel free to write up a logline of your own.)
Why I Think This Is A Classic 80s Movies (Feel free to write as much as you’d like up to a half-page or so.)
My Favorite Moment In The Movie
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie (IMDB has a Quotes section for almost every movie, so you can find key dialogue in your movie’s site.)
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
Please use this exact template to help me in the editing process.
If you can find a YouTube clip from the film or its trailer, include that URL.
When you are done with your guest post, you may simply copy and paste the content into an email to me.
I will run the posts in the order I receive them.
And if you emailed me about doing a specific movie, but haven’t sent in your guest post, now’s the time!
Thanks, everyone!
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