STORYLINE:  New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and his daughter and son Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages — but him.  (IMDb)

   Halloween has yielded to November first.  The countdown to Christmas has officially begun.  Many television channels will start airing, if they haven’t already, holiday themed features.  Even theaters will soon bring back favorite classics to entice viewers to get in the holiday spirit.  The debate over Die Hard (1988), being a Christmas film, makes it’s back into the traditional mainstream.    I am of the stance that it is a Christmas movie.  Over the course of the blog I will present my case.

   First, at the core of Die Hard, it is about family coming together. Yes, a terrorist act gets in the way.  Nobody questions Home Alone (1990) being a Christmas film, that features the sane general plot point about family coming together, with extreme circumstances keeping the family apart.  

    From a certain point of view Die Hard is an R rated Home Alone.  Both feature families trying to be reunited in extreme circumstances at the holidays, and having to fight off villains during a home invasion type scenario.    Both films feature classic hero and villain characters. 

   Like the classic holiday plot point Die Hard features its central character performing selfless acts for others.  It’s A Wonderful Life (1944), Miracle on 34th St (1947), The Santa Clause (1994) starring Tim Allen among countless other films all share this general plot point with this action packed Christmas film.

   There is the very obvious argument that the film is set on Christmas Eve, much like my favorite Christmas film The 

Polar Express (2004).

  I will yield the point that Die Hard is a non traditional Christmas film.  So are films like Gremlins (1984) and the Bill Murray adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Scrooged (1988).

    For all of this, I say, Die Hard is a Christmas film.  

   However you celebrate the holidays enjoy yourself, and I will see you at the movies!