It started as a novel concept, about a decade and a half ago. Is Die Hard, a movie released in the summer of 1988, often designated as an action film first, also a Christmas movie at the same time?
With way more violence and cursing than a typical Christmas movie, can we call this film an example of yuletide cinema? “Scholars” and “historians” have “debated” this for years. You didn’t know about this?
Well, “welcome to the party pal.”
But now the debate has been settled. (By the way, in case you want to know what bowl game Notre Dame and USC are playing each other in, during Die Hard, go here)
Of course Die Hard is a Christmas movie, the entire film takes place on Christmas Eve, as its plot centers around the worst office Christmas party imaginable.
(Family Guy covered this and came to the same conclusion as us, a few years ago)
Not to mention a Christmas carol (Vaughn Monroe’s edition of “Let it Snow”) plays over the closing credits (it does again for Die Hard 2, which also takes place on Christmas and is also, a Christmas movie).
Die Hard themed Christmas merchandise: ornaments, ugly Christmas sweaters, toys, cookies, children’s books etc. has been available for several years already.
In fact, if you go to your smart TV, and search through the on demand app,…go…do it….go do it right now…..you’ll find Die Hard in the Christmas movies category.
Enough said, debate over. In fact, it has been long over for some time already, so Yippe Ki Yay. So “come out to the coast, have a couple laughs!”
Also, we demand that “the following people are to be released from their captors: In Northern Ireland, the seven members of the New Provo Front. In Canada, the five imprisoned leaders of Liberte de Quebec. In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn movement.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.