"Die Hard" is the Best Christmas Movie Ever

Unlike most action movies, Die Hard is based on a novel -- Nothing Lasts Forever. "Terrorists", a sports-obsessed hacker, the LAPD, FBI agents, helicopters, corporate execs, military-grade explosives, a giant teddy bear, Stevie Wonder music, a street-smart limo driver, a Huey Lewis look-a-like, Carl Winslow and an off-duty New York cop all combine to make the best Christmas movie ever. It never gets old and you'll never get tired of seeing what happens when John McClane gets stuck on the roof of that skyscraper.

Anybody who believes Die Hard is just an action movie is missing out. Yeah, you get explosions and shootouts but you also get villains with brains and a hero who seems like a regular dude. He doesn't have superpowers, he's not on steroids and he's not completely fearless. The only reason he gets involved at all is the fact that his wife's life is on the line. And it all kicks off on Christmas Eve. Believe me, he knows more than anybody that his situation is damn near hopeless.

Premiering in the summer of 1988, Die Hard sure as shit brought Christmas to July -- July 12, to be exact. There are some grinches out there who question Die Hard's qualification as a Christmas movie. Well, consider this: Hero John McClane's only in town so that he can spend Christmas with his estranged wife -- whose first name is Holly;  he writes "Ho, Ho, Ho" on the corpse of a terrorist -- a terrorist he killed himself; he secures a gun to his back using mistletoe-covered wrapping tape; he climbs through air ducts and elevator shafts (the closest thing Nakatomi Tower has to a chimney); Hans Gruber outdoes the Grinch by attempting to steal $640 million in bearer bonds on Christmas; limo-driver, Argyle, plays Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" on the car radio; the song "Winter Wonderland" is played during the film; and Yuletide classic "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" begins to play as soon as the end-credits start to roll. Christmas is so pervasive throughout the film that I wonder if those who dispute Die Hard's holiday connection have actually seen it.

Die Hard is as much a Christmas movie as It's a Wonderful Life. Like Die Hard, It's a Wonderful Life is NOT about Jesus, Santa Claus, Rudolph or even Frosty. Unlike Die Hard, only a small part of the story is set during Christmas Eve.

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