Die Hard

[ArnoldBabar]

It's been on HBO lately, and it begs the discussion: Is this the greatest action film ever made?

We're predisposed to think anything made in our lifetime is lacking, but this might be an exception. EW thinks it's the best ever:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20042607_25,00.html

Why don't they make movies like this anymore?

 

[Chi City 81]

Yes, it is the greatest action film ever made. And they do make movies like this. It can be argued that the majority of action films that have come out the last 20 years have many Die Hard elements in them.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

It's been on HBO lately, and it begs the discussion: Is this the greatest action film ever made?

We're predisposed to think anything made in our lifetime is lacking, but this might be an exception. EW thinks it's the best ever:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20042607_25,00.html

Why don't they make movies like this anymore?

Both Die Hard and its hero get way too much love in regards to "Greatest Action Movie/Hero EVER!!!!!!" in a world that also has had some quality James Bond films, the first two Lethal Weapon movies, the Star Wars movies, and of course, films about a dude named Indiana Jones. Do I enjoy the hell out of Die Hard? Absolutely. Just don't think it merits such a lofty distinction.

Also, EW seems to think Saving Private Ryan was an "action movie." I always categorized action films as the throwaway type, which I guess is why I don't rate the Matrix, a movie I really like, that highly here.

 

[ArnoldBabar]

Yeah, it's clearly an inspiration, but why don't they have the balls to make this kind of film? Complete with the adult language and violence? I hate how they toned down the latest installment -- which was a damn good film -- to get the PG-13 rating. Why can't they make great action pics for grown-ups?

"Yippie kayay .... buddy." (Not the actual dialogue)

 

[Chi City 81]

I consider Indiana Jones more adventure than action. Phenomenal, no doubt, but a different kind of movie.

 

[BYH]

Yeah, it's clearly an inspiration, but why don't they have the balls to make this kind of film? Complete with the adult language and violence? I hate how they toned down the latest installment -- which was a damn good film -- to get the PG-13 rating. Why can't they make great action pics for grown-ups?

you can get away with a lot more in a PG-13 movie these days. ****, Jack Bauer is eating a dude's jugular vein and getting tortured while naked in prime time.

 

[TwoGloves]

I remember being shocked at how good the movie was since it starred the guy from Moonlighting. Just as good the second, third and 75th time around. Greatest action movie ever? Not so sure about that. But it's in the running.

 

[Tom Petty]

I remember being shocked at how good the movie was since it starred the guy from Moonlighting. Just as good the second, third and 75th time around. Greatest action movie ever? Not so sure about that. But it's in the running.

WFW.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

I remember being shocked at how good the movie was since it starred the guy from Moonlighting. Just as good the second, third and 75th time around. Greatest action movie ever? Not so sure about that. But it's in the running.

Top 3 if not the best.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

 

[Tom Petty]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

Was that for my love of "Die Hard" or my love of bad Tennessee highways?

 

[Tom Petty]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

Was that for my love of "Die Hard" or my love of bad Tennessee highways?

B., my friend. B.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

Was that for my love of "Die Hard" or my love of bad Tennessee highways?

B., my friend. B.

Well, I did live in Birmingham until I was 8, after all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Bostock

By the by, nice job on the Super Bowl halftime show tonight. Not bad for an old man. I'm sure you wish Howie Epstein was there to enjoy it with y'all ... Stan Lynch, not so much, I gather.

 

[Tom Petty]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

Was that for my love of "Die Hard" or my love of bad Tennessee highways?

B., my friend. B.

Well, I did live in Birmingham until I was 8, after all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Bostock

By the by, nice job on the Super Bowl halftime show tonight. Not bad for an old man. I'm sure you wish Howie Epstein was there to enjoy it with y'all ... Stan Lynch, not so much, I gather.

i'm going to get a little sentimental for a minute but this is 100 percent true: i perform for the lyman bostock's of the world.

thank you for the support.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

Absolutely love this movie. More twists than 90 miles of bad road in Tennessee.

lyman, did you just get all hillbilly on us?

Was that for my love of "Die Hard" or my love of bad Tennessee highways?

B., my friend. B.

Well, I did live in Birmingham until I was 8, after all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Bostock

By the by, nice job on the Super Bowl halftime show tonight. Not bad for an old man. I'm sure you wish Howie Epstein was there to enjoy it with y'all ... Stan Lynch, not so much, I gather.

i'm going to get a little sentimental for a minute but this is 100 percent true: i perform for the lyman bostock's of the world.

thank you for the support.

I haven't heard anything so touching since I tried to return my salary to Gene Autry. (Sorry for patting myself on the back there. )

 

[Football_Bat]

"Die Hard" was a groundbreaking film in much the same way the "Rambo" series was because it humanized the hero, and Willis gave the hero a sense of humor that we haven't seen before. "Now I have a machine gun." "Yippy-ki-yay mother****er," etc. You got to see his emotions, too. Before that, the action hero was a virtual automaton. Arnold started to plow this ground a little bit in the late 80s with his one-liners.

 

[Lion_Woods]

The title fooled me because I thought it was a love story.

 

[Ace]

"Die Hard" was a groundbreaking film in much the same way the "Rambo" series was because it humanized the hero, and Willis gave the hero a sense of humor that we haven't seen before. "Now I have a machine gun." "Yippy-ki-yay mother****er," etc. You got to see his emotions, too. Before that, the action hero was a virtual automaton. Arnold started to plow this ground a little bit in the late 80s with his one-liners.

Also, Alan Rickman is a great villain. He's not some perfect genius. He's a smart guy but you see him make mistakes and have some emotions.

The slimy, coke-snorting co-worker is a good touch, too.

Worst part is the ending when the Teutonic thug who seemed to have been dead comes out shooting and gets shot by donut-eating cop.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

"Die Hard" was a groundbreaking film in much the same way the "Rambo" series was because it humanized the hero, and Willis gave the hero a sense of humor that we haven't seen before. "Now I have a machine gun." "Yippy-ki-yay mother****er," etc. You got to see his emotions, too. Before that, the action hero was a virtual automaton. Arnold started to plow this ground a little bit in the late 80s with his one-liners.

Also, Alan Rickman is a great villain. He's not some perfect genius. He's a smart guy but you see him make mistakes and have some emotions.

The slimy, coke-snorting co-worker is a good touch, too.

Worst part is the ending when the Teutonic thug who seemed to have been dead comes out shooting and gets shot by donut-eating cop.

Come on FB, the first action hero with a sense of humor?
How 'bout Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop or 48 Hours? Or Gibson in Lethal Weapon?
Die Hard was good. Very good. But I would hard-pressed to call it the best action movie of the 1980s, muchless ever.
My top 5:
1. The Highlander (I know I'm in the minority here.. I'm not even sure you would call this an action movie)
1a. Lethal Weapon
2. Predator
3. Die Hard
4. Robocop
5. Aliens

And Ace,
Don't knock Sgt. Al Powell for saving Bruce Willis' life.
Al Powell, played by Reginald VelJohnson(sp?) would later help give the world television icon Steve Urkel. Urkel, man.
Urkel.