What comes to mind when you think of a Christmas movie? It could be one that has a plot having to do with Santa and his elves, or one focusing on the values or ideals of the holiday. While these may engulf films in the holiday spirit, they are necessarily requirements for a film to be deemed as a ‘Christmas movie’. An action-thriller about a man trying to save hostages from a party taken over by terrorists may not seem like a Christmas movie on the surface, but Die Hard has the factors it needs to become one.
The most trustworthy people when determining what genre or style a movie is by hearing what the people who made it have to say. John McTiernan, the director of the film, confirmed himself that it was a Christmas movie. According to a report by the Hollywood Reporter, he did not originally intend for Die Hard to be a Christmas movie, but it became one during the process of making it. He also states that some of his inspiration came from the Bedford Falls becoming Pottersville moment in It’s a Wonderful Life, which many believe is one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time.
It’s important to establish what a film needs to be considered a ‘Christmas movie’. There is no set requirement for what movies need to fulfill to have that status, but movies that are generally agreed upon with the name have common aspects that make it that way. It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone aren’t completely based around the holiday, in fact, those films don’t reference the holiday much during their runtimes. Die Hard contains 21 references to Christmas, including 4 holiday themed songs. Santa Claus even makes an appearance, as a person is dressed up as him. However, it isn’t just a film that has Christmas slightly incorporated into it. It entirely takes place during a Christmas party, and John McClane is in Los Angeles to celebrate the holiday. Additionally, McClane believes that Christmas is a good setting to rekindle his relationship with his wife. Despite the fact that it was released in July, Miracle on 34th Street and Gremlins released in July, so it does not need to be released in the holiday season to qualify as a Christmas movie.
In fact, it isn’t just McTiernan who believes this. The American Film Institute has put it on their holiday classics and top 100 Christmas films list. Additionally, the film is re-releasing this year during the Christmas season, solidifying its status as a Christmas film by theaters nationwide. In fact, many people watch it every Christmas even if not in theaters. According to a release from DISH network, 1.3 million Americans watched Die Hard on Christmas, which was more than Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, and The Santa Clause, which are all beloved Christmas films. Although it may have not originally intended to be made as a Christmas movie, Die Hard became one during the process of making the film and after its release.
