The age-old debate about whether "Die Hard" qualifies as a Christmas movie continues to spark passionate discussions among movie fans, even 35 years after its release. While the 1988 action blockbuster hit theaters in summer, its Christmas Eve setting and underlying themes have made it a holiday season staple for many viewers.
Peter Billingsley, known for his role in "A Christmas Story," recently shared his perspective on the film's holiday status. On his podcast "A Cinematic Christmas Journey," Billingsley engaged in a compelling discussion with "Die Hard" cinematographer Jan de Bont about the movie's Christmas credentials.
The film follows New York City detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) during a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper on Christmas Eve. Beyond its action-packed plot, Billingsley points to deeper holiday elements - the story of reconciliation between McClane and his estranged wife, themes of forgiveness and hope, festive music, and even falling snow.
The debate has drawn varied opinions from key figures involved with the film. Director John McTiernan acknowledged in 2020 that while they hadn't planned it as a Christmas movie, the joy it brought to audiences transformed it into one. However, Bruce Willis himself declared during his 2018 Comedy Central roast that "Die Hard is not a Christmas movie - it's a goddamn Bruce Willis movie!"
In an interesting turn of events, Billingsley recently convinced cinematographer de Bont, who had previously dismissed the film's holiday status, to reconsider his stance. After hearing Billingsley's analysis of the movie's Christmas themes and elements, de Bont admitted he had never viewed the film from that perspective and agreed it could indeed be considered a Christmas movie.
Whether viewers side with Willis or embrace "Die Hard" as holiday entertainment, the film's December popularity shows no signs of waning. The ongoing discussion about its Christmas movie status has become as much a holiday tradition as the film itself.