Die Hard (1988)

Director: John McTiernan  Starring: Alexander Godunov  Alan Rickman  Bonnie Bedelia  
Currently Unavailable: This item is currently unavailable from the Manufacturer.
Format: VHS
Also Available: DVD Five Star Collection 2-Disc Set $22.82  DVD Double Digipack Collector's Edition $22.82  DVD $14.44  DVD $12.62  UMD $19.98  DVD Holiday O-Ring Packaging $12.62  DVD Special Edition; Steelbook $15.99  DVD O-Ring Packaging $8.67  Blu-ray Disc $20.83  DVD 2-Disc Set  $8.99 
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Product Summary
Publisher: Foxvideo
Format: VHS
UPC: 00086162023200
Buy.com Sku: 40034011
Item#: VR3W4N
Category Keywords: Action  Blockbuster  Christmas  Classic Fight Scenes  Essential Cinema  Recommended  Terrorism  Theatrical Release  Thriller 
Rating: 
 
40 stories of sheer adventure!
 
 
Features: Widescreen
 
High above the city of L.A. a team of terrorists has seized a building, taken hostages and declared war. But one man has managed to escape detection...an off-duty cop. He's alone...tired...and the only chance anyone has. Bruce Willis stars as New York City Detective John McClane, newly arrived in Los Angeles to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But as McClane waits for his wife's office party to break-up, terrorists seize control of the building. While the terrorist leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his savage henchman (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane slips away unnoticed. Armed with only a service revolver and his cunning, McClane launches his own one-man war. A thriller from beginning to end, DIE HARD explodes with heartstopping suspense.
 
"Thrilling!"  David Ansen, Newsweek
"Heartstopping!"  Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
 


Editor's Note

One of the greatest action movies of the late 1980s, DIE HARD ushered in a new standard for the genre. With the dissolution of the Cold War, both the stereotypical Russian threat (represented in movies such as TOP GUN and RED DAWN) and the destructive egoist (as seen in OCTOPUSSY) became less fearful. With DIE HARD, director John McTiernan introduced Hollywood to a new type of villain: the terrorist entrepreneur. Alan Rickman stars as Hans Gruber, a relentless businessman whose lethal tactics achieve his goals. Unlike most '80s film villains who committed globally dangerous acts for liberty, genocide, or megalomania, DIE HARD's Gruber uses guns, explosives, and cunning to storm the Takagi Corporation's Christmas party and heist millions of dollars from the company. In addition, DIE HARD also saw the development of the clumsy or bad luck hero with John McClane (Bruce Willis), a man in the wrong place at the wrong time who chooses to intervene. Action fans would see this misfit hero archetype again in UNDER SIEGE (Steven Segal) and THE PHANTOM MENACE (Jar Jar Binks). Although DIE HARD contains many action movie cliches (one-liners, pyrotechnics), it also broke new ground in its genre.


Plot Summary

A New York City policeman, John McClane, visiting his estranged wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve, joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon the cop realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.

 
Features
Clamshell
Letterbox - 1.85

 
Technical Info

Release Information
Studio: Foxvideo
Release Date: 5/20/1997
Running Time: 131 minutes
Original Release Date: 1988
Catalog ID: 4102320
UPC: 00086162023200
Number of Discs: 1

Audio & Video
Original Language: English
Available Audio Tracks: English
Video: Color

 
Cast & Crew
Alan Rickman
Alexander Godunov
Bonnie Bedelia
Bruce Willis
Roderick Thorp - Based on Novel By
Jan de Bont - Cinematographer
Marilyn Vance-Straker - Costume Designer
John McTiernan - Director
John F. Link, et al. - Editor
Michael Kamen, et al. - Musical Score
Charles Gordon, et al. - Producer
Jackson De Govia - Production Designer
Jeb Stuart, et al. - Screenplay

 
Memorable Quotes
"Nice suit, it would be a shame to ruin it." ---- Hans to Mr. Takagi (Alan Rickman to James Shigeta)

"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer. Benefits of a classical education." ---- Hans to Mr. Takagi (Alan Rickman to James Shigeta)


 
Professional Reviews
Entertainment Weekly
Rating: A- 01/07/2000 pp.71-2

New York Times
"...It works....Relentless energy and smashing special-effects extravagance..." 07/15/1988 p.C12

Los Angeles Times
"...A triumph of well-oiled mechanical precision that performs miracles of destruction. As a grand flourish of cinematic technique, it is awesome..." 07/15/1988 p.C1

Total Film
"...DIE HARD is still the definitive action thriller. Alan Rickman delivers a deliciously ruthless Hollywood debut at the eloquent villain..." 06/01/2000 p.88

Premiere
"A seductive mix of machismo and humility, Willis reinvented the reluctant hero for the action age." 04/01/2004 p.64

  
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Customer Reviews
Cinematography 3
Plot 5
Acting 5
Overall Satisfaction 4
Write a Review


 
4 of 5 Good action, extended legnth Saturday, May 08, 1999
Spielbob from US  

Now don't get me wrong. This film is one of the best action packed films that I have ever seen. The acting is great, the cinematography is good (done by Jon de Bont, director of Speed, Speed 2, and Twister) and man is it explosive. Brue Willis will always be remembered as the bad-mouthed shoot em up guy. This film has extremly bad language including all the worst words you can think of at least 3 times and graphic violence, including guys getting shoot full of holes. This film also includes brief nudity. This film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 to preserve the director's artistic image of the film.
 
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