Why is 'Die Hard' so perfect?

[블라스]

Sweet!

*high fives himself*

 

[JackBauer]

What about cinematography? Character design and development? Skill of editing? Original narrative? Interesting narrative structure? Challenging nature? Style? etc...

I think I watch films for something more than you, but I guess it does fill your criterion for a good film. But Lethal weapon films have the same properties.

I think Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of the best films to watch on a first date, as it's great for lines, acting, cinematography, editing and narrative structure and design. Not one of my fav films by any stretch, but very good for those things.

'kay, I'll bite. first things first: I don't want to start a fight, you're perfectly in your right to disagree, etc, etc.

as far as cinematography goes, it's great. look at the rooftop explosion, Hans' fall, the scene with John under the table, the elevator shaft explosion... it was all beautifully shot, and showed exactly what it should the way it should.

character development is f***in great. look at how John and Al go from complete strangers to growing an unbreakable bond, without even meeting no less! and you can actually notice how Holly slowly starts to care more about John, until she's finally in love with him all over again. it's all character development, and better yet, it's all believable.

the editing is a big part of the tension the movie. it doesn't make it any less skillfull. editing is not just including fancy effects that are nothing but distractions in the movie. look at most of Tony Scott's filmography for that.

as far as the narrative goes, it was incredibly original. it introduced the everyman as an action hero, for instance. now, I know it stopped being original, but that's not the movie's fault. it's the fault of the hundreds of rip-offs that came after.

by "interesting narrative structure", I'm assuming you mean something like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with the chapters, and the flashbacks and all that jazz. guess what? that stopped being original a LONG time ago. now, I LOVE KKBB, but it's not really original as far as narrative structure goes. you have the clever character/narrator, the interruptions to the actual story, the flashbacks. nothing really new.

what KKBB DOES have is lots of charisma, which Die Hard also had by the truckload. and, might I add, I wouldn't really call KKBB an action movie. it had comedy, it had thrills, but straight up action... not much until the last scenes.

again, I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion. just looking for a good ol' debate.

 

[블라스]

'kay, I'll bite. first things first: I don't want to start a fight, you're perfectly in your right to disagree, etc, etc.

as far as cinematography goes, it's great. look at the rooftop explosion, Hans' fall, the scene with John under the table, the elevator shaft explosion... it was all beautifully shot, and showed exactly what it should the way it should.

character development is f***in great. look at how John and Al go from complete strangers to growing an unbreakable bond, without even meeting no less! and you can actually notice how Holly slowly starts to care more about John, until she's finally in love with him all over again. it's all character development, and better yet, it's all believable.

the editing is a big part of the tension the movie. it doesn't make it any less skillfull. editing is not just including fancy effects that are nothing but distractions in the movie. look at most of Tony Scott's filmography for that.

as far as the narrative goes, it was incredibly original. it introduced the everyman as an action hero, for instance. now, I know it stopped being original, but that's not the movie's fault. it's the fault of the hundreds of rip-offs that came after.

by "interesting narrative structure", I'm assuming you mean something like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with the chapters, and the flashbacks and all that jazz. guess what? that stopped being original a LONG time ago. now, I LOVE KKBB, but it's not really original as far as narrative structure goes. you have the clever character/narrator, the interruptions to the actual story, the flashbacks. nothing really new.

what KKBB DOES have is lots of charisma, which Die Hard also had by the truckload. and, might I add, I wouldn't really call KKBB an action movie. it had comedy, it had thrills, but straight up action... not much until the last scenes.

again, I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion. just looking for a good ol' debate.

Marry me!

 

[JackBauer]

Marry me!

uh... let's just be good friends for now and take it from there. *shakes hand from a distance*

 

[블라스]

You didn't get the joke

 

[JLBats]

Haha, guys, don't worry about Cyrusbale. His tastes are fairly diverse in a "focused like a laser beam" way.

 

[JackBauer]

You didn't get the joke

what? which part?

 

[블라스]

what? which part?

Don't you watch Arrested Development?

 

[JackBauer]

Don't you watch Arrested Development?

here and there, but not religiously like yourself. it's f***in great, I know.

and yes, you asking me to marry you is as forbidden a love as George Michael and Maeby's. perv. t:

 

[블라스]

No!
It was a running gag by Maeby!

 

[Chris Wallace]

'kay, I'll bite. first things first: I don't want to start a fight, you're perfectly in your right to disagree, etc, etc.

as far as cinematography goes, it's great. look at the rooftop explosion, Hans' fall, the scene with John under the table, the elevator shaft explosion... it was all beautifully shot, and showed exactly what it should the way it should.

character development is f***in great. look at how John and Al go from complete strangers to growing an unbreakable bond, without even meeting no less! and you can actually notice how Holly slowly starts to care more about John, until she's finally in love with him all over again. it's all character development, and better yet, it's all believable.

the editing is a big part of the tension the movie. it doesn't make it any less skillfull. editing is not just including fancy effects that are nothing but distractions in the movie. look at most of Tony Scott's filmography for that.

as far as the narrative goes, it was incredibly original. it introduced the everyman as an action hero, for instance. now, I know it stopped being original, but that's not the movie's fault. it's the fault of the hundreds of rip-offs that came after.

by "interesting narrative structure", I'm assuming you mean something like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with the chapters, and the flashbacks and all that jazz. guess what? that stopped being original a LONG time ago. now, I LOVE KKBB, but it's not really original as far as narrative structure goes. you have the clever character/narrator, the interruptions to the actual story, the flashbacks. nothing really new.

what KKBB DOES have is lots of charisma, which Die Hard also had by the truckload. and, might I add, I wouldn't really call KKBB an action movie. it had comedy, it had thrills, but straight up action... not much until the last scenes.

again, I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion. just looking for a good ol' debate.

If you're going to defend character development & site Al & John's unbreakable bond, you should also point out that by the time they did meet, they knew each other on sight.
Or how said development carried over into the third film, when John didn't gain any ground against Simon until he started basing his moves on what Hans would do.

 

[JackBauer]

No!
It was a running gag by Maeby!

like I said, I was more of an enthusiast. I should just repent and pick up the DVDs and watch it all back to back, huh?

 

[JackBauer]

If you're going to defend character development & site Al & John's unbreakable bond, you should also point out that by the time they did meet, they knew each other on sight.
Or how said development carried over into the third film, when John didn't gain any ground against Simon until he started basing his moves on what Hans would do.

well... goes without saying.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I thought so, too, JB-until the film's character devlopment was brought into question.

 

[블라스]

like I said, I was more of an enthusiast. I should just repent and pick up the DVDs and watch it all back to back, huh?

Yes

 

[블라스]

If you're going to defend character development & site Al & John's unbreakable bond, you should also point out that by the time they did meet, they knew each other on sight.
Or how said development carried over into the third film, when John didn't gain any ground against Simon until he started basing his moves on what Hans would do.

That actually makes me cry tears of happiness.
Every time.

 

[Chris Wallace]

That actually makes me cry tears of happiness.
Every time.

Every time?
I stopped after a year or so.

 

[Chris Wallace]

And we should add that to our list of reasons why we like Al Powell.

 

[블라스]

Every time?
I stopped after a year or so.

I'm a pretty sentimental guy

 

[JackBauer]

And we should add that to our list of reasons why we like Al Powell.

is his mustache included? cause that's sexy.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I'm a pretty sentimental guy.

Nothing wrong w/that.

 

[Jspider13]

Yes, Die Hard is my favorite movie of all time.

It's just a damn good movie that deserves it's recognition. I'm kind of skeptical about Live Free but I've always wanted to see a 4th film.

 

[XwolverineX]

Die Hard might be the second best action movie after Terminator 2, it's possible.

 

[Cyrusbales]

Terminator is better than T2! (bar special effects)

 

[Dragon]

Watching it now, first time in like a year and a half maybe? Jesus H. Christ, what a movie...

* Cool hero? Check.

* Cool bad guy? Check.

* Cool sidekick, and great bond of friendship between the hero and him? Check

* A female character that not only is not annoying, but actually helps the plot and is very believable? Check.

* Awesome script, that apart from being tight, it's actually witty and funny (not forced and/or annoying like most action movies today)? Check

* Amazing, and I mean AMAZING action? Check.

* Argyle? Check. (Yes, he's a category unto himself....because he's a cool motherf***er.)

Such a rewatchable movie.

No annoying prettyboy models that try to pass as action stars, no "plucky" female characters, no precocious kids, no horrible pop soundtrack (except what Argyle listens to, but he can because he rocks).

In my humple opinion, THE perfect American action movie.

Often imitated, never equaled.

The film was an original and defined a genre. I saw it opening day. I didn't like the show Moonlighting,and thus wasn't too excited about seeing Bruce Willis on the big screen. I was expecting another mindless Stallone-Schwarzennegger-esque shoot 'em up.

And for a short time I thought it would be. Then Hans and his crew storm into the party and Bruce did the unbelievable for an 80's action hero. HE RAN. He thought like an f-ing cop should, and investigated what he was up against before firing a round. I was stunned. And I was with him for the rest of the movie. I wound-up going back to see that movie like 8 times that summer and dropped 80.00 bucks to buy it on videotape when it came out.

I loved the second one as well. Not so much the third, although it was as still kinda fun. So I'm hoping the next one isn't the "Batman & Robin" of the franchise.