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Die Hard (1988)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
15 July 1988 (USA)
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Tagline:
It will blow you through the back wall of the theater! more
Plot:
New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars.
Another 6 wins
&
2 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(257 articles)
Surrogates DVD / Bluray Specs
(From MoviesOnline. 30 November 2009, 8:00 PM, PST)
Moonlighting | Cable girl
(From The Guardian - TV News. 30 November 2009, 4:05 PM, PST)
(From MoviesOnline. 30 November 2009, 8:00 PM, PST)
Moonlighting | Cable girl
(From The Guardian - TV News. 30 November 2009, 4:05 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Top action film of the 1980's
more (544 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Bruce Willis | ... | Officer John McClane |
 | Bonnie Bedelia | ... | Holly Gennaro McClane |
 | Reginald VelJohnson | ... | Sgt. Al Powell (as Reginald Veljohnson) |
| Paul Gleason | ... | Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson |
| De'voreaux White | ... | Argyle |
 | William Atherton | ... | Richard Thornburg |
 | Hart Bochner | ... | Harry Ellis |
| James Shigeta | ... | Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi |
 | Alan Rickman | ... | Hans Gruber |
| Alexander Godunov | ... | Karl |
| Bruno Doyon | ... | Franco |
| Andreas Wisniewski | ... | Tony |
| Clarence Gilyard Jr. | ... | Theo |
| Joey Plewa | ... | Alexander |
 | Lorenzo Caccialanza | ... | Marco |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
131 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) |
Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
USA:R (certificate #29160) |
Peru:14 |
Argentina:16 |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2001) |
Canada:AA (Ontario) (re-rating) (2001) |
Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) |
Canada:R (Manitoba) |
Iceland:16 |
West Germany:16 (cut) (video premiere) |
Finland:K-16 (1989) (cut) |
Finland:K-15 (DVD version) |
Finland:K-18 (1988) (uncut) |
Malaysia:18SG |
Brazil:14 |
Philippines:R-18 |
UK:15 (2007) |
UK:18 (1988) |
West Germany:18 (original rating) |
India:A |
South Africa:16LV |
Italy:VM14 |
New Zealand:M |
Australia:M |
Ireland:18 |
Netherlands:16 |
Norway:15 |
Norway:18 (original rating) |
Singapore:M18 |
South Korea:18 |
Sweden:15 |
France:U |
Hong Kong:IIB |
Japan:PG-12 |
Spain:18
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
There are two references to the Japanese naval attack on Pearl Harbor on he 7th December 1941. The first occurs when John McClane questions whether the Japanese celebrate Christmas. Takagi replies "We're flexible, Pearl Harbor didn't work out so we got you with tape decks". The second is the breaking of the code key for the vault. The password "Akagi" (Red Castle in English) is the name of one of the Japanese aircraft carriers which carried out the strike on Pearl Harbor.
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Goofs:
Miscellaneous: When Hans is holding onto Holly's watch out of the window and then falls, he is shot in slow motion but the paper that is falling in the background is moving at normal speed.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Businessman: You don't like flying, do you?
John McClane: What gives you that idea?
Businessman: You wanna know the secret to surviving air travel? After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes.
John McClane: Fists with your toes?
Businessman: I know, I know, it sounds crazy. Trust me, I've been doing it for nine years. Yes sir, better than a shower and a hot cup of coffee.
John McClane: Okay.
[the businessman sees John's gun]
John McClane: It's okay, I'm a cop. Trust me, I've been doing this for eleven years.
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Businessman: You don't like flying, do you?
John McClane: What gives you that idea?
Businessman: You wanna know the secret to surviving air travel? After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes.
John McClane: Fists with your toes?
Businessman: I know, I know, it sounds crazy. Trust me, I've been doing it for nine years. Yes sir, better than a shower and a hot cup of coffee.
John McClane: Okay.
[the businessman sees John's gun]
John McClane: It's okay, I'm a cop. Trust me, I've been doing this for eleven years.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (2001) (VG)
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Soundtrack:
Ode to Joy
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FAQ
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?Do any of the terrorists live?
Who are the 'terrorists'?
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more (544 total)
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb top 250 movies | IMDb Action section |
| IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |
Every so often,a film comes along that resets the standard for it's genre.Die Hard did just that very thing for action films.Any film that inspires copycats and wannabes really does it's job well.Bruce Willis made a very successful transition from the small screen to the big screen as the everyday Joe forced into being the hero.This film has all the necessary ingredients to qualify it as a great action film.All you have to do is see it for yourself.Particularly well done is the performance of Alan Rickman as the chief villain,Hans Gruber.You can come up with good arguments for many action films as to which is the best all time,and this one is no exception.Well done.