All-American Spookshow: Die Hard (1988)
Yippee-Ki-Yay, it’s the holidays, and we discuss one of the all-time cult classic greats: “Die Hard” (yes, it is a Christmas movie).
We kick off the holiday season with our latest Cult Corner selection, DIE HARD from 1988! Join Josh, Donny & Professor Smoak as we talk about the film that launched Bruce Willis into a Hollywood icon.
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan. Based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, it stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, and Bonnie Bedelia. Die Hard follows New York City police detective John McClane (Willis), who is caught up in a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper while visiting his estranged wife.
The role of McClane was turned down by a host of the decade’s most popular actors, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.
Known mainly for work on television, Willis was paid $5 million for his involvement, placing him among Hollywood’s highest-paid actors. The deal was seen as a poor investment by industry professionals and attracted significant controversy to the film before its release.
Watch the trailer right here. You can watch it on Peacock Premium.
Filming took place between November 1987 and March 1988 on a $25 million–$35 million budget and almost entirely on location in and around Fox Plaza in Los Angeles.
Expectations for Die Hard were low, and reviews were mixed upon its release. However, the film surprised everyone by grossing $140 million, becoming the year’s tenth-highest-grossing film and the highest-grossing action film.
Receiving four Academy Award nominations, it elevated Willis to leading-man status and made Rickman a celebrity.
Die Hard has since been critically re-evaluated and is now considered one of the greatest action films; and is also often named one of the best Christmas films. Tune in to find out why!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
As soon as Thanksgiving wrapped, we welcomed the holiday horror season by discussing 2021’s hit horror comedy Black Friday — a bloody ode to the busiest shopping day of the year and the start of the season of maniacal mass consumerism. The film stars genre favorite Bruce Campbell alongside a stellar cast and some killer creature effects. But does it deliver? Tune in to find out.
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Since 2018, the All-American Spookshow team has reviewed Horror films, Cult classics, and Action flicks, plus, of course, total crap, so you don’t have to — but we encourage you to nonetheless. Every 2 weeks, the gang reviews a Horror movie with spoilers, alternating between older films (1999-back) & newer films (2000-present). Every other week, they alternate between a few different series, Spookshow Spotlight, Cult Corner, and Cannon Fodder.
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