IMDb > Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard
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Die Hard (1988) -- New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.
Die Hard (1988) -- New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.
Die Hard (1988) -- New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.
Die Hard (1988) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John McTiernan
Writers (WGA):
Roderick Thorp (novel)
Jeb Stuart (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Die Hard on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 July 1988 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller more
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
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(254 articles)
Birthday Suits, An Oscar For Ed!
 (From FilmExperience. 28 November 2009, 6:20 AM, PST)
Surrogates (2009) Movie Review
 (From SciFiCool.com. 26 November 2009, 10:49 AM, PST)
User Comments:
A guy movie that is still fun to watch more (545 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
more

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
131 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | German | Italian
Color:
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 (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | 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:
20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA more
Company:
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This was based on a book by Roderick Thorp entitled "Nothing Lasts Forever" - a sequel to another book entitled "The Detective", which in 1968 was made into a film starring Frank Sinatra. Coincidentally, Bruce Willis made his movie debut in The First Deadly Sin (1980) walking out of a bar as Sinatra walks into it. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Holly's maiden name is Gennero. This is misspelled in the credits as "Gennaro", and also on the Nakatomi computer that McClane uses at the start of the film. Furthermore, when he hits the touch screen button with her name, it suddenly changes from "Gennaro" to the correct "Gennero". more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Angry Video Game Nerd: Die Hard (#2.11)" (2007) more
Soundtrack:
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major, (Allegro Moderato) more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
How did Hans know that those kids on TV were Holly McClane's?
What is the origin of "Yippee kai-yay"?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
58 out of 76 people found the following comment useful.
A guy movie that is still fun to watch, 17 August 2006
10/10
Author: ciscokid1970 from United States

So many things made this movie great.

This movie made Bruce Willis immortal. He soaks up this character so well, it was him. The wise cracking cop who is entertaining because he is sarcastically funny not uttering stupid catch phrases. He is a cop who looks like a normal guy, middle age, loosing some hair with wife problems. (no faked up pretty face with shaved chest and oiled muscles). He is cool without pretending to be cool. He manages to thwart the bad guys while barefoot, man that is a great twist.

The plot is great because it does not fall perfectly in line for the hero. He stumbles, gets stuck and survives only by last minute thinking. It has plenty of action without getting ridiculous.

And the bad guys are great, smart sinister and well acted.

It is one of those movies that could play every weekend and would still be watched. Is one of those top 10 movies every guy should own.

Die hard 2 was OK but not as good as the original, I wish they would have stopped after 2. Die Hard 3 is poor.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (545 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Die Hard (1988)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Greatest Christmas movie EVER? snowsnowrain
'SHOOT THE GLASS!' notricks66
DO NOT REMAKE!!! bonzo420pico
Order the Die Hards, best to worst.... ollie-rocks
soundtrack? mmvm
The one thing that really bothered me. rydentg
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