Questions
When did Die Hard come out and who directed it?
Die Hard was released on July 15, 1988, and was directed by John McTiernan. It starred Bruce Willis as New York cop John McClane.
Is Die Hard based on a book?
Yes. It adapts Roderick Thorp’s 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever. Thorp reportedly wrote the story after a dream about armed men chasing a man through a building, which came after he watched the 1974 disaster film The Towering Inferno.
Why did the studio have to offer the lead to Frank Sinatra first?
Because the novel was a sequel to a story that became the 1968 Frank Sinatra film The Detective, the studio was contractually obliged to offer the McClane role to Sinatra. He was 70 at the time and declined.
Which big stars turned down the role of John McClane?
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Harrison Ford all reportedly passed before Bruce Willis was cast. At the time Willis was known mainly for the TV series Moonlighting.
Was Die Hard really Alan Rickman’s first movie?
Yes. Hans Gruber was Rickman’s screen debut, and he was already in his early 40s. He was cast after appearing in a Broadway production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
Is that a real look of surprise on Hans Gruber’s face when he falls?
Reportedly yes. Rickman was told he would be dropped on a count of three, but the crew let him go early to capture a genuine look of shock during the fall.
How did they film Hans Gruber’s big fall?
Rickman was dropped onto an airbag, and an engineered camera system with a motorized focus ring tracked his plunge at 270 frames per second. McTiernan reportedly convinced him to do it by demonstrating with cardboard boxes.
Did Bruce Willis get hurt making the movie?
Willis suffered permanent hearing loss of about two-thirds in his left ear from firing blank cartridges during filming, and he insisted on doing dangerous stunts including a 25-foot leap amid explosions.
What building is Nakatomi Plaza?
The exterior and much of the interior were shot at Fox Plaza in Century City, Los Angeles. The tower was still under construction and mostly unoccupied, which made it convenient to film in.
Where did the line "Yippee-ki-yay" come from?
McClane’s catchphrase was inspired by cowboy star Roy Rogers’ catchphrase. It went on to become one of the most quoted lines in action movie history.
Why is there classical music in an action movie?
Composer Michael Kamen worked Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Ode to Joy, into the score. McTiernan wanted it included after hearing it used in A Clockwork Orange.
How did an unproven Bruce Willis film do at the box office?
Despite low expectations, Die Hard earned around $140 million worldwide, ranked as 1988’s tenth-highest-grossing film, and spent ten straight weeks in the top five, helping revive 20th Century Fox.
Did Die Hard win any Oscars?
It received four Academy Award nominations, for Film Editing, Visual Effects, Sound Effects Editing, and Sound.
How many Die Hard sequels are there?
The story continued with Die Hard 2 (1990), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), and A Good Day to Die Hard (2013). The term "Die Hard" even became industry shorthand for a confined-space action plot.
