Topic: Justin Long

Live Free or Die Hard: It’s big, loud, and fun

By David W. Shelton | July 1, 2007 |

When the original Die Hard was released back in 1988, I was seventeen, and thanks to Tennessee’s antiquated obscenity law, I had to sneak into the theatre to see it. I was already weary of these action heroes who were invulnerable and one-liners which were peppered amidst the frequent explosions that were common in Reagan-era films of that genre.

Willis’ John McClane was a refreshing twist of the action hero who was as vulnerable as he was heroic. The one-liners weren’t bad puns, and “the” classic line from that film (Yippe-ki-yay, motherf***er), became an instant addition to the vocabulary of teenagers and adults everywhere.

Now, 19 years and three movies later, Willis again dons the NYPD badge that made him a hero. Of course, during that time, Die Hard became the epitome of action films. It would be used in pitch after pitch for movies ever since. “Die Hard on a boat” became Stephen Segal’s Under Siege. “Die Hard on a plane” became Air Force One for Harrison Ford. «Read the rest of this article»

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