Die Hard
or
It’s a Wonderful Life?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
From this year on, you will have to watch one of these two movies EVERY holiday season, which doesn’t sound SO hard. BUT, the catch is, the one you DON’T PICK is completely obliterated out of existence and any influence it might have had on our culture disappears forever.
I’m sure some of you might instantly be going, “Oh, I HATE violent action movies, so this easy!” Maybe so, but do you hate the very talented Alan Rickman? Because there’s a very good chance that without the career-defining role of Hans Gruber, he might not have had the successful career he enjoyed afterwards. (And we won’t even mention the fact that for a “violent action movie” it’s pretty much perfect.)
And some of you will not doubt cry out, “I hate schmaltz! I say It’s a Wonderful Life and good riddance!” Which is a fair argument for sure, but what if the world that results in its never having existed is even worse than the one George Bailey was shown by Clarence, the mulled wine loving angel? (And we won’t even mention the fact that for “schmaltz” it’s pretty much perfect.)
Either way, the world is going change. Maybe a little, maybe a lot.
Both movies are superb button pushers. IAWL with all it’s melancholy and regret. Die Hard with it’s adrenaline 80’s action sequences and snappy one liners. hmm…
I have to say, Christmas for whatever reason is not my favorite time of year, so whilst IAWL is obviously the correct choice for any number of reasons, I am sticking with John McClane…”Go fuck yourself, Hans.”…
Okay I’m going to say Die Hard only because I truly enjoy that one more.
HOWEVER I feel a little like I should say It’s a Wonderful LIfe… Why do I feel like that? It’s sort of embarrassing…
I finally saw Die Hard and its sequels for the first time a couple of months ago, and while there are memorable moments from both Willis and Rickman, I was stumped as to why this movie has such a cult following. I would never choose it over It’s a Wonderful Life. The Die Hard scenario, while an exciting escapist hero/action romp, will never happen to your average Joe in a million years, as much as they might want it to. George Bailey’s life, however, covers a lot of things that the average Joe and Jane deal with during their average… Read more »
That’s a *tough* one. I own copies of both, and both are regular holiday viewing for me. If this were an actual decision, I’d have to toss a coin. Since it’s not, I’d vote to keep It’s A Wonderful Life. I’ve seen far more references to that movie than I have to Die Hard, suggesting to me that it has had a much greater impact on American culture (granted, it had a four-decade head start). Plus it’s got Gloria Grahame. Not to mention that the constant shifts in the color of Bruce Willis’ tank top (depending on the scene, it… Read more »
If I could make It’s a Wonderful Life cease existing right now, I would, even without saving Die Hard. IaWL is an awful movie that has somehow achieved legendary status. It’s one of life’s mysteries.
Die Hard, on the other hand, is fantastic. I will gladly sacrifice It’s a Wonderful Life to preserve the careers of Alan Rickman, Bruce Willis, the out-of-his-depth-hero genre, and the not-your-grandma’s-Christmas-movie genre.
Suck it, George Bailey.
I have a confession to make. I have never seen “Die Hard.”
*ducks*
That being said, I can’t miss it if I don’t know what I’m missing. And I do love old George Bailey. I love his ditzy old Uncle with the pet crow even more. I don’t think I could live without them.
I was recently introduced to DIE HARD by some serious die-hard fans. I’ve seen IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE probably three times total. A month ago, when I was a DH virgin, I would’ve thought this the dumbest scenario ever – IAWL wins by a landslide, right? Although IAWL is a fantastic film, I took the red pill, people, when I watched DH. And I can’t go back.
Die Hard all the way.
Allan – this is easily your best “Question Is…” yet. You’re such a beautiful writer. 🙂
🙂
This one’s easy-peasy, Mott. “Die Hard” all the motherfucking way.
I cannot stand “It’s a Wonderful Life.” George Bailey gave up every goddamned dream he had to live in poverty and mediocrity, and that’s somehow the correct answer? Fuck aaaaaaalllllll of that noise. Give me the National Geographic Society and a life fully lived.
Diehard, hands down. I’m fairly certain Santa yells “Yippee-Kay-Yay, motherf*ckers!” every time he jumps down a chimney.
I take it you realize you’re using the central plot device from “It’s a Wonderful Life” to justify not erasing “Die Hard” from existing – “It’s a Wonderful Life” wins by a mile. What would the world be like if “Die Hard” had never been born? We would have had slightly fewer “Die Hard” rip-offs & sequels, and a few more “Lethal Weapon” rip-offs & sequels (heck, for Die Hard 3 they literally took an unused draft of a script that had originally been proposed for Lethal Weapon 4 – you can’t get much more interchangeable than that). So, in… Read more »
Speed. I choose Speed.