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{{Italic title}}
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[[File:220px-Die_hard.jpg|thumb]]
 
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{{title|image=Die-hard-title-card.jpg|director={{w|John McTiernan}}|writer=Roderick Thorp {{s|({{w|Nothing Lasts Forever (1979 novel)|novel}})}}<br>{{w|Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart}} {{s|(screenplay)}}<br>{{w|Steven E. de Souza}} {{s|(screenplay)}}|release=July 15, 1988|runtime=2 hours, 12 minutes|rating=R|available=VHS<br>Laserdisc<br>DVD<br>Blu-ray}}
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[[File:220px-Die_hard.jpg|thumb|250px|The poster for the film's theatrical release.]]
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'''''Die Hard''''' is a 1988 American action film directed by {{w|John McTiernan}} and written by {{w|Steven E. de Souza|Steve de Souza}} and {{w|Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart}}, based on the 1979 novel ''{{w|Nothing Lasts Forever (1979 novel)|Nothing Lasts Forever}}'' by {{w|Roderick Thorp}}, the sequel to Thorp's 1966 novel ''{{w|The Detective (novel)|The Detective}}'', which itself had been adapted into a 1968 {{w|The Detective (1968 film)|film of the same name}} starring {{w|Frank Sinatra}}.
   
  ⚫
Fox was contractually obligated to offer Sinatra the lead role in ''Die Hard'', but he turned it down and the film was instead pitched as a sequel to the 1985 action film ''{{w|Commando (film)|Commando}}'' starring {{w|Arnold Schwarzenegger}}. When Schwarzenegger also turned it down, the film was pitched to, and rejected by, a host of the era's action stars before Willis was chosen. The studio did not have faith in Willis' action star appeal, as at the time he was known for his comedic role on television.
   
  ⚫
Made on a $28 million budget, ''Die Hard'' went on to gross over $140 million theatrically worldwide, and was praised by critics. The film turned Willis into an action star, and became a frequent comparison for other action films featuring a lone hero fighting overwhelming odds. The film's success spawned [[wikipedia:Die Hard (film series)|a franchise]], including four sequels, video games, and a comic book.
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'''''Die Hard''''' is a 1988 American [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film action film] directed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McTiernan John McTiernan] and written by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_E._de_Souza Steve de Souza] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeb_Stuart_%28writer%29 Jeb Stuart], based on the 1979 novel ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_Lasts_Forever_%281979_novel%29 Nothing Lasts Forever]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roderick_Thorp Roderick Thorp]. ''Die Hard'' follows off-duty [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police_Department New York City Police Department] officer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McClane John McClane] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Willis Bruce Willis]) as he takes on a group of highly organized criminals led by Hans Gruber ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rickman Alan Rickman]), who perform a heist in a Los Angeles skyscraper under the guise of a terrorist attack using hostages, including McClane's wife Holly ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Bedelia Bonnie Bedelia]), to keep the police at bay.
  
   
  +
==Synopsis==
⚫
''Die Hard'' is said to be based on ''Nothing Lasts Forever'', the sequel to Thorp's 1966 novel ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Detective_%28novel%29 The Detective]'', which itself had been adapted into a 1968 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Detective_%281968_film%29 film of the same name] starring [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra Frank Sinatra]. Fox was contractually obligated to offer Sinatra the lead role in ''Die Hard'', but he turned it down and the film was instead pitched as a sequel to the 1985 action film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_%28film%29 Commando]'' starring [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger]. When Schwarzenegger also turned it down, the film was pitched to, and rejected by, a host of the era's action stars before Willis was chosen. The studio did not have faith in Willis' action star appeal, as at the time he was known for his comedic role on television.
  
  +
John McClane, the New York City Police Department detective, arrives in Los Angeles to attempt a [[Christmas]] reunion and reconciliation with his estranged wife Holly, who is attending a party thrown by her employer, the Nakatomi Corporation, at its still-unfinished American branch office headquarters, the high-rise Nakatomi Plaza. McClane is met at the airport by Argyle, a limo driver charged with taking John to Holly's office. As he enters the lobby, he finds that the building's staff directory is an automated computer program listing Holly under her maiden name, Gennaro. When he gets off the elevator on the 30th floor, he sees a lavish holiday party is underway. John is met by Holly's boss, Joseph Takagi, a genial Japanese businessman. After McClane refreshes himself from the flight in Holly's corporate bathroom, they have an argument over the use of her maiden name but Holly is called away.
   
  +
As the party continues, a large moving van from "Pacific Courier" makes its way to the building. Two men, Karl and Theo, arrive in a car at the front entrance to the building. At the security desk they divert the security guards' attention away from the trucks. Karl guns down the guards while Theo commandeers the closed circuit security field and locks down all the elevators except for the service car. Terrorists led by the slick & well-mannered German anarchist Hans Gruber emerge from the trucks and hold the partygoers as hostages in exchange for terrorist operatives in prison. In the confusion, McClane is able to disappear unnoticed into the building's maintenance areas but forgets to take his shoes along, leaving him barefoot. Takagi is taken from the party and learns that Gruber is actually using the hostage situation as a cover to steal $640 million in bearer bonds stored in the building's vault. McClane is unable to stop Gruber from executing Takagi when he refuses to hand over the vault's combination.
⚫
Made on a $28 million budget, ''Die Hard'' went on to gross over $140 million theatrically worldwide, and was praised by critics. The film turned Willis into an action star, and became a frequent comparison for other action films featuring a lone hero fighting overwhelming odds. The film's success spawned the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard_%28film_series%29 Die Hard]'' franchise, which includes four sequels, video games, and a comic book.
  
   
  +
McClane attempts to alert the local police by setting off a fire alarm -- his attempt fails and he is promptly discovered by Karl's brother, Tony. McClane kills Tony, taking his gun and radio, which he uses to contact the LAPD from the roof of the building. Karl demands vengeance for his dead brother. McClane makes it to the roof and tries to call the LAPD on Tony's walkie-talkie. While McClane argues with the LAPD over his distress call -- they believe it to be a prank due to the earlier fire alarm attempt -- Karl and two of Hans' men, Franco and Fritz, attack, forcing McClane to retreat into the tower's ventilation system. When he emerges, he tries to get the attention of Sgt Al Powell, sent by the dispatcher McClane had contacted before. When Marco and Heinrich find him in the conference room, McClane kills them both. Initially finding nothing amiss, Powell is ready to drive off but McClane, in one last desperate move before his last hope for outside help leaves, gets his attention by throwing Marco's corpse out of the window and onto Powell's patrol vehicle. Another detachment of Gruber's men opens fire on Powell's car as he reverses out of the front circle and crashes, calling for backup in his panicky state.
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==Contents==
  
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard#Plot 1 Plot]
  
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard#Cast 2 Cast]
  
⚫
==Plot==
  
−
On Christmas Eve, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police New York City Police] officer John McClane arrives in Los Angeles to reconcile with his estranged wife, Holly. McClane is driven to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakatomi_Plaza Nakatomi Plaza] building for a company Christmas party by Argyle. While McClane changes clothes, the party is disrupted by the arrival of Hans Gruber and his heavily armed group: Karl, Franco, Tony, Theo, Alexander, Marco, Kristoff, Eddie, Uli, Heinrich, Fritz, and James. The group seize the tower and secure those inside as hostages except for McClane who manages to slip away, armed only with a service pistol.
  
   
  +
While searching Heinrich's pockets and bag, McClane finds the henchman was carrying a significant quantity of C4 explosive and detonators. McClane taunts Gruber using Heinrich's walkie-talkie and tells him he killed a few of his men, giving Hans their names. Karl reports to Hans that McClane wasn't bluffing and that their adversary took Heinrich's bag, which presumably held all the detonators.
−
Gruber singles out Nakatomi executive Joseph Takagi claiming he intends to teach the Corporation a lesson for its greed. Away from the other hostages, Gruber interrogates Takagi for the code to the building's vault as McClane secretly observes. Gruber admits that they are using terrorism as a distraction while they attempt to steal $640 million in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearer_bond bearer bonds] in the vault. Takagi refuses to cooperate and is executed by Gruber. McClane accidentally gives himself away and is pursued by Tony. McClane manages to kill Tony, taking his weapon and radio, which he uses to contact the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Police_Department Los Angeles Police Department]. Sgt. Al Powell is sent to investigate. Gruber sends Heinrich and Marco to stop McClane, but McClane manages to kill both Heinrich and Marco. Powell, finding nothing strange about the building, attempts to leave, but McClane drops Marco's corpse onto Powell's car, alerting the LAPD who surround the building. McClane takes Heinrich's bag containing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-4_%28explosive%29 C-4 explosives] and detonators.
  
   
  +
With Powell now fully convinced that the emergency call was real, the situation rapidly escalates as the LAPD comes in force and surrounds the Nakatomi Building with a large SWAT force. However, Gruber is not too concerned: although the police responded somewhat sooner than he planned thanks to McClane's interference, the police are a necessary and unwitting part of Gruber's plan in the first place. As part of that plan, Gruber contacts the police with a list of difficult demands such as the release of various real terrorists he has no connection with and has only read about in the news to stall them. After he finishes with his bogus demands, Gruber gives Karl the order to hunt down McClane.
−
A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWAT SWAT] team assaults the building with an unarmed M8 Greyhound armored car but the attack is anticipated, and James and Alexander destroy the car and massacre the SWAT team with rockets. McClane uses the C-4 to blow up the building floor occupied by James and Alexander, killing them both. Holly's coworker Harry Ellis attempts to mediate between Hans and McClane for the return of the detonators. McClane refuses to return them causing Gruber to execute Ellis. While checking the explosives attached to the roof, Gruber is confronted by McClane. Gruber passes himself off as an escaped hostage and is given a gun by McClane. Gruber attempts to shoot McClane but finds that the gun is unloaded. Before McClane can act, Karl, Franco, and Fritz arrive. McClane kills Fritz and Franco, but is forced to flee, leaving the detonators behind.
  
   
  +
Meanwhile, the SWAT team, led by Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson, arrives to storm the building. However, Theo notices their movements on the security feed and alerts Gruber. Talking furiously to Powell, McClane attempts Robinson to stop the SWAT team from walking into a trap, but Powell cannot convince his superiors. The SWAT team is repelled, the SWAT armoured vehicle is disabled by a rocket launcher, and the police are out-gunned by the firepower of the terrorists and their strategic spots in the building. To stop two of Gruber's men from continuing to fire upon the disabled SWAT armored car, McClane drops C4 down the elevator shaft and blows out the entire floor where the terrorists are planted, giving the cops a chance to retreat. By this time the news media are on the scene, led by sleazy reporter Richard Thornberg, and the FBI, led by Special Agent Johnson and his partner, Special Agent Little Johnson arrive to commandeer the situation.
−
FBI agents arrive and take command of the police situation outside, ordering the building's power be shut off. The power loss disables the vault's final lock as Gruber had anticipated. Gruber demands that a helicopter arrive on the roof for transport—his intention is to detonate the explosives on the roof to kill the hostages and to fake the deaths of his men and himself. Karl finds McClane and the two fight. Meanwhile Gruber views a news report by Richard Thornburg that features McClane's children, causing Gruber to realize that McClane is Holly's husband. The terrorists order the hostages to the roof, but Gruber takes Holly with him to use against McClane. McClane seemingly kills Karl and heads to the roof. He kills Uli and sends the hostages back downstairs before the explosives detonate, destroying the roof and the FBI helicopter.
  
   
  +
As the remainder of Gruber's men attempt to find McClane and the detonators, one of the hostages, Harry Ellis, believing he can negotiate with Hans, betrays McClane's identity. Gruber uses the radio to contact McClane, and demands that McClane return the detonators or else he would shoot one of the hostages. McClane refuses, and Gruber kills Ellis, to the horror of the police force who heard everything on radio. McClane continues to keep moving through the building to learn more about Gruber's plans. McClane and Gruber accidentally meet but Gruber gains McClane's trust by passing himself off as an escaped hostage. McClane hands Gruber his pistol and tells him to stay close while they look for a way out of the building. Gruber then contacts his henchmen while pointing the pistol at McClane. When he pulls the trigger, it clicks on an empty chamber. McClane scoffs at Gruber's attempt to kill him just as Gruber's men arrive, opening fire immediately and pinning McClane down in a room full of computer terminals. Gruber suddenly gets an idea to shoot out all the glass in the room, making it treacherous for McClane to find a way out while he's barefoot. McClane flees anyway, dropping the bag containing the detonators. Gruber happily retrieves the bag however Karl is still furious that McClane got away.
−
Theo goes to the parking garage to retrieve their getaway vehicle but is knocked unconscious by Argyle who had been trapped in the garage during the siege. A weary McClane finds Holly with Gruber and his remaining men and knocks Kristoff unconscious. McClane surrenders his machine gun to spare Holly, but then distracts Gruber and Eddie by laughing, allowing him to grab a concealed handgun taped to his back. McClane shoots Gruber in the shoulder and then kills Eddie. Gruber is sent crashing through a window. Gruber prevents himself from falling by holding onto Holly by her watch. McClane manages to release the watch and Gruber falls to his death on the street below.
  
  +
  +
A few minutes later, while hiding in a nearby men's room, McClane talks to Powell while removing a large piece of glass embedded in his foot. He wraps his foot in his tank top and tells Powell to contact Holly after the ordeal is over and let her know he loves her. Powell tells McClane to hang in and that his fellow officers even have a betting pool going on him. McClane sets out for the roof, curious as to why Gruber was snooping around there.
  +
  +
The FBI play their final card by shutting off the building's power while they plan a helicopter raid onto the roof. However, Gruber had planned for the FBI's predictability - disconnecting the power has shut down the final electromagnetic lock on the vault and given him access to the bonds. McClane, inspecting the top level, finds out Gruber has used the recovered detonators to rig the helipad on the building's roof with explosives. Gruber plans to demand helicopters to carry himself, his men and the hostages to a waiting plane at an airport. After the FBI informs Gruber that his demands have been met, Gruber's men force the hostages to the roof to be killed by the explosions, so they could escape in the confusion. McClane, after fighting off Karl and failing to warn the police of the Gruber's doublecross, is able to get the hostages back inside safely, but the FBI helicopter shoots at him, believing he's one of the terrorists. The helipad explodes, the helicopter is destroyed and both Johnsons are killed. McClane escapes again but jumping from the roof with a fire hose tied around his waist. He shoots out a window a few stories down and swings himself inside to safety.
  +
  +
Gruber has discovered from Thornberg's investigative newscast that Holly Gennaro is McClane's wife. He holds her hostage to prevent McClane from interfering in his getaway. McClane, down to his last two bullets, is able to lull Gruber into a trap, killing the last remaining terrorist, Eddie, and wounding Gruber, who falls backwards and out of the building through a window. Gruber manages to hang onto Holly's wristwatch, his weight dragging her out the window as well. McClane is able to unstrap the watch and lets Gruber fall to his death. Meanwhile, Theo is knocked unconscious by McClane's limo driver, Argyle, while preparing their getaway vehicle, an ambulance, in the parking garage. McClane and Holly leave the building together, and meet Powell for the first time. Karl, posing as an injured survivor, bursts out behind McClane and Holly with his assault rifle, but Powell, who had previously confessed to McClane that he had not fired a gun since he accidentally shot a child years ago, draws and shoots him before he can harm McClane and Holly. Thornberg attempts to interview them as they are leaving the scene, Holly punches him in the face. McClane and Holly take off in Argyle's limo as the building is secured by the police.
  +
  ⚫
==Music==
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{|class=wikitable
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!Title!!Performed by
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|-
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|"''Singin' in the Rain''" {{s|from ''{{w|Singin' in the Rain}}''}}
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|-
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|"[[Winter Wonderland (song)|Winter Wonderland]]"
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|-
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|"[[Christmas in Hollis]]"||{{w|Run-D.M.C.}}
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|-
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|"[[Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!]]"||
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*{{w|Reginald VanJohnson}} {{s|(humming; uncredited)}}
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*{{w|Vaughn Monroe}}
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|-
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!colspan=2|Uncredited
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|-
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|"Ode to Joy"<br>from {{w|Beethoven}}'s "Symphony No.9"
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|-
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|"[[Jingle Bells (song)|Jingle Bells]]"||{{w|Bruce Willis}} (whistling)
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|-
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|{{w|Bach}}'s "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3"
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|-
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|"We've Got Each Other" {{s|from ''{{w|Man on Fire (1987 film)|Man on Fire}}''}}||{{w|John Scott}}
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|-
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|"Resolution & Hyperspace" {{s|from ''{{w|Aliens (film)|Aliens}}''}}||{{w|James Horner}} {{s|(composer)}}
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|}
   
−
McClane and Holly are escorted from the building and meet Powell in person. Karl emerges from the building disguised as a hostage and attempts to shoot McClane, but he is gunned down by Powell. Argyle crashes through the parking garage door in the limo. Thornburg arrives and attempts to interview McClane, but is punched by Holly. McClane and Holly are driven away by Argyle.
  
 
==Cast==
  
==Cast==
  +
{|class=wikitable
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!Actor/actress!!Character(s)
  +
|-
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|{{w|Bruce Willis}}||John McClane
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|-
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|Bonnie Bedelia||Holly McClane
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|-
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|{{w|Reginald VelJohnson}}||Al Powell
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|-
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|Paul Gleason||Dwayne Robinson
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|-
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|William Atherton||Richard Thornburg
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|-
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|Hart Bochner||Harry Ellis
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|-
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|James Shigeta||Joseph Takagi
  +
|-
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|Alan Rickman||Hans Gruber
  +
|-
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|Alexander Godunov||Karl
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|-
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|Bruno Doyon||Franco
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|-
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|De'voreaux White||Argyle
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|-
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|Andreas Wisniewski||Tony
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|-
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|Clarence Gilyard Jr.||Theo
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|-
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|Joey Plewa||Alexander
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|-
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|Lorenzo Caccialanza||Marco
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|-
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|Gerard Bonn||Kristoff
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|-
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|Dennis Hayden||Eddie
  +
|-
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|Al Leong||Uli
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|-
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|Gary Roberts||Heinrich
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|-
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|Hans Buhringer||Fritz
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|-
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|Wilhelm von Homburg||James
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|-
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|Robert Davi||Big Johnson
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|-
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|Grand Bush||Little Johnson
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|-
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|Bill Marcus||City Engineer
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|-
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|Rick Ducommun||Walt {{s|(City Worker)}}
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|-
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|Matt Landers||Capt. Mitchell
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|-
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|Carmine Zozzora||Rivers
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|-
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|Dustyn Taylor||Ginny
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|-
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|George Christy||Dr. Hasseldorf
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|-
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|Anthony Peck||Young Cop
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|-
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|Cheryl Baker||Woman
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|-
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|Richard Parker||Man
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|-
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|David Ursin||Harvey Johnson
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|-
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|Mary Trainor||Gail Wallens
  +
|-
  +
|Diana James||Police Supervisor
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|-
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|Shelley Pogoda||Dispatcher
  +
|-valign=top
  +
|Selma Archerd<br>Scot Bennett<br>Rebecca Broussard<br>Kate Finlayson<br>Shanna Higgins<br>Kym Malin<br>Gary Pinkston {{s|(uncredited)}}||Hostages
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|-
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|Taylor Fry||Lucy McClane
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|-
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|Noah Land||John McClane Jr.
  +
|-
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|Betty Carvalho||Paulina
  +
|-
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|Kip Waldo||Convenience Store Clerk
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|-
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|Mark Goldstein||Station Manager
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|-
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|Tracy Reiner||Thornburg's Assistant
  +
|-valign=top
  +
|Rick Cicetti<br>Fred Lerner||Guards
  +
|-
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|Bill Margolin||Producer
  +
|-valign=top
  +
|Bob Jennings<br>Bruce Schultz<br>Rick Bross {{s|(uncredited)}}||Cameramen
  +
|-
  +
|David Katz||Soundman
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|-
  +
|Robert Lesser||Businessman
  +
|-
  +
|Stella Hall||Stewardess
  +
|-
  +
|Terri Doss||Girl at Airport
  +
|-
  +
|Jon E. Greene||Boy at Airport
  +
|-
  +
|P. Randall Bowers||Kissing Man
  +
|-
  +
|Michele Laybourn||Girl in Window
  +
|-
  +
!colspan=2|Uncredited
  +
|-
  +
|Bob Harks||Priest in Terminal
  +
|-
  +
|Conrad Hurtt||Swat
  +
|-valign=top
  +
|T.J. Jones<br>Eric Kay||Firemen
  +
|-
  +
|Marshall Lucas||Police Officer
  +
|-
  +
|Stan Rodarte||Gas Station Customer
  +
|-
  +
|Mark Winn||Police Detective
  +
|}
  +
  +
==Notes==
  +
===Deleted/Extended Scenes===
  +
The Ultimate Edition DVD releases contains the following:
  +
*Extended power shutdown sequence.
  +
*Extended opening flight scene.
  +
*Brief dialogue in the first Hans/McClane confrontation.
  +
*Extended scene where Robinson/Powell brief the FBI on the tower situation.
  +
*Brief dialogue when Hans interrogates Takagi.
  +
*Brief dialogue after Theo says "You didn't bring me along for my charming personality".
  +
*Extended/alternate dialogue in McClane/Powell conversation after McClane uses the plastic explosives.
  +
*Brief scene of FBI agents getting stuck in thorn bushes as they make their way towards the building.
  +
*At the end, McClane says "You got a warranty for [Holly's watch, a gift from Ellis]?" to which Holly laughs.
  +
*Argyle's dialogue as Powell's police cruiser flies by in the background.
  +
*Brief Ellis dialogue reacting to the terrorist intrusion.
  +
*City engineer briefly coughs before pulling out the power cord.
  +
*Brief dialogue in Hans/Karl argument about "neutralizing" McClane.
  +
*Additional Holly dialogue after seeing Karl's reaction to McClane's escape.
   
  +
The FX Channel adds a scene prior to the electricity-controlled opening of the vault. In it, the city engineer pulls the plug locally, but even though the power goes off, the electromagnetic seal still holds. After realizing the building has alternate power sources, Hans orders Theo to "annoy them", which leads Theo to type in commands to turn the power back on. The lights come back on, where Special Agent Johnson (Robert Davi) tells the city engineer to shut the whole grid down. A quick black-and-white frame flashes before it rejoins the original footage.
−
  
  
   
  +
==External links==
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Willis Bruce Willis] as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McClane John McClane], a streetwise New York cop who has come to Los Angeles to reconcile with his wife[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rickman ]
  
  +
* {{Imdb title|0095016}}
   
  +
{{Wikipedia}}
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rickman Alan Rickman] as Hans Gruber, a German mastermind and the leader of the terrorists
  
  +
[[Category:Movies]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Godunov Alexander Godunov] as Karl, Hans's savage main henchman
  
  +
[[Category:1988 releases]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Bedelia Bonnie Bedelia] as Holly Gennaro-McClane, John's estranged wife
  
  +
[[Category:Theatrical releases]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_VelJohnson Reginald VelJohnson] as Sgt. Al Powell
  
  +
[[Category:Films and specials based on books]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gleason Paul Gleason] as Dwayne T. Robinson, the Deputy Chief of Police
  
  +
[[Category:20th Century Fox]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De%27voreaux_White De'voreaux White] as Argyle, John's limousine driver
  
  +
[[Category:Action Movies]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Atherton William Atherton] as Richard Thornburg, an arrogant reporter
  
  +
[[Category:Award winners]]
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart_Bochner Hart Bochner] as Harry Ellis, a sleazy Nakatomi executive
  
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Shigeta James Shigeta] as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi, Nakatomi's head executive
  
−
Additional cast include Hans's henchmen: Bruno Doyon as Franco, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Wisniewski Andreas Wisniewski] as Tony, Karl's brother, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Gilyard Clarence Gilyard] as Theo, Joey Plewa as Alexander, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Caccialanza Lorenzo Caccialanza] as Marco, Gerard Bonn as Kristoff, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Hayden_%28actor%29 Dennis Hayden] as Eddie, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Leong Al Leong] as Uli, Gary Roberts as Heinrich, Hans Buhringer as Fritz, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_von_Homburg Wilhelm von Homburg] as James. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Davi Robert Davi] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_L._Bush Grand L. Bush] appear as FBI agents Big Johnson and Little Johnson respectively, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Fry Taylor Fry] and Noah Land make cameo appearances as McClane's children [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McClane#Lucy_Gennero-McClane Lucy McClane] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McClane#John_McClane_Jr._.28Jack_McClane.29 John Jr.]. The casting director was Jackie Burch.
  

Revision as of 23:39, 1 December 2019

220px-Die hard

The poster for the film's theatrical release.

Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Steve de Souza and Jeb Stuart, based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, the sequel to Thorp's 1966 novel The Detective, which itself had been adapted into a 1968 film of the same name starring Frank Sinatra.

Fox was contractually obligated to offer Sinatra the lead role in Die Hard, but he turned it down and the film was instead pitched as a sequel to the 1985 action film Commando starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When Schwarzenegger also turned it down, the film was pitched to, and rejected by, a host of the era's action stars before Willis was chosen. The studio did not have faith in Willis' action star appeal, as at the time he was known for his comedic role on television.

Made on a $28 million budget, Die Hard went on to gross over $140 million theatrically worldwide, and was praised by critics. The film turned Willis into an action star, and became a frequent comparison for other action films featuring a lone hero fighting overwhelming odds. The film's success spawned a franchise, including four sequels, video games, and a comic book.

Synopsis

John McClane, the New York City Police Department detective, arrives in Los Angeles to attempt a Christmas reunion and reconciliation with his estranged wife Holly, who is attending a party thrown by her employer, the Nakatomi Corporation, at its still-unfinished American branch office headquarters, the high-rise Nakatomi Plaza. McClane is met at the airport by Argyle, a limo driver charged with taking John to Holly's office. As he enters the lobby, he finds that the building's staff directory is an automated computer program listing Holly under her maiden name, Gennaro. When he gets off the elevator on the 30th floor, he sees a lavish holiday party is underway. John is met by Holly's boss, Joseph Takagi, a genial Japanese businessman. After McClane refreshes himself from the flight in Holly's corporate bathroom, they have an argument over the use of her maiden name but Holly is called away.

As the party continues, a large moving van from "Pacific Courier" makes its way to the building. Two men, Karl and Theo, arrive in a car at the front entrance to the building. At the security desk they divert the security guards' attention away from the trucks. Karl guns down the guards while Theo commandeers the closed circuit security field and locks down all the elevators except for the service car. Terrorists led by the slick & well-mannered German anarchist Hans Gruber emerge from the trucks and hold the partygoers as hostages in exchange for terrorist operatives in prison. In the confusion, McClane is able to disappear unnoticed into the building's maintenance areas but forgets to take his shoes along, leaving him barefoot. Takagi is taken from the party and learns that Gruber is actually using the hostage situation as a cover to steal $640 million in bearer bonds stored in the building's vault. McClane is unable to stop Gruber from executing Takagi when he refuses to hand over the vault's combination.

McClane attempts to alert the local police by setting off a fire alarm -- his attempt fails and he is promptly discovered by Karl's brother, Tony. McClane kills Tony, taking his gun and radio, which he uses to contact the LAPD from the roof of the building. Karl demands vengeance for his dead brother. McClane makes it to the roof and tries to call the LAPD on Tony's walkie-talkie. While McClane argues with the LAPD over his distress call -- they believe it to be a prank due to the earlier fire alarm attempt -- Karl and two of Hans' men, Franco and Fritz, attack, forcing McClane to retreat into the tower's ventilation system. When he emerges, he tries to get the attention of Sgt Al Powell, sent by the dispatcher McClane had contacted before. When Marco and Heinrich find him in the conference room, McClane kills them both. Initially finding nothing amiss, Powell is ready to drive off but McClane, in one last desperate move before his last hope for outside help leaves, gets his attention by throwing Marco's corpse out of the window and onto Powell's patrol vehicle. Another detachment of Gruber's men opens fire on Powell's car as he reverses out of the front circle and crashes, calling for backup in his panicky state.

While searching Heinrich's pockets and bag, McClane finds the henchman was carrying a significant quantity of C4 explosive and detonators. McClane taunts Gruber using Heinrich's walkie-talkie and tells him he killed a few of his men, giving Hans their names. Karl reports to Hans that McClane wasn't bluffing and that their adversary took Heinrich's bag, which presumably held all the detonators.

With Powell now fully convinced that the emergency call was real, the situation rapidly escalates as the LAPD comes in force and surrounds the Nakatomi Building with a large SWAT force. However, Gruber is not too concerned: although the police responded somewhat sooner than he planned thanks to McClane's interference, the police are a necessary and unwitting part of Gruber's plan in the first place. As part of that plan, Gruber contacts the police with a list of difficult demands such as the release of various real terrorists he has no connection with and has only read about in the news to stall them. After he finishes with his bogus demands, Gruber gives Karl the order to hunt down McClane.

Meanwhile, the SWAT team, led by Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson, arrives to storm the building. However, Theo notices their movements on the security feed and alerts Gruber. Talking furiously to Powell, McClane attempts Robinson to stop the SWAT team from walking into a trap, but Powell cannot convince his superiors. The SWAT team is repelled, the SWAT armoured vehicle is disabled by a rocket launcher, and the police are out-gunned by the firepower of the terrorists and their strategic spots in the building. To stop two of Gruber's men from continuing to fire upon the disabled SWAT armored car, McClane drops C4 down the elevator shaft and blows out the entire floor where the terrorists are planted, giving the cops a chance to retreat. By this time the news media are on the scene, led by sleazy reporter Richard Thornberg, and the FBI, led by Special Agent Johnson and his partner, Special Agent Little Johnson arrive to commandeer the situation.

As the remainder of Gruber's men attempt to find McClane and the detonators, one of the hostages, Harry Ellis, believing he can negotiate with Hans, betrays McClane's identity. Gruber uses the radio to contact McClane, and demands that McClane return the detonators or else he would shoot one of the hostages. McClane refuses, and Gruber kills Ellis, to the horror of the police force who heard everything on radio. McClane continues to keep moving through the building to learn more about Gruber's plans. McClane and Gruber accidentally meet but Gruber gains McClane's trust by passing himself off as an escaped hostage. McClane hands Gruber his pistol and tells him to stay close while they look for a way out of the building. Gruber then contacts his henchmen while pointing the pistol at McClane. When he pulls the trigger, it clicks on an empty chamber. McClane scoffs at Gruber's attempt to kill him just as Gruber's men arrive, opening fire immediately and pinning McClane down in a room full of computer terminals. Gruber suddenly gets an idea to shoot out all the glass in the room, making it treacherous for McClane to find a way out while he's barefoot. McClane flees anyway, dropping the bag containing the detonators. Gruber happily retrieves the bag however Karl is still furious that McClane got away.

A few minutes later, while hiding in a nearby men's room, McClane talks to Powell while removing a large piece of glass embedded in his foot. He wraps his foot in his tank top and tells Powell to contact Holly after the ordeal is over and let her know he loves her. Powell tells McClane to hang in and that his fellow officers even have a betting pool going on him. McClane sets out for the roof, curious as to why Gruber was snooping around there.

The FBI play their final card by shutting off the building's power while they plan a helicopter raid onto the roof. However, Gruber had planned for the FBI's predictability - disconnecting the power has shut down the final electromagnetic lock on the vault and given him access to the bonds. McClane, inspecting the top level, finds out Gruber has used the recovered detonators to rig the helipad on the building's roof with explosives. Gruber plans to demand helicopters to carry himself, his men and the hostages to a waiting plane at an airport. After the FBI informs Gruber that his demands have been met, Gruber's men force the hostages to the roof to be killed by the explosions, so they could escape in the confusion. McClane, after fighting off Karl and failing to warn the police of the Gruber's doublecross, is able to get the hostages back inside safely, but the FBI helicopter shoots at him, believing he's one of the terrorists. The helipad explodes, the helicopter is destroyed and both Johnsons are killed. McClane escapes again but jumping from the roof with a fire hose tied around his waist. He shoots out a window a few stories down and swings himself inside to safety.

Gruber has discovered from Thornberg's investigative newscast that Holly Gennaro is McClane's wife. He holds her hostage to prevent McClane from interfering in his getaway. McClane, down to his last two bullets, is able to lull Gruber into a trap, killing the last remaining terrorist, Eddie, and wounding Gruber, who falls backwards and out of the building through a window. Gruber manages to hang onto Holly's wristwatch, his weight dragging her out the window as well. McClane is able to unstrap the watch and lets Gruber fall to his death. Meanwhile, Theo is knocked unconscious by McClane's limo driver, Argyle, while preparing their getaway vehicle, an ambulance, in the parking garage. McClane and Holly leave the building together, and meet Powell for the first time. Karl, posing as an injured survivor, bursts out behind McClane and Holly with his assault rifle, but Powell, who had previously confessed to McClane that he had not fired a gun since he accidentally shot a child years ago, draws and shoots him before he can harm McClane and Holly. Thornberg attempts to interview them as they are leaving the scene, Holly punches him in the face. McClane and Holly take off in Argyle's limo as the building is secured by the police.

Music

Title Performed by
"Singin' in the Rain" from Singin' in the Rain
"Winter Wonderland"
"Christmas in Hollis" Run-D.M.C.
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
Uncredited
"Ode to Joy"
from Beethoven's "Symphony No.9"
"Jingle Bells" Bruce Willis (whistling)
Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3"
"We've Got Each Other" from Man on Fire John Scott
"Resolution & Hyperspace" from Aliens James Horner (composer)

Cast

Actor/actress Character(s)
Bruce Willis John McClane
Bonnie Bedelia Holly McClane
Reginald VelJohnson Al Powell
Paul Gleason Dwayne Robinson
William Atherton Richard Thornburg
Hart Bochner Harry Ellis
James Shigeta Joseph Takagi
Alan Rickman Hans Gruber
Alexander Godunov Karl
Bruno Doyon Franco
De'voreaux White Argyle
Andreas Wisniewski Tony
Clarence Gilyard Jr. Theo
Joey Plewa Alexander
Lorenzo Caccialanza Marco
Gerard Bonn Kristoff
Dennis Hayden Eddie
Al Leong Uli
Gary Roberts Heinrich
Hans Buhringer Fritz
Wilhelm von Homburg James
Robert Davi Big Johnson
Grand Bush Little Johnson
Bill Marcus City Engineer
Rick Ducommun Walt (City Worker)
Matt Landers Capt. Mitchell
Carmine Zozzora Rivers
Dustyn Taylor Ginny
George Christy Dr. Hasseldorf
Anthony Peck Young Cop
Cheryl Baker Woman
Richard Parker Man
David Ursin Harvey Johnson
Mary Trainor Gail Wallens
Diana James Police Supervisor
Shelley Pogoda Dispatcher
Selma Archerd
Scot Bennett
Rebecca Broussard
Kate Finlayson
Shanna Higgins
Kym Malin
Gary Pinkston (uncredited)		 Hostages
Taylor Fry Lucy McClane
Noah Land John McClane Jr.
Betty Carvalho Paulina
Kip Waldo Convenience Store Clerk
Mark Goldstein Station Manager
Tracy Reiner Thornburg's Assistant
Rick Cicetti
Fred Lerner		 Guards
Bill Margolin Producer
Bob Jennings
Bruce Schultz
Rick Bross (uncredited)		 Cameramen
David Katz Soundman
Robert Lesser Businessman
Stella Hall Stewardess
Terri Doss Girl at Airport
Jon E. Greene Boy at Airport
P. Randall Bowers Kissing Man
Michele Laybourn Girl in Window
Uncredited
Bob Harks Priest in Terminal
Conrad Hurtt Swat
T.J. Jones
Eric Kay		 Firemen
Marshall Lucas Police Officer
Stan Rodarte Gas Station Customer
Mark Winn Police Detective

Notes

Deleted/Extended Scenes

The Ultimate Edition DVD releases contains the following:

  • Extended power shutdown sequence.
  • Extended opening flight scene.
  • Brief dialogue in the first Hans/McClane confrontation.
  • Extended scene where Robinson/Powell brief the FBI on the tower situation.
  • Brief dialogue when Hans interrogates Takagi.
  • Brief dialogue after Theo says "You didn't bring me along for my charming personality".
  • Extended/alternate dialogue in McClane/Powell conversation after McClane uses the plastic explosives.
  • Brief scene of FBI agents getting stuck in thorn bushes as they make their way towards the building.
  • At the end, McClane says "You got a warranty for [Holly's watch, a gift from Ellis]?" to which Holly laughs.
  • Argyle's dialogue as Powell's police cruiser flies by in the background.
  • Brief Ellis dialogue reacting to the terrorist intrusion.
  • City engineer briefly coughs before pulling out the power cord.
  • Brief dialogue in Hans/Karl argument about "neutralizing" McClane.
  • Additional Holly dialogue after seeing Karl's reaction to McClane's escape.

The FX Channel adds a scene prior to the electricity-controlled opening of the vault. In it, the city engineer pulls the plug locally, but even though the power goes off, the electromagnetic seal still holds. After realizing the building has alternate power sources, Hans orders Theo to "annoy them", which leads Theo to type in commands to turn the power back on. The lights come back on, where Special Agent Johnson (Robert Davi) tells the city engineer to shut the whole grid down. A quick black-and-white frame flashes before it rejoins the original footage.

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