Only two days until the unveiling of the newest titles to the National Film Registry! In the meantime….
To some it’s a different type of Christmas movie. To others, it is the ultimate in 1980s action. It certainly inspired a host of big screen imitators, variations on a theme–“‘Die Hard’ on a plane!,” “‘Die Hard’ on a bus”…
But it all had to start somewhere, as Eric Lichtenfeld writes:
”This is something different.’
“What debonair terrorist Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) recognizes about New York City detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) upon first seeing his handiwork is very much what the moviegoing public, and 20th Century Fox executives, recognized about the film that brought them together.”
Title: “Die Hard”
Year of Release: 1988
Year Added to the National Film Registry: 2017 (See all films added to the Registry in 2017.)
Trivia: Nakatomi Tower in the film was, in real life, the headquarters for the film’s studio, 20th Century-Fox.
This blog post is the 29th in our “30 Years of the National Film Registry” series which was launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Registry. The National Film Registry selects 25 films each year showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. The 30th National Film Registry selections will be announced on December 12, 2018.