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'Die Hard' 30th Anniversary With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion, and Sean Fennessey

August 1, 2018 · Die Hard (1988) · Action · Thriller · 1:27:57 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 17:42Harrison Ford — Harrison Ford was offered the role and it should have been a Harrison Ford movie, but the one-liners wouldn't work as well with Ford
Bill Simmons▶ 31:09Pitched Tom Berenger — Someone to Watch Over Me / Major League-era, not Platoon — as a McClane who would have been really good, and still 'rides with' Don Johnson too; while conceding Willis was by far the best choice.
Chris Ryan▶ 18:08Discusses how the actual casting created an everyman character that audiences could relate to, contrasting with typical 80s action heroes
Chris Ryan▶ 29:00Ran the list: John McClane was offered to Stallone, Harrison Ford, De Niro, Charles Bronson, Nick Nolte, Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, Don Johnson, Burt Reynolds, and Richard Dean Anderson — and Frank Sinatra (70-something) had right of refusal via the Roderick Thorp book rights (The Detective); also noted Sam Neill was considered for Hans Gruber, though Rickman made it a career-making role.
Jason Concepcion▶ 18:41Views the casting choice as a critique of 80s action movies, making it more relatable by asking 'what if it was more like you?'
Jason Concepcion▶ 32:33Rejected Nick Nolte as the worst-case McClane — 'I can't see Nolte moving with the vigor that is needed for this movie,' even in 1988.
Sean Fennessey▶ 30:31Contributed background rather than a pick: Sinatra played Joe Leland in The Detective (1968), the film keeps most of the novel's plot (Holly changed from daughter to wife), and Willis shares Sinatra's 'weird urban ethnic thing.'

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 35:09The broken glass scene - where McClane looks down, sees the broken glass, and has to go
Chris Ryan▶ 34:59Nominated multiple scenes: the broken glass scene, the Takagi interrogation, and Ellis gets a Coke scene
Sean Fennessey▶ 38:27Ellis gets a Coke scene - calls it his favorite scene

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 39:53Hart Bochner — Agrees with Hart Bochner choice and discusses the performance extensively
Chris Ryan▶ 39:10Hart Bochner — Hart Bochner (Ellis) - suggests renaming the award after him

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 47:19The title 'Die Hard' (one of the best six titles of all time), LAPD incompetence, McClane's pithy one-liners delivery, and how widescreen TVs made the movie's cinematography look better
Chris Ryan▶ 47:12Either Rickman as a villain or 80s Los Angeles, plus Gruber's crew (Al Leong and the diverse cast)
Jason Concepcion▶ 49:32The sense of place and spatial awareness - specifically the shot of McClane on top of the elevator giving you the entire elevator shaft
Sean Fennessey▶ 48:40The filmmaking - McTiernan at his peak, Jan de Bont's cinematography, Michael Kamen's score, perfect acting, and masterful direction of tight spaces

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 59:28Bruce Willis — Bruce Willis yes, prefers Predator for McTiernan, Presumed Innocent for Bonnie Bedelia
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:26Alan Rickman — Alan Rickman yes, 80s action movies yes
Jason Concepcion▶ 1:02:32Die Hard — 80s action movies yes, Argyle yes, McTiernan close but prefers Hunt for Red October
Sean Fennessey▶ 59:31Bruce Willis — Bruce Willis - Die Hard over Pulp Fiction

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:32Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker
Chris Ryan▶ 1:20:18Listed multiple quotes including 'Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker', 'Come out to the coast. We'll get together. Have a few laps', 'Just like fucking Saigon', and 'Hey, Slick'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:17Come Out to the Coast, We'll Get Together, Have a Few Laughs

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:48Bruce Willis — Bruce Willis wins based on career impact (becomes A-plus lister for 30 years), though acknowledges Rickman creates the dominant action movie archetype
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:33Alan Rickman — Alan Rickman wins the movie because he makes it great rather than just good
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:26:26Bruce Willis — Bruce Willis who won, with McTiernan and Rickman also benefiting significantly

Movies Referenced (67)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Thing (1982)

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 51:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Speed (1994)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 7:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Home Alone (1990)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion▶ 11:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard 2 (1990)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 51:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

First Blood (1982)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 14:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Predator (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 31:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 24:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Toy Soldiers (1991)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (12)

John McTiernan

17 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Jason Concepcion · Known for Die Hard, Last Action Hero▶ 2:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Willy Bogner

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for A View to a Kill, The Spy Who Loved Me▶ 55:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Reds, Heaven Can Wait▶ 40:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Scorsese

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 27:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Amy Heckerling

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Look Who's Talking▶ 59:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 59:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 29:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Bay

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Armageddon▶ 21:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 1:24:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise▶ 31:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Benton

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Kramer vs. Kramer, Bonnie and Clyde, Superman▶ 59:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 28:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (80)

Bruce Willis

37 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 1:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Rickman

18 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 6:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bonnie Bedelia

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Die Hard, Die Hard 2, Presumed Innocent▶ 52:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hart Bochner

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Die Hard, Breaking Away▶ 39:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Gleeson

9 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Thirteen Lives, The Thin Red Line▶ 55:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Sinatra

8 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for From Here to Eternity, High Society▶ 29:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Berenger

7 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Platoon, Inception, The Big Chill▶ 31:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Rock

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Five, The Longest Yard, Head of State▶ 5:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Demi Moore

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Striptease, Indecent Proposal▶ 1:01:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nick Nolte

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion · Known for Warrior▶ 29:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 24:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Johnson

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for A Boy and His Dog, Django Unchained▶ 4:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (9)

Roger Ebert

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 1:11:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Shane Black

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Jason Concepcion · Known for Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 10:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aaron Sorkin

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Few Good Men, The Trial of the Chicago 7▶ 28:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Favreau

2 mentions · Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan · Known for Chef, Iron Man, Swingers▶ 41:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ali Bathgate

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for F1: The Movie, Enola Holmes▶ 59:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cameron

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 1:25:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry Bruckheimer

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon▶ 21:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Julie Siege

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 21:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Alvar Kõue

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Tenet▶ 1:24:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗