The Die Hard Series

I know. I just thought it'd be cool if he balled his feet up to minimize his chance of getting hurt while walking on the glass.

Or make fists with his toes to kick people.

Harmsway wrote:

Yeah, Kamen's score brings a lot to DIE HARD.

I always got a kick out of all the little Christmas carols he worked into the score. Makes me smile every time.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Loomis wrote:

Don't forget that Willis has uttered statements to the effect that LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD is the best film of the series (!) and that it wouldn't be possible to continue the series without Len Wiseman and Justin Long (although he's clearly changed his mind on that second point). Okay, so it was round about the time he was promoting LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, so I guess it was natural that he'd want to big up the latest outing, but still.... Such worrying statements make one wonder whether he even watched the first DIE HARD, never mind helped make it!

You answered your own hypothesis. That was nothing more than public relations, marketing talking points. Never, ever did I believe one word of it. Justin Long integral to the future of the DIE HARD series? Really? LOL! Maybe he was just being modest. Bruce Willis is the key to DIE HARD, and maybe McTiernan. But that's it.

And, quite frankly, I think Willis is too old for this. What made DIE HARD so special can't be replicated, and each sequel has shown steadily diminishing returns.

Just imagine if Willis started making Lucas-style changes to the earlier films:

- Digitally removing the cigarettes from McClane's mouth and fingers.

- CGI'ng a a few dozen more storeys onto the Nakatomi building on the grounds that it's not currently tall enough to impress audiences any more.

- Editing Takagi's line "Pearl Harbor didn't work out so we got you with tapedecks" to just "So we got you with tapedecks." Er, no, what's the modern equivalent of "tapedecks"? MP3 players? iPods? No matter, just change it change it change it! Adopt the mantra "What would G-Lu do?"

- Adding a line where McClane threatens Ellis with arrest for taking cocaine instead of just turning a blind eye (albeit a disapproving blind eye) to it.

- Changing Nakatomi into a Chinese corporation to better reflect today's economic climate.

- Changing the can of Coke Ellis drinks into something else because promoting fattening sodas is no longer viewed as appropriate.

- Inserting a photo of Jeremy Irons into the news footage of Hans Gruber's background ("The whereabouts of Gruber's brother Simon, who was also a member of the radical West German Volksfrei movement, are currently unknown....")

- Adding more furniture to Holly's office. ("Yeah, we always wanted another chair in the background there, but back in 1987 the budget wouldn't stretch to it.")

The possibilities are endless!

Loomis wrote:

Just imagine if Willis started making Lucas-style changes to the earlier films:

- Digitally removing the cigarettes from McClane's mouth and fingers.


- Editing Takagi's line "Pearl Harbor didn't work out so we got you with tapedecks" to just "So we got you with tapedecks." Er, no, what's the modern equivalent of "tapedecks"? MP3 players? iPods? No matter, just change it change it change it! Adopt the mantra "What would G-Lu do?"

- Adding more furniture to Holly's office. ("Yeah, we always wanted another chair in the background there, but back in 1987 the budget wouldn't stretch to it.")

The possibilities are endless!

Well, you'd need to remove the scene where Sgt. Powell goes into the convenience store and buys an armload full of Twinkies because that stereotypes police officers and promotes an unhealthy lifestyle. Perhaps Lucas could digitally replace the Twinkies with stalks of broccoli or arugula.

Lucas should digitally remove John firing at Hans toward the very end because technically, if I recall correct, Hans didn't pull the trigger first.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Well, you'd need to remove the scene where Sgt. Powell goes into the convenience store and buys an armload full of Twinkies because that stereotypes police officers and promotes an unhealthy lifestyle. Perhaps Lucas could digitally replace the Twinkies with stalks of broccoli or arugula.

Argyll listening to rap music is also a stereotype. In the new version, he sits in the limo playing Iron Maiden.

-Argyll is replaced with a CGI Stepin' Fetchit.

-McClane only says "...California".

-McClane finds Holly's new name via holographic interface.

-Cop character's name changed to "Winslow" offically placing DIE HARD within the FAMILY MATTERS universe. Additionally, every time McClane kills someone or blows something up Willis is dubbed into to ask "Did I do that?"

Ah, screw this.

The bear winks at Argyll just before Argyll tells it to shut up.

And God help McClane's "I hate niggers" board in Part 3.....

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sharky wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

LOL! Maybe he was just being modest. Bruce Willis is the key to DIE HARD, and maybe McTiernan. But that's it. .

I'd add Michael Kamen. Marco Beltrami is no substitute.

Really? I don't recall Kamen being so closely linked or associated with Die Hard. When I think of DIE HARD I think of McClane, Sgt. Powell, Hans Gruber, the action scenes, the humor...but never Kamen.

I agree, Grav. Frankly, I find Kamen's score overrated and overbearing, not to mention hellishly repetitive. It does have its moments, certainly, but it's not exactly the Second Coming. I can certainly imagine DIE HARD being just as good with a score by Jerry Goldsmith or someone.

If there's an unsung hero of DIE HARD, it's probably---- Well, I'd actually mention two people: Jan De Bont, whose cinematography gives the film an extremely elegant look that helps raise it far above the category of "common-or-garden action movie", and then there's Steven E. de Souza, co-writer of DIE HARD and DIE HARD 2. It might not be a bad idea to let De Souza give the DIE HARD 5 script a polish.

Loomis wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sharky wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

LOL! Maybe he was just being modest. Bruce Willis is the key to DIE HARD, and maybe McTiernan. But that's it. .

I'd add Michael Kamen. Marco Beltrami is no substitute.

Really? I don't recall Kamen being so closely linked or associated with Die Hard. When I think of DIE HARD I think of McClane, Sgt. Powell, Hans Gruber, the action scenes, the humor...but never Kamen.

I agree, Grav. Frankly, I find Kamen's score overrated and overbearing, not to mention hellishly repetitive. It does have its moments, certainly, but it's not exactly the Second Coming. I can certainly imagine DIE HARD being just as good with a score by Jerry Goldsmith or someone.

If there's an unsung hero of DIE HARD, it's probably---- Well, I'd actually mention two people: Jan De Bont, whose cinematography gives the film an extremely elegant look that helps raise it far above the category of "common-or-garden action movie", and then there's Steven E. de Souza, co-writer of DIE HARD and DIE HARD 2. It might not be a bad idea to let De Souza give the DIE HARD 5 script a polish.

Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed Kamen's work in both Die Hard and LICENSE TO KILL, but they weren't necessarily film scores so profoundly unique that they would be remembered 25 or 30 years onward.

I've always thought Kamen's score for LTK was one of the better parts of the movie. It is tailor made for the Mexican locations and it has a grit and feel that I wish the rest of the movie had.

Lazenby. wrote:

And God help McClane's "I hate niggers" board in Part 3.....

Technically that was the digital alteration.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

I've always thought Kamen's score for LTK was one of the better parts of the movie. It is tailor made for the Mexican locations and it has a grit and feel that I wish the rest of the movie had.

It's probably my favourite non-Barry Bond score - well, after Arnold's CASINO ROYALE.

Makeshift Python wrote:

Lazenby. wrote:

And God help McClane's "I hate niggers" board in Part 3.....

Technically that was the digital alteration.

Indeed. I believe they filmed the scene with the billboard blank. "I hate niggers" was added in digitally, and I think some TV broadcasts and maybe the airline version replaced it with "I hate everybody".

On a serious note, I would like a new edit of DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE, with the original ending reinstated - it features McClane tracking Simon down to a bar in Hungary and playing rocket launcher Russian roulette with him. It's much darker and more suspenseful than the rather routine shootout ending they went with.

I'd also like a less censored version of WITH A VENGEANCE - the British release was cut for swearing and violence. I once saw the R-rated U.S. version, and strange as it may seem it seemed like a much better film, with a harder edge that heightened the stakes and the viewer's involvement. With more blood and saltier language, it felt more like a proper DIE HARD movie, like the first two.

Some interesting rumours surround DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (who knows which ones are true, though?) - for instance, that Sean Connery was first choice for the villain (had he taken the part, he'd presumably have played Hans Gruber's father rather than his brother), and that WITH A VENGEANCE was originally supposed to be DIE HARDs 3 and 4, filmed back to back - 3 would have ended with the baddies apparently getting away scot-free after their bullion heist, and 4 would have seen McClane track them down.

Loomis wrote:

Makeshift Python wrote:

Lazenby. wrote:

And God help McClane's "I hate niggers" board in Part 3.....

Technically that was the digital alteration.

Indeed. I believe they filmed the scene with the billboard blank. "I hate niggers" was added in digitally, and I think some TV broadcasts and maybe the airline version replaced it with "I hate everybody".

Actually the board was written with "I hate everybody" IIRC. So with that they already had TV footage fully ready.

Makeshift Python wrote:

Actually the board was written with "I hate everybody" IIRC. So with that they already had TV footage fully ready.

Maybe. I seem to recall watching a making-of doc that showed Willis standing around on set with the billboard blank, but perhaps they just hadn't written the words on at that point.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/fox-dates-die-hard-sequel-for-february-14-2013/

And I thought QUANTUM OF SOLACE was an awful title. Sheesh!

Christ almighty, will the madness never end. What a title.

Though Die Hard Also Rises...well, never mind.

Starring Worf?

Rather Martok, any excuse for JG Hertzler.

Interesting that it's slated for February.

Excellent news there can never be enough Die Hard with Bruce Willis.

While there was a lot of complaining about the 4th one it is actually much more fun than QoS will ever be.

Trailer's going to need a Nickelback song.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Interesting that it's slated for February.

Agreed. Very interesting. Clearly a sign that the studio isn't sure this series can compete with other action films in the summer or holiday release windows.

And for Valentine's Day, no less ... maybe action movies are the new rom-coms.

But yeah, the studio not having faith that it could compete during the summer or other holiday times before it's even started shooting ... not a good sign?

Jai Courtney to play son of John McClane:

http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/spartacus-alum-jai-courtney-lands-coveted-die-hard-lead/