Raw and rugged, this action-oriented crime thriller follows the adventures of New York City detective John McClane, who has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunately, it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone.
A group of terrorists are out to destroy the jolly and friendly mood of the holidays. Led by Hans Gruber the team of terrorists succeed in holding everyone in the Nakatomi Plaza building hostage. With no way of anyone getting in or out, it's up to McClane to stand up in resistance of the terrorists, and protect the innocent citizens. Can he successfully defuse their violent ambitions and ensure that peace and happiness reign once more for the holiday season?
Cast: Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Willis
Crew: John McTiernan (Director), Jan De Bont (Director of Photography), Michael Kamen (Music Director)
Rating: A (India)
Release Dates: 22 Jul 1988 (India)
Tagline: 40 Storeys High - with Suspense, Excitement and Adventure on every level!
Did you know? Earlier Sam Neill turned down the role of Hans Gruber. Read More
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as Hans Gruber
as Holly Gennaro McClane
as Officer John McClane
as Karl
as Tony
as City Engineer
as Franco
as Rivers
as Eddie
as Ginny
as Dr. Hasseldorf
as FBI Agent Little Johnson
as Fritz
as Harry Ellis
as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
as Alexander
as Marco
as Capt. Mitchell
as Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson
as Sgt. Al Powell
as Walt, City Worker
as FBI Special Agent Big Johnson
as James
as Richard Thornburg
Direction
Director
Production
Producer
Production Company
Executive Producer
Associate Producer
Writers
Screenplay Writer
Camera and Electrical
Director of Photography
Music
Music Director
Sound
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Editor
Sound Re-recording Mixer
Casting
Casting Director
Costume and Wardrobe
Costume Designer
Editorial
Editor
Special Effects
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Technician
Stunts
Stunt Coordinator
Visual Effects
Visual Effects Producer
Visual Effects Coordinator
Film Type:
Feature
Language:
English
Colour Info:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Frame Rate:
24 fps
Aspect Ratio:
2.39:1 (Scope)
Stereoscopy:
No
Taglines:
40 Storeys High - with Suspense, Excitement and Adventure on every level!
It will blow you through the back wall of the theater!
40 Storeys. Twelve Terrorists. One Cop.
40 Stories Of Sheer Adventure!
He's the only chance anyone has got.
Suspense, Excitement, Adventure, On every level!
It will blow you through the back wall of the theater!
40 Storeys. Twelve Terrorists. One Cop.
40 Stories Of Sheer Adventure!
He's the only chance anyone has got.
Suspense, Excitement, Adventure, On every level!
Movie Connection(s):
Filming Locations:
Goofs:
Continuity
In a scene John's vest is white when he enters the vent system and dark green when he exits. This is not, as some think, a result of accumulated dirt.
Continuity
In the scene where McClane goes to the roof to get the hostages off, he is not wearing his undershirt, but in the view from the helicopter when he is firing into the air, you can see him wearing a white undershirt.
Continuity
McClane's shirt changes from white and then to a dark grey and then to a mixed color or dirt, blood and white.
Character Error
At the end Hans and Karl shoot out the glass, Karl is furious that McClane eluded them, whereas Karl should have actually been able to track down McClane easily by following the bloody footprints he would have left from the huge gashes in his feet.
Character Error
In the scene where the terrorists are first walking in as a group looking very serious and sinister, the one on the far left is on a collision course with the wall! The camera cuts away just before he walks into it.
Character Error
In the scene where McClane first arrives at the Nakatomi building, he is told to search for his wife's name in the database. When he clicks "G", Holly's name comes up with her last name spelled "GennEro". When he clicks on her profile, it is spelled "GennAro". It is spelled with the "E" on her office door as well.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the scene where Takagi speaks to the employees at the party they erupt in loud applause. Looking at the employees, none are clapping their hands.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the scene where the terrorist car first pulls up to the Nakatomi Plaza, the noise from the brakes is not consistent with the movement of the vehicle.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the "shoot the glass" scene, the muzzle flashes frequently do not match up with the sounds of gunfire.
In a scene John's vest is white when he enters the vent system and dark green when he exits. This is not, as some think, a result of accumulated dirt.
Continuity
In the scene where McClane goes to the roof to get the hostages off, he is not wearing his undershirt, but in the view from the helicopter when he is firing into the air, you can see him wearing a white undershirt.
Continuity
McClane's shirt changes from white and then to a dark grey and then to a mixed color or dirt, blood and white.
Character Error
At the end Hans and Karl shoot out the glass, Karl is furious that McClane eluded them, whereas Karl should have actually been able to track down McClane easily by following the bloody footprints he would have left from the huge gashes in his feet.
Character Error
In the scene where the terrorists are first walking in as a group looking very serious and sinister, the one on the far left is on a collision course with the wall! The camera cuts away just before he walks into it.
Character Error
In the scene where McClane first arrives at the Nakatomi building, he is told to search for his wife's name in the database. When he clicks "G", Holly's name comes up with her last name spelled "GennEro". When he clicks on her profile, it is spelled "GennAro". It is spelled with the "E" on her office door as well.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the scene where Takagi speaks to the employees at the party they erupt in loud applause. Looking at the employees, none are clapping their hands.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the scene where the terrorist car first pulls up to the Nakatomi Plaza, the noise from the brakes is not consistent with the movement of the vehicle.
Audio/Video Mismatch
In the "shoot the glass" scene, the muzzle flashes frequently do not match up with the sounds of gunfire.
Trivia:
This film originated from a failed Commando 2 script.
The Nakatomi tower is originally the headquarters of 20th Century Fox. The company charged itself rent for the use of the then-unfinished building.
Bruce Willis received $5 million, a fee that was OK'd by Fox President Rupert Murdoch.
Most of the script was improvised due to the constant screenplay tweaks that were being made during filming.
Hans Gruber was also the name of an adversary in Our Man Flint (1966) with James Coburn.
Bruce Willis took the role of John McClane after Robert De Niro turned down the role.
The office interiors were designed to resemble Fallingwater, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Clint Eastwood owned the rights to the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" on which the film is based.
John McTiernan turned the script down several times.
The building used in the movie was designed by William L Pereira, which also marks as one of his last projects before his death in 1985.
Earlier Sam Neill turned down the role of Hans Gruber.
Earlier Charles Bronson was also considered for the role of John McClane but he was under contract with Cannon Films at the time.
The Nakatomi tower is originally the headquarters of 20th Century Fox. The company charged itself rent for the use of the then-unfinished building.
Bruce Willis received $5 million, a fee that was OK'd by Fox President Rupert Murdoch.
Most of the script was improvised due to the constant screenplay tweaks that were being made during filming.
Hans Gruber was also the name of an adversary in Our Man Flint (1966) with James Coburn.
Bruce Willis took the role of John McClane after Robert De Niro turned down the role.
The office interiors were designed to resemble Fallingwater, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Clint Eastwood owned the rights to the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" on which the film is based.
John McTiernan turned the script down several times.
The building used in the movie was designed by William L Pereira, which also marks as one of his last projects before his death in 1985.
Earlier Sam Neill turned down the role of Hans Gruber.
Earlier Charles Bronson was also considered for the role of John McClane but he was under contract with Cannon Films at the time.
