PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS:
This seminal 1988 thriller made Bruce Willis a star and established a new template for action stories: "Terrorists take over a (blank), and a lone hero, unknown to the villains, is trapped with them." In "Die Hard", those bad guys, led by the velvet-voiced Alan Rickman, assume control of a Los Angeles high-rise with Willis's visiting New York cop inside. The attraction of the film has as much to do with the sight of a barefoot mortal running around the guts of a modern office tower as it has to do with the plentiful fight sequences and the bond the hero establishes with an LA beat cop. Bonnie Bedelia plays Willis's wife, Hart Bochner is good as a brash hostage who tries negotiating his way to freedom, Alexander Godunov makes for a believable killer with lethal feet, and William Atherton is slimy as a busybody reporter. Exceptionally well directed by John McTiernan.
"Die Hard" introduced a type of character that hadn't been seen much in big-budget action films of the 1980s: the working class hero. Apart from Sylvester Stallone's Rambo movies and some of the cruder, decidedly low-budgeted, martial-arts movies starring Chuck Norris, there wasn't a precedent for Bruce Willis's gruff John McClane. In contrast to its predecessors, Die Hard was such a high-profile production that Willis was suddenly elevated to the status of cultural icon, not unlike Sean Connery and his alter ego James Bond. Willis and McTiernan can take credit for bringing back the kind of distinctly American, masculine swagger John Wayne used to bring to his roles, albeit with a dirtier lexicon of catch-phrases than Wayne ever would've used on camera.
The director and his crew of special effects experts could also take credit for a series of explosions that rivaled the combined fire-power and energy expended in Wayne's The Hellfighters, Back To Bataan, The Sands of Iwo Jima, Chisum, and The Longest Day combined. It's a testament to Willis' star power that his work in this vein is still taken seriously at the box-office, as evidenced by Die Hard: With a Vengeance, and not yet an object of excessive burlesque or parody, something that cannot be said of Stallone's 1990s action pictures.
It's Christmas time in L.A., and there's an employee party in progress on the 30th floor of the Nakatomi Corporation building. The revelry comes to a violent end when the partygoers are taken hostage by a group of terrorists headed by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), who plan to steal the 600 million dollars locked in Nakatomi's high-tech safe. In truth, Gruber and his henchmen are only pretending to be politically motivated to throw the authorities off track; also in truth, Gruber has no intention of allowing anyone to get out of the building alive.
Meanwhile, New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) has come to L.A. to visit his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), who happens to be one of the hostages. Disregarding the orders of the authorities surrounding the building, McClane, who fears nothing (except heights), takes on the villains, armed with one handgun and plenty of chutzpah. Until Die Hard came along, Bruce Willis was merely that wisecracking guy on Moonlighting. After the film's profits started rolling in, Willis found himself one of the highest-paid and most sought-after leading men in Hollywood.
VIEWER REVIEWS:
Off-duty cop (Bruce Willis) saves hostages and dispatches the sadistic bad guys against overwhelming odds; a simple plot, done many times since this 1988 thriller, but never done as effectively. The difference: This movie is well-written, well-acted, and well-directed. The script balances heart-pounding action with funny one-liners that always make me laugh out loud. Bruce Willis is wonderful as the Rambo-esque superguy who outwits, outplays, and outlasts the heavily-armed killers, and reveals just enough of his tender side to endear his character to the audience.
Willis is backed up by outstanding supporting players who add depth and surprises: Reginald Veljohnson is the sympathetic cop Willis talks to via radio during his ordeal. Alan Rickman plays the cruel, urbane gang leader with devilish flair. He is assisted by the talented Alexander Godunov as a ruthless killer. The production values are top quality, the action never stops, and each stunt is unique and utterly stupendous. I heartily recommend Die Hard to those who love action films and those who just love excellence in film.
After a moderate success with his big-screen starring debut, "Blind Date", and a flat-out dismal failure with "Sunset" (both directed by Blake Edwards), Bruce Willis seemed destined to get booted right back to the prime-time TV hell. Luckily, the atypical casting of him here proved to be a stroke of genius; he's phenomenal as the action hero of this phenomenal action film. Based upon a truly mediocre novel, Die Hard tells the tale of an NYPD officer (played by a plucky Bruce Willis, in a role turned down by Richard Gere) and his attempts to outwit a gang of European terrorists who've seized control of a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper on Christmas Eve.
His estranged wife (the appealing Bonnie Bedilia) is one of the hostages, and the leader of the terrorists (a brilliant Alan Rickman), whose dress, demeanor, and intelligence suggest a Wall Street investment banker, is prone to equal bits of self-admiration and cold-blooded violence. The central gimmick, McClane running around the building clad only in undershirt and pants (sans socks and shoes) dusting off terrorists single-handedly is palpably absurd. But John McTiernan's muscular direction keeps all of the outlandish story aspects intelligently aligned; we have that rare feeling of knowing we're in the hands of a director who knows exactly what he's doing, so we feel comfortable giving ourselves over to his 'vision' and leaving our common-sense detectors at the concession stand.
The action sequences are, quite simply, the best ever filmed, with McTiernan's imaginative staging making the most of the limited set pieces; and when the action transports the audience out of the building and to the goings-on of the LAPD and FBI, the tension (which you could cut barbed wire with) is expertly sustained. But the film's secret weapon is its off-hand humor. Whether it's the nifty set of one-liners the gifted screenwriters have afforded Willis (as they similarly afforded Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in "48 Hours") or a bit of humor that's agreeably understated (like a SWAT officer pricking his finger on a rose bush), it helps sustain a jovially entertaining mood to help offset the sometimes-gory violence.
Even a go-for-the-Oscar scene in a bathroom, with Willis tearfully telling a fellow officer on a radio to tell his wife he's sorry, comes off better than it should. I saw Die Hard at a sneak preview without expecting anything great from the director of Predator and the star of TV's Moonlighting. Suffice to say, I (along with practically everyone in the not-quite-packed theatre) were left stunned and filled with unbridled admiration. I still am. The first sequel had its moments but was too mechanically executed by Renny Harlin. The one after that, which was helmed by McTiernan, was more spirited and fun, but it still lacked the organic clarity of the brilliant original. Accept no substitutes.
Die Hard is the kind of movie that Hollywood does best. Fast paced action, crisp dialogue, hateable villains, lovable heroes, explosions and, of course, quotable lines: Welcome to the party pal! Bruce Willis gives an intense, everyman caught in a tragedy performance. He is a reluctant hero, not a guy spoiling for a fight. He is you or I confronted by life and death circumstances. Fight or flight and he chose fight.
Alan Rickman as the villain is a perfect counter punch to Willis's Action Hero. He is slimy enough, evil enough and in the end, dead enough to make you boo and hiss at him and then cheer when he gets the goods. This is a real "guy" movie and young children probably should not watch it because of the intense violence. This is the best of the series and may be one of the best action film ever made.
When New York cop John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) comes to Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his estranged wife he little realizes just what kind of a party he is going to be joining. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is a terrorist with a plan to loot a company of a fortune, and he has the men and weapons to take over the building and get it. However, McClane is loose in the building, and he will stop the terrorists, no matter what it takes!
This is a great adventure movie; indeed it is probably the greatest of them all! Once the action begins, it's almost non-stop, with bullets flying, explosions and fights to the death. This is a great, high-testosterone movie! If you like explosions and gunplay, then this is the movie for you. While some may argue that the two sequels were better and more action packed, I still have to give the original Die Hard the nod for best movie in this trilogy. There is just something more real and believable about this one that the others don't have. If you haven't seen this movie it's because you've been living under a rock. Not just a must see, this is a must own.
You might guess I travel extensively for a living. My profession is a purchasing agent for antique gemstones, which generally come from Russia, India, Ceylon, and Siam. I grew up in the Southern Urals of Russia, just miles away from some of the greatest gemstone producing regions in the world's history. Alexandrite, diamond, emerald, sapphire, chrysoberyl, topaz, demantoid garnet, and many other rare and precious gemstones are produced from the mountains within mere minutes or a few hours from the city I once called home. My interest in the fabulous history of Russian gemstones and the fabulous jewelry of the Czar's led to further education and contacts in India, Ceylon, and Siam, other ancient centers of gemstone production and finishing. Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, antique gemstones are commonly unmounted from old, broken settings - the gold reused - the gemstones recut and reset.
Before this happens, before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, I try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state - most of them centuries old. I believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting. Not everyone agrees - fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with me that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or "lab produced") gemstones which dominate the market today.
In my travels back and forth between the USA, Asia, and Eastern Europe I also tend to accumulate a lot of books, CD's, and audio recordings. So I oftentimes have lightly used CD's, once-read books, audio recordings, and even some antique books I buy in Europe for sale as well. And occasionally I will find such a good buy on contemporary jewelry for my clients that I will purchase a few extra pieces to offer on eBay. These are always offered clearly labeled as contemporary, and not antiques - just to avoid confusion. I also end up with boatloads of jewelry and gemstone samples which were not fully distributed to the retailers I purchase on behalf of. Some really great pieces, including antiques, pearls, as well as some pieces of antique Russian jewelry.
I have always been fascinated with jewelry and gemstones. Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Bombay are great places to find incredible deals on both gemstones and jewelry, and over the years I have made many friends within the trade in these five cities. So you can look for a steady flow of little treasures I discover in my travels, and I will be happy to share with you the best deals I can find through my industry acquaintances in these far-off Asian lands. Though I spend a good part of each year in Europe and Asia, most of the year I am here in the United States, and that's where all of my little treasures are. So you can count on quick shipping and careful packaging. And if I am not home - I have someone who does it for me!
Your purchase will ordinarily be shipping within 48 hours of payment. Shipping charges for addresses within the USA are $2.99 for the first item, $0.99 for each additional item. Domestic rates include USPS Delivery Confirmation so you can track your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site
. Canadian and Mexican rates are the same, but do not include delivery confirmation (not available). All International shipments are $3.99 for airmail, $0.99 for each additional item, but do not include delivery confirmation. Priority Mail, Express Mail, Registered Mail, Fed-Ex Ground and Fed-Air Express are available both domestically and internationally. Insurance is also available for domestic shipments and some international shipments; $1.50 extra for $50.00 in coverage; or $2.50 for $100.00 in coverage. Additional increments of $100 are only $1.00 each. I do NOT recommend uninsured shipments, and expressly disclaim any responsibility for the loss of an uninsured shipment. Unfortunately the contents of parcels are easily stolen by postal employees, and since 9/11 the incidence of lost and untraceable packages (even registered mail) is about triple what it used to be.
I prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment - and I will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no "holds"). I will accept PayPal payments, however please do not use eBay's check-out system. There are too many variables regarding packaging options, shipping options, and other options to possibly include every possible variation in advance for automated checkout. The amounts provided for eBay's check-out system are only estimates based on domestic insured shipments. The actual amount could be more or less depending on your shipping, packaging, and accessorial preferences. So please wait for my email invoice before you attempt to check out so I can properly quote you for accessories such as packaging and shipping options. If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price.
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