12-16-2018, 06:20 PM
Die Hard (1988)
A 30th Anniversary cinema release and my first time seeing this on the big screen (after countless views on TV over the years). I suspect the fact that 'Die Hard' is such an intensely enjoyable, satisfying and immersive action caper, sometimes obscures just what a masterpiece of film-making it is, on all technical levels.
Director John McTiernan develops character and plot through careful shot composition and camera movement. Michael Kamen subtle score is constantly weaving in touches of 'Ode to Joy' and Christmas instrumentation on an almost subliminal level, taking the listener on a journey toward the moments when these two motifs reach their climax. The studious dedication to mapping the geography of the location, the expert editing and the clarity of character is something you rarely see in frenetic shaky-cam action movies of today... Die Hard 5 for example!
A 30th Anniversary cinema release and my first time seeing this on the big screen (after countless views on TV over the years). I suspect the fact that 'Die Hard' is such an intensely enjoyable, satisfying and immersive action caper, sometimes obscures just what a masterpiece of film-making it is, on all technical levels.
Director John McTiernan develops character and plot through careful shot composition and camera movement. Michael Kamen subtle score is constantly weaving in touches of 'Ode to Joy' and Christmas instrumentation on an almost subliminal level, taking the listener on a journey toward the moments when these two motifs reach their climax. The studious dedication to mapping the geography of the location, the expert editing and the clarity of character is something you rarely see in frenetic shaky-cam action movies of today... Die Hard 5 for example!
![[+]](https://forums.fanedit.org/images/focus/collapse_collapsed.png)