EPISODES

Almost a decade before there was Die Hard, there was Nothing Lasts Forever. We discuss the life of author Roderick Thorp, the origins of the novel Nothing Lasts Forever, and how the movie aligns with – and deviates from – the book that inspired it.

Holly Gennaro McClane: portrayed in Die Hard by Bonnie Bedelia, John McClane’s estranged wife reflects the conflicts and contradictions facing women at the time the film was made – and even still today. 

To many, the secret ingredient to Die Hard’s success was Bruce Willis and his portrayal of John McClane, an everyman police officer from New York, in the wrong place at the wrong time – and without even shoes on his feet. The McClane character has stuck in audiences’ memories ever since; we find out what makes John McClane so special.

While Die Hard is often marked as a turning point in American action cinema, we must first look at the state of action cinema as it existed before 1988. What does a “typical” 80s action movie look like – and how did Die Hard stand out from the crowd?

There’s no better place to start than at the beginning – so, for the first episode of Die Hard With a Podcast, we’re taking a look at the making of Die Hard.