Wonkette Christmas Matinee: Die Hard
Yes it is a Christmas movie.
Don’t you just love our Wonkette traditions?
Watching Die Hard on Christmas is a fairly new one but I think it is a great addition to the list. The last two posts had basically the same info, a little bit about how we love to quote it, a fun Die Hard-connected clip and a discussion about Bruce Willis’s health issues and his very supportive family. You should go back and read that, it is good stuff.
Also I should probably pick just one title!
I decided to do for today what I did on Thanksgiving, find a bunch of fun TV holiday specials that you can watch right here. A pile of gifts to unwrap while sitting in your pajamas and sipping something warm.
Let’s kick this off with the “airing of grievances,” Festivus from Seinfeld. Although it is traditionally celebrated on December 23 I feel that it has been a year round thing since November of last year.
Drunk History was a hilarious show that should have lasted longer than it did. The premise: A comedian gets drunk while relating a historical event utilizing famous actors to portray that reading. The Christmas special was Allan McLeod reciting Twas the Night Before Christmas after drinking half a bottle of whiskey. It stars Ryan Gosling, Jim Carrey, and Eva Mendes.
Jumping back to 1987 we have Married With Children, after 11 seasons they had plenty of Christmas specials, here’s a compilation of their best bits.
Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is famous for going all out with their Christmas displays. A New York tradition as beloved as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, it just grows bigger every year. Back in 2000 Conan O’Brien went for a visit and brought cameras.
We need to have some music, it is Randy Rainbow, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like F This.
This is my favorite Christmas song, a heavy metal version of You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch from Small Town Titans.
To finish up I decided to let Colbert have the last word.
Colbert’s Canceled Christmas: The Last Noel
“When Donald Trump cancels Christmas, sends ICE to the North Pole, and bulldozes Santa’s workshop to build his new Trumpmas Ballroom, Santa and friends must escape Alligator Elfcatraz and bring joy back to the world. Can they stop Trump before he overstuffs Santa’s sack with his big bribin’ ball? Will we ever learn the naughty names on the top secret Elfstein List? Does the special have a Celebrity Christmas Narrator? Yes! It’s Jolly Ol’ Nick Offerman, in COLBERT’S CANCELED CHRISTMAS: THE LAST NOEL!”
Back to our movie matinee of Die Hard, it is free with subscription on Peacock, Hulu, Disney+ and Prime. Free on The Roku Channel. $3.99 in the usual places.
Die Hard stars Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman, Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, and Alexander Godunov. Directed by John McTierman.
To make requests, see the movie lists and schedules go to WonkMovie.
Our next Movie Night selection is this Sat., Dec. 27. The Long Kiss Goodnight is available for free with ads on OK.RU. $3.99 in the usual places.
Merry Holidays Wonkette Movie Night Fans!
I am so very happy to be here, I like to pretend I do matinees on the holidays to give people a place to go but ackshully it is for me.
My Christmas dinner was delicious, corned beef, potato and roasted Brussel sprouts which were amazing. I still may find room for popcorn though.
𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀:
In an article for the 30th anniversary of the film, Bonnie Bedelia stated that the first thing she thinks of when someone mentions the movie is Alan Rickman. The two became friends and had lunch together every day while shooting the movie. She expressed how lovely and gentle Rickman was in real life.
Alan Rickman nearly passed up the role of Hans Gruber, which ended up being his first film role. He had only arrived in Hollywood two days earlier and was appalled by the idea of his first role being the villain in an action film. To a degree, Rickman was right to be concerned considering his performance as Hans Gruber was so hailed that the actor had to struggle being typecast as a player of villains for much of his career.
Alan Rickman had been an accomplished TV and theater star but had never been a part of a film before. He nearly said no to the role. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Rickman had said, "I'm not doing an action movie." Agents convinced Rickman, who hadn't been in Hollywood for even a week and the rest is history.