Die Hard Collection [4 Discs] [with Movie Money] DVD

Die Hard
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. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Die Hard 2
"Another basement, another elevator...how can the same thing happen to the same guy twice?" asks John McClane (Bruce Willis), in what is doubtless the key question of this film. A year after foiling the terrorist takeover of a high-rise office building in the first movie, McClane is waiting to pick up his wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), at Dulles International Airport just outside Washington, D.C., on Christmas Eve. Scheduled to arrive the same evening is Ramon Esperanza (Franco Nero), a South American political figure who is being brought to the United States to stand trial for his role in a drug-smuggling ring. However, a group of terrorists, led by renegade American military officer Col. Stuart (William Sadler), take control of the airport, scuttling radio transmissions and placing their own men in the control tower. Stuart and his men ensure that Esperanza's plane lands safely, and then demand that Stuart and his men be given a fully-fueled 747 and free passage wherever they choose to go. Otherwise, they will guide the many circling jets waiting for landing instructions into definite crash landings, killing the many passengers on board. Not willing to stand aside as terrorists once again threaten his wife's life, the wise-cracking McClane once again leaps into action to foil Stuart's plans and bring the passenger jets safely to the ground. William Atherton, John Amos, Dennis Franz, and John Leguizamo highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Die Hard With a Vengeance
Bruce Willis returns as misfit cop John McClane in the third film in the Die Hard series. McClane has fallen on hard times; after moving to New York City and breaking up with his wife, he's developed a drinking problem and has been suspended from the NYPD. However, his past comes back to haunt him in the form of Simon (Jeremy Irons), a terrorist bomber who has been using McClane as his contact as he plants a series of bombs in public places and gives McClane inane "clues" to their whereabouts in the form of riddles and bizarre games. McClane soon discovers he's been involved in Simon's scheme as part of a personal grudge; while associated with an international terrorist group, Simon is also the brother of the man McClane threw off the side of a skyscraper several years back (in the original Die Hard). Now McClane, with the help of a Harlem shopkeeper named Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), has to find out where Simon has planted the bombs, guess where he'll strike next, and try to find his base of operations before more bombs go off and thousands of people die. The supporting cast features Graham Greene and Colleen Camp; singer Sam Phillips made her acting debut as a member of Simon's terrorist group (Phillips never speaks, so as to not to reveal her Texas accent). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Bruce Willis as John McClane Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber Bonnie Bedelia as Holly Gennero McClane Alexander Godunov as Karl Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell William Atherton as Thornburg Paul Gleason as Dwayne T. Robinson De'Voreaux White as Argyle Hart Bochner as Ellis James Shigeta as Takagi Robert Davi as Big Johnson Grand L. Bush as Little Johnson Clarence Gilyard, Jr. as Theo Bruce Willis as John McClane Bonnie Bedelia as Holly McClane Bill Sadler as Col. Stuart William Atherton as Dick Thornberg Franco Nero as Gen. Ramon Esperanza Dennis Franz as Carmine Lorenzo John Amos as Capt. Grant Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell Art Evans as Barnes Fred Dalton Thompson as Trudeau Tom Bower as Marvin Sheila McCarthy as Samantha Copeland Don Harvey as Garber Tony Ganios as Baker, Terrorist Robert Patrick as O'Reilly, Terrorist Michael Cunningham as Sheldon, Terrorist John Leguizamo as Burke, Terrorist Tom Verica as Kahn, Terrorist John Costelloe as Cochrane, Terrorist Michael Francis Clarke as Northeast Plane Pilot Steve Pershing as Northeast Plane Copilot Tom Everett as Northeast Plane Navigator Sherry Bilsing as Northeast Plane Stewardess Carla Tamburrelli as Northeast Plane Stewardess Jeanne Bates as Older Woman Colm Meaney as Windsor Plane Pilot Steffan Gregory Foster as Windsor Plane Copilot James Lancaster as Windsor Plane Navigator Bruce Willis as John McClane Jeremy Irons as Simon Gruber/Peter Krieg Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus Carver Graham Greene as Joe Lambert Colleen Camp as Connie Kowalski Larry Bryggman as Chief Cobb

Crew Woods Mackintosh - Art Director John R. Jensen - Art Director Pat McCorkle - Casting Carmine Zozzora - Co-producer Joseph G. Aulisi - Costume Designer John McTiernan - Director John Wright - Editor Buzz Feitshans - Executive Producer Robert Lawrence - Executive Producer Andrew G. Vajna - Executive Producer Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score) Michael Kamen - Songwriter George Manasse - Production Designer John Stark - Production Designer Jackson de Govia - Production Designer Michael Tadross - Production Designer Peter Menzies, Jr. - Cinematographer Michael Tadross - Producer John McTiernan - Producer Les Bloom - Set Designer Terry Jackson - Stunts Terry J. Leonard - Stunts Hugh A. O'Brien - Stunts Jonathan Hensleigh - Screenwriter John E. Sullivan - Visual Effects Supervisor Woods Mackintosh - Art Director John R. Jensen - Art Director Pat McCorkle - Casting Carmine Zozzora - Co-producer Joseph G. Aulisi - Costume Designer John McTiernan - Director John Wright - Editor Buzz Feitshans - Executive Producer Robert Lawrence - Executive Producer Andrew G. Vajna - Executive Producer Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score) Michael Kamen - Songwriter George Manasse - Production Designer John Stark - Production Designer Jackson de Govia - Production Designer Michael Tadross - Production Designer Peter Menzies, Jr. - Cinematographer Michael Tadross - Producer John McTiernan - Producer Les Bloom - Set Designer Terry Jackson - Stunts Terry J. Leonard - Stunts Hugh A. O'Brien - Stunts Jonathan Hensleigh - Screenwriter John E. Sullivan - Visual Effects Supervisor Woods Mackintosh - Art Director John R. Jensen - Art Director Pat McCorkle - Casting Carmine Zozzora - Co-producer Joseph G. Aulisi - Costume Designer John McTiernan - Director John Wright - Editor Buzz Feitshans - Executive Producer Robert Lawrence - Executive Producer Andrew G. Vajna - Executive Producer Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score) Michael Kamen - Songwriter George Manasse - Production Designer John Stark - Production Designer Jackson de Govia - Production Designer Michael Tadross - Production Designer Peter Menzies, Jr. - Cinematographer Michael Tadross - Producer John McTiernan - Producer Les Bloom - Set Designer Terry Jackson - Stunts Terry J. Leonard - Stunts Hugh A. O'Brien - Stunts Jonathan Hensleigh - Screenwriter John E. Sullivan - Visual Effects Supervisor

Die Hard
John McTiernan's 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 first Rambo movie and some of the cruder, decidedly low-budget martial arts movies starring Chuck Norris, there wasn't a precedent for Bruce Willis' 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 catchphrases than Wayne ever would have used on camera. The director and his crew of special effects experts could also take credit for a series of explosions that rivaled the firepower and energy expended in Wayne's Hellfighters, Back to Bataan, Sands of Iwo Jima, Chisum, and The Longest Day. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
 

Die Hard 2
It's difficult to take any movie subtitled Die Harder seriously. Luckily, the this sequel to 1988's Die Hard seems slyly aware of its own preposterousness and plays like one great, big, tongue-in-cheek smirkfest. Much like a James Bond film, Die Hard 2 is full of ridiculous plot contrivances, logic bending and superhuman stunts, but its bravado forces you to say, "who cares about all that." It's so far outside of the realm of reality that it defies you to make a critical remark, even in regards to the huge amount of carnage on display. Of course, the perfect ringleader for all the jolly destruction is Bruce Willis, the man who has built a career largely on his ability to look good while suffering great physical hardships. He's the perfect "Iron Everyman" for the rough and tumble Die Hard series. In the early 1990s, Willis was hardly doing the sort of business expected of a major movie star; Die Hard 2 would be his only major success until 1994, when the actor re-asserted himself with his supporting role in Pulp Fiction. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
 

Die Hard With a Vengeance
Die Hard With a Vengeance brings John McClain back to the big action and equally large laughs that made the original so successful. With action virtuoso John McTiernan returning to the series, this third entry is heavily buttered popcorn entertainment that manages to not get pulled in by the same plot devices that were regurgitated in Renny Harlin's fun but flawed second film. There's still the heavy terrorist angle, but what the deft script does so well is turn the tables on good old Bruce Willis, while teaming him with a hilarious Samuel L. Jackson for a cat-and-mouse game through the streets of New York City. And though Jeremy Irons is no Alan Rickman, he takes great evil glee from his goofy-accented movie villain and is miles above the sorry antagonists from the previous film. Supporting characters are equally as fresh, with both the cops and the mugging German henchmen getting juicy screen time throughout the piece. With numerous gusto action scenes that only McTiernan could deliver, Vengeance lives up to the high pedestal of the series and makes for one heck of a fun thrill ride. The ending is probably the film's biggest fumble, reshot at the last second to make up for an original ending that found Irons escaping to Europe where McClain hunts him down with a bazooka (true!). It's strange how history shines upon Die Hard With a Vengeance, especially after 9/11. This is one movie that simply could not be made now. It does, however, feature some incredibly unnerving visuals that are downright haunting considering the events that occurred just six years later. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
 

Disc Title: Die Hard - People Awards: Al Overton: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Al di Sarro: Academy, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Brent Boates: Academy, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Don Bassman: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Frank J. Urioste: Academy, Best Editing (nominated) John F. Link: Academy, Best Editing (nominated) Kevin F. Cleary: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Richard Edlund: Academy, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Richard Overton: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Richard Shorr: Academy, Best Sound Effects (nominated) Stephen Flick: Academy, Best Sound Effects (nominated) Thaine Morris: Academy, Best Visual Effects (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround DTS: Digital Theater Systems (akin to 5.1) THX: THX-Certified Mastering Additional Features: Die Hard: Commentary by director John McTiernan and production designer Jackson DeGovia Die Hard: Scene-specific commentary by special effects supervisor Richard Edlund Die Hard: Subtitle commentary by various cast and crew Die Hard: Branching version with the Extended Power Shutdown Scene cut back in Die Hard 2: Die Harder - Commentary by director Renny Harlin Die Hard With a Vengeance: Commentary by director John McTiernan Yippee Ki Yay bonus disc exclusive content: Wrong Guy, Wrong Place, Wrong Time - A Look Back at Die Hard documentary; The Continuing Adventures of John McClane featurette; Live Free or Die Hard teaser trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 4 DVD Sides: 4 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 387 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Die Hard 1. Landing in L.A. 2. Festival Night 3. McClane Residence 4. Argyle 5. The Limo 6. Nakatomi Plaza 7. Takagi & Ellis 8. Reunited 9. Uninvited Guests 10. Separation Anxiety 11. Hostile Takeover 12. Disconnected Parties 13. Party Crashers 14. Meet Hans Gruber 15. Industrialization & Men's Fashions 16. Fill In the Blanks 17. The Vault 18. False Alarm 19. I Promise I Won't Hurt You 20. Ho Ho Ho 21. Blood Lust 22. Mayday 23. Twinkle Patrol 24. The Shaft 25. Not a Creature Stirring 26. Welcome to the Party, Pal 27. Dick Thornburg 28. Mr. Mystery Guest 29. KFLW News 30. Missing Detonators 31. L.A.'s Finest 32. Going In 33. Lapd Rv 34. Chair Bomb 35. Contract Negotiations 36. Issuing Demands 37. Hostage Terrorist, Terrorist Hostage 38. Johnson & Johnson 39. Cat and Mouse 40. Shoot the Glass 41. Powell's Confession 42. Merry Christmas From the FBI 43. McClane's Confession 44. Nightly News 45. Vendetta 46. Meeting Mrs. McClane 47. Choppers Up the Ass 48. The Roof 49. Escape Plan Failed 50. Showdown 51. Happy Trails, Hans 52. Partners Meet 53. Powell's Comeback 54. Let It Snow 55. End Credits Disc #2 -- Die Hard 2: Die Harder 1. Main Title: Holiday Cheer 2. The Church of Choice 3. Mishandling the Baggage 4. Cabin Fever 5. A Chat With Lorenzo 6. Esperanza Enroute 7. Powell on the Line 8. McClane on the Tower 9. Deja Vu 10. Shootout at the Skywalk 11. Closer Than Fifty Yards 12. Learning a Lesson 13. Aftermath 14. The Anti-Terrorist Team 15. Thornberg Tunes In 16. The Falcon Has Landed 17. Emergency Exit 18. No Respect 19. At the Church 20. The Raid 21. The Enemy Within 22. On the Air 23. Crash Positions 24. Winging It 25. The Main Event 26. Landing Lights 27. Holly! 28. End Credits (Let It Snow) Disc #3 -- Die Hard With a Vengeance 1. Main Titles 2. Ruining a Perfectly Good Hangover 3. Hey Zeus 4. Textbook Megalomania 5. The Riddle 6. 90 Blocks in 30 Minutes 7. Catching a Train 8. "Duck" 9. Making the Connection 10. The City Engineers 11. Gold Diggers 12. An Elephant Joke 13. It's Christmas 14. A Round on the Vault Floor 15. Chasing Dump Trucks 16. The Acqueduct 17. A Seat at Yankee Stadium 18. Flushed Out 19. Opening the Fridge; Drive-By Shooting 20. Shipmates 21. School's Out 22. "I'm a Soldier, Not a Monster" 23. Some Cop Trick 24. Answer in the Aspirin 25. Something Personal to Finish 26. "Let 'Em Cook;" End Titles