Posted on 12/24/2020 7:12:27 AM PST by EyesOfTX
32 years ago, the world watched in horror as events unfolded at Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. A group of German terrorists led by the evil Hans Gruber disrupted the Christmas Party being celebrated by employees of the Nakatomi Corporation, a major logistics and construction firm headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Terrorist leader Hans Gruber
Nakatomi CEO Joseph Takaki was mudered by the terrorists, along with Director of Planning Harry Ellis, who was shot by Gruber while enjoying a Coke as he attempted to facilitate a negotiation between the terrorists and vacationing New York City police officer John McClane.
Joe Takagi | Die Hard Wiki | Fandom
Nakatomi Corp. CEO Joseph Takagi
Ultimately, it was the heroic efforts of McClane and Los Angeles police Sgt. Al Powell that disrupted the terrorists’ mercenary plot to steal millions in Nakatomi Corp. bearer bonds and retire on a Caribbean beach while earning 20%. Gruber died when he fell from a 32nd floor window while clutching a gun in one hand and McClane’s watch in another. Another terrorist with long, flowing blond hair and the grace of a famous ballet dancer was shot by Powell as he attempted to rush McClane in a crowd that had gathered at the base of the Nakatomi skyscraper. It was the first time Powell had discharged his weapon while on duty since his unfortunate and unintentional killing of a kid several years before. The body of a third terrorist – later identified as the brother of the graceful blonde – was discovered by police on the 35th floor wearing a sweat shirt with the words “ho-ho-ho, now I have a machine gun” scrawled on it in blood.
Die Hard: John McClane's 10 Greatest Quotes | ScreenRant
New York Police officer John McClane, who had just come out to the coast to have a few laughs.
Sgt. Al Powell (@LAPD_DeskJockey) | Twitter
The late Los Angeles Police Sgt. Al Powell.
A pair of FBI agents – mysteriously identified only as “Big Johnson” and “Little Johnson” – also died in a helicopter crash during the conflict that erupted at the tower. Calls by Lt. Dwayne T. Robinson for “more FBI guys” went unanswered by the Bureau’s Los Angeles office. Several members of a special Los Angeles Police unit were injured during the incident as they attempted to force their way into the tower via the use of an armored vehicle which the terrorists stopped with a huge flame-thrower that they had anchored to the 2nd floor amid shouts of “schnell! schnell!.”
Talk:Die Hard - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in ...
FBI Agents Big Johnson (r) and Little Johnson (l) in action.
In an amusing incident during the capture of the remaining members of the terrorist crew, KFLW-TV news anchor Richard Thornburg was punched out by McClane’s wife, Nakatomi Vice President Holly Gennero, as the world watched live on television. No explanation was given for Ms. Gennero’s action, as she and her husband climbed into a mysterious black limousine driven by a man McClane was heard to call “Argyle” and driven away to safety.
Episode 4 - Holly Gennaro (and Holly McClane) - Die Hard ...
Nakatomi VP Holly Gennaro.
In later years, McClane went onto become entangled in a series of subsequent terrorist plots even though he always seemed to just be minding his own business. It just seemed as if trouble followed him around throughout the rest of his life. McClane is now semi-retired and living in parts unknown. Sgt. Powell passed away earlier this year after enjoying a late night snack of Hostess Twinkies and milk.
As the years have rolled on since the terrorist plot was defeated, debate has raged among those who don’t have enough to worry about regarding whether or not the tale of the famous Nakatomi Raid of 1988 is a Christmas tale or not. Polls taken on the matter regularly show an almost even-split among respondents on the odd question, a result that shows no regard for race, religion or political party affiliation.
Suffice it to say that, 32 years later, the legend of the Nakatomi Raid of 1988 lives on in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts all over the globe.
That is all.
Thank you, Dan in Wichita...and all the same to you and yours.
The movie, with Linda Hamilton as the German mother, was good to watch. It is one of those “tradition” movies for me now.
I also have a wonderful short story I have read every year (usually on Christmas Eve) but I read it last night: Frederick Forsythe’s “The Shepherd” about a cold war British fighter pilot who in 1957 is flying a Vampire jet fighter from his base in Denmark to a base in England late on Christmas Eve, and encounters radio and equipment malfunctions that threaten him with icy death in the English Channel, but he is guided to a deserted WWII airfield by a mysterious WWII era RAF Mosquito that appears out of the gloom to guide him.
Love it. Brings a nice element to the season for me every year, being an aviation enthusiast...it took me about an hour to read.
You are most welcome, Flick Lives, and a Merry Christmas to you!
That is an amazing and touching story!
Ahh, I knew someone would remember the exact dialogue. Sure was good to see the bad guy get what he deserved!
Thank you...I just got new glasses, and for the first time in nearly a decade, was able to read a book for more than a few minutes at a time...I read a small book cover to cover...:)
I’ll check it out...and...thank you. Merry Christmas to you and your, FRiend.
LOL! Christmas arrived our house at 10:37 last night.
With the Rifftrax cover no less:
https://www.rifftrax.com/die-hard .
Merry Christmas Freepers!
I read on another website that, after the great Christmas Truce of 1914, these kinds of things were discouraged by severe penalties for fraternization with the enemy, and never happened except in very small isolated incidents like this one.
There is something about it that fills me with hope at this time of the year. And not the disgusting, mindless, emotionally based hope that liberals feel. My hope is something along the lines that, although we don’t expect our enemies to act like us, there are times when we can be human to each other, even when events discourage it.
And here’s a hard core analytics review answering the Is it a Christmas Movie question, the best I’ve found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UekHfQnFHe8
I found the movie “Silent Night” with Linda Hamilton on Youtube and plan on watching it very soon. I did a little watching already and it was quite riveting. Linda did a good job with her German!
I think you will like it, FRiend...
Bah humbug.
And until Holly McClane slugs the reporter.
Oh you’re no fun, anymore.
How ironic is this thread. In response to many claiming this is a Christmas classic movie, I just watched it for the first time ever last night.
Those people are nuts. Just because the date was December 24 means nothing. To even think this is a good Christmas movie is ridiculous.
It was a wonderful Christmas movie!
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You are a sick individual.
#1 all-time best Christmas movie.
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Sure it is. Only if you believe Christmas means violence and death.
I remember when L.A. was nuked in 2007.
The long ago Space Above And Beyond even had a Christmas truce episode.
A series that got cancelled just as it was going somewhere.
That would have been interesting for sure...
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