British public’s verdict: Die Hard is not a Christmas film | film

When Macaulay Culkin recently said he didn’t consider “Die Hard” a Christmas movie — wading into one of pop culture’s most heated debates about the holidays — the audience booed him.

But it seems the British public are backing the actor, as a survey revealed that Home Alone is the UK’s favorite holiday film, while Die Hard has been officially voted the Christmas film.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) survey of 2,000 people found that 44% did not think Die Hard was a Christmas film. But it was close, with 38% defending the festive film, and 5% even choosing it as their favorite film in the genre. The remaining 17% were undecided about its classification.

“Home Alone” was the clear winner, being a favorite among 20% ​​of respondents. It was followed by True Love (9%), It’s a Wonderful Life (8%), and Goblin (7%).

When it came to what makes a perfect Christmas movie, a poignant story led the way (33%), followed by family friendship (15%) and humor (13%). Only 2% of respondents resorted to tears.

David Austin, chief executive of the BBFC, said the research showed that “moving, family-friendly stories continue to lie at the heart of the country’s Christmas viewing traditions”.

Meanwhile, just under a fifth of respondents (18%) said going to the cinema over the Christmas period was a tradition for them and their families. Of these, a third (33%) said they would go before Christmas Eve, while 20% preferred to go on Boxing Day.

Culkin made his comments during an event celebrating the 35th anniversary of Home Alone in California last month. The 45-year-old actor listed his favorite Christmas movies, before adding: “Okay guys, Die Hard is not a Christmas movie.”

After being met with boos, he responded, “I know. Some of you want to fight me. I’ll meet you at the loading dock, but it’s just a movie set on Christmas. If you set it on St. Patrick’s Day, [it is] Exactly the same movie. But you’re home alone on St. Patrick’s Day…

The debate over Die Hard’s Christmas credentials has raged for years, leading to division even among those involved in the making of the 1989 film. Director John McTiernan said he didn’t intend for this to happen, but was glad it was “turned into a Christmas movie.” “Die Hard is not a Christmas movie, it’s a fucking Bruce Willis movie,” Bruce Willis joked in 2018.