New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.
Release date: July 22, 1988 (USA)
Director: John McTiernan
Sequel: Die Hard 2
Screenplay: Steven E. de Souza, Jeb Stuart
Producers: Joel Silver, Lawrence Gordon
Music composed by: Michael Kamen