Die Hard VHS

There has never been a better action movie series than the "Die Hard" films. For technical expertise and complexity, these films have never and probably never will be beaten. Each of these films is its own story adapted into a Hollywood formula picture -- Roderick Thorp's novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" became the original "Die Hard," Walter Wager's "58 Minutes" became "Die Hard II" and Jonathan Hensleigh's original script "Simon Says" became "Die Hard With a Vengeance." That's not an insignificant point--unlike many of today's would-be blockbusters, the story existed first! So the special effects were made to service the story, not the other way around. Hollywood, take note. Of course, each of these films is far from perfect. In every instance, the authorities are as trenchantly dumb as the average Hollywood stereotype. Can't we have *SMART* cops for once, or at least ones who are willing to listen to the hero? Let that be a lesson--if a bloody, battered Bruce Willis comes rushing up to you on the street, do what he says. He knows what's going on. There are also quite a few plot problems--some things are too convenient, as in almost any thriller, and the hero makes some deductive leaps that could leave you scratching your head. But each of these three films deliver where it counts--the thrills come early and often, and even if you're familiar with them, they're just fun to watch because they're so well done. As for the set, you can't beat having all three of these movies in a single and quite reasonably priced package. The bonus features are plentiful, the presentation--both audio and video--is first rate, the menus are attractive (if tedious after the fourth or fifth time). If action is your thing, you simply can't beat this set. This will be a favorite part of my DVD collection for a long time to come.

Let me get some technical things I would want to know out of the way. This set includes Die Hard, Die Hard 2, Die Hard with a Vengence, and Live Free or Die Hard, the Unrated version. There was some question in the reviews as to whether it was the unrated version, which makes me question why they would review a product that they don't own. Now the really big question for me at least is what medium to buy this movie on. I got a blu ray player last year, and rented the original die hard on blu ray, and have to say that i was disappointed. When I first got the blu ray player i was originally going ro just rebuy most of the movies in my collection, but I was starting to see that movies made before 2000, or some made just after, just don't look very good in high def. Some studios really put the time and money into making their classics really look amazing, but Fox just really hasn't done that for its old movies yet, and though Die Hard is by far one of if not the greatest action movie of all time, I would reccoment getting the set on DVD. The only movie in the set that is going to look better (if not worse) on Blu Ray is Live Free or Die Hard, which is by far the worst movie in the set, so I would reccomend getting it on DVD, or find the Die Hard Trilogy on DVD and getting Live Free or Die Hard on Blu Ray if you are a completionist, or just really like that movie for some reason, but for most fans, this will do nicely. As far as the movies go, as previously stated Die Hard, the original, is a classic, and easily the best action movie ever made. Up until Die Hard, action movies were either the tense cat and mouse movies, or over the top (Looke at the director's own Predator, especially the fight in the compound) and when Die Hard came along, it was the idea that the person at the center of an over the top situation could still be human and vulnerable, but it was his will (and wit) that would keep him going when average people would just give up. It was his love of his family, but that also is a convaluted mess. Life isn't easy, and there are a lot of pieces that fail within the society, and a lot of people that don't want to get their hands dirty, and the hard works get passed down to John, not because he is the best, but because he won't let it go. I can tell you having worked in the government that so many things get through the cracks, and the people that get things done because of a sense of duty that they won't give up is at the heart of this movie. This movie is about not giving up, even though it seems like life is against you because there are too many people in suits that are only interested about what they can acquire, and the world changes more and more to where the buck keeps getting passed. The whole movie keeps movie on with a dying cowboy breed motif and killer dialogue, and complete control from the director, not to mention great director of photography in jan debont, who went on to direct speed, and also dp for robocop as well as a lot of verhoven's other work, so just a great film all around. The second tried to be too similar to the first. It was actually the first Die Hard movie I saw, and though at the time I was in love with the movie, it really doesn't compare to the original in terms of pacing and action, so i have to say it seems a little too much, as in one man couldn't do all that, and becomes a little too cartoony, such as the airplane explosion where he survives via the ejection seat, even though there is no way he would have escaped without internal injuries. It tries too hard to improve upon a perfect film. The third film spends a majority of the movie with a buddy team between McClain and Samual L. Jackson, whose racial tensions seem too much of a rip off between what Bruce already did better in the Last Boy Scout, however the twists and turns, not to mention that it doesn't seem as unrealistic in its action sequences. If you take the best moments from the first two sequals and leave the bad parts you get the first films equal, however the fourth film is just complete garbage. I remember seeing it in theaters dispite it having a pg 13 rating which should have been my first clue, but I remember the studio talking about it being a hard pg 13 and that there would be a unrated, or really an r rated cut on dvd, however it doesn't help a really tired and unbelevable set of action sequences that do not remind me of the first at all. its one man takes on a jet plane, and lives. its like bad video game cgi with McClain insight and one liners interjected. Over all a really great set of movies, and worth watching all the way through, because you know part five will come out eventually. I hope they kill off our protaganist so they will stop doing stupid sequels.

This is Bruce Willis' defining collection, The Die Hard Tetralogy. As a huge Bruce Willis fan I was very excited to get this because it's a 4-disc set of his greatest movies ever. I really don't have a favorite movie because this is a very rarely collection, in that each film is as good as the last/next. Included in this set: Die Hard (1988) Rated-R/112 mins. It's Christmas Eve and Bruce is on a mission to save an entire building from a slew of terrorists. 5/5 stars Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990) Rated-R/124 mins. This time Bruce is trying to save a D.C. airport from complete and total destruction. 5/5 stars Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) Rated-R/131 mins. Teamed with Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce is on the streets of New York, playing a deadly game of Simon says. 5/5 stars Live Free or Die Hard (2007) Rated-PG-13/107 mins. Bruce now has to contend with cyber-terrorists in this 21st century thrill-fest. 5/5 stars Each disc includes a TON of extras, too. Each movie/disc includes trailers, featurettes, movies, documentaries, interviews, bonus clips and alternate endings. I especially enjoyed the "Die Hard With a Vengeance" alternate ending. It was so funny and so different from how the movie actually ended. All of the movies look pristine in 1080p blu-ray. I never saw Bruce look or sound so great. This includes 'lossless audio' as well as 'smart menu technology' (the ability to use the menu while the movie is up on the screen). This comes packaged in a standard blu ray case and the size of this 4-disc collection is roughly the size of 1 standard DVD. Isn't that cool? Each disc includes a color silkscreen picture of Bruce from that particular movie, as well. I understand Bruce is in negotiations to make "Die Hard 5" and can only imagine that it will be just as exciting and thrilling as these 4 movies are. If you have any interest in action, adventure and even comedy you must get this set.

I was finally able to get this 4-pack at a great price, {under $20}. I had been waiting quite a while. I was also a little hesitant because some of the reviews were saying the quality was bad & you should wait for better copies. I waited long enough & took a chance. These are all so much better than the dvd's. I watch the Blu-ray version & then put on the dvd version & go from scene to scene & see what the quality is like compared to the Blu-Ray. No comparison. Blu-Ray wins. Even if the movie isn't 100% better it's still far better than the regular dvd, in my opinion, & that's what counts, on MY review. The quality seems to get better on each film. Less & less grain on each one,although it was never a real problem for me. The audio seemed really good on all {4} films but I listen through external speakers hooked up to my stereo. Nothing fancy here, just good old fashioned stereo.The special features get better on each disc too. I really wanted the movies more so than the special features anyway. I can only say that I'm glad I got these because they are much better to watch than the dvd's I have.

This series is probably one of my favorite in terms of action movies. All 4 movies are entertaining, if a little over the top. I bought this set when it was on sale, and I wasn't expecting it to be the be all end all for blu-ray sets, but I was expecting a better set. The first Die Hard movie suffers from a really lackluster transfer, and no special features of which to talk about. As you progress through the series, there is a definite improvement in the quality of the picture. Die Hard 2 and Die Hard 3 look much better than Die Hard, and Live Free or Die Hard looks fantastic. Again, this set is for those who are looking for just the movies and nothing else. The price I got them for is great, which is why I'm giving it 5 out of 5 instead of 4 out of 5. Great movies, but Fox should give these movies a better HD transfer.

i honestly have not seen DH in about 11 years i think! its one of those great 80's moments for me when life was ..well simple! no internet and lots of fun outdoors with friends! when finding a movie as popular as DH was an achievement in my neck of the woods. But ask any 20 something now about what an amazing guy series this movie is! its "the standard" in guy action movies! i recall in the U.S there used to be ad campaign on TNT: "Movies for guys who love movies" DH was always in the lineup! Enough reminiscing about DH, for the fact all 4 were released on Bluray was a big step forward! i was hoping to get it when that actually happens. Lets thank sony for not messing up the encoding on these discs like F4 2 (u guys know what i am talking about!) I bring this up because there is a ton of fun stuff on the discs that takes a while to load and experience. Back to the movie...i think these 2 guys in Hollywood struck a very nice balance of bringing an old analog hero in a digital world. They kept the amazing depth of the characters around and did not mess it up like most franchise movies when they make a #4 of its kind! i think #4 is the best DH yet. The stunts and the action sequence is BIG guys! i mean BIG! and of course the BD performance in picture and sound added to the realism of what was happening here. This was key always in DH: realism! there were some crazy moments but allot of fun. I gave it 4 stars because the 1st DH was similar to T1 in terms of quality. I don't know how much remastering one can do on the older print of DH1 and DH2. But the sound was definitely remastered. Every DIE HARD fan must get this! Happy holidays people!

The 2 first Die Hard movies really represent the apogee of the Action Movie genre in the 20th century. The movies were such tour de force and departures from the regular genre formula of the 80's. Consequently many movies tried to emualte the formula, which is where the labels "Die Hard in the seas" (Under Siege) or "Die Hard in the ..." became essential to describe many 90's films. But the success was never replicated. Furthermore, John McClane played brilliantly by Bruce Willis, in my humble opinion is the greatest action hero of his era. No longer are we exposed to the brain dead marine, super juiced martial art expert who could take down a battalion without breaking sweat. McClane is a common man, a regular NYC cop, who happens to be at the wrong place @ the wrong time confronted with impossible odds and who makes it out alive by a combination of his wits, luck and some adrenaline. Being also an irritating jerk (by function of what is said by his entourage) he might even be considered more like anti-hero. Die Hard With A Vengeance is a good movie but such a departure from the original first two movies that it didn't live up to the Die hard fanatics. Live free or Die Hard the 4th movie in the serie is also a great popcorn flick although still not comparable to the first two.

I was going to buy movies 1 and 3, but this set was a but cheaper in the end, so I grabbed it. My personal opinions on the quality of these films is 1, 3, 4/2. 2 and 4 are tied. Video quality: All movies are 2.39:1. Live Free or Die Hard Is certainly the best-looking, but no real surprise. One looks the poorest, since it was not remastered. 2 and 3 are fine. not super-awesome, but good. Audio quality: A mix of Dolby and DTS. naturally, DTS sounds better. Being a newer recording, 4 sounds the best of the set, and 1 the poorest. I really hoped that the levels would have been fixed for the original, but no. The originally still a favourite movie for me, even after all these years. All-in-all a very good action movie set. If you want a more detailed review, just look at individual reviews. I never look at the extras, so I cannot comment on that. The packaging is pretty good and discs pop in and out securely; not too easy, not too hard. they stay in place and are raised from the surface - something i really hate about too-thin disc cases.

Toujours la meilleure série de film

面白かった。

J'ai acheté cette série après avoir vu le 4 dernièrement. J'avais vu les 3 premiers lorsque j'étais jeune, avec de bon moments passé entre cousins et frangins. C'est donc avec plein de joie que j'ai retrouvé l'ambiance de ces 3 premiers opus en les regardant à nouveau. Et comme cela faisait un moment que je ne les avais plus vu, je les ai redécouvert et fait découvrir aux personnes ayant vu le 4 sans connaitre les 3 premiers. L'ensemble est idéal si on veut avoir la collection complète. On voit bien la différence d'un "John McLane" jeune dans le premier et de l'actuel acteur dans le dernier. J'ai presque eu un choc en le revoyant !! mais c'est vraiment que du bonheur de les découvrir à nouveau. Pour le côté technique, l'image est vraiment de bonne qualité quand on sait que ces films ont déjà quelques années derrières eux. Le son est bien présent également (vu sur TV full HD / lecteur Xbox360 - je pense qu'un lecteur blueRay ou PS3 renforce un peu la qualité de l'image encore / et sortie son sur système Hifi 5.1). Il n'y a rien a redire sur ce coffret complet et qui ne prendra pas trop de place sur vos étagères. Mais à avoir absolument si vous aimez les films de B.Willis et les séries qui ne perdent pas de leur charme au fur et a mesure des saison.

Die Hard 1-4 boxset; "Stirb Langsam" German Edition, remastered. English and German languages, and Subtitles. Audio includes each film with DTS German soundtrack, but you can select English subtitles; or 5.1, with whichever subtitles you wish❗No.1, with "branching version" - slighly extended scene involving the electricion in the manhole, and his boss, and FBI agent Robert Davi; ending spoilt by Karl coming back to life, after being hung, and is dead and unrevivivable, then staggers out of the building, around 12 minutes later, and is killed again, to music borrowed from "Aliens"(1986.) No.2 - UNCUT, which I read up on, before purchase, as is, for me, the best of the 5, with Renny Harlin director, you get excellent action set pieces, fight choreography, sound, with windows rattling gunfire, and filmography. (So intense, the UK BBFC censors insisted for decades that No.2 would always be a Certificate 18, and no amount of cuts would earn it a 15 Certificate - until previous cuts were waived for the "Die Hard Legacy" UK, edition.) No.3 - which is titled on the disc "SPECIAL EDITION", on a black background. However, I found it to be the same version as the US Region 1 DVD, including the violence cut for the UK version - fight in the elevator with shootings; fancy knife killing of the security guard holding out in the vault area; John unloading all his gun clip into the transportation truck door, killing driver and passenger. This is NOT the special edition that includes some time after, McLane is blamed for everything and fired, with "McLane Says"&"Rocket launcher alternative ending" . A second alternative ending was NOT filmed. The use by composer Michael Kamen of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" is still a mystery👀❗ No.4 - as released. Of interest, Bruce Willis was accidentally cut to the bone, above his right eye, requiring stitches when a stunt went badly. Also, Bruce Willis stunt double fell 25 feet onto concrete, suffering serious injuries, including broken bones; resulting in a temporary shutdown. CONCLUSION: Staggeringly good offer for around €2.00, plus similar postage. However, including, apparently, number 3, this set contains just Disc 1, of 2 Disc Special editions previously released, as more extras stated to be on "Disc 2", on Die Hard Disc 1. Upscales very well. 5 stars for price, and quality of playback. Recommended.

A masterclass in how action films should be made, the Die Hard Quadrilogy contains some of the most exciting scenes ever put to film. It must be hard to see it from its release date point of view now, but back in the late 80's Die Hard was a visceral, thundering and amazingly inventive new approach to the action film, deservedly launching Willis into superstardom on the back of a superbly funny and wry turn as nervous off-duty cop John McClane catapulted against his will into a face-off against brilliantly played terrorists in a series of breathtaking set pieces. Die Hard 2 almost matched the magic, going a little camper with its villains but still shocking with a body count that made the papers and some incredibly stylised and exciting action scenes (if the sadistic air controller moments following Willis' SWAT team shootout dont have you on the edge of your seat, you're watching the wrong movies). Die Hard With a Vengeance tried a twist on the genre, playing it across a city instead of in a locked-down terrorist-held locale with limited success, helped by Samuel L Jackson's surly store manager and both helped and hindered by a too-camp Jeremy Irons playing a lethal game of Simon-Says with McClane in a very personal vendetta. It's a little preachy and some of the set pieces suffer from a lack of tension (surprisingly since this is original Die Hard director McTiernan returning to the series). However, many find this one of the most appealing. Die Hard 4.0 rockets back with a cyberterrorism threat and Willis fighting organised chaos with the help of good comic foil Justin Long as an asthmatic hacker dragged (literally) along for the ride after an exhilerating apartment-block shoot-out. Maggie Q and Timothy Olyphant provide the lethal kicks and glowers as the bad-guy couple with Olyphant especially worth his weight in comic but vicious gold, ably assisted by freerunning henchmen and some breathtaking stunts. An F-35/freeway stunt nearly pushes the believability bar too far, but Willis and co bring it back. A terrific return to form that feels as old-school as promised. Buy it - its the best action ever made.