Die Hard

Chain smoking blue collar hero who gives Schwarzenegger a run for the one-liner title? Elegantly foreign, charismatic-in-all-languages bad guy? Carl Winslow in the role of his life? No. When we think of Die Hard, we think of one man: Hart Bochner.


Who??


Ellis!! The cokehead yuppie who negotiates million dollar deals for breakfast, am I right? Sure, he did not say "Yippie ka yay, motherfucker." Nor did he have much to do with anything in the movie. Harry Ellis is a product of John McTiernan's subconscious wish fulfillment having to deal with the Hollywood executive types while making badass action flicks. Or maybe not. Who cares? If Ellis were here next to me right now, he would say, "Show 'em the clip" exactly the same way as he says, "Show him the watch" in this tribute to Harry Ellis.


First things first. Rule number one: when you're caught blowing lines off your colleague's desk, ALWAYS say you were making a call...oh and be sure to laugh exactly like this.

Suggested application: Your boss calls you into his office and tells you to give him an update on your client or a prospective client or any other person. You say this -
"They're motivated. They're happening. I.E. They WANT something"

Perhaps more important than applying Ellis quotes to real life is nailing his swag. Take one more look at it during his final moments with Hans.

Not suggesting this scenario would ever happen, but do what you can to work this tidbit into your life:

"Hey, what am I a method actor? Hans, babe, put away the gun. This is radio not television."

Layer that line with your best Ellis swagger and you'll be CEO of fantasy land in no time.

Ellis caries a fountain pen, Hans carries a gun. So let's focus on him for right now. While his performance was also more about voice than quotations, we can zero in on one part that is as random as it is brilliant. Does "Shoot the glass" give it away? Maybe I should have said "Schieß dem Fenster".


Disregarding the stupid thought bubbles, why did tall blond German henchman fail to speak German all of a sudden? Maybe he was mad because he dies in the end. If only he had read this post, he might get the references.

This gets us into new territory: movies (and TV) that reference other movies. Without dignifying the Scary Movie spoof movie series as relevant, the list for movies and television that reference Die Hard is enormous.
Back when the Falstaffian SNL charaters were funny, Chris Farley had his own show within the show. A precursor to Between Two Ferns, Farley's go to move was to awkwardly verbalize the action sequences in the movie.  Go figure: Galifianakis has Bruce Willis on as a guest who does little more than long for the '80s.

It's hard to get better than It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Throughout the episode, the Gang is held hostage by the McPoyle's and Frank (as McClane) travels through vents, over broken glass, and ultimately recreates the rooftop ending of Die Hard. THIS is relevant because Danny Devito replaces "Yippe ka yay, motherfucker" with "Yippe ka yay mister falcon", which is a reference to the TV edited version of the line redone for language.

To make a long story short, whatever Die Hard reference you want to make ultimately will resemble a Chris Farley show. Unless of course, you're referencing Harry "It's a Rolex" Ellis.