# Something thing that always bothered me about Die Hard
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 26, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038 "2016-11-26T13:41:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/21 "2016-12-01T17:29:18Z")
> [@JSexton](#):
>
> Unladen C-4?
African or European?
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/22 "2016-12-01T17:43:06Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> The line works, even if the logic doesn’t.
I thought the purpose for writing it that way was obvious; it’s extremely funny and memorable. It’s one of my favourite movie lines ever, though of course it helps that a master actor is delivering it.
Since Takagi is as dead as a doornail, I guess it works logically in a way, too. There’s a finality to it. “He won’t be joining us for the rest of your lives” actually makes LESS sense in a way, since it could mean Takagi was send out of the building to tell the LAPD some story Gruber wanted him to and he’s going to kill all the hostages. Or it could mean he’s send Takagi to Pakistan. “He won’t be joining us… for the rest of… his… life” is Gruber just saying he’s dead without saying he’s dead, in a sarcastic, offhanded manner.
[QUOTE=Max Torque]
Maybe I’m giving McClane too much credit, but I always figured he put the monitor on top specifically to activate the detonators.
[/QUOTE]
I think it is unambiguously clear that that is exactly what McClane is doing.
If he’s NOT using the CRT to detonate the C4… then why does he do all that at all? Why would they waste valuable screen time on McClane putting the chair-bomb together? If the screenwriters were just going to go with “let’s tell the audience the fall set off the bomb,” there’s no reason for him to do all that. He could have simply stuck the detonator into the C4 and dropped it down the shaft. I actually found it a nice tough in a movie otherwise not overly concerned with the laws of physics.
Watching this most wonderful of Christmas movies today, I am struck by how much the omnipresence of cellphones would completely change the movie if it was remade and set in today’s world.
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### Author:  [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/23 "2016-12-01T17:46:06Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> African or European?
Mostly European, judging by their clothes and their cigarettes.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/24 "2016-12-02T00:20:24Z")
> [@outlierrn](#):
>
> Mostly European, judging by their clothes and their cigarettes.
Hans holds his cigarette in the European manner when McClain talks to him, and I think that is what gave “John Clay” away.
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### Author:  [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/25 "2016-12-02T01:50:56Z")
> [@Folacin](#):
>
> They were busy - they all had jobs to do to complete the robbery, and McClane was mostly an annoyance (I don’t remember if they knew he had the detonators then?).
After they get finished firing and Karl throws the flash bang, they walk over to find McClane gone and the bag of detonators sitting there. Gruber says something to the effect of getting back go work and Karl snarls at him.
It is possible that the foot wound didn’t start to bleed immediately, especially if the piece of glass was firmly impaled in the sole of the foot. I’ve seen wounds that didn’t really start bleeding until you go to work on them, which is why in an impaling injury you should avoid your first instinct to pull out the offending object until you are ready to staunch the blood, especially if it may be an arterial wound.
The bigger question is why does Hans have to explain to Karl (who, it is established, are both German) that he needs to “Shoot the glass!” after telling him to shoot the windows out in German? The answer is expository, but within the film it makes no sense.
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> McClane put the C4 on an office chair, poked some of the detonators into it, then put a computer monitor (the big, old kind) on top of that and wrapped the cord around the chair. Then he pushed the chair down the elevator shaft. I don’t know if that would be enough to trigger a detonator, but they were present.
All true. This would be pretty marginal in terms of getting an assured detonation. Detonators aren’t actually that sensitive to normal mechanical shock; it would take a large direct hit with a hammer or a large electrical discharge to get it to go off, and while old CRTs do have capacitors that hold charge even after being deactivated, it’s not something that would be very reliable. But McClane doesn’t have any other means to detonate the explosive, so it is a conceit of the writers.
> [@Patch](#):
>
> My biggest issue is a single block of C4 isn’t going to be as destructive as shown.
I don’t know about that; a 1 kg block of C-4 would definitely develop enough of an overpressure shock wave to blow out building windows, especially contained within the building. It would not produce the fireball that is seen, and modern office buildings typically do not have a lot of volatile substances in their construction or just being stored around, so that was clearly just for visual effect.
“Oh, I hope that’s not a hostage.” Best Christmas movie ever.
Stranger
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/26 "2016-12-02T01:58:00Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#):
>
> The bigger question is why does Hans have to explain to Karl (who, it is established, are both German) that he needs to “Shoot the glass!” after telling him to shoot the windows out in German?
> Stranger
I, too wonder at that.
I understand that Germans from different areas find it more difficult to understand each other than Bostonians and Atlantians, but surely it is not that bad.
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### Author:  [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/27 "2016-12-02T05:06:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> Hans holds his cigarette in the European manner when McClain talks to him, and I think that is what gave “John Clay” away.
“Clay…Bill Clay”, iirc.
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/28 "2016-12-02T12:50:53Z")
Wait. Wait! Are people suggesting in this thread that there are plot holes in Die Hard?!?
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### Author:  [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/29 "2016-12-02T16:20:50Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#):
>
> The bigger question is why does Hans have to explain to Karl (who, it is established, are both German) that he needs to “Shoot the glass!” after telling him to shoot the windows out in German? The answer is expository, but within the film it makes no sense.
Karl understood the _words_ in the command fine, but the reason for the command confused him. He wasn’t questioning “what did you say,” but “why should I shoot the windows.” Gruber clarifies in English because reasons.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/30 "2016-12-02T17:10:50Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> African or European?
… is there somebody else up there we could talk to?
Still not a Christmas movie, dammit.
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### Author:  [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/31 "2016-12-02T18:25:31Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#):
>
> So now that the annual “is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” thread has reappeared I want bring up a line dialogue that always irks me when I watch the film. Right after Guber shot Takagi he goes to the hostages and informs them that Takagi won’t be “joining them for the rest of his life.” surely it should be “the rest of your lives” i.e. the hostages lives. Takagi is already dead at this point, there’s no rest of his life anymore.
>
> The scene on YouTube:
> [https://youtu.be/mHQPbZPbxP4](https://youtu.be/mHQPbZPbxP4)
exactly, takagi’s life is over so he can not join them ( there is no rest of takagi’s life). i’m sure it is even more evil sounding in the original german in hans’ head.
as to karl’s not understanding hans re: the windows, he wanted mcclain dead, not neutralized. also i believe hans is the only one at that point who knows mcclain is running about bare foot.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/32 "2016-12-02T18:34:02Z")
> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> Karl understood the _words_ in the command fine, but the reason for the command confused him. He wasn’t questioning “what did you say,” but “why should I shoot the windows.” Gruber clarifies in English because reasons.
I’ll buy that.
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### Author:  [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/33 "2016-12-02T20:00:47Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#):
>
> exactly, takagi’s life is over so he can not join them ( there is no rest of takagi’s life). i’m sure it is even more evil sounding in the original german in hans’ head.
The point is not just to have a cool line, but to have it also _be a threat_. The point is, Takagi _ **did** _ have a “rest of his life”, but now he doesn’t because he resisted Gruber’s plan. The threat is, anyone else who resists will also be losing “the rest of their lives”.
The use of “his” emphasizes this threat aspect at the sacrifice of pedantic grammarianism, which is fine with me.
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### Author:  [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/34 "2016-12-02T20:37:38Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#):
>
> Come on- somebody can fan wank an explanation for this.
He walked across the glass with bare feet. Once he left the area with glass, he walked back to the bathroom on his hands. He only started dragging himself across the floor when he had to open the bathroom door.
Either that or John Clay carried him (while Hans was impersonating Bill Clay)
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/35 "2016-12-03T00:08:10Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#):
>
> “Clay…Bill Clay”, iirc.
Thanks, you are correct.
Is the cigarette what clued McCain in?
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### Author:  [@bbonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbonden)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/36 "2016-12-03T00:32:47Z")
My question: How does McClane get the body (Marco?) lined up so perfectly with Al’s car from the 31st (?) floor, and then who is shooting at the car, and why?
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### Author:  [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/37 "2016-12-03T01:32:55Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> … is there somebody else up there we could talk to?
>
> Still not a Christmas movie, dammit.
You’re just a fly in the ointment, the monkey in the wrench.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/38 "2016-12-03T01:36:03Z")
> [@bbonden](#):
>
> My question: How does McClane get the body (Marco?) lined up so perfectly with Al’s car from the 31st (?) floor, and then who is shooting at the car, and why?
Sheer luck. A splat on the parking lot would have also worked.
“I need backup gawd dammit!”
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### Author:  [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/39 "2016-12-03T01:43:10Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#):
>
> The baddys shoot out the glass partitions and McClane leaves a bloody trail to the bathroom where he picks out the shards. Why didn’t they follow the blood?
Because that was Ronald Reagan’s post-presidency office and it already had the super absorbent carpet installed.
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### Author:  [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-thing-that-always-bothered-me-about-die-hard/773038/40 "2016-12-03T21:55:51Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#):
>
> Wait. Wait! Are people suggesting in this thread that there are plot holes in Die Hard?!?
Apparently those aren’t plot holes, they’re Christmas miracles.
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