How Die Hard Uses Beethoven For Hans & Why It's Amazing

HOW GROUNDHOG DAY WORKS MUSICALLY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1rtQ9Umwpk

0:00 The Theme of John McClane's BS Defined

3:13 The Meaning of Let It Snow

4:29 The Meaning of Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis

6:01 The Antagonists: The Japanese Represented by a String Quartet

7:46 The Antagonists: The Terrorists Represented by Beethoven

8:17 Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Explained

10:50 Recitative of the Pacific Courier Truck

12:33 The Seed that Michael Kamen Plants

13:21 The Ode to Joy Around the World

14:53 Ode to Joy at the Nakatomi Party

16:15 Hans Sings the Ode to Joy

17:16 Why Not Wagner Instead? Answer: A Clockwork Orange

18:26 Theo Sings and Karl Dances

20:06 The Meaning of the Ode to Joy

22:54 Why Ode to Joy Represents Hans? Answer: Perverted Idealism

23:43 Ode to Freedom Concert

24:26 Winter Wonderland

24:59 Christmas Ending Setup

26:24 James Horner's Magic

27:00 John McClane Deals with His BS

Why is Beethoven used in Die Hard? What is the meaning of Let It Snow? And why are there so many musical Easter Eggs like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Michael Kamen's brilliant score?? I answer these questions and more in this Die Hard film score analysis where you can find all the musical themes explained in this video essay.

Check out my videos: HOW HAMILTON MAKES YOU CRY PART 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=933tIGe0n24 &PART 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nX5YCkwaCA

WHY 10 DUEL COMMANDMENTS IS AMAZING https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qXsFs2ywMo

But also, if you've ever wondered why Die Hard is a great film, look no further than its score. Yup, there's enough sophistication to chew on forever using the tools of musicology and music theory. So here's my deep dive into it. And then the next time you watch Die Hard, you can feel good about seeing a film that kicks ass and has musical sophistication.

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SOURCES

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhz5aB-u77Q

Die Hard: The Greatest Christmas Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wi28Vsi_ZU

Furtwängler - Beethoven's 9th Symphony - For Hitler's Birthday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2itdv1aEpG4

Michael Kamen Concerto for Saxophone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96t3ia2Oqzc

Making S&M: San Francisco Symphony and Metallica

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyFHiVal6I4

Annie Lennox: Here Comes the Rain Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1k1wbCU7Ok

Michael Kamen is scoring The Iron Giant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlkqqtjfbzE

Sting, Eric Clapton, and Michael Kamen: It's Probably Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13O3T9ZFVJE

The Berlin Celebration Concert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IInG5nY_wrU

Alexander Godunov dancing Don Quixote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgyNRI9BRJc

John McTiernan, Die Hard Press Kit Featurette

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1FXShLI4f8

Suntory presents Beethoven's 9th with a cast of 10,000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Ssa1_zUrs

MOVIES/TV discussed

Die Hard

Black Rain

Blade Runner

Gung Ho

A Clockwork Orange

Cruel Intentions

Bob's Burgers, Season 5 Episode 1

Neon Genesis Evangelion, Episode 24

Dead Poets' Society

Get Smart

Immortal Beloved

Sister Act 2

Singin' in the Rain

John Wick

Love Actually

The Pervert's Guide to Ideology

Following the Ninth

MUSIC

Run DMC, Christmas in Hollis

Vaughn Monroe, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Bryan Adams & Michael Kamen, Everything I Do (I Do It For You)

Michael Kamen, Die Hard OST

Doug Maxwell, Holiday Brass Ensemble

E's Jammy Jams, Jingle Bells

NEWS

Japan makes Beethoven's Ninth No. 1 for the holidays, The Japan Times

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/12/24/music/japan-makes-beethovens-ninth-no-1-for-the-holidays/

Die Hard is not a Christmas Movie, According to a New Poll, Uproxx

https://uproxx.com/movies/die-hard-not-christmas-movie-poll/

Wagner's heir vows to lay bare family's Nazi history, The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/21/classicalmusicandopera-bayreuth-wagner-hitler-nazis

Richard Wagner: beautiful music, terrible human - CBC Music

https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/12270/richard-wagner-beautiful-music-terrible-human

Bruce Willis declares Die Hard is not a Christmas movie, Entertainment Weekly

https://ew.com/movies/2018/07/15/bruce-willis-die-hard-not-christmas-movie/

The Specter of Hilter in the Music of Wagner, New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/08/arts/the-specter-of-hitler-in-the-music-of-wagner.html

#diehard #HowardHo #HowMovieMusicWorks