There are a lot of different traditions that take place during the Christmas Holidays. Some people stay up until midnight to open one gift, while others play White Elephant with their gift exchange. There is no end to the different traditions that families have developed over the years. However, one common tradition is associated with the type of entertainment. In some households, the television will be set on whatever sports event is on at the time, but in other homes, the family will come together to vote on the classic movie that everyone will sit down and watch together for the umpteenth time. Watching these classic movies sort of links, the different generations in the family in a unique type of way.
Two movies that are among the top ten classics that get major play during the holiday are Home Alone and the original Die Hard. On the surface, these two movies would appear to have nothing in common. Die Hard is an action film where people die in large numbers while Home Alone is a comedy reminiscent of the Three Stooges. But that is on the surface. When you look at these two films more closely, you will find that they actually have a number of parallels that make them remarkably similar.
The first similarity is that both movies feature a person that on any normal day would be considered just the average person. There are no highly trained secret agents on covert missions. Both movies feature people who are simply attempting to survive the ordeal while simultaneously saving the day. The protagonist in each movie finds themselves distant for their families, howbeit for entirely different reasons. The place where they find themselves is invaded by criminals looking to play the role of the Grinch who stole Christmas. Cut off from all immediate assistance, the protagonist must use their wit to help them survive the ordeal and save the day.
Of course, three are some distinct differences. Bruce Willis’ character has to face Huns Gruber and an elite force of highly trained mercenaries while McCauley Kalkan has to go up against two misfit second rate thieves. But both characters find themselves outnumbered, seemingly outmatched and outside of the reach of any allies that can they can join forces with. Both characters have the option of sitting still and hiding until reinforcements come but they both decide to take a stand and make a difference.
Another similarity that should not go unnoticed when laying these two films in juxtaposition to one another is the fact that the leader of both criminal groups initially attempted to pose as a good guy to gain an initial advantage. In each case, the protagonist in the movie sees straight through the façade and calls BS, well maybe not in those words, but you get the picture.
Finally, in both movies, the final blow is not delivered by the protagonist, but by an unlikely ally. In Die Hard, it was Sgt. Al Powell and in Home Alone, it was Old Man Marley. At the end of the day, both protagonists were reunited with their families and everyone leaves the movie highly entertained. Finally, both movies were followed by sequels.
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