John McTiernan Didn’t Have To Look Far To Find Die Hard’s Perfect Nakatomi Plaza
By Miyako Pleines/Dec. 7, 2022 2:41 pm EST
There are certain movies where the film’s setting is just as iconic as its characters. Take the houses from “Home Alone” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” for example. Both of those abodes are so memorable for the way they dominate the screen that they should almost have their own acting credit listed at the end of the movie. Setting can really make or break a film, so it’s really important that filmmakers get it right when they’re out scouting for locations, and another film that absolutely nailed this is none other than director John McTiernan’s “Die Hard.” That’s right, we’re talking about Nakatomi Plaza.
Over the years, “Die Hard” has become essential Christmas viewing despite the film having a surprising lack of festive cheer. Yes, technically it does take place at a Christmas party on Christmas Eve, but honestly, it’s really not the kind of movie you think of when you think of joyful holiday films (I mean, there’s quite a bit of blood, y’all). Instead, it’s an absolutely killer action movie revolving around John McClane (Bruce Willis) being a total badass for over two hours as he tries to save his wife and her coworkers from Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a terroristic thief hell-bent on stealing a whole lot of money from Nakatomi Plaza. Pretty much all of “Die Hard” takes place in this one single building, and its memorable name coupled with the fact that it just screams “office party chic” makes for one hell of a place to have a showdown between a savvy NYPD officer and a money hungry lunatic. You would think finding the perfect building would have been quite the challenge, but it turns out McTiernan had little more to do than look in his own backyard.
Over the years, “Die Hard” has become essential Christmas viewing despite the film having a surprising lack of festive cheer. Yes, technically it does take place at a Christmas party on Christmas Eve, but honestly, it’s really not the kind of movie you think of when you think of joyful holiday films (I mean, there’s quite a bit of blood, y’all). Instead, it’s an absolutely killer action movie revolving around John McClane (Bruce Willis) being a total badass for over two hours as he tries to save his wife and her coworkers from Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a terroristic thief hell-bent on stealing a whole lot of money from Nakatomi Plaza.
Pretty much all of “Die Hard” takes place in this one single building, and its memorable name coupled with the fact that it just screams “office party chic” makes for one hell of a place to have a showdown between a savvy NYPD officer and a money hungry lunatic. You would think finding the perfect building would have been quite the challenge, but it turns out McTiernan had little more to do than look in his own backyard.
Welcome to Nakatomi Plaza, Pal
McTiernan knew a golden opportunity when he saw it and Curbed details how he made sure to utilize “every architectural and structural feature of the building for dramatic effect, including the air conditioning ducts, unfinished floors, elevator shafts, and the electrical closets.” This decision to really work with the space at hand helps to give “Die Hard” a truly authentic feel.
