Die Hard On A Blank – Details, episodes & analysis

It’s Die Hard in the middle of nowhere!

This week, Phil and Liam take a road trip…and have a serious BREAKDOWN! They are joined on their journey by Justin and Laura Khoo, the joint hosts of the excellent film/philosophy podcast COWS IN THE FIELD!

While taking a cross-country road-trip to relocate, married couple Jeff and Amy Taylor (Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan) experience car trouble, and end up stranded in the middle of the desert. In an effort to reach a payphone, Amy accepts a ride from a seemingly friendly trucker named Red (JT Walsh)...but when Jeff runs into the same trucker again later, he claims to have never have seen her. Jeff then begins to suspect that Amy has been kidnapped, and that he may be in the middle of a sinister criminal plot…

Our quartet ‘break down’ this bad boy, including its deceptive and surprising ‘Die Hard DNA’, and the reasons why it’s simple, ingenious premise is such a grabber. They discuss how this film intersects with the ‘yuppie in peril’ genre, what it may be exploring about the socio-economics (and class tensions) of the era, and how it taps into our collective primal fears. Phil then requests that the road be cleared for a passionate diatribe on the life and work of the late, great JT Walsh, an iconic character actor with whom he feels a “cosmic connection”. The group’s serpentine trip takes a number of stimulating scenic detours before they arrive at the Die Hard Oscars, and cap things off with the Double Jeopardy trivia quiz!

BREAKDOWN trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm4YfqVbABk

At the time of release, BREAKDOWN is streaming on Paramount Plus, Fubu, Amazon Prime Video and MGM+ in the US and is available to rent or buy on YouTube, Apple/iTunes, Fandango, and all the usual platforms! 

Watch Die Hard On A Blank on YouTube!

It’s Die Hard in a museum…with a monster!

Hyams Hive rise up! This week, Phil and Liam take a field trip to visit THE RELIC, Peter Hyams’ expertly directed 1997 horror flick. They are accompanied on their scientific expedition by special guest Brandon Streussnig, one of the most influential and entertaining film writers around!

After experimenting with psychotropic drugs while on a trip to South America, anthropologist John Whitney makes an alarming discovery, and attempts to prevent the return of several crates of research material to the US. Weeks later, the crates arrive and are sent to their intended destination at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago - an area that is suddenly beset with a series of grisly murders. As detective Vincent D’Agosta (Tom Sizemore) investigates, he and evolutionary biologist Dr. Margot Green (Penelope Ann Miller) come to the horrifying realization that a literal monster is now on the loose…and that they, and dozens of other citizens, are now trapped inside the museum along with the marauding beast!

The guys start by discussing the career and filmography of director/shooter Peter Hyams, before moving into a detailed conversation about the origins and evolution of the action-horror subgenre. They delve deep into the film’s myriad connections to the original 1988 classic in the ‘Die Hard DNA’ section – but there’s a big surprise in store for Phil later in the episode! The lads then get more specific about the film’s two stars and the quality of the Stan Winston-designed monster, before wrapping things up with the Die Hard Oscars and the Double Jeopardy Trivia Quiz!

THE RELIC trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vps9rpCHJFM 

At the time of release, THE RELIC is streaming on PlutoTV in the US and is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube, Apple/iTunes, Fandango, and all the usual platforms! 

Brandon’s article on Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning can be found here. Happy reading!

https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/universal-soldier-a-revisit-of-the-luc-devereaux-saga-and-learning-to-move-forward/

It's Die Hard (on a blank) on another podcast!

This week we joined Kris Tapley on the incredible SPEED oral history podcast 50MPH! We count down what we think are the best action films of the 90s! Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!

Note: At the top of this episode, we tease our appearance on 50mph, the podcast about SPEED. When we recorded, we thought that episode be out, but it'll be out on May 13, 2024! Find it at the link above.

It’s Die Hard in a desert!

This week on the show, Phil and Liam discuss John Woo’s 1996 action bonanza BROKEN ARROW starring John Travolta and Christian Slater! This is a film that Phil deeply loves and is fiercely protective of, which makes for an interesting conversation when Liam poses the thesis question: can a film be both “dumb” and transcendent at the same time? Together, the boys aim to find the answer!

While flying a stealth bomber over the Utah desert as part of a secret military exercise, Air Force Major Vic Deakins (Travolta) attacks his friend and co-pilot Captain Riley Hale (Slater), causing the aircraft to crash. Hale survives, and with the help of intrepid park ranger Terry Carmichael (Samantha Mathis), he comes to realize that the psychotic Deakins is involved in an elaborate plan to steal the plane’s nuclear missiles and ransom them back to the US government.

Although it may not seem like it on face value, this film is actually full to the brim with ‘DIE HARD DNA’. It also has a number of notable connections to DIE HARD 2, as well as other iconic 90s movies such as UNDER SIEGE, SPEED and even PULP FICTION. The guys unpack all of this, while gushing over their mutual love for John Woo - the great choreographer of chaos - and musing on the notion that BROKEN ARROW might actually be a musical in disguise. They also discuss Travolta’s outlandish performance, Hans Zimmer’s striking score, and the stellar supporting cast, among many other topics.

The show culminates with a hard-fought edition of the ‘Die Hard Oscars’, followed by a challenging edition of the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz! Prepare to go ballistic! 

BROKEN ARROW trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-C4rJM-9QU

At the time of release, BROKEN ARROW is streaming on Fubo and FXNow and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Fandango, Spectrum, AMC On Demand and all the usual platforms. 

It’s Die Hard in a time travel movie!

This week on the show, Phil and Liam wrestle with 12 MONKEYS (though not literally, sadly). For this spirited discussion of Terry Gilliam’s challenging 1995 sci-fi mind-bender, the boys are joined by special guest Brad Peyton, director of such blockbuster hits as SAN ANDREAS, RAMPAGE and the forthcoming Netflix sci-fi movie ATLAS starring Jennifer Lopez!

In a dystopian future, a deadly artificially-created virus has wiped out the majority of the human population and forced the small number of survivors to live underground. In an attempt to understand what happened and potentially find a cure, prisoner James Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to investigate. However, Cole is mistakenly sent back to the wrong time, and is thus assumed to be insane. With the help of compassionate psychologist Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeline Stowe), the increasingly mentally fragile Cole attempts to complete the mission, find those responsible, and save the future.

The guys debate whether this is Bruce Willis’ greatest dramatic performance and muse on their favorite Bruce Willis roles. They also talk about their respective relationships with director Terry Gilliam and his work, and Brad even describes a memorable encounter with the man himself!

This is a difficult film that require a bankable star to make it commercial viable, and so Brad talks about his personal experiences working with giant movie stars such as Dwayne Johnson and J-Lo, providing a fascinating insight into his creative process, and the delicate dynamic between director and star on a modern movie set. They also talk extensively about 12 MONKEY co-stars Madeline Stowe and Brad Pitt (who was Oscar-nominated for his role as the schizophrenic mental patient/revolutionary Jeffrey Goines) and what Pitt’s eclectic filmography has in common with Bruce Willis’ own career choices.

As always, the show culminates with the Die Hard Oscars, followed by a particularly appropriate edition of the Double Jeopardy trivia quiz! Look out for this week’s convoluted corner – it’s a doozy!

12 MONKEYS trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15s4Y9ffW_o

At the time of release, 12 MONKEYS is streaming on Starz and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu and all the usual platforms

(4/11/2024) Please re-download this episode as uploaded a we uploaded a new version correcting a mistake from the original!

It’s Die Hard in a hockey arena!

This time on the show, Phil and Liam pile on the cringeworthy hockey puns with special guest Brendan McDonald, producer of the WTF podcast with Marc Maron and an avowed action movie aficionado. Together they analyze the 1995 action movie SUDDEN DEATH – a fondly-remembered film with a classic ‘Die Hard on a Blank’ premise.

After failing to save a young girl during an inferno, troubled former firefighter Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) now works as a Fire Marshal for the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. In an effort to mend fences with his estranged kids, McCord scores them tickets to Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final…but this dream outing soon turns into a nightmare when the stadium is taken over by a group of terrorists led by ruthless bad guy Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe), who holds the visiting Vice President (Raymond J. Barry) for ransom along with various other hostages. 

Phil, Liam and Brendan are all card-carrying members of the Peter Hyams Fan Club, and the guys eagerly discuss their mutual affection for the multi-talented director/writer/cinematographer who helmed SUDDEN DEATH. They also talk about the mysterious appeal of JCVD, Powers Boothe’s divisive performance, and the impact of ice hockey on the zeitgeist in the 1990s (including the NHL Sega games). After taking a cue from the film’s tuxedoed villain Joshua Foss, the guys then skate over to the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ to dispense some action movie awards!  

SUDDEN DEATH trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyq2TbL1OG8

At the time of release, SUDDEN DEATH is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu and all the usual platforms.

It’s Die Hard in an epic crime saga!

For this suitably epic episode, Phil and Liam are joined by special guest Katie Walsh - top Los Angeles film critic and co-host of the Michael Mann-themed podcast Miami Nice - to discuss the sprawling 1995 masterpiece Heat!

When a team of elite professional thieves led by Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) pull off an audacious armored car robbery that leaves three guards dead, hard-charging Robbery-Homicide detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is assigned to the case. In the process of investigating and surveilling the culprits, Hanna comes to admire McCauley’s tremendous skill and discipline, and even starts to identify with him personally, while still pursuing him and his crew relentlessly across LA. 

Phil, Liam and Katie discuss their respective relationships with the movie over time, and debate whether it deserves to be considered one of the greatest films ever made. They explore its surprisingly high amount of ‘Die Hard DNA’, before delving deep into Heat’s storied production history, a section that also includes a detailed sidebar on Mann’s 1989 TV movie LA Takedown, which became the blueprint for the final film. 

As always, they analyze the ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ of the piece, unpacking what makes these two iconic central characters so compelling, unique and enduring, and they also discuss the ladies of Heat (such as Ashley Judd, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Natalie Portman and Kim Staunton) and their respective roles in the tapestry of this complex and multi-faceted story. They parse through the various spectacular action set-pieces in the film, debate whether Heat would meet the definition to be considered an action movie, and talk about what Henry Rollins looks like in shorts (Google it). After a trip to the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ to hand out some action movie awards, events culminate with a suitably intense showdown between Liam and Katie during the Double Jeopardy trivia quiz!

HEAT trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpAhjOvQVj0

At the time of release, HEAT is streaming on Hulu in the US and on Netflix in the UK and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu and all the usual platforms!

It’s Die Hard in real time!

The ticking clocks are everywhere (and so are the dodgy Christopher Walken impressions) as Phil and Liam discuss the 1995 high-concept thriller Nick of Time!  

Mild-mannered accountant Gene Watson (Johnny Depp) arrives via train to LA’s union station, with his young daughter Lynn in tow. Shortly after his arrival, he is apprehended by Mr. Smith (Christopher Walken) and Ms. Jones (Roma Maffia), who claim to be police officers. Smith then informs Gene that he has 90 minutes to assassinate the visiting Governor of California (Marsha Mason)…or they will kill his daughter.

The guys discuss the potency of this compelling premise and unpack where the movie both succeeds and fails in the execution of its concept. They theorize that, not only is the film filled with ‘Die Hard DNA’, but it also has its roots in Hitchcock, and the paranoid political thrillers of the 1970s. They offer their thoughts on the movie’s own political point of view, its thematic ideas, and the intentions of director John Badham. We also get a glimpse into what really goes on inside Phil’s secret ‘Die Hard on a Blank laboratory’ (where his precious Blu-rays are kept into a fortified vault, protected by a time-lock).

As they break down ‘the anatomy of an action movie’, the boys discuss the unusual yet largely effective casting of Johnny Depp as a straight-laced everyman, rhapsodize over Christopher Walken’s terrifying performance as the satanically evil bad guy ‘Mr. Smith’, and talk about the rest of the supporting cast, that also includes the likes of Charles S. Dutton, Clark Johnson, Yul Vasquez and G.D. Spradlin. As the clocks tick down, the fellas race over to the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ to hand out their action movie awards, and complete the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz…in the nick of time!

NICK OF TIME trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cP1TllLDgQ

At the time of release, NICK OF TIME is streaming on Hoopla and PlutoTV and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu, AMC On Demand and all the usual platforms!

AMERICAN ENGLISH SOCCER PODCAST

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1652062

EYE OF THE DUCK PODCAST

https://eyeoftheduckpod.com/

It’s Die Hard in a Bond reboot!

In this episode, Phil, Liam, and guest Ben Rufus Green discuss the 1995 James Bond blockbuster GoldenEye and its many connections to the Die Hard franchise. They explore the premise of the film, its self-reflexivity, and the surprisingly high amount of ‘Die Hard DNA’ present in the movie, which goes way beyond the historical connection between the newly-minted 007 Pierce Brosnan and original Die Hard director John McTiernan.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, MI6 agent James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) uncovers a sinister plot led by rogue Russian operatives to use a Soviet-era orbital space weapon codenamed ‘Goldeneye’ to launch an attack on London. In the process, Bond teams up with Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco), a Russian satellite expert, in a globe-trotting race against time to prevent the strike.

The boys discuss the continuity and multiverse aspect of the Bond franchise, share their favorite Bond films, and rate their favorite Bond actors, while also discussing the very particular qualities required to play this iconic role. They also go deep on the films’ excellent villains, with particular attention paid to Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) and Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen), as well as its leading lady Izabella Scorupco, and the sturdy supporting cast that includes the likes of Robbie Coltrane, Joe Don Baker, Michael Kitchen, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming and Dame Judi Dench as M. 

As this is a Bond movie, fortunately the boys are already wearing their tuxedos, allowing them seamless entry into the ‘Die Hard Oscars’, where awards are dispensed for ‘Exceptional Thief’, ‘Dick of the Movie’, and ‘Best Death. As always the conversation concludes with a Bond-centric edition of the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz!

 For England, James!

GOLDENEYE trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zw8ylP4buA

At the time of release, GOLDENEYE is available to stream on DirecTV and to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu, Spectrum and all the usual platforms!

It’s Die Hard on a train!

 Casey Ryback is back and this time he’s…well…um…I…um…hey look, forget about all that, because the good news is that Eric Bogosian is in this movie! This week Phil and Liam hitch a ride on a hijacked death train as they scrutinize Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, director Geoff Murphy’s 1995 sequel to the original Seagal action classic!

While travelling from Denver to LA via train with his estranged niece Sarah (Katherine Heigl), ex-Navy SEAL Casey Ryback (Seagal) finds himself in the middle of a terrorist takeover led by disgruntled computer genius Travis Dane (Eric Bogosian), who plans to use his experimental government satellite weapon to launch a massive attack on the Eastern seaboard!  

Ok we’ll level with you. This movie isn’t great, but Eric Bogosian IS…so the boys spend much of this episode discussing the life, work and varied career of this remarkably talented renaissance man, including his stage plays, monologues, TV and film career and even his non-fiction book Operation Nemesis. Eric Bogosian forever!

In ‘Anatomy of an Action Movie’, the guys break down the film piece by piece, discussing what works, what doesn’t and why, as well as how this film compares to its slick and stylish predecessor (directed by friend of the show Andrew Davis). But it’s not just a Bogosian love-fest, as there’s also plenty of affection here for the film’s eclectic supporting cast, that includes the likes of Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Banks, Peter Greene and Everett McGill (as mace-imbibing bad guy Marcus Penn).

 The guys ride the rail to attend the ‘Die Hard Oscars’, before wrapping things up with the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz, where this week Liam finally turns the tables on Phil and gets his revenge! After all, when it comes to quizzes, chance favors the prepared mind!

UNDER SIEGE 2 trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LorQZ4TfbTQ

At the time of release, UNDER SIEGE 2 is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, Vudu and all the usual platforms!

AMERICAN ENGLISH SOCCER PODCAST

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1652062

EYE OF THE DUCK PODCAST

https://eyeoftheduckpod.com/