Die Hard On A Blank

It’s Die Hard in New Orleans!For this very special episode, Phil is joined by the very person whom he had previously declared to be his “dream guest”: Kyle Brandt! The host of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network and an avowed action movie super-fan! Together, these two enthusiastic action aficionados discuss their feelings about HARD TARGET, on the cusp of its 30th anniversary. Liam was on paternity leave during the recording of this episode, but don’t worry - he still makes a cameo appearance!The film’s plot is thus. When he agrees to help Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler), a young woman searching for her missing father on the streets of New Orleans, Cajun sailor Chance Boudreaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) stumbles on an organized business that facilitates the hunting of the homeless for wealthy clients. In the process, Chance becomes the cabal’s latest target, but he quickly turns the tables…and soon the hunters become the hunted!Kyle recalls his vivid memories of seeing this film upon its initial release, and no time is spared addressing the elephant in the room - JCVD’s hair - which quickly leads to a spirited discussion about the best and worst mullets in movie history (listen closely NFL fans!). The guys then work their way through their respective histories with Mr. Van Damme, and talk about his wider filmography, as they debate whether this is in fact his best film (and perhaps his best role). HARD TARGET – whose origins trace back to the classic novella ‘A Most Dangerous Game’ – was also the first American film to be directed by action maestro John Woo, making it a rare and decidedly prestigious entry in the JCVD canon. Phil and Kyle also discuss their thoughts on this movie’s incredible villains, played to perfection by Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo, and Kyle rhapsodizes about his childhood hero Wilford Brimley, who delivers a memorable turn here as the colorful Cajun Uncle Douvee. The ‘Die Hard Oscars’ provide plenty more entertainment value, and Kyle finishes on a high with an incredible performance in the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz!HARD TARGET trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pzx4IeYYFgThis episode was produced by Mike Mayer and Olivia Aylmer!At the time of release, HARD TARGET is streaming on Tubi, and is available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms.

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It’s Die Hard on the run!Phil and Liam are joined by special guests Dominick Nero and Adam Volerich (hosts of the Eye of the Duck film podcast) for an unyielding “hard-target search” of THE FUGITIVE, a hugely influential movie that contemporized the classic ‘chase thriller’ and paved the way for a series of subsequent TV-to-film adaptations, as well as its own spate of imitators (and a direct sequel in 1998).After being wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife, top Chicago surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) escapes during a prison transfer, and attempts to solve the murder while being relentlessly pursued by a team of cops, led by the dogged, indefatigable U.S Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones, in a star-making performance that bagged him an Academy Award). On face value, this beloved picture (which was a box-office smash in the summer of 1993) may not appear to have much in common with Die Hard, but its connections are actually many and varied, as the guys expertly illustrate in their ‘Die Hard DNA’ section. It’s also a surprisingly layered film, filled with prescient socio-economic and socio-political ideas, which gives the guys plenty to discuss as they analyze ‘The Anatomy of an Action Movie’ with the kind of surgical precision that Dr. Richard Kimble himself might approve of! There’s plenty of love for the film’s cast, not just for the two effervescent stars, but also for the likes of Joe Pantoliano, Julianne Moore, Sela Ward, Jane Lynch (yes that Jane Lynch) and Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe, whose earlier work in Paul Verhoeven’s The Fourth Man – a film that directly influenced Die Hard – is also discussed, along with, of all things, Les Miserables!  This is the first film on the show that was actually nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, adding an air of prestige to this week’s ‘Die Hard Oscars’! Finally, the guys team up - much like a squad of quirky U.S. Marshals - to tackle a challenging edition of the (appropriately named) ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz!   THE FUGITIVE trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETPVU0acnrE At the time of release, THE FUGITIVE is available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV, Spectrum and all the usual platforms.

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It’s Die Hard in a meta fantasy satire!Phil and Liam enter the weird and not-so-wonderful world of LAST ACTION HERO, the deconstructionist meta fantasy satire (and infamous box office flop) that has gained a growing cult following in the 30 years since its original release. Last Action Hero wasn’t just a movie, it was a pop-culture juggernaut, but ultimately it failed to deliver on the promise of its admittedly ingenious premise (at least according to Phil): thanks to a “magic ticket”, film-obsessed kid Danny (Austin O’Brien) gets sucked into the world of an action movie and has to team up with his favorite action hero Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger), using his encyclopedic knowledge of the genre to help solve the case, defeat omnipotent bad guy Benedict (Charles Dance) and save the day.The guys start by discussing their feelings and fandom for Schwarzenegger, whose legacy is currently being reappraised in light of the Netflix documentary Arnold. They recall their memories of the summer of the 1993, where Last Action Hero was crushed at the box office by the might of Jurassic Park, before finding a second, sustained life on home video.Last Action Hero famously had a revolving door of top-tier writers (some credited, some not) during its brief yet tortured production history, including some of the most prominent ‘script doctors’ in Hollywood, notably William Goldman and Carrie Fisher. This leads to a discussion of the exact role of script doctors, as Phil offers his two cents on how the film might have been saved at the story stage. Alternative directors and actors are also discussed, and Liam offers a spirited defense of this much-maligned film, praising its inventiveness, imagination and influence on subsequent meta movies.The ‘Die Hard Oscars’ continue to stoke controversy, and this week’s ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz is almost as complicated and convoluted as the film itself! LAST ACTION HERO trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShBw43KJoLk At the time of release, LAST ACTION HERO is streaming on Netflix and Hulu and is available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms. If you're in LA, LAST ACTION HERO screens at the American Cinematheque on July 16, 2023.

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It’s Die Hard on a mountain! Hang on tight as Phil and Liam grapple with CLIFFHANGER (1993), aided by a very special guest: Jamelle Bouie, columnist for the New York Times Opinion section and the host of the Unclear and Present Danger podcast.After the botched mid-air heist of a US treasury plane results in a violent plane crash, mountain rescue worker Gabe Walker is coerced into helping the ruthless thieves (led by a maniacal John Lithgow) find the missing loot, amidst the forbidding landscape of the Colorado Rockies. Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Leon and Craig Fairbrass round out the supporting cast of this spectacularly shot action extravaganza, which was expertly helmed by Finnish filmmaker Renny Harlin (director of Die Hard 2).After three flops in a row, Cliffhanger marked a return to form (and the action genre) for Stallone. The guys discuss their feelings about this action icon, and where this character fits in the pantheon of Stallone’s other roles, in films such as the Rambo franchise, the Rocky franchise, Demolition Man, CopLand (and Judge Dredd). They also discuss director Renny Harlin’s horror roots, and his penchant for cinematic sadism (Jamelle is particularly partial to a stalactite-related death). Lithgow’s wild, Hans Gruber-inspired performance (and questionable “English” accent) also provide plenty of meat for the guys to chew over, and there’s a significant amount of affection reserved for the work of character actors Rex Linn, Vyto Ruginis and Bruce McGill, which leads to a lengthy sidebar on the films of Michael Mann and Spike Lee. Janine Turner is also lauded, but the resolution of her role highlights the problem that many male directors had in successfully serving strong female characters in this era of action cinema. The ‘Die Hard Oscars’ continue to provide fun and frivolity, and this week Liam and Jamelle decide to collaborate for a challenging edition of the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz, which unearths some fascinating casting concepts! CLIFFHANGER TRAILERhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZALfW1ohRIAt the time of release, CLIFFHANGER is streaming on Netflix and Sling and is available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms.

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It’s Die Hard on a plane (and a carnival)!Take your seats and buckle up as this week Phil and Liam are tackling PASSENGER 57 (1992) with the help of special guest Ronald Young, Jr, a regular contributor to NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and the host of his own movie podcast Leaving The Theater, as well as the forthcoming Weight For It. Wesley Snipes stars as John Cutter, a former Secret Service agent turned security specialist caught up in the ruthless hijacking of a passenger plane perpetrated by Charles Rane (Bruce Payne). The guys discuss the cultural significance of this popular movie, a box office hit that effectively launched Snipes as a bona fide action star in the 1990s. It was the first of many “DIE HARD on a plane” style films, although it also made an unscheduled stopover in a product-placement littered Louisiana carnival, where Cutter encounters “on the ground racism” (to quote Ronald) courtesy of the local police, led by (Blake’s father) Ernie Lively as the decidedly Dwayne T.Robinson-esque Chief Biggs.The boys break down the character of John Cutter - a haunted hero with a particular set of skills – as they track the continuing evolution of the action hero archetype, and discuss how Bruce Payne’s RADA-training and stage background meant that he had a lot in common with DIE HARD’s Alan Rickman. The film also features a stellar supporting cast of rising stars, including Bruce Greenwood, Elizabeth Hurley and Tom Sizemore (RIP), one of Phil’s favorite actors of the era, who receives a touching tribute in light of his recent passing.This week’s edition of ‘Who’s Your Favorite Terrorist’ requires some pretty esoteric wrestling knowledge, the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ remain as controversial as ever, and the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz takes on added spice due to Ronald’s wish to compete for glory with Liam! Fasten your seatbelts!PASSENGER 57 TRAILERhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqftFJdAvtQ At the time of release, PASSENGER 57 is streaming on Fubo and is available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms.

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It's DIE HARD on a battleship!Phil and Liam take a deep dive into choppy waters as they analyze UNDER SIEGE (1992), one of the earliest (and best) action films to directly replicate the classic DIE HARD formula. In this instance, Steven Seagal stars as Casey Ryback, a former Navy SEAL turned ship’s cook, who springs into action when the USS Missouri is seized by traitorous terrorists looking to hijack its nuclear arsenal…and mayhem swiftly ensues! First off, the boys place this movie in its wider cultural context, noting how this big budget picture marked a departure from the grimy urban thrillers that had been Seagal’s stock and trade up to this point. Much of the credit for the film’s success must go to director Andrew Davis, who had collaborated with Tommy Lee Jones on his previous film THE PACKAGE (1989) and would do so again on THE FUGITIVE (1993), the movie that helped propel Jones from a respected supporting actor into a global movie star.Given the film’s premise, there’s ‘Die Hard DNA’ all over the place, although the boys also discuss the fact that Ryback’s elite military background distinguishes him from ‘the everyman’ John McClane, in yet another notable variation of the ever-evolving action hero archetype. There’s also plenty of enthusiasm here for the extraordinary performances of Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey as charismatic villains Strannix and Krill, and another chance to play Phil’s favorite game: ‘Who’s Your Favorite Terrorist?’ Praise is also reserved for the subversive, satirical performance of Erika Eleniak as Playboy playmate Jordan Tate, who elevates a sexist, thankless role with her sly comedic choices. As always, the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ provide plenty of entertainment value, along with (Liam’s least favorite game) the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz, which features a real DIE HARD doozy this week!UNDER SIEGE TRAILERhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcpyOMIUdYQAt the time of release, UNDER SIEGE is streaming on Netflix in the UK and is available to rent or buy in the US through Amazon Prime Video, Apple/iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms.

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It’s Die Hard in a political thriller!This time Phil and Liam dig into the IRA-themed action movie PATRIOT GAMES (1992), the Jack Ryan sequel that Die Hard director John McTiernan was originally supposed to make with Alec Baldwin in the lead role. But fate – and Harrison Ford – had other ideas!While this expansive, globe-trotting political thriller may not bare much resemblance to Die Hard on face value, there’s still a surprisingly high amount of ‘Die Hard DNA’ for the boys to examine with their movie microscopes. This pulsating Paramount picture is also notable for being one of the first mainstream Hollywood action movies to tackle complex and contemporaneous political events: the troubles in Ireland.It’s a particularly important episode for Liam, who has a deep and long-standing connection to this movie and its iconic leading man, Harrison Ford - whose acting style and body of work is discussed in significant detail. The film’s stellar supporting cast - that includes such luminaries as Anne Archer, Sean Bean, Thora Birch, Samuel L. Jackson and James Earl Jones - also gives the guys plenty to chew over, along with the dense literary source material, i.e. Tom Clancy’s 1987 novel of the same name.But despite the heavy subject matter, there’s still plenty of opportunity for games of a more light-hearted nature. As always, the show culminates with the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ and the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz, which now also features the ever-popular ‘Convoluted Corner’!PATRIOT GAMES TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq26pM6Om-AAt the time of release, PATRIOT GAMES is streaming for free on Paramount + and through Amazon Prime Video, MGM +, Showtime, Fubo and the History Channel vault. It is also available to rent or buy through Apple TV, iTunes, YouTube, RedBox, Vudu, DirectTV and all the usual platforms.DIE HARD ON A BLANK is created, written, and hosted by Philip Gawthorne. Liam Billingham produces and co-hosts the show. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. Olivia Aylmer is our marketing consultant. Tyson Hubley makes our artwork and videos. Special thanks to Sukee Chew and everyone at Sugar23.You can follow Die Hard On A Blank on Twitter and Instagram here. Follow @liamgbillingham and @philipgawthorne on twitter. You can e-mail us with questions or comments at [email protected]. Get in touch! We want to hear from you!

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It’s DIE HARD in a hospital!This time, Phil and Liam team up to investigate HARD BOILED (1992), John Woo’s operatic action extravaganza starring legendary actors Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung, as two very different Hong Kong cops who join forces to take down a ruthless arms dealer.It’s a film that’s often compared to DIE HARD…but does it actually surpass it? Is this actually the greatest action film of all time? The boys debate these controversial questions, while breaking down the various astonishing action sequences that Woo somehow captured in this utterly spectacular 'bullet ballet.' They also discuss the film’s many poetic flourishes, the deceptively deep thematic underpinnings, the soulful tone, the supercool style, and the fabulous supporting cast. Passions and emotions run high in this one! As always there’s the ‘ DIE HARD Oscars’ to look forward to, and an entertaining round of the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz completes the proceedings. So make yourself a Tequila Slammer, grab your clarinet, and soak it all in!HARD BOILED TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAtxZHuJNW4DIE HARD ON A BLANK is created, written, and hosted by Philip Gawthorne. Liam Billingham produces and co-hosts the show. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. Olivia Aylmer is our marketing consultant. Tyson Hubley makes our artwork and videos. Special thanks to Sukee Chew and everyone at Sugar23.You can follow Die Hard On A Blank on Twitter and Instagram here. Follow @liamgbillingham and @philipgawthorne on twitter. You can e-mail us with questions or comments at [email protected]. Get in touch! We want to hear from you!

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It’s DIE HARD in an L.A. Noir!The mismatched duo of Phil and Liam begin a serpentine investigation into THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1991), the ultraviolent private eye picture that combined the talents of multiple action movie icons: star Bruce Willis, director Tony Scott, producer Joel Silver and screenwriter Shane Black. As well as being a buddy movie, this brutal, bruising film also fits into the grand tradition of film noir, and specifically L.A. noir, a subgenre within a subgenre that Phil and Liam are both big fans of. The boys debate whether Joe Hallenbeck is the greatest character Bruce Willis created (John McClane included), how Damon Wayans keeps an unlikeable character likeable, if Milo (Taylor Negron) is the best henchman in the history of action cinema, and what this film is really saying about the sport of football. They praise the performances of Chelsea Field and Halle Berry amidst the mire of meanspirited machismo, and marvel at Shane Black’s incredible skill with characterization, plot, and dialogue, while sharing their mutual love of Tony Scott and his extraordinary body of work. The ‘Die Hard Oscars’ are as hotly contested as ever and the ‘Double Jeopardy’ trivia quiz unearths some fascinating facts.This episode is dedicated to the memory of the late, great Tony Scott.As this episode is about The Last Boy Scout, it contains explicit language!THE LAST BOY SCOUT TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAGPeBs0G1IAt the time of release, THE LAST BOY SCOUT is available to rent on Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, Redbox, and DirectTV.DIE HARD ON A BLANK is created, written, and hosted by Philip Gawthorne. Liam Billingham produces and co-hosts the show. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. Olivia Aylmer is our marketing consultant. Tyson Hubley makes our artwork and videos. Special thanks to Sukee Chew and everyone at Sugar23.You can follow Die Hard On A Blank on Twitter and Instagram here. Follow @liamgbillingham and @philipgawthorne on twitter. You can e-mail us with questions or comments at [email protected]. Get in touch! We want to hear from you!

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It's the DIE HARD ECU!This time Phil and Liam wrestle with RICOCHET (1991), Russell Mulcahy’s wild revenge thriller starring Denzel Washington as Nick Styles, a cop turned lawyer who incurs the wrath of John Lithgow’s monstrous criminal Earl Talbot Blake. Not only is this Joel Silver production positively overflowing with ‘Die Hard DNA’, it also takes place in the same extended cinematic universe (ECU) as Die Hard itself! This leads to a fascinating deep dive into the ‘Val Verde Mega Movie Verse’, an expansive ECU that theoretically incorporates multiple films and franchises, including the Alien movies, the Predator movies, both Speed films and Commando, to name but a few! But as well as its many Die Hard connections, this intense, provocative and controversial picture also provides plenty of meat for the boys to chew over on its own terms. Is it just a lurid slice of pulp fiction that’s bereft of any real substance? Or is it an exceptional example of ‘vulgar auteurism’ at its zenith? The boys try to litigate, reach a verdict and pass sentence…but this is one case that may be settled out of court! The movie’s decidedly crude language makes this week’s Die Hard Oscars a NSFW affair, and the ‘Double Jeopardy’ quiz offers up some typically titillating trivia!RICOCHET TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQLxCDvBNd4At the time of release, RICOCHET is streaming for free with a Cinemax Free Trial (available through Amazon Prime Video) and is also available on DirectTV.DIE HARD ON A BLANK is created, written, and hosted by Philip Gawthorne. Liam Billingham produces and co-hosts the show. Mike Mayer and Michael Sugar are the executive producers. Olivia Aylmer is our marketing consultant. Tyson Hubley makes our artwork and videos. Special thanks to Sukee Chew and everyone at Sugar23.You can follow Die Hard On A Blank on Twitter and Instagram here. Follow @liamgbillingham and @philipgawthorne on twitter. You can e-mail us with questions or comments at [email protected]. Get in touch! We want to hear from you!

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