It has been a hotly debated topic for 37 years – can Die Hard really be classed as a Christmas movie?
Now a new poll hopes to have finally come up with a definitive position, and the answer is a resounding ‘No’.
Nearly half (44 per cent) of Brits said Die Hard, the action thriller starring Bruce Willis, is not a Christmas film, despite it being set during the festive season.
However, one in 20 (5 per cent) of respondents said it was their favourite Christmas movie, and 17 per cent remained undecided.
Apart from the well-worn debate over the violent hostage flick, British movie lovers decided that Macaulay Culkin‘s Home Alone was the nation’s favourite Christmas film, according to the poll.
The 1990 American comedy topped the list, while the 2003 British romantic comedy Love Actually starring Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant took second place.
It was followed by 1946 James Stewart classic It’s A Wonderful Life in third place, with Elf, which was released in 2003, in fourth.
The survey of 2,000 people in the UK was conducted by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), and also found that 17 per cent of people said they do not have a clear favourite.
Bruce Willis (pictured) as John McClane, the main protagonist in Die Hard
Macaulay Culkin (pictured) as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, which was voted by one in five Brits as their favourite Christmas film
The poll found one in five (20 per cent) people voted for Home Alone as their favourite Christmas film, while nearly one in 10 (9 per cent) chose Love Actually, 8 per cent opted for It’s a Wonderful Life, and 7 per cent said Elf.
More than two out of five (43 per cent) felt the most acceptable time to start watching Christmas films is from the beginning of December, with 13 per cent saying from the beginning of November, and nearly one in 10 (8 per cent) admitting they enjoy festive films all year round.
More than half of respondents (53 per cent) said they check the age rating when selecting a film to watch as a family during the holidays, which the BBFC said showed that responsible, age-appropriate viewing remains a key part of festive film nights.
David Austin, chief executive of the BBFC, said: ‘With Home Alone crowned the UK’s favourite Christmas film, our latest research reveals that heart-warming, family-friendly stories continue to sit at the heart of the nation’s Christmas viewing traditions.
‘The BBFC remains committed to providing age ratings and content advice to help every household make confident viewing choices this festive season.’
Tim Richards, founder and chief executive of cinema chain Vue, said: ‘Many of our customers see a trip to the big screen over the holidays as a chance to sit back, switch off and enjoy great stories together – whether that’s a much-loved classic like Home Alone, the high-energy fun of Die Hard, or a brand-new film such as Gurinder Chadha’s Christmas Karma, Wicked or Avatar.
‘Cinema has always brought people together, and Christmas reminds us just how powerful that shared experience can be.’
