Subtle nuances Alan Rickman used with Die Hard performance to become best antagonist in movie history
It may have been 35 years since Alan Rickman gave his iconic performance in Die Hard, but audiences are still mesmerised by villain Hans Gruber over three decades on.
But how did the well-spoken British actor create the perfect German antagonist?
One YouTuber, known as Just An Observation, believes they have the answer, which may surprise fans of the beloved franchise.
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Unlike Bruce Willis, whose performance is both chaotic and violent as he tries to blow up the bad guys, Rickman's subtle body language makes him the ultimate cold hearted and calculating villain.
“If we look at the character’s body language, so much is communicated through subtle details,” the YouTuber tells viewers – noting how Rickman embodies the character from the moment he is introduced by walking with his hands in his pockets.
While it's a small detail, it sets him apart from the rest of the henchmen who are all carrying heavy tools as they enter the Nakatomi Plaza at the beginning of the film.
As Just An Observation points out: “This instantly communicates to us that Hans is the thinker of the group, his value doesn’t come from what he can physically carry but the responsibility that weights on his shoulders and how he strategizes."
Despite Hans leading the attack on the LA building, Rickman portrays him as calm and almost disconnected from the rest of the characters.
It’s emphasised by the fact that Rickman doesn’t speak until 25 minutes into the film, during his iconic speech, something which viewers may not realise when they first watch the flick.
Rickman even addressed this in a 2010 BBC interview, telling viewers: “I have an absolute mantra that you only speak because you want to respond to something you’ve heard”.
When Rickman delivers his now-iconic speech to the hostages, he smiles as he calmly asks the hostages to give up Mr Takagi in one of the tensest moments in Die Hard.
His movements mirror this as he ‘slithers’ through the crowd, according to the YouTuber.
“Rickman beautifully adapts the script, creating a much more tense moment,” says Just An Observation, adding: “Rickman plays the scene like a snake slithering through the crowd, stalking his pray and once Takagi reveals himself, he stares straight into his eyes. He’s found his feast.”
By comparison, the other terrorists are intimidating and violent, while the hostages are panicked and regularly attempt to flee throughout their scenes.
Rickman’s movements are smooth and deliberate, even to the point where he eats a sandwich as he informs the audience of Takagi’s death – showing the pleasure the character gained from being in control of the situation.
As he faces off against John McClane in one of the most memorable moments of the films, we can even see this calculated movement as Rickman lifts the gun while out of focus behind Willis.
Understandably, Rickman's performance proved so iconic that he was reportedly mobbed by fans after the first screening despite having walked in as a normal person.
Many put this down to him portraying the character as a human, rather than a baddie - similar to how he portrayed Snape in the Harry Potter franchise.
“As far as I’m concerned I’m not playing the villain,” Rickman told press. “I’m just playing somebody who wants certain things in life…and goes after them.”
Topics: Film and TV, Bruce Willis, Celebrity
Katherine Sidnell