returning to traditional notions of masculinity after the sensitive '70s, but these thing goes in cycle, and i think that by the late '80s we were ready for an action hero that was a little more sensitive. >> do you think you have a chance against the cowboy? >> yippie ka-yay [ bleep ]. >> "die hard" is like casa blanca, it is an action move where the action is great. it is a heist movie where the heist makes sense. you have john mclean who was not a superhero and a regular new york cop, but he's not only out of his element and he's out of his shoes. >> include something that everybody can sympathize with. >> i don't know what it's like to throw a chair or explosive down an elevator shaft, but i trot on glass and it hurt.