Summary

• Alan Rickman's genuine shock during the scene adds authenticity to Hans Gruber falling to his death in Die Hard.
• The use of a fake background during the scene has become endearing and nostalgic for audiences.
• The behind-the-scenes trick of dropping Rickman earlier than expected was necessary to ensure the death scene was done right the first time.

The image of Hans Gruber falling to his death in Die Hard marks one of the most memorable movie villain demise of all time. Among the many elements that have kept Die Hard relevant over the years are Bruce Willis' grizzled performance, the spectacular stunts and set pieces, and, of course, Alan Rickman on villain duty as Hans Gruber. With the iconic Nakatomi Plaza as his battleground, Willis' John McClane becomes a lone hero when Gruber and his men take over the building in an elaborate and misleading heist plan. This leads to the climactic showdown between the hero and villain of Die Hard.

In the end, Alan Rickman's villain is left dangling from the top of the tower and dramatically falls to his death in slow-motion, now one of the most iconic scenes in action movie history. Compared to modern effects, the LA backdrop below Gruber looks a little rough around the edges, with a blue background used during filming and replaced with a city landscape in post-production. Fortunately, any flaw in the 1988 pre-CGI visuals can be overlooked, as Rickman's horrified and shocked expression gives a memorable final glimpse at the iconic villain and ensures Hans Gruber's death is remembered decades later.

Alan Rickman's Shock Was Genuine

Rickman Was Dropped Earlier Than Planned To Catch Him Off Guard

Despite Alan Rickman's evident skill as an actor, he was given a little help to make Hans Gruber falling to his death more believable. Although the actor recalls producers being uneasy about the prospect, Rickman agreed to do the fall scene himself when asked by director John McTiernan, looking to add authenticity to the death. Rickman was rigged to be dropped backward onto a blue crash mat on the count of three. However, Die Hard stunt coordinator, Charlie Picerni, devised a plan to drop Rickman at "one" in order to provoke a genuine reaction of shock.

Whether by design or fortunate coincidence, this was the final scene Die Hard filmed, meaning any protests Rickman might've made about being dropped 2 seconds too early wouldn't have caused any problems, and nor would any injuries that came as a result. Special effects foreman, Thaine Morris, claims that while Rickman was unhurt, he wasn't pleased about the deception (although the actor would speak fondly of the stunt in later years).

Looking back, there was certainly a reason behind the Die Hard movie stunt team's trick. Even though Rickman agreed to Hans Gruber falling, dropping a famous actor 40ft backward from a high platform is not something that can easily be done twice, so McTiernan needed to get Gruber's death right the first time if possible. This might explain why the decision was made to drop Rickman a beat quicker than he expected, and the legacy of the villain's dramatic demise arguably justifies the behind-the-scenes trick.

The Fake Background Has Become Endearing

The Practical Stunt Helps Distract From The Other Out-Dated Elements

When CGI became widely used in movies, many found the visual effects of the past to be an ugly distraction. However, enough time has passed that the fake background behind Hans Gruber falling has become endearing. Die Hard is over 30 years old, and the pre-CGI effects look dated today. That being said, movie effects of the past, such as Star Wars elaborately painted backgrounds or Jurassic Park's animatronics, have a nostalgic pleasure that some prefer over CGI. The dated Die Hard backdrop as Hans Gruber falls seems to have gained this endearing fondness from audiences.

Many popular films of the era underwent some computerized remastering in the years since, but Die Hard fans hardly, if ever, call for one. Since Alan Rickman's priceless reaction is the sole focus of the scene, it's easy to forgive the overtly fake background. The dated movie effects are now so dated they bring about a sense of feel-good nostalgia, rather than being viewed as a mild annoyance as they were in the late '90s and '00s. The Hans Gruber Die Hard death scene will ultimately be remembered for Rickman's reaction, rather than the fake background.