John McClane Costume Die Hard

• White Vest
• Trousers
• Belt
• Walkie Talkie
• Pistol
• Tape
• Machine Gun
• Cigarettes
• Lighter
• Blood Makeup
• Dirt Makeup
• Bandages
• Twinkie Bar
• Movie Trailer

For those who appreciate the unseen gems in this movie, the music that masterfully conveys moments of tension and trepidation most definitely deserves a mention. Variations on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” movement from his ninth symphony are played throughout the movie. This provides a brilliant backdrop to Hans Gruber’s entrance, setting the sinister tone of his intentions. When the final lock on the vault is released and the huge doors open, a flourishing burst of Beethoven heralds a brief celebratory moment as the bad guys stand in awe at their success.

White Sleeveless Vest

White Sleeveless Vest

Think of John McClane in Die Hard and you will almost certainly picture him running around barefoot in just his under vest and dark trousers. This is due to the untimely arrival of Hans Gruber and gang who gatecrashed the Nakatomi Christmas party while John was having a wash and brush up in Harry Ellis’s executive bathroom. When he heard the gun fire and screams, John only had time to grab his service weapon and run, leaving him stuck in vest, trousers and no shoes for the rest of the night.

As Die Hard progresses, John’s vest becomes covered in so much blood, sweat and dirt that at times it almost looks as though he has switched to a much darker vest. Whether you choose to go for the pristine clean John or the ‘up to his neck in muck and bullets’ look, the vest is the essential item, just add as much fake blood and fake dirt as you want.

Of course, by the time John was helping Hans Gruber make his unceremonious exit from the building, John had no vest left and was down to just skin, blood and dirt. This is also a great alternative look if you want to go there.

Black Trousers

Trousers

Given the kind of scrapes that John McClane is always getting into, it is just as well that these trousers are easy clean and comfort fit. The 2% Elastane in the fabric means these trousers will have the elasticity required for shimmying John’s way along air vents, climbing out of lift hatches or going toe to toe with Kurt Vreski. (Alexander Gudonov) The cotton and polyester mix will ensure they keep their shape and are easy to clean. Until the next Die Hard situation, that is.

If you want to make these trousers look distressed without going through your own version of Die Hard, simply screw them up in a ball until wrinkled, then add some fake blood and fake dirt.

Walkie Talkie

Follwing his fight with Tony, John searches him and finds a walkie talkie. For John this is a game changer. His first instinct is to call for help. Finding his way to the roof, John puts in an emergency call to the police but is not taken seriously.

Duty Office: I must remind you this channel is reserved for emergencies.
John: “No S**t lady, do I sound like I’m ordering a pizza?”

We have selected two pairs of walkie talkies for you to match with your John McClane costume, either of which will work well. The first walkie talkie incorporates a key pad which is similar to the device used by John. The second walkie talkie has no keypad and is a little cheaper. If you persuade a companion to attend as Powell, Hans Gruber, Tony or Kurt Vreski, you could have a lot of fun in character with either of these pairs of walkie talkies.

Walkie Talkie With Keypad

Walkie Talkie with Keypad

Once John has a walkie talkie, he is able to listen in on conversations with the bad guys and use it to taunt Hans Gruber with all the intel he has gathered about their team:

Hans Gruber: I thought I told all of you I wanted radio silence until further notice.
John McClane: “I’m very sorry Hans, I didn’t get that message. You shoulda put it on the bulletin board. I figured as I waxed Tony and Marco and his friend here, I figured you and Karl and Franco would be a little lonely, so I wanted to give you a call.”

Description

This pack contains two UV-82 walkie talkies which each have their own antenna. You will find two Lithium batteries, two belt clips, two user manuals, 2 desktop chargers and 2 earpiece sets. In addition, the flashlight is a useful extra.

In terms of providing a walkie talkie to match with your John McClane Costume, this pair of walkie talkies is ideal. This closely resembles the style of walkie talkie used in the movie, it is a fully functioning walkie talkie and is very good value. As it comes as a pair, you can use it to communicate with a companion using quotes from the movie for a realistic touch.

Walkie Talkie No Keypad

Walkie Talkie No Keypad

As well as being able to listen into the communication between Hans Gruber and the bad guys, John is also able to communicate with Sergeant Al Powell outside on the Plaza below

John: Chalk up two more bad guys
Powell: Well, the boys down here will be glad to hear that
Powell: You know we’ve got a pool going on you?
John: What kind of odds am I getting?
Powell: You don’t want to know
John: Put me down for $20, I’m good for it

Description

This pair of walkie talkies are very easy to operate. Right out of the box, they have been set to the same frequency so can communicate with each other immediately. Simply adjust them to the same channel and press the PTT button to talk. These walkie talkie two way radios have 16 channels. A large battery capacity means you should get 8-9 hours use on a 2-3 hour charge. They also have scanning function, TOT function, an emergecy alarm, power saving mode and a built in LED torch. The pack you receive also contains a belt clip.

These are a great pair of walkie talkies that are exceptional value for money. In terms of matching with your John McClane Costume, these walkie talkies will give a realistic look and allow you to communicate with other “Die Hard” characters at your costume event.

Pistol

The service weapon John McClane carries is a Beretta. This pistol makes its first appearance in the movie even before John has got off the plane, when a fellow passenger catches a glimpse of John’s gun and John reassures him:

John McClane: It’s okay, I’m a cop. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for eleven years.

When Hans Gruber and the rest of his gang crash the Nakatomi Christmas Party, John’s reaction to the sound of gunfire is to immediately reach for his Beretta. Until John tackles Tony and acquires his Heckler & Koch Automatic Weapon, John’s Beretta is his only means of defence.

We have selected two possible pistols for you to match with your John McClane Costume. The first closely resembles
the Beretta used by John McClane in the movie. It is a BB Gun that looks the part and has a great feel. The second is
a much cheaper alternative that is immediately recognisable as a prop gun. Either gun will look great with your John
McClane Costume. If you plan on securing it on your back with Christmas parcel tape as John did in the closing scenes, the toy gun is probably the most suitable.

Beretta M92 Full-Auto .177 Caliber BB Air Pistol

Beretta M92 Full-Auto .177 Caliber BB Air Pistol

If you want a pistol that closely resembles the Beretta used by John McClane, this is a great choice. In the movie, John leaves his shoulder holster behind in Ellis’s bathroom when he has to beat a hasty retreat. That said, it might be a good idea to check out this fully adjustable, ambidextrous shoulder holster to keep your Beretta safe and also hold some more ammo.

How Big is this Beretta?

This Beretta M92 Air Pistol has an overall lenth of 8.5 inches with a barrel length of 4.5 inches. It weighs 2.4 lbs.

UK Die Hard

The best option for UK John McClanes who would like a BB gun is this Daisy Powerline 340 BB Repeater Pistol.

Beretta 92 FS 6mm BB Pistol Airsoft Gun

Airsoft M9 92 6MM FS Beretta Tactical Hand Gun

If you want a simple prop pistol to match with your John McClane Costume, you cannot go wrong with this Airsoft 6mm Beretta BB gun. For a very modest price you will have a prop replica Beretta pistol that looks the part. This Beretta replica is a battery powered semi automatic airgun with a metal barrel and plastic frame. As it weighs around 0.5lbs, it would be the ideal gun if you want to recreate the scene from Die Hard where John conceals his weapon by securing it to his back with Christmas parcel tape.

Although John McClane left his shoulder holster behind when he beat a retreat to the 32nd floor, you might want to consider this fully adjustable, ambidextrous shoulder holster which secures you weapon and looks very cool.

UK Die Hard

The best option for UK John McClanes who want a toy gun is this Special Agent 99. The red tip on the barrel shows it is a toy gun. It comes with a silencer and would also be ideal as part of a number of costumes including a James Bond costume.

Christmas Parcel Tape

Christmas Parcel Tape

In the last showdown against Hans Gruber and the remaining bad guys, John discovers that the only ammunition he has left are two bullets for his Beretta. Glancing over at some parcel tape sitting on a table, John is inspired to come up with a plan that will give him the advantage. Quickly, John conceals his gun by taping it to his back. Planning to produce the Beretta and use it at the opportune moment, John walks into the vault to save Holly.

This “Season’s Greetings” tape is the same design as the tape used by John McClane in the movie. Why not add an amusing touch to your John McClane Costume by taping a handgun to your back, secured with this Season’s Greeting parcel tape?

Machine Gun

The choice of machine gun used by Hans Gruber and his goons was the Heckler & Koch HK94, chopped and converted to look like the Heckler & Koch MP5. Throughout the evening, John aquires several of these machine guns after confrontations and gun battles with various members of Hans Gruber’s gang.

Heckler & Koch Number 1

John takes the first Heckler and Koch machine gun from the body of Tony Vreski, prompting the infamous “Now I have a machine gun ho ho ho” scene in the movie. John loses this gun when he falls down the ventilation shaft trying to escape from Karl Vreski.

Heckler & Koch Number 2

John McClane acquires his second Heckler & Koch after he is confronted by Marco and Heinrich. While John is ordering Marco to put his machine gun on the floor, Heinrich, masked by Marco, orders Marco to duck. Although John realises the tactic they are attempting and shoots Heinrich easily, Marco still has his machine gun and manages to corner John under a conference table:

Marco : You a dog now. Where you going pal? Soon there will be no more table.
[Marco reloads his gun and prepares to shoot John through the table…]
Marco: Next time you have a chance to kill someone, don’t hesitate.
John McClane : Thanks for the advice.

At this, John fires multiple bullets up through the table, killing Marco.

As a result of these two kills, John acquires his second Heckler & Koch machine gun, a packet of cigarettes and a holdall bag containing a brick of C4 and multiple detonators.

Choose your machine gun

Here we have suggested two possible alternatives for matching a machine gun with your John McClane Costume. The first is the Heckler & Koch Automatic Airsoft BB gun, the second is a prop toy machine gun. Either of these machine guns will look great with your John McClane Costume. Pick the one that suits your requirements and your pocket.

Heckler & Koch MP5 Automatic

Heckler & Koch MP5 AEG Automatic 6mm BB Airsoft Gun

If you are into CQB and want to bring a touch of realism to your John McClane Costume, you can opt for a Elite Force Heckler & Koch MP5 AEG Automatic 6mm BB Rifle Airsoft Gun.

Description

This Heckler & Koch MP5 Automatic 6mm BB gun has an injection molded Polymer Stock and full metal gearbox and magazine. It is suitable for left handed and right handed John McClanes. Capable of semi-auto and full-auto firing, the 6mm plastic airsoft BBs fire at a speed of up to 340 fps. This realistic gun comes with an adjustable rear sight, 2 high capacity 200 round magazines but you must add your own battery. As well as looking awesome with your John McClane Costume, this gun is perfect for target shooting or training scenarios.

Automatic Light Up Gun

Automatic Light Up Gun

If you want a machine gun prop simply to complete your John McClane Costume, then this automatic toy rifle is ideal. It looks the part, feels good and has some interesting features such as firing noises and it also lights up.

Description

This black toy machine gun is made from plastic. Squeeze the trigger and the gun will make exciting shooting sounds. It is over 20 inches (50cm) in length so makes a great prop as part of a John McClane Costume.

Cigarettes

Cigarettes

John McClane is seen smoking at various times during the Nakatomi Tower Seige, largely thanks to the packet of cigarettes that he takes from Heinrich and the lighter he purloins from Tony Vreski. Smoking is a big part of the way John McClane expresses himself. In the scene on the roof where Hans Gruber is pretending to be a hostage called Bill Clay, John lights up a cigarette and offers the pack to Hans Gruber. Interestingly, after Hans takes a cigarette from the packet, he pockets the rest.

A prop is a great way to help bring a character to life and then maintain that character. If you would like to include cigarettes as part of your John McClane costume, these realistic fake puff cigarettes are ideal. Not only do these fake cigarettes look the part, they also emit smoke when you blow through them. These fake puff cigarettes look realistic and are excellent for costume events or theatre productions.

Zippo Chrome Lighter

Zippo Chrome Lighter

While John McClane and Tony Vreski are fighting, they fall down a flight of stairs which results in Tony breaking his neck. John searches Tony’s body and finds, amongst other things, a classic Zippo Brushed Chrome Lighter. As the Nakatomi Tower Seige events unfold, John finds that this lighter is a most useful item to have and not just for lighting cigarettes.

Zippo lights the way

Shuffling along inside the air vents, John uses the lighter to illuminate the way ahead, muttering to himself:

“Come out to the coast….we’ll have a few laughs. Now I know what a TV dinner feels like.”

Zippo Lighters are the best

Zippo lighters are available in a wide array of styles, sizes, and designs. Each lighter has a stamp on the bottom to identify it as a genuine Zippo lighter, made in the United States of America.

This Brush Chrome Zippo lighter is refillable, preferably with Zippo’s own lighter fluid. You will find this lighter is also backed by Zippo’s famous lifetime guarantee : “it works or we fix it free.”

Blood Makeup

Blood Makeup

Throughout the Nakatomi Towers Seige, John McClaine suffers multiple injuries. When we see him inside the air-vents, he has sustained a cut over his eye-brow that is bleeding. Running across a floor covered in glass results in John having shards of glass embedded in his foot. By the time John is rescuing Holly from the clutches of Hans Gruber down in the vault, he has lost his vest and his entire upper body is a mess of blood, dirt, grease and sweat.

If you would like to add a little bloodied realism to your John McClane costume, this stage blood is ideal. It has a vivid, arterial coloring and a medium viscosity. Having a base of corn syrup and a pleasant peppermint flavor, this stage blood looks realistic and is safe to use around your mouth. A little fake blood goes a long way and you can bring some real die hard realism to your John McClane Costume with this versatile, realisitc stage blood.

Dirt Makeup

Dirt Makeup

When you climb lift shafts, schooch along inside air-vents, hurtle blocks of C4 down lift shafts to create a massive explosion, fall down flights of stairs while wrestling bad guys, run around on broken glass with no shoes on and generally crawl around on floors, you are going to get dirty.

To add a touch of grubby realism to your John McClane Costume, apply this charred Ash Powder special effects makeup which has been designed to create a realistic soot-covered effect. By combining the blood makeup and this charred ash powder, you should be able to achieve the ultimate distressed look sported by John McClane during Die Hard.

How to Use Charred Ash Makeup

Apply your Charred Ash Makeup using the shaker top in the container. Gently blend the powder with your hands or a suitable makeup brush until you have achieved the desired look.

Bandages

Bandages

On several occasions John McClane finds himself cornered by several bad guys and has to take extraordinary risks in order to survive. During one such confrontation, John has to race across broken glass in order to escape. As a result, he is wounded and has to pull large chunks of embedded glass from his foot, creating a bloody mess. To stem the bleeding, John bandages his feet with whatever comes to hand.

Now you can recreate this scenario by adding some blood and bandages to your John McClane costume. Simply wrap bandages around your foot until a nice, bulky padding has formed. For a finishing flourish, add some stage blood and dirt makeup to your bandages.

Twinkie Bar

Twinkie Bar

From the time John McClane lands in California until the moment he and Holly bundle into the back of Argyle’s limousine, he doesn’t have a single meal, cup of coffee or glass of water. There was plenty of food at the Nakatomi Christmas Party. We saw Hans Gruber tucking into the buffet as he informed the hostages of Mr Takagi’s demise. But for John, the only sustenance he manages the whole evening is an out of date ‘1,000 year old’ Twinkie Bar that he finds.

Why not recreate John’s Twinkie treat moment with one of these delightfully fresh, edible Twinkie bars? After all, John McClane recaptured 640 million dollars in bearer bonds, saved 30 hostages from being blown up and killed 11 out of 13 bad guys, all on one single, mouldy old Twinkie bar. Imagine what he could do on a whole box!