A new survey by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has settled the festive film debate: Home Alone is the UK's favourite Christmas movie, while Die Hard is officially not considered one. The poll of 2,000 people found that 44% do not believe Die Hard is a Christmas film, compared to 38% who defend its festive credentials. Only 5% chose it as their favourite Christmas film.
Home Alone topped the list with 20% of respondents naming it their favourite, followed by Love Actually (9%), It's a Wonderful Life (8%), and Elf (7%). The survey also revealed what makes the perfect Christmas film: a heartwarming story (33%), family friendliness (15%), and humour (13%). Just 2% sought a tear-jerker.
David Austin, BBFC chief executive, said the research shows that 'heartwarming, family-friendly stories continue to sit at the heart of the nation's Christmas viewing traditions'. Nearly a fifth (18%) of respondents said going to the cinema over Christmas is a family tradition, with 33% going before Christmas Eve and 20% on Boxing Day.
The debate over Die Hard was reignited when actor Macaulay Culkin, star of Home Alone, said at a recent event: 'Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie. It's just a movie that's set at Christmas.' His comments were met with boos, but the British public seems to agree with him.
