In this episode, Shai and Roderick celebrate the 1988 action movie phenomenon, Die Hard. Our co-hosts will try to solve what kind of visa a very well-dressed German radical would have needed in order to enter the U.S. to cause havoc during a company holiday party being held in a Los Angeles skyscraper on Christmas Eve.
The visa principles they will explore in this episode include: the Visa Waiver Program and Entry without Inspection. Plus, are Die Hard, Ghostbusters, and Family Matters all set in the same fictitious universe?
Listen to the Episode
Show Notes
After summarizing the film’s plot and the influence it had on action movies moving forward, Shai and Roderick shift their attention to the German criminal mastermind character Hans Gruber. Hans was a member of a west German radical group, but was expelled due to his violent and extreme behavior. He is highly educated and intelligent, speaks perfect English, has a knack for high fashion and holds a very high opinion of himself. He has no issues with killing anyone who may be in his way.
Shai and Roderick’s view is that Hans most likely was given permission to stay in the U.S. through the Visa Waiver Program, which enables most nationals of participating countries to stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days without needing a visa under the premise of tourist activity or specific business and visitor activities.
It is conceivable that he and his crew used fake passports and identities to apply. It is also possible that Hans was able to enter by entry without inspection, otherwise known as illegal entry. Both of these methods hold very serious consequences.
In a hypothetical consultation with Hans, Shai and Roderick would advise him not to follow through with the acts he has planned and to voluntarily depart the U.S. as soon as possible, before he is caught by the authorities. If he did this, the best case is that he would be barred from returning to the U.S. for 3 years, though there is no guarantee he would ever be allowed to return. If he chooses to remain in the U.S. with his illegal status, he will likely be captured, detained, placed into court proceedings and permanently barred from returning to the U.S.
The episode wraps up with a few final takeaways from the movie on everything from love story theories to the aftermath of Holly and John’s actions and where John would have lived in NYC!
Links
Learn more about the Visa Waiver Program.
Learn more about the movie featured in this episode: Die Hard.
Connect with us at hastalavisa@gibney.com.
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