SHORT TAKES : Airlines Assail ‘Die Hard II,’ Contend It Glorifies Terrorism

Airline officials are angry that portions of Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard II” will be shot at Stapleton International Airport, contending that the film “is an endorsement of terrorism.”

“It involves terrorism, violence against airports, destruction of an aircraft and a crash,” Jack Ekey, general manager of United Airlines’ Denver operations, said Thursday.

“As a matter or principle, we don’t believe that kind of thing represents either airports or airlines in a way which we see ourselves or want the public to see us,” he said.

Twentieth Century-Fox plans to start shooting the film at Stapleton and in Weld County on Jan. 15.

Representatives of all airlines that use Stapleton lodged a complaint last week with airport officials.

Greg Lazzaro, location manager of the film, said the airlines’ position is “total, unadulterated bull” and “preposterous and stupid.”

Ekey said the film script, which has not been shown to the airlines, is the story of a police officer’s battle against terrorists who try to take over Dulles International Airport in suburban Washington.

The plot of the sequel to “Die Hard” is heavy on wisecracks and liberal in the use of automatic weapons and plastic explosives in the abuse of private property, he said.

“To say it’s an airport-bashing movie is unfair,” Lazzaro said. “It’s not a movie about airlines; it’s a movie about a New York cop who’s in a cartoon.”

In response to the protests, Stapleton officials placed added restrictions on the filmmakers, including prohibiting the filming of real airline logos and aircraft.