I’ve made a (drunken, rambling) case for director John McTiernan as one of the architects of the modern action movie. The entire argument stems from his incredible triple punch in the late 80s/early 90s: Die Hard, Predator, and Hunt for Red October. Think about it — without Die Hard there would be no John Woo or any other Hong Kong action director for that matter, and with no Hong Kong action movies…

Well, anyway, since helping create Bruce Willis and Arnold his career’s been spotty at best. The third Die Hard and underrated 13th Warrior being the most artistically successful.

And now the poor guy’s landed himself in jail for four months as fallout for that twisty Anthony Pellicano wiretap case:

Judge Dale S. Fischer gave the director of such films as “Predator,” “Die Hard,” “The Hunt for Red October” and “The Thomas Crown Affair” until Jan. 15 to turn himself in to authorities. McTiernan’s lawyer said he would appeal.

McTiernan also was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

When he entered his plea last year, McTiernan said he lied when he told an FBI agent the only time he used Pellicano’s services was during his divorce. In actuality, he said, he hired Pellicano to wiretap Charles Roven, a producer who had worked with him on the 2002 box-office flop “Rollerball.”

Pellicano, who served 2 1/2 years in federal prison for possessing illegal weapons, has pleaded not guilty to charges in a 111-count indictment accusing him of bugging phones and bribing police to get information on celebrities and others.

No word on whether upon hearing the sentencing, Dutch stood up in the back row and yelled, “You set us UUUPP! It’s BOOLSHIT! All of it!”

Spread the word!