9-11 film

[Susan]

Oliver stone to direct a 9-11 film starring nicolas cage
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I knew it would happen eventually, tv networks are probably too afraid to do a made-for-tv movie. But to me, we don't NEED a movie about 9-11. Sure pearl harbor and WWII you can make alot of movies, people only heard stories, saw newsreels and read about it in the paper.

But 9-11 was THE most filmed news event in all of history. We all watched it unfold, live. There were so many images, so many stories, so many video's. Networks showed nothing but 24 hour news coverage for weeks before regular programming dared to come back on. It's not that it doesn't deserve tribute - it's just that it's so fresh in our minds I don't think i need to see a story about heroisim or the tragedy. I watched the heroes, i read about the heroes, and personally i don't think anyone should make money off of this event.

Even after all these years when i see old clips and images it brings back the horror so fresh in my mind because even tho i didn't live in NY or know anyone who died, i felt like i was part of it. It was one of those news events you can't turn away by saying "oh it's happening somewhere else, how sad but it doesn't impact my life". I was at home and saw it unfold from the very first plane going in, it was one of the most traumatic things i could have ever seen on tv because it made me afraid for me, my family, my country and I was so upset by seeing people die right in front of me...... it was frightening when all planes were grounded and the fear of more crashing or chemical warfare or who knows what. I watched unedited footage that was later edited by the time people got home from work, sounds of bodies hitting the ground and people jumping.

The weather here was so beautiful and blue sky and it was just like it was in NY, so surreal that they went to work and didn't realize they would be hanging out of the window with their family watching, hoping by a miracle to be saved, but hoping to die quickly as they had no choice but to let go. The stories of the firemen, policemen, and the forgotten (yes forgotten) stories of those who were taking a vacation, class trip or travelling on a plane and did everything they thought they were supposed to do during a hijacking and their last glimpse out a window was the plane going towards a building or nosediving.  I don't think i could stomach nicholas cage with all his heroic grunting facial expressions and patriotic flags and music. Paramount and oliver stone can kiss my ass, i'm not paying to see this.



Post Edited (07-09-05 11:34)

[odinn7]

Very well written Susan and my sentiments exactly. It was a horrid, horrid event. Where I worked we heard it on the radio and I just stopped and went into the front office to watch on the tv. I stood there in shock at what I was seeing and I was hoping that someone was just playing a sick joke on us. I recall the fear that I had when I first heard that a plane went down near Pittsburgh as my father lives out that way and nobody could clarify exactly where the plane came down. It was the worst thing I have ever witnessed in my life and it has changed our lives forever. I cried while watching all the horror and I don't cry easily. We all saw it, we don't need a heroic film about it. No movie could do justice to those poor people that gave their lives away for nothing.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Susan,

I couldn't agree more.  I had read the news about Cage being in it only this morning on joblo.com.

I'll never forget 9-11.  It's just as clear to me now as what it was then.  I got up that morning with just enough time to take a shower and get to class, so I didn't watch the news.  I was listening to a cd the whole drive to the campus, so I didn't hear it then.

I walked into my Old Religion Studies class and people were crying and many were obviously upset.  A girl that I graduated high school with had to fill me in on the situation.  By that time, both the planes had already hit and news was just coming in about the Pentagon and such.

Our teacher came into the room and mentioned something about the events briefly, only about 20 seconds or so and then followed through with the course as normal eventhough, as I said, many people in the class were highly upset.

That afternoon was the first time that I saw any footage.  I went to a local sports-grill and had a burger.  Instead of ESPN, all of the TVs were tuned to CNN.  By then, all of the most disturbing bits had been cut.  As an aside, this local sports-grill went on to their 15 minutes of national fame due to 9-11 for coining the term: Freedom Fries.

I too feel that it's still fresh in our memories.  It amazes me that it was four years ago....it seems like it was only yesterday.  And now with the terror attacks in London during the week...I just don't feel that anyone is really ready for this film, or if they will ever be.

[nobody]

I also agree that a film about 9-11 is unnecessary.

And, from a strictly cinematic point of view, I think that Oliver Stone is once again traveling out of his element with this project. His choice of movies lately has seemed really odd. Jumping on the epic battle bandwagon with "Alexander" was a poor choice, and now this? It seems like he's trying too hard to be mainstream, yet still controversial. To me he's just coming across as needy and boring.

[Menard]

I have to agree as well. 9-11 is still too fresh and was covered more than any other event (as well it should have been). It also bothers me that Oliver Stone is involved with it. He is a good director and writer, but he has shown so many times before that he has no respect for an author's intent or for historic events. I would personally hate to see an Oliver Stone pseudo-history of 9-11. It would seem like Hollywood taking advantage of the tragedy for the sake of profit, even if they intend to give some of the proceeds to victim funds, and we saw plenty of people trying to take advantage of the tragedy immediately after it happened; including the television networks and most every major retailer (using the event to promote a TV series and to sell products). Adding fiction to the event would just be another slap in the face. (just my opinion)

[Dunners]

Agreed, f**k Oliver Stone.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Dunners,

Your eloquence never fails to amaze me.

:o)

[BeyondTheGrave]

As most of the board knows I live in NYC. It was first day of classes and my 3rd year in High School. I was in Art Class when the princple made the annoument a planed crashed into world trade center and later the second.. Alot of just blew off as a accident by a small  planes. Than thourgh out the day kids with cell phones started get calls and being pulled out of school. The school was closed the next day. I finally saw the footage when I got home. My cousin came over with friends because they could not get home.

I later found out that my best friend lost his father.It was devsationing. I knew his father. Great guy. My grand father worked on the world trade center. He is a retired carpernter from a local union. He cried that day. My grandfather is tough guy. He was in the Navy during WWll. He serviced in the Pacific. He only cried twice. When my grandmother died and 9-11.

Sorry I went off topic alittle. I agree with Susan. This is just trying to cash in now.

[Menard]

You did not go off topic, rather you gave a very important insight to all of us. 9-11 reaches out to international proportions in all the people around the world who were affected by it. In the states, many of us are irrevocably attached to 9-11, either by a connection to someone who was there or through the horror of the events brought ashore that day, experienced by many in person and everyone within their hearts and minds. There does, however, have to be a special connection to the events and emotions of 9-11 for those who lived there, as it happened in your backyard. 9-11 left us with many emotions, memories, and losses indelibly inscribe upon our psyche, individually and as a people. A movie about 9-11 cannot capture these elements within all of us.

Perhaps at some point in the future there should be a movie made, but I believe the archives of the events, testimonials of those who were there, and the reaching out of others speaks unlike any other event in recorded history. (just my opinion, though)

Thank you for sharing, Rich.

[trekgeezer]

Oliver Stone of course will make sure the blame get laid squarely on the US government. Oliver Stone is neither a good writer or director. He's a guy with an agenda.

This is a subject that should not be broached for another 30 years in a motion picture when a new generation needs to be reminded of it, Even then I don't think a movie would be the right venue.  The wounds are too fresh and we don't need people reliving this stuff right now. For goodness sake it takes a long time recover from such a thing at this stage. .

This reminds me of the 9/11 the day itself. I live in Arkansas and some one started a rumor that an oil pipeline in Oklahoma had been bombed, putting our gasoline supply in jeopardy. Well some unscrupulous service station owners took this as a queue to cash in. There were places that started charging up to $5 a gallon and there was a run on gas. A lot of stations ran completely out. The truck stop near where I live had to have someone directing traffic. The state attorney general had to go on TV and try to convince people this was a false rumor.

Later they did have an investigation with a special hot line. I don't remember how many people they nabbed. This movie sounds like the same thing, trying to cash in on a great tragedy. The sad thing is, a lot of people would go to watch it.

[onionhead]

(running the risk of inciting a riot, onionhead takes the untravelled track)
to wit:
George Santayana said:  "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
I agree that it is probably too soon for a 9/11 feature, but I do think that it will eventually have to be made.  To keep those horrific images fresh in the public mind is to keep the anger alive, to keep the guard up.  If we are ever to let ourselves forget those hideous hours or let our vigil slip, then we open the door to another attack with more devastation, more pain.  The recent events in London prove that al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden have not been hampered or intimidated in the least.
I agree Oliver Stone is a s**tty choice.  I think just an honest presentation of the events and NO conspiracy theories would be the best way to go, a documentary feel.  I don't think Stone could pull it off--he probably considers junk mail the sign of some conspiracy.  
Perhaps in another 5-10 years the time will be right.  But I hope in the meantime we do not let slip our watchfulness.

[Jamtoy]

The problem I have with the movie IS the fact that Oliver Stone has something to do with it.  The movie will probably become a "Bush bashing-conspiracy theory-over the top mess.â€�

This past July 3, I was listening to a speaker had a huge presentation that involved remembering 9-11.  He even showed video OF THE PLANES STIKING THE BUILDINGS!  He then went on to tell how “the world changed that day.  It was a sign that freedom was under attack.  We are now in a battle of ideals.â€�

The world did not change on 9-11.  Our eyes were opened to a horror that had been planned for years.  What the 19 guys did that day was wrong and terrible.  They awoke us from our sleep to see a world that sees the American way of life as a threat.  Yeah we were blind, but we need to get the facts strait about that day and not build on it with emotional banter.  No where during the speaker’s presentation was there EVER a call to just what these ideals are that we are fighting.  In short, the speaker knew his audience and what they wanted to hear.  â€œWe are right and they are wrongâ€� primal feelings.  He played on that for an hour.  Everyone was captivated and came out saying how true everything he said was.  BUT NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO!

Oliver Stone will do the same thing.  He will try to make it “your patriotic duty to see this film.â€�  He may even say that some, or all, of the money made from the film will go help victims of the war on terror.  But I don’t see him making it in a way that corrects our vision as to what happened that day.  I just see him making a film that will bash the audience over the head with images that will invoke a primal feeling of “we’ve got to do somethingâ€� but will never answer what we’ve got to do.  

I don’t have all the facts about that day.  Even our government seems to be still looking.  I would love for my two daughters to grow up in a world without terrorists.  I want them to know freedom and peace.  Our world, however, will not allow that.  I can support efforts to fight terrorism and help the victims, but the most important thing I can do is love my daughters and my wife.  I can give them the comforts of knowing that I will be there for them.  I can also love my neighbors and friends.  I can show them kindness and help them in there times of need.  The most difficult thing of all that I can do is love the enemies that want to destroy all of this.  The most I can do here, being so far away, is to pray for them.  However, there are many people near here from foreign countries.  If I show them the same love as I show my neighbor, maybe, just maybe, the truth of American freedom will return to their native land.  I know these things have never been easy in this world and they sound a little sappy and far fetched.  But it is all I can do.  It may be the best answer, but it is a start.  
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[Susan]

Onion - i agree. but this is one event we won't forget. It's written in history books, and every single person alive today and that was old enough to comprehend what was going on will never, ever forget it. I will be 80 years and probably seeing images of it will make me re-live it all over again so fresh in my mind like opening a wound. Let these movies be made in the future for younger generations, i think it's way too early to open the gates on this type of film. Yeah.... those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it, but keep in mind that we remember through history, through school, through stories told and our peers. It's not like hollywood has the market cornered on reminding us of tragedies. And i sure don't want 9-11 to become "hollywoodized"

If anything they are more likely to have an agenda or be greatly flawed,, more open to critizism if you ask me. This film can't win, i've seen the real thing. If anyone wants to know what it was like, go to the library or video store and rent one of the 9-11 documentaries. Given it was THE most filmed news event in all of history following the event, aftermatch and families, there's plenty an eyeful for rememberance.  And yeah we can't ever know every single story, the sad part is every single life was a tragedy. I saw an HBo documentary they did on how the families were coping, it was gutwrenching to see a little boy wondering why his daddy wasn't coming home from work and how the mother could not bring herself to tell him.  This was a story that touched me on a very personal level, because it was all of our stories. It was everyone of us going about our daily life and having that life snatched away by someone with a political agenda. It wasn't soldiers who died, it wasn't on a battlefield. It was children in planes and mothers at work and dad's standing in their office going over paperwork, the waiter cleaning up a table, a person just walking down the street. I am So against a film being done at this time i can't help but get worked up. Because where one comes, more follow....hollywood just trying to milk the cash cow

On Tragedy: make a movie about something long ago, 50 years, 100 years, even 500 years. A personal story, a national story, something moving that we may or may not have known about but was true. A struggle, tragedy, sorrow, hope.

Don't show me the most horrific thing i've ever lived through that happened only 4 years ago dammit



Post Edited (07-12-05 19:35)