<p>This may be the only time I agree with FF, but alwaysamom has the best argument to the objections. I do happen to think that the passengers were heroic, and that story needs to be told. And the film is so good that I think it will never be told in a better, more respectful way.</p>
<p>BTW, I don’t think that there will be “untold profit” from the film. The producers knew in advance that many people would choose NOT to see the film. Many more $$$$ would have been made by doing another Lethal Weapon VI (or whatever sequel it’s up to). Without seeing the film, it’s hard to understand how respectful it is.</p>
<p>As horrible as that day was, I was fortunate not to have lost anybody dear to me, so my feelings on it cannot come close to yours, though I too have shed tears and consoled others. You have my greatest sympathy. </p>
<p>News coverage (even ad nauseam) is to be expected. I do, however, strongly object to the various media interests trying to outdo each other, in covering the event, for the sake of ratings and therefore profits. </p>
<p>I am not a fool, I know that my objections to this kind of treatment by the media are apt to not make them change their ways, nor should I expect them to in the NORMAL course of events, as they are in business, after all, to make money, the fourth estate notwithstanding.</p>
<p>However, I find it VERY offensive when they go about with a “business as usual” mentality in the face of catastrophes — especially ones that bring home in devastating fashion man’s age-old inhumanity to man — our worst quality.</p>
<p>Furthermore, I do not see the necessary point (other than to make obscene profit) of bombarding the hapless public with more of the same
regurgitation by publishing houses and film studios after the bloated media has gone away to sleep it off, leaving us in shock, and ripe pickings for the other two.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I will see the movie. But I have no problems with it being made. I think along the lines of some others who have posted like alwaysamom & FF re: other books and materials on 9/11 and other historically important, but tragic events.
I’m also not sure that it is too soon. Somewhat like how people have mentioned the Holocaust - I think it vital that these events are accurately recorded for future generations whether it be through documentaries, plays, books, or movies. For eg. so many people who experienced the Holocaust firsthand, or who were directly impacted by it, are lost to us by death as the years go by and the horror of that time in history (the scourge of Nazism, concentration camps, all WWII in fact) becomes very muted and far-away. I am glad that many of their memories and experiences have been captured through various media.
So I feel the same for the many stories surrounding 9/11. I’m glad that they are being told and accurately preserved in whatever fashion.</p>
Well said. I don’t think I could see this movie in a theater, but I may rent the DVD to watch over several days. I did read several accounts of 9/11, most recently “102 Minutes” just to try to understand more about what happened. I think it was cathartic in some way. I live in an area where several flight attendants and crew lived, and I remember seeing window decals in the grocery store parking lot memorializing them. My husband was scheduled to fly out of Logan on a later flight, which was canceled of course, but he could have been on a different one. I’m happy to see any effort to keep this story in the forefront of our awareness – I believe that complacency is dangerous with regard to terrorism, and I hope we don’t let our guard down.</p>
<p>I still think that there are many for profit movies that depict historicial and/or terrible events that have strong value and merit for having been made in the first place. Like Hotel Rwanda, Saving Private Ryan, Born on the Fourth of July, All Quiet on the Western Front, Dead Man Walking, The Diary of Anne Frank, etc.</p>
<p>And a quick p.s. to the above. Just because something is a documentary doesn’t mean it was made for free…right? I mean the makers of the docu certainly wanted someone to “buy” it so that it would be distributed and actually seen by an audience, right? so doesn’t some $ have to be earned there too?</p>
<p>Right, but covering one’s expenses is not the same as profitting.</p>
<p>I gues I am alone on this one, but I do not see why we need to be repeatedly reminded what terrible things are going on in the world – of our own making, no less – once is enough for me.</p>
<p>This movie is not for everyone. I am one who likes to look back to revisit past events, even horrible ones, to learn and gain insight. Honestly my vision of that day and how everything unfolded expanded after the movie. I don’t have concerns about the profits at all. I went opening day, and the theatre was half empty. I don’t think this will be a blockbuster, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>I live in NY and do not plan to see the movie. I never went to visit “Ground Zero.” I just cannot do it. I remember the day vividly, remember exactly what I was doing when I got the phone call from my husband about the first plane crashing into the Tower. I remember frantically running around and trying to find out about a close friend who worked on the 102nd floor. (He had missed his train that morning!) I remember how elated and relieved I was when my husband who worked in the city walked through the door, and when my oldest son, who went to school in the city, walked through the door. I am glad that someone took the time to make this movie so that people can choose to see it.</p>
<p>The memory of 911 is seared into my mind - from the sound of the 2 jets taking off - louder and faster than usual - over my head - arriving at my destination wondering… to seeing the second plane hit the WTC on live tv - the report on tv about the Pentagon/DC and then the report of the crash in PA - the terror I felt for my son’s friend who works at the WTC - not being able to locate him for some time - hearing that the planes originated in Boston.</p>
<p>And then … the absolute quiet!! silence for days - not a sound in the sky … and the continuous tv coverage of the carnage…</p>
<p>Several weeks after 911 there was another plane crash in New York - I remember the horror of seeing it on TV - and hearing the comments and questions about it being the result of another attack - and that my husband was supposed to be on that plane!! Again the terror of trying everything I could to get information about that flight - and many hours later getting a phone call - broken up from very poor reception - and it was HIS voice!!! The relief that I felt - but the pain as well.
Relived again.</p>
<p>My heart still breaks when I think and talk about 911 - and I am not sure I could see this movie without falling apart. I have tremendous respect for the fact that this movie has been made - the family approval given to bring it to the public - there are young people who really don’t remember very much about that day - when time stopped for a while. I will respectfully - and most likely - not see this film - but will remember what it stands for - for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>alwaysamom - I wonder if I work for the same company as your husband. I lost my best friend, as well as dozens of good friends. </p>
<p>I can understand and appreciate the distaste many of you have for profiting off this story. But I agree with fundingfather and alwaysamom. </p>
<p>I hope someone one day tells the story of the people of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, too. It is not that we need to be reminded of the event, since no one who lived through it could ever forget. But those who lost their lives deserve to have the story told for the future.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I will be able to see this film. I still have not been able to cry. Not yet.</p>
<p>Snow Flurries In Hell Dept.: I agree with FF (#39).</p>
<p>I will not see the movie. I don’t watch “horror” of any species and this it certainly it is, despite being “history” and many other things as well. Perhaps not quite as viscerally as Momof3Sons, but 9/11 is with me every day and its shadows loom over my daughter’s future, in particular.</p>
<p>TheDad Writing His Name in the Snow in Hell department: (he agrees with me, too). </p>
<p>I have a similar reaction to U93 as I had to Passion of the Christ. I’m well enough acquainted with all the gory details that I don’t personally need or want to see a cinematic depiction. But I’m glad both movies were made, and I hope a lot of people see United 93.</p>
<p>Hotel Rwanda and Schindler’s List were important movies of their time because the majority of film goers did not know those stories in that detail. Those movies were highly educational.</p>
<p>If you take the view that this movie may educate non-Americans, then fair enough. That’s a worthy artistic undertaking. When I get back to Oceania, I will have to see how well the movie is marketed abroad. Maybe momrath and robrym can tell us how it is received in muslim nations.</p>
<p>For Americans, though, that component is superfulous. We all know the story–in great detail. America is the largest film audience in the world, thus the primary motive of the movie making appears to be (from the trailers) “Here’s your chance to re-live the horror of those moments.”</p>
<p>That might be technically correct, but relatively few Indian or Chinese film goers will be able to afford to see this movie. I doubt they have the larger audiences but am unsure of the stats. kinshasha might know?</p>
<p>My point was that this movie was made for Americans because America has the most profitable film audience in the world.</p>
<p>Note to Self: Congratulations on Sparking Snow in Hell</p>
<p>Cheers, as I said, I don’t think I’ll see this movie in a theater, and maybe never. But I can understand why some people might want to. I don’t think it’s about re-living the horror of those moments. Some people need to think, or see images of something traumatic in order to try to process the emotions. In a different way, I remember looking at the photos taken right after my first child was born, over and over. It wasn’t about seeing pretty pictures, it was about getting a handle on the whole experience. (I had some complications, and like many women, it didn’t go smoothly.) Some people just like to put those images/thoughts away in a mental box, never to see again – my husband is more like that. It’s not always about rubber-necking or enjoying a spectacle at someone else’s expense. I’m sure most of us have some difficult emotional memories about that day.</p>
<p>I really appreciate the review Digmedia has provided here… my gut says I will see this movie… not sure if I will see it in the theater or not, but I do like the idea that we don’t really get to “know” the passengers any more than we would normally on a plane ride. </p>
<p>I am no longer going to question the “profit motive” because of the extensive participation and inclusion of the families… they understand exploitation better than I do… and their agreement to go forward says it is a story they want told. </p>
<p>One of the men I work with had an only child, a daughter, recent college grad, working for a Big 8 acct firm, who had to fly from Logan to west coast for a 2 week assignment (she had been at the firm for about a month) and he encouraged her to change her flight from 1 airline to another, an airline he traveled a lot. Needless to say, that was the first flight to hit the towers…and he was horrified to think he had sent her to her death… later that day, he realized thru the fog of his grief, that the 2nd plane was the original flight she had booked. In some ways, this was a small gift from God, taking the blame of putting her on the other airline, off of his shoulders. There are thousands and thousands of such “stories” and perhaps the sharing of these stories, in any form, including CC, is cathartic?</p>