Oliver Stone To Make First Major 9/11 Film
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in History, The Politics Of Film, The War On TerrorismA lot of people are crying foul about this, but I’m trying to not be reactionary. I’d like to give Stone the benefit of the doubt here and see if he can make a powerful epic about a day that changed the world forever.
The as-yet untitled film, which will be made for Paramount Pictures, will tell the true stories of the last two men to be rescued alive from the ruins of the collapsed World Trade Center in New York.“It’s an exploration of heroism in our country — but is international at the same time in its humanity,” said Stone, who won best director Academy Awards for his war epics “Born On the Fourth Of July” (1989) and 1986’s “Platoon”
“It’s a work of collective passion, a serious meditation on what happened, and carries within a compassion that heals,” Stone said in a statement issued by producers.
Again, let’s hope that Stone has the foresight to treat this material with the respect it deserves.
UPDATE: 18:00 CMT
The Moderate Voice (jokingly I hope) claims that he wants to commit suicide because Stone has been tapped to direct this film.
Yes, how very “moderate” of you, Joe. A great example of a reasoned, calm reaction. Bravo.
May I then (jokingly) offer some help?
AFTERTHOUGHT: 18:05 CMT
So, will this be the left’s Passion Of The Christ?
Hmmm…
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 10th, 2005 and is filed under History, The Politics Of Film, The War On Terrorism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 10th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
9/11 is the most potent symbol in America these days. More potent than the flag-raising at Iwo Jima, more potent than the Gettysburg address or the Martin Luther King Jr. speech. As such, it is the object of a great tug-of-war, and leading polemicists on both sides know this, whether they admit it or not. Just look at the bitterness over what has been suggested at the Ground Zero memorial.
A crackpot like Stone (who has spoken of the attacks as “the revolt of Sept. 11th” and the Afghan invasion as a sham orchestrated by oil companies) could no more make a “respectful” 9/11 movie than D.W. Griffith could make a balanced one about Reconstruction. He’s got a job cut out for him, to tickle Islamist fundamentalist suicide attacks into the liberal pantheon of compassion and tolerance, but he’ll try, no doubt.
He’s got no choice. It’s too powerful to secede to the other side. Just like the French Republicans of the late 19th century had to co-opt, eventually, the Catholicism of the provinces, which they loathed, if only to take it out of the hands of the royalists.
July 10th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
I completely agree with you about the Ground Zero memorial. I want Soros and his group to get the hell out of there. I don’t think a memorial like that belongs at a place like Ground Zero, period. However, crackpot? Why? Because he questions the status quo and provides a different point of view? Sure, ‘JFK’ was out there, but people condemn him for that without considering his entire lexicon of work.
And a lot of people don’t even realize that in the span of two years he made Salvador, Platoon and Wall Street, three of the most politically charged and powerful American films ever. This 9/11 pick will have to dive into the issues and I know Stone will have the courage to do it. Am I nervous? Damn right, but that’s art. An artist’s portrayal may not be one everybody agrees with, but that’s the point. Art is meant to challenge, not to placate.
So please, refrain from name calling. You may not agree with what he has to say, but he has the courage to say it, and that’s more than I can say for most filmmakers working today.
July 10th, 2005 at 7:21 pm
I consider him a crackpot not based on his body of work (most of which I haven’t seen) but based on his comments and statements about 9/11 and the history since then. And I have the courage to call a pot cracked if I see the fault line.
July 10th, 2005 at 8:50 pm
Fair enough.
And by the way, please don’t misunderstand. I definitely think you have the right to call Stone whatever you please, but I still don’t think it helps. ;-)
April 12th, 2006 at 12:11 am
I don’t live in USA and i am not familier with who’s who of anyone living there.But as they say 9/11 changed the world forever,i might agree that the devil’s minions have resurfaced with a bang and noone’s safe from there hate.
I don’t agree with America’s policies over Iraq and Afghanistan.As i am from a third party nation only Terrorism and the human toll in the US,Iraq and Afghanistan is a concern to me.
Mr.Stone,in my view,just wants to be the “first” becuase every director is dying to make a movie on hot and controversial issues.
But they should always keep in mind the human cost and should always respect those who suffered.
August 7th, 2006 at 3:17 am
Good job.