I thought that I had seen and heard all I could stand to see and hear about September 11, 2001. But I just saw an amazing documentary about it. It begins with a quest to follow a rookie firefighter during his probationary period as a new fireman. The quest resulted in the only known video of the first plane striking the World Trade Center.
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was filmed by brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet. Jules was with the firemen inside Tower One when Tower Two collapsed. I’ve never seen anything like this before.
You think you have seen and heard it all about the events of September 11. The planes hitting the Twin Towers, people standing shocked in the streets, firemen rushing into the buildings, the two collapses, the dust, the confusion. You’ve seen it all so often on television that they no longer retain the power to shock you.
But if you watched this 9/11 documentary, you heard the sound of people striking the sidewalk outside Tower One. The firemen couldn’t use the closest door to them to evacuate because it wasn’t safe. It wasn’t safe because of bodies falling outside. This film is different from what you have seen before. If you get a chance to see this documentary, you should do it.
We all remember where we were when we got the news about the attacks. Exactly what we were doing when we heard. I was thinking about my Mama that morning. September 11, 2001 was the first birthday she missed. She would have been 92 that day, but she had died in February. I guess I’m kinda glad she didn’t have to see what happened that day.
18 comments:
I just read another blogger's account of that day, and her mother-in-law had died the night before. I said the same thing - that she was sort of lucky she died before it happened. We all lost our innocence that day - and it will never return.
I've seen that documentary (made by two young French brothers) twice (it was shown again a few days ago on the TV) and every time I've been amazed by it. You really feel as if you were there, with those wonderful firemen. It is absolutely extraordinary.
I also saw a documentary/reconstruction/interview prog about the 14 people who came out alive from the North Tower, after being stuck in a kind of pocket on the 4th floor when it tumbled down. It was amazing too.
I feel sad for the people who are now experiencing 'survivor's guilt'. Another documentary interviewed a poor man who called himself a coward because he didn't stay behind with a colleague who couldn't walk down the stairs any longer. Another one of his colleagues did stay with the man and they both died. The survivor might as well be dead, considering the way he feels now.
I did see that documentary a while back and agree it is the one to see. I too feel that I can't watch any more real footage of that day, but that was riveting and unlike anything I have ever seen.
I am also thinking about Granny this morning. The other day I saw a show from the air traffic controllers' point of view - they were the first to realize what was happening and what was going to happen.
Well, happy birthday to Ynnarg Yoda Pez. She's what I can be reverent towards today.
Your mother's Jahrzeit (commemoration of the day one dies) would be sad on any day, TLP. She always sounds like such a wonderful woman. xoxo
i have seen that documentary and it is chilling.
my son was in AM kindergarten. he came home and shoved a bead up his nose while i tried to sneak in news reports without him seeing them. he was hysterical with panic that the doctor would have to cut off his nose to remove the bead. i empathized with his fears and then i envied him since it was the biggest tragedy
he grasped at the time. (that part got cut off some how)
I was at the doctor's office getting my shoulder x-rayed. When I got out, everone was crying in the waiting room. I went back to work, only to find that most people had already left for the day.
A friend of mine blogged about his day in the city. It's a chilling account. But, he's alive. It's those who were murdered that I will always think about.
I was in class at university...we all left to go home and watch CNN. I remember being very afraid.
You're a great patriot, Lucy.
I saw that footage when it was first aired to the public. It was a year or so after September 11, 2001.
It was raw, gritty, and most of all real. I did not need to watch it again.
MWWP and I stumbled onto that documentary, too. We had pretty much the same reaction.
we were hesitant to watch this documentary, because we weren't sure we were ready to be exposed to so much ugliness, but i was pleased to discover it was done very well. the perspective was a bit different, certainly more "up close and personal" (altho', living in this area, we saw nothing *but* up close and personal all day/every day for weeks).
i loved this documentary, tho', because it demonstrated the wonderful bond between the firefighters... which reminded me of the commitment they had (and have) to save lives. the fact that they all survived was, i thought, beautifully hopeful, especially in that sea of despair. it was a very honest and touching presentation and it was a humbling experience to watch. i'm very glad we did.
What was the name of the documentary?
The documentary is called simply: 9/11.
I saw it - well done for sure. I'm always thinking and wondering what's next.
Hi Lucy, I haven't seen the 9/11 film you speak of, maybe it hasn't been released here in Oz?
sounds very graphic though, great post.
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