Rating: Summary: Tough to watch, but surely tougher to live Review: I left my career in the fire service a matter of weeks before 9/11. The brotherhood in the fire service cannot be explained well in words, at least to my ability anyway. This film does what words cannot. It shows, in graphic detail, how 9/11 looked from the eyes of those caught in the middle. The public can now understand what 9/11 looked like, however we will never know what it felt like.It seems that the best documentaries happen by accident when the filmmakers are looking to do something else. I don't know how the pieces could have fallen into place like they did in placing these cameramen at the time and place to witness and record the horrific events of that terrible day. Was it an act of God that would help us to understand and empathize with the men and women who were there? Who knows. As a former career firefighter whoo dedicated his life to the service I found this film very difficult to watch. I experienced my own emotional situations during this film. This film brought and already close to the heart situation even closer. The "little" things in this film are what make it such an amazing documentary. Everybody saw the planes hit and the towers fall. We all saw the aftermath but none of us ever saw the faces of the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and other emergency service workers that lived it. When i went through firefighter training I was taught that when in doubt, look to the veterans. This film shows the fear and terror in the eyes of veteran firefighters. This brought the film so close to home for me. Many people don't realize what it takes for an emergency scene commander to issue an evacuation order and what has to happen for this to happen. I felt chills go through my body when scenes like these were caught on tape. There are numerous other situations that made this film so emotional to watch. I've watched this film so many times I've lost count and I have a lot of trouble making it through without crying. This film will bring the horrific events of 9/11 closer to home. If you are an emergency service worker you need to see this film so you can understand what your fellow brothers and sisters went through. I am glad that I watched this film on TV when it first aired. But i don't know if i can bring myself to watch it in its fullness again. This film needs to be viewed for the sole purpose of understanding what this event really looked like and what really happened. Make no mistake, this video is about the New York City Fire Department and what they were called to do on that day. After watching this film you will have a new understanding of what firefighters are deep at the core. "There is always a witness for history"- a quote by one of the filmmakers.
Rating: Summary: The sights, but more importantly the sounds, of September 11 Review: Although it is known for having the only footage taken at Ground Zero on September 11th when the towers collapsed and contains rare footage of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, it is really the dimension of sound that "9-11" adds to our collective consciousness of that day. The sounds of the first tower collapsing or bodies hitting the ground become forgettable, even without (thankfully) the accompanying images. Ultimately, the shots when the camera shows nothing because of the enveloping cloud of dust and debris become as memorable as the repeated images of the towers collapsing. Equally memorable are the shots of the firefighters in the lobby of the WTC, the windows all blown out by the initial impact, waiting for instructions to head up the stairs 80 stories to the fire, knowing that it takes a firefighter in full gear one minute to climb one flight of stairs. "9-11" also reminds us, least we had forgotten, that even on a day like that truth is stranger than fiction. The story that is told here would be totally dismissed by Hollywood and it is hard to believe the ending of this documentary even though the evidence of what really happened to this company of NYC Firefighters is right there on camera. The only reason we can see this story is because there was someone there to film it, otherwise we never would have believed it for a single moment. Furthermore, the idea that the two Frenchmen who filmed this documentary, Gédéon and Jules Naudet, are immorally profiting from this is absurd as anyone would know if they have actually seen this documenary and paid attention at the end. Everybody should see this video tape once, because you will never forget it once you do.
Rating: Summary: HAUNTING AND AWE-INSPIRING Review: I REMEMBER WHERE I WAS WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING...IN MY CAR ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS JUST PUTTING SOME MUSIC IN THE TAPE PLAYER WHEN I HEARD THE ANNOUNCER SAY,"BOTH TOWERS ARE ON FIRE, BOTH BEING HIT BY AIRLINERS". I WAS SHOCKED, THINKING THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WORLD TRADE CENTER NEVER ENTERED MY MIND UNTIL I GOT TO WORK AND SAW IT ON THE TELEVISIONS. THIS DVD IS REMARKABLE. IT IS HAUNTING THAT KNOWING THAT AT 8;34 THE NIGHTMARE WOULD BEGIN, AND IT IS CAPTURED ON FILM. THE SOUND OF THAT FIRST PLANE OVERHEAD AND SEEING IT CRASH INTO THE WTC IS SHOCKING AND HEARTSTOPPING, SEEING HISTORY UNFOLD BEFORE YOUR EYES. THIS DVD IS NOT EXACTLY FOR THE FAINT HEARTED. IT CAN BE VERY DISTURBING AND UNNERVING. HEARING THE SOUNDS OF BODIES HITTING THE PAVEMENT CAN BE QUITE UNSETTLING. BUT, TO SEE THE HEROIC MEN AND WOMEN WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES IN THIS UNNECESSARY ACT OF VIOLENCE IS UPLIFTING TO SAY THE LEAST. FROM START TO FINISH, THIS DVD CAPTURES THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED THAT FATEFUL DAY AND WILL LEAVE A PROFOUND AFFECT ON THOSE WHO VIEW IT. WHAT STARTED OUT TO BE SIMPLE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE NYFD, ENDED UP CAPTURING SOME OF THE MOST HORRIFIC IMAGES EVER TO BE FILMED AND PUTS THE VIEWER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TERROR. VERY WELL MADE AND EXECUTED, IT IS A TRUE TRIBUTE TO THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST IN AN EVENT THAT THIS NATION HOPEFULLY WILL NEVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE AGAIN. THE ENDING MONTAGE IS HEARTBREAKING.
Rating: Summary: 9/11 Review: This documentry I found very powerful, and dynamic as it showed more or less an eye witness account. I found it to be one of the best ones made of 9/11 so far. May we never forget the events of Sept. 11 2001.
Rating: Summary: 9/11 Review: Powerful, moving account of the events of 9/11, seen through the eyes of two filmmakers who are brothers. Unintentionally, they are filming on the day of the US's worst tragedy. They are able to capture moments that will haunt you for an eternity. Moments that will help you realize the pain and fear of New Yorkers on that day. Moments that are best left for feelings and impossible to put into words.
Rating: Summary: A haunting return to 9/11 before and after the attacks Review: Brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet were filming a documentary on a New York City rookie firefighter, when, by chance, one brother followed the crew on a call to examine a gas leak. It was at that accident site that the cameraman heard a low-flying plane, pointed the camera up and filmed the first plane crashing in the World Trade Center Tower. That is the film you see on CNN. What they didn't show, and gives this documentary so much strength is that the cameraman was allowed to follow the firefighting crew to the command center inside the lobby of the World Trade Center. The video becomes an eerie look at the site that today is known as Ground Zero. But this documentary is very humane in its look at the people involved. From inside the lobby the firemen begin to hear loud crashing sounds, like cars smashing into the concrete and you can see the look in the firemen's eyes when they realize the sound is coming from the bodies smashing into the pavement. Then, as the first Tower begins to collapse, you witness the firemen and the cameramen run for their lives -- unaware that the tower has fallen -- as they seek to escape falling debris. It is a powerful document of an unfortunate tragedy, but it also is the only documentary the features footage from inside the World Trade Center. Great scenes of courage and a striking tour-de-force by two very talented filmmakers.
Rating: Summary: From the inside Review: Tastefull and real. A view of the tragedy from the inside, from firemen we learn to know trought out the documentary. Poignant comments and poignant silences. And it's not so much about the attack as it is about the heros...
Rating: Summary: Great Documentary Review: This DVD is an excellent documentation of that tragic day. The intended documentary of the probe made the this DVD more emotional,& personal. The reason I don't give this DVD 5 stars is because they cut out Robert Deniro's intro to the documentary. I don't understand why? So, if you taped this on TV, don't record over your tape! save it. Also, the video transfer to DVD was poor, there were faint video flashes, and the DVD did not display the chapters on the menu screen so you can skip to a particular chapter. However, there is additional interviews, and footage not seen on TV. Get it anyway.
Rating: Summary: 9/11 video Review: I saw this when it first aired and it took my breath away. It is the most incredible, personal, and telling story of what happened that day in the WTC. I had taped the anniversary showing, but I'm glad that they are releasing it on DVD so it will last for years, and that most of the $ will go to the firefighter's fund.
Rating: Summary: SOME OF THE BEST UNSEEN FOOTAGE Review: This is probably my all time favorite documentry. I've seen alot of footage from 9/11, but the footage these guys got is unbelievable. It's the only piece on 9/11 where i actually feel like i am in this nightmare and if you can do that after seen what everyone else had shot, you have some amazing stuff. I don't want to ruin what you'll see when you watch this but i will say that much of this documentry is just a masterpiece. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
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