World Trade Centre
World Trade Centre
Tuesday, September 11th, 2001.
That evening, I had gone to the movies with a friend, to see
“Angel Eyes” starring Jennifer Lopez. It was okay. Not much to talk about. As we
left the cinema, I drove my friend home. We talked on the drive home, and as
they exited the car at their house, I turned on my car radio. The first words I
heard were “…one of the twin towers in New York City has collapsed. We don’t
have a whole lot of information at this point, but some reports say there was an
explosion of some kind…” and I trailed off. All I could think of was getting
home to turn on the TV and see the news.
When I arrived home less than ten minutes later, I walked
into the living room, and my parents and younger sister were all there, eyes
glued to the TV screen. I will never forget the image I saw on screen; only one
tower remained, pluming smoke rose from below, and the other tower was gone. The
remaining building had a hole in it, with fire spitting out, sending black
smoke into the sky. “What happened?” I asked.
“Some planes have crashed into the World Trade Centre in New
York” my dad said, “it’s probably terrorists”. I sat down with them, and watched
the rest of the event unfold. About fifteen minutes later, live right then and
there I saw the second building fall to the ground. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
It was like a scene from a movie, hard to comprehend that it was even real and
happening. Then, the replay footage commenced, and it wouldn’t stop for days. The
footage of the first tower with it’s hole in the side. People from the street
said a plane hit it. Then thirty minutes later, another plane hit the second
building. It was clear, this was an act of terror. Cameras from every conceivable
angle were focused on the twin towers, and as painful as it was to watch, I couldn’t
stop looking at the startling footage of a large plane deliberately fly into
the building. Then, I watched the buildings collapse again. I was up till about
1am watching it over and over. I barely slept that night.
Three years later, and I was arriving in New York for my
first visit. If you’ve read my review for Spider-Man 2 as part of
this series, you would have heard the story of how I first laid eyes on the
Greatest City in the World. And my first trip there, spanning three days, was
unforgettable. I did all the major sights of course; Empire State Building,
Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Grand Central Station, and just walked and
walked. It was amazing. Then on the third and final day, I visited Ground Zero
to pay my respects.
Standing where it had all happened less than three years
before, was a haunting experience. Life in New York had picked up and continued
on, as it always had and always will. I looked around the surrounding area, and
just replayed the images in my mind of all those news footage shots; the cloud
of grey smoke and debris, that enveloped the surrounding area, and charged down
the street, with people running away from it anywhere they could. Then the survivors
emerging from the dust, covered in grey remains of the towering buildings that
once were. In 2004, Ground Zero was just a perimeter of fencing around the hole
in the ground where the two buildings stood. It was a deep hole that symbolised
a deep pain the city had felt that day, and continue to feel. The names of the
victims on the plaque were a chilling reminder of the many lives lost that day.
I couldn’t help but feel saddened and angry at the same
time, standing at the site of the 9/11 attacks on New York City. But still, I was
grateful and humbled that I was there. I fell in love with New York in those
three days, and I knew I would be back.
Returning to summer camp in 2006 for the second time, I had
a day off. Like us counsellors usually did, we took the organised bus for the
international staff and got off camp for the day. On this particular day off,
we went to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Yes, that
Scranton, location of your favoutire America comedy sitcom “The Office”. In
real life, Scranton Is not much to look at. There was a big mall, some restaurants
and a cinema. One of my fellow Aussie counsellors and I went walking around
town. We followed our feet, and came across a seafood restaurant and had a big
feast. Then, we returned to the shopping centre, and with about three hours’
time to kill before the bus would take us back to camp, we decided to watch a
movie. There were a few options, but the one I wanted to see most was “World
Trade Centre”. My co-counsellor wasn’t so sure, as she said, “It’s been too
recent since it happened” but I encouraged her to watch it with me. She gave it
some thought, agreed, and in we went.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the first movie made about
the 9/11 attacks. It starred Nicolas Cage and was directed by Oliver Stone, so
the talent on board was good. From the looks of the trailers, the film focused
on Port Authority Police Officers, trapped in the rubble of the collapsed
building. Before that happens, we meet several key characters, all going about
their normal daily routine on a Tuesday morning in September. The film took the
approach, of interpreting that days events from the ground. It had not
intention to turn the attacks into a propaganda show of the Hollywood
Blockbuster type. In fact, it was very real in it’s portrayal. Subtle, and
respectful.
Just like most of the people on the city’s streets that day
would have experienced it, our characters in the movie react with not much knowledge
of what has just happened. Since only one video camera caught footage of the
first plane hitting the World Trade Centre (which would later resurface as part
of a documentary being made on a NY Fire Service station), not many people
directly saw what happened. At first, most of the city’s residents believed a
plane just accidentally flew into the tower. Then the unimaginable would happen
thirty minutes later, with the other building being hit.
But this point, our Port Authority Police Officers, were in
the lobby of the second building to get hit, trying to evacuate it as quickly
as possible. Then, a loud rumble from above is heard, and the building starts
to shake violently. Our leading officer John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage), detects what is
happening, and gives the signal for his men to run.
They scatter in every which
way, and a few of them end up in the elevator shaft. This is then covered in hundreds
and thousands of tonnes of concrete and steel from above. They survive the
initial collapse, and the films spends the majority of its time focused on two
officers as they try to move, call for help and stay alive, hoping that help
will come from above.
The whole movie is handled very well, and portrays the spirit
and integrity of the people of the world on that day, most of all, the people
of New York City. Any long-time resident of that metropolis would have to be
tough as nails to survive in a city as brash and frenetic as that, but also have
a sense of loyalty and pride to continue living there, despite all it’s been
through and demands of it’s citizens. And when 9/11 happened, the will of the
people of New York was put to the test. And man, did they pass that test or
what? Their tenacity and determination to pick up the pieces and rebuild was
remarkable to watch, and anytime I’ve visited New York – not just my favourite
city but one of my favourite places in the world – I am reminded of that
character and spirit that flows through the city, it’s streets and skyscrapers.
On my fourth and most recent trip to New York in 2010, I once
again returned to the former Ground Zero site to pay my respects. Construction on
the now standing Freedom Tower had just gotten underway earlier in 2010, and
big things were planned for the new monolith of a building to take the place of
its former brothers. Just across the street from the site, was a museum, set up
in memory of the 9/11 attacks. If you ever get the chance to visit this museum,
I highly recommend it. It is moving, heart breaking but also inspiring.
And now, my love affair with New York City continues. It’s
been seven years since my last visit, but I know it won’t be my last forever. I
plan to revisit my favourite big town in the very near future, to continue to explore
new streets, discover new neighbourhoods, and find even more secrets about this
modern-day Rome, which continues to survive and thrive in a changing world,
where the city itself always adapts but stays true to it’s roots.
And kudos to the cast and crew of “World Trade Centre” for
making a sensitive and compelling story of just a few of the individuals
touched by the events of that day. There were many other people and stories,
just as inspiring, and if you do some research, you will find videos,
interviews and books on those stories. I like to watch World Trade Centre to be
reminded of the strength of the human spirit, and to feel that connection to
the city I love so much. September 11th, 2001 was a dark day, but
for me, that event was the catalyst to travel; visit my family overseas and
visit New York. Growing up watching so many movies about that city was a
passion that went deep and personal with me, and no cowardly attack was going
to stop me from going there.
Comments
Post a Comment