Oliver Stone......?!

[MacGuffin]

Stone assesses Sept. 11 project
The director vows to focus on heroism, not politics, in depicting a real-life WTC rescue.
Source: Los Angeles Times

Two men, a rookie police officer and his boss, are trapped 20 feet below a collapsed building. Their bodies are being crushed by massive chunks of cement and have begun to swell. Though they're relative strangers, they spend the next 14 hours goading each other to live, while their families worry over their fate and a ragtag group of rescuers tries to save their lives.

It might be a typical Hollywood disaster movie, but it's actually scenes from the script (obtained by the Los Angeles Times) of the upcoming film about Port Authority police officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin, among the last people rescued from the collapse of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. And it is being brought to the screen by Oliver Stone, long seen as the nation's premier conspiracy-theorist-turned-director.

"It's not about the motives of the terrorists, or who the terrorists were, or the politics of 9/11 in any way," said Stone, whose involvement in the film (which will star Nicolas Cage) was made public by Paramount Pictures last week. "It's about people standing together and overcoming the problem. It's a no-nonsense, austere, vérité document of what they went through in those 24 hours, a procedural if you like, and it should be shot like that."

Word of Stone's participation immediately led to convulsions on the Internet, where bloggers cracked morbid jokes about what Stone might deliver, and whether the director — who proffered a revisionist theory of the Kennedy assassination in his 1991 film "JFK" — would be a suitable candidate to tackle one of the most sensitive topics in recent American history. Others winced at the timing of Paramount's press release one day after the bombings in London.

A year from now, when the film presumably will be released, close to the fifth-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, audiences might be wondering whether they want to shell out 10 dollars to relive the experience. The riveting and well-crafted script — by 31-year-old newcomer Andrea Berloff — is not political. But it is disturbing, with shots of people jumping out of the towers and characters dying under slabs of concrete. Stone's visceral style of directing could amplify the terror experienced by the policemen and, consequently, by the audience.

"[The project] came to me," said Stone, who says he was given the script by his Creative Artists Agency agent Bryan Lourd back in late December, although he wasn't offered the project until May. "If it hadn't come to me, I wouldn't have done it. [The script] just hit me between the eyes."

The director himself thinks that a film about 9/11 should have "been done right away. I don't think you should run from things. You should confront them. It's better for the country. Look at the English [reaction to the recent London subway bombings]. They took it and absorbed it and continued on. They didn't run around and call for huge pieces of legislation costing billions of dollars to defend our homeland and create a huge war in a foreign country."

That is just the sort of subtext that conservative Internet bloggers believe could infuse a film in Stone's hands. Given the narrative story arc of the script, though, it would be hard for a director to add explicit political content, with the two major protagonists spending most of the film in a hole, unaware that the towers have even fallen down.

While allusions to 9/11 have begun to filter through pop culture — most notably in Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" allegory — the untitled Stone film is on track to become the first high-profile studio film to explicitly deal with the tragedy. Although Spielberg's film earned largely glowing notices, some reviewers were troubled by his use of 9/11 imagery, and others have begun to wonder whether the gritty darkness of "War of the Worlds" has turned off some moviegoers. Disaster films usually work on the principle that the on-screen mayhem is a fantastical occurrence, a freakish event that will be suitably confronted, and resolved, by the film's hero.

Hollywood has traditionally taken years to explore wounds to the national psyche. It took more than a decade from the start of American involvement in Vietnam for Hollywood to produce "Coming Home" and "The Deer Hunter," and another decade before Stone made "Platoon." Some episodes from American history — the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima — have barely been examined by Hollywood.

Stone, who's coming off the flop "Alexander," has long been a lightning rod for his controversial stances on everything from Kennedy to Castro. In the aftermath of 9/11, the director was excoriated by members of the press for suggesting that the attacks were a revolt against multi-nationals, "a rebellion against globalization, against the American way," he said at the time. He told the New Yorker about his fantasy of making a "bullet of a film about terrorism, like 'The Battle of Algiers,' " the 1966 film about the Algerian war in which director Gillo Pontecorvo's sympathies lie with the FLN terrorists. "You show the Arab side and the American side in a chase film with a 'French Connection' urgency, where you track people by satellite, like in 'Enemy of the State.' My movie would have the CIA guys and the FBI guys, but they blow it. They're a bunch of drunks from World War II who haven't recovered from the disasters of the '60s — the Kennedy assassination and Vietnam. My movie would show the new heroes of security, the people who really get the job done, who know where the secrets are."

After Friday's announcement connecting the director to the project, bloggers had a field day with visions of a stereotypical Stone paranoid fantasy. "Is Hollywood so out of touch it thinks Stone's version of 9/11 is what America is clamoring for? After 'Alexander,' at that?" asked blogger Mickey Kaus, while another enterprising blogger on the Huffington post wrote up a fake version of the script in which the two lead characters discuss a possible conspiracy in highly inflammable terms.

In fact, the script, which might be the most coherent, moving piece of material to fall into Stone's hands in over a decade, appears to be a straightforward account of the rescue of Jimeno and McLoughlin (the latter to be played by Cage). The story also focuses on their families, and their ad hoc group of rescuers, which includes a born-again Christian former Marine, who drove in his Porsche from Connecticut to help out, as well as a recovering-alcoholic-former paramedic with an expired license and a couple of New York City police officers who at one point had nothing but a pair of handcuffs with which to dig Jimeno out. While waiting to be rescued, one of the policemen even dreams of Jesus.

According to one source close to the project, producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher ("Erin Brockovich") bought Jimeno's and McLoughlin's life rights out of their private development fund, after being brought the story by the late Debra Hill. Screenwriter Berloff has spent extensive time interviewing the real life participants in the drama. This is her first produced screenplay. The film was initially set up at Universal but is now being produced at Paramount.

The film project does bring Stone back to the blue collar terrain of some of his most successful works: "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July." He met with both Jimeno and McLoughlin. "I found them both to be courageous, deeply wounded people. They're both still suffering from the injuries," said Stone, who then quoted Jimeno. "Will said this is a testament not to the evil, but to the good that we as human beings are capable of. That's important. That's healing."

[NEON MERCURY]

PREDICTION:


this film will be the same list as

mulholland dr.
the new world
the fountain
and of course inalnd empire
as this decades' defining moments in film....easily...

this material is perfect for stone........can't fuckign wait!!!

he might be able to top jfk

just do it in taste, respectfull, mindfull, and honerable......w/ stone's touch.

[socketlevel]

Stone assesses Sept. 11 project
The director vows to focus on heroism, not politics, in depicting a real-life WTC rescue.
Source: Los Angeles Times
[/size]

i know i'm one to lash out quickly, but i want you to know i honestly held back from writing this message.  please know that i come from a frame of mind that is very empathetic to the whole issue.  it's just too important not to say.

what a fucking sellout pussy, what ever happened to the guy that made nixon and jfk?  i really hope he's just telling the studios this and films something else.

i'm sorry if some of you guys get pissed off with this, i really am.   but please think about it for a sec...  it sounds like propaganda for the right, or even worse, opportunism to make a movie that cashes in on the biggest attack to mainland america in history.  that is horrible... and beyond tasteless.  i'm not saying a film on this subject matter shouldn't get made, just not with this rhetoric.

the sad thing is that it will win the oscar for sure.  now i know the thought of even considering that is sick.  but that's exactly the point, it is such an obviously sensationalized terrible mess of a film that will exploit all of your patriotic tendencies.  everyone in the states will make sure they go see this movie because they will tell you it's the "right" thing to do (just wait you'll see).  meanwhile, paramount pictures gets fat off of the sorrow, your sorrow.

if they really wanted to make a 9/11 for the right reasons, the film should challenge what everyone thinks of the events, not reaffirm what we already know.  he says it won't be political, but the very nature of the film is highly political.

he could do the heroism angle and still have a biting commentary, so many of his films in the past have had that noble and necessary quality.  maybe he would have had to wait twenty years to do the film i'm talking about, but alas, it's worth the wait.

-sl-

[EDIT]  if they did the right thing they'd give all the money made from this movie to the families of the vitims from 9/11.  stone and all the actors like cage should also do it for free (because you know, the very act of being involved in this project is an honor in itself!  you think they'll think this way?  or just want the paycheck?).  panavsion should donate the cameras, kodak should do the same for film and all the other companies that will profit should follow suit (so that the maximum profit could be made and redistributed to the people that this film will conjure up the darkest memories for).  if that happened then i'd change my tune a bit.  but shit, when there's money to be made, there's money to be made...

[Just Withnail]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

[hedwig]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

i agree, as well. though, i have faith in mr stone

socketlevel - you said they should make a film about 9/11 that challenges audiences to think about the incidents etc., what premise would you use?

[MacGuffin]

Pena Joins the Force
Oliver Stone recruits Michael Pena to co-star with Nicolas Cage in untitled World Trade Center rescue drama.

Michael Pena, most recently seen as part of the ensemble of the critically acclaimed Crash, has been set to join the force. Pena will star with Nicolas Cage in an untitled World Trade Center rescue film from helmer Oliver Stone. The project will go into production later this year for Paramount Pictures.

Penned by Andrea Berloff, Pena will play a Port Authority police officer who, along with Cage's character, answers a rescue call in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The pair is trapped in the rubble when the buildings collapse and are among the few that are rescued from the disaster.

Double Features' Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher will be the producers on the film with Moritz Borman also taking producing credit.

Currently, Pena, repped by Innovative, is filming HBO's Walkout for helmer Edward James Olmos. His other credits include Million Dollar Baby, The United States of Leland and Buffalo Soldiers.

[socketlevel]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

socketlevel - you said they should make a film about 9/11 that challenges audiences to think about the incidents etc., what premise would you use?

i really don't know... i've seen the conspiracy videos but they seem a little fishy to me.  so i'm not saying he should make a movie based upon extreme left ideals (which can be unfounded).  i think he should look at the issue objectively.  it is obvious that the rest of the world is not outright evil, there is dogma everywhere.  That's what the story should be about, dogma in the east and west.

stone should analyze where this anger and hatred for america comes from.  this is not a good thing, but is also not entirely unfounded.  it is true that part of the backlash comes from jealousy of the west, but it is also a backlash to western indulgence and how american foreign policy is horrible.  is this enough reason to launch an attack on new york, of course not!  but the issue isn't so black and white like every media outlet paints it.  and like with any other country, there are good people and bad people on both sides.  all this should be explored.  the rest of the world has a bittersweet reaction to the states.  i'm sure i'm not bursting any bubbles saying this either, a lot of people say they hate you guys yet still feast on your culture and try to emulate it.  that's pathetic, but at the same time the majority of your society is a little overly nationalistic (which is pathetic as well) and don't choose to see film, music, politics, and anything else as equal to their own.

who profited the most from the attack?  was it the middle east, hell no.  was it the american people, nope; it was the current american government.  they used the nationalism to launch a war that had nothing to do with the people who attacked new york.  yet this paranoia was the fuel to get the american people on their side.  that's sick, and should be explored in the film.  am i saying the american government had something to do with the attack, i doubt it, but why did they use this to propagate further hatred?

with all that being said, the pentagon issue should be explored.  that's the one which makes the conspiracy side of me question the events.  it was obviously not a plane, why'd they cover this up?

he should do an epic jfk and nixon approach to the events.  or then again, he should forget the events and explore the moments leading up to the tragedy and the ones that followed it with a critical eye.  objective and critical.  like how certain celebrities were condemned by their stance on the events, like bill mayer (spelling?) from politically incorrect.  it is also disturbing how legislation was introduced (because of 911) which took away americans' rights and freedoms.   there is so much more that could be explored that i could never even have the time or space to get into it.  but since oliver stone is making a film about such issues, it's his duty to do so.

most importantly, his job should be educating americans how all people in the middle east are not terrorists.  but equally important, educate people over seas how the american people are great, funny and not like their government; they can be empathetic.  secondly i think it is important to give a message that there are different ways to conduct life and society.  very often people think their country is the best in the world (sorry to say this is mostly regarding you guys), basically because they need to think their way of life is the only way to live.  that is weak and complacent.  this happens on both sides and in my country as well.  bill hicks said it best when it came to this topic.  he points out that difference is good.  the melding pot doesn't work, which happens in america, the middle east and anywhere people are affraid of the unknown.  the last message of the film should reaffirm that human nature needs to embrace difference.

so as you can see i'm ranting and going in ten different directions at once, and it needs to be filtered.  but any of these angles is far more interesting then the stupid one set out by stone.  were the firefighters heroes?  of course, we don't need nicholas cage to tell us that.

stone made the complexity of jfk palatable so i know he has it in him.  if anyone can do it he can.  he just seems to have lost the vision.

-sl-

oh yeah, the money made should go to the victims' families in new york and iraq.  sounds a little idealistic and perfect, yet it's not an impossibility.

[Sleuth]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

socketlevel - you said they should make a film about 9/11 that challenges audiences to think about the incidents etc., what premise would you use?

i really don't know... i've seen the conspiracy videos but they seem a little fishy to me.  so i'm not saying he should make a movie based upon extreme left ideals (which can be unfounded).  i think he should look at the issue objectively.  it is obvious that the rest of the world is not outright evil, there is dogma everywhere.  That's what the story should be about, dogma in the east and west.

stone should analyze where this anger and hatred for america comes from.  this is not a good thing, but is also not entirely unfounded.  it is true that part of the backlash comes from jealousy of the west, but it is also a backlash to western indulgence and how american foreign policy is horrible.  is this enough reason to launch an attack on new york, of course not!  but the issue isn't so black and white like every media outlet paints it.  and like with any other country, there are good people and bad people on both sides.  all this should be explored.  the rest of the world has a bittersweet reaction to the states.  i'm sure i'm not bursting any bubbles saying this either, a lot of people say they hate you guys yet still feast on your culture and try to emulate it.  that's pathetic, but at the same time the majority of your society is a little overly nationalistic (which is pathetic as well) and don't choose to see film, music, politics, and anything else as equal to their own.

who profited the most from the attack?  was it the middle east, hell no.  was it the american people, nope; it was the current american government.  they used the nationalism to launch a war that had nothing to do with the people who attacked new york.  yet this paranoia was the fuel to get the american people on their side.  that's sick, and should be explored in the film.  am i saying the american government had something to do with the attack, i doubt it, but why did they use this to propagate further hatred?

with all that being said, the pentagon issue should be explored.  that's the one which makes the conspiracy side of me question the events.  it was obviously not a plane, why'd they cover this up?

he should do an epic jfk and nixon approach to the events.  or then again, he should forget the events and explore the moments leading up to the tragedy and the ones that followed it with a critical eye.  objective and critical.  like how certain celebrities were condemned by their stance on the events, like bill mayer (spelling?) from politically incorrect.  it is also disturbing how legislation was introduced (because of 911) which took away americans' rights and freedoms.   there is so much more that could be explored that i could never even have the time or space to get into it.  but since oliver stone is making a film about such issues, it's his duty to do so.

most importantly, his job should be educating americans how all people in the middle east are not terrorists.  but equally important, educate people over seas how the american people are great, funny and not like their government; they can be empathetic.  secondly i think it is important to give a message that there are different ways to conduct life and society.  very often people think their country is the best in the world (sorry to say this is mostly regarding you guys), basically because they need to think their way of life is the only way to live.  that is weak and complacent.  this happens on both sides and in my country as well.  bill hicks said it best when it came to this topic.  he points out that difference is good.  the melding pot doesn't work, which happens in america, the middle east and anywhere people are affraid of the unknown.  the last message of the film should reaffirm that human nature needs to embrace difference.

so as you can see i'm ranting and going in ten different directions at once, and it needs to be filtered.  but any of these angles is far more interesting then the stupid one set out by stone.  were the firefighters heroes?  of course, we don't need nicholas cage to tell us that.

stone made the complexity of jfk palatable so i know he has it in him.  if anyone can do it he can.  he just seems to have lost the vision.

-sl-

oh yeah, the money made should go to the victims' families in new york and iraq.  sounds a little idealistic and perfect, yet it's not an impossibility.

don't thinkk this is weird or anything, but last night I dreamed you wqould say this

[socketlevel]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

socketlevel - you said they should make a film about 9/11 that challenges audiences to think about the incidents etc., what premise would you use?

i really don't know... i've seen the conspiracy videos but they seem a little fishy to me.  so i'm not saying he should make a movie based upon extreme left ideals (which can be unfounded).  i think he should look at the issue objectively.  it is obvious that the rest of the world is not outright evil, there is dogma everywhere.  That's what the story should be about, dogma in the east and west.

stone should analyze where this anger and hatred for america comes from.  this is not a good thing, but is also not entirely unfounded.  it is true that part of the backlash comes from jealousy of the west, but it is also a backlash to western indulgence and how american foreign policy is horrible.  is this enough reason to launch an attack on new york, of course not!  but the issue isn't so black and white like every media outlet paints it.  and like with any other country, there are good people and bad people on both sides.  all this should be explored.  the rest of the world has a bittersweet reaction to the states.  i'm sure i'm not bursting any bubbles saying this either, a lot of people say they hate you guys yet still feast on your culture and try to emulate it.  that's pathetic, but at the same time the majority of your society is a little overly nationalistic (which is pathetic as well) and don't choose to see film, music, politics, and anything else as equal to their own.

who profited the most from the attack?  was it the middle east, hell no.  was it the american people, nope; it was the current american government.  they used the nationalism to launch a war that had nothing to do with the people who attacked new york.  yet this paranoia was the fuel to get the american people on their side.  that's sick, and should be explored in the film.  am i saying the american government had something to do with the attack, i doubt it, but why did they use this to propagate further hatred?

with all that being said, the pentagon issue should be explored.  that's the one which makes the conspiracy side of me question the events.  it was obviously not a plane, why'd they cover this up?

he should do an epic jfk and nixon approach to the events.  or then again, he should forget the events and explore the moments leading up to the tragedy and the ones that followed it with a critical eye.  objective and critical.  like how certain celebrities were condemned by their stance on the events, like bill mayer (spelling?) from politically incorrect.  it is also disturbing how legislation was introduced (because of 911) which took away americans' rights and freedoms.   there is so much more that could be explored that i could never even have the time or space to get into it.  but since oliver stone is making a film about such issues, it's his duty to do so.

most importantly, his job should be educating americans how all people in the middle east are not terrorists.  but equally important, educate people over seas how the american people are great, funny and not like their government; they can be empathetic.  secondly i think it is important to give a message that there are different ways to conduct life and society.  very often people think their country is the best in the world (sorry to say this is mostly regarding you guys), basically because they need to think their way of life is the only way to live.  that is weak and complacent.  this happens on both sides and in my country as well.  bill hicks said it best when it came to this topic.  he points out that difference is good.  the melding pot doesn't work, which happens in america, the middle east and anywhere people are affraid of the unknown.  the last message of the film should reaffirm that human nature needs to embrace difference.

so as you can see i'm ranting and going in ten different directions at once, and it needs to be filtered.  but any of these angles is far more interesting then the stupid one set out by stone.  were the firefighters heroes?  of course, we don't need nicholas cage to tell us that.

stone made the complexity of jfk palatable so i know he has it in him.  if anyone can do it he can.  he just seems to have lost the vision.

-sl-

oh yeah, the money made should go to the victims' families in new york and iraq.  sounds a little idealistic and perfect, yet it's not an impossibility.

don't thinkk this is weird or anything, but last night I dreamed you wqould say this

verbatim?  lol, that's sweet.  you should take that shit on the road.

either i'd imagine you love xixax so much that you went online in your sleep or, shit guy, that is just weird.  no offense taken.  but, to what extent did you dream it? and more importantly, do you consider it a nightmare?

-sl-

[Sleuth]

it sounds like propaganda for the right

Yeah, he should go back to the left.


With that off my chest; yeah, I agree with you.

socketlevel - you said they should make a film about 9/11 that challenges audiences to think about the incidents etc., what premise would you use?

i really don't know... i've seen the conspiracy videos but they seem a little fishy to me.  so i'm not saying he should make a movie based upon extreme left ideals (which can be unfounded).  i think he should look at the issue objectively.  it is obvious that the rest of the world is not outright evil, there is dogma everywhere.  That's what the story should be about, dogma in the east and west.

stone should analyze where this anger and hatred for america comes from.  this is not a good thing, but is also not entirely unfounded.  it is true that part of the backlash comes from jealousy of the west, but it is also a backlash to western indulgence and how american foreign policy is horrible.  is this enough reason to launch an attack on new york, of course not!  but the issue isn't so black and white like every media outlet paints it.  and like with any other country, there are good people and bad people on both sides.  all this should be explored.  the rest of the world has a bittersweet reaction to the states.  i'm sure i'm not bursting any bubbles saying this either, a lot of people say they hate you guys yet still feast on your culture and try to emulate it.  that's pathetic, but at the same time the majority of your society is a little overly nationalistic (which is pathetic as well) and don't choose to see film, music, politics, and anything else as equal to their own.

who profited the most from the attack?  was it the middle east, hell no.  was it the american people, nope; it was the current american government.  they used the nationalism to launch a war that had nothing to do with the people who attacked new york.  yet this paranoia was the fuel to get the american people on their side.  that's sick, and should be explored in the film.  am i saying the american government had something to do with the attack, i doubt it, but why did they use this to propagate further hatred?

with all that being said, the pentagon issue should be explored.  that's the one which makes the conspiracy side of me question the events.  it was obviously not a plane, why'd they cover this up?

he should do an epic jfk and nixon approach to the events.  or then again, he should forget the events and explore the moments leading up to the tragedy and the ones that followed it with a critical eye.  objective and critical.  like how certain celebrities were condemned by their stance on the events, like bill mayer (spelling?) from politically incorrect.  it is also disturbing how legislation was introduced (because of 911) which took away americans' rights and freedoms.   there is so much more that could be explored that i could never even have the time or space to get into it.  but since oliver stone is making a film about such issues, it's his duty to do so.

most importantly, his job should be educating americans how all people in the middle east are not terrorists.  but equally important, educate people over seas how the american people are great, funny and not like their government; they can be empathetic.  secondly i think it is important to give a message that there are different ways to conduct life and society.  very often people think their country is the best in the world (sorry to say this is mostly regarding you guys), basically because they need to think their way of life is the only way to live.  that is weak and complacent.  this happens on both sides and in my country as well.  bill hicks said it best when it came to this topic.  he points out that difference is good.  the melding pot doesn't work, which happens in america, the middle east and anywhere people are affraid of the unknown.  the last message of the film should reaffirm that human nature needs to embrace difference.

so as you can see i'm ranting and going in ten different directions at once, and it needs to be filtered.  but any of these angles is far more interesting then the stupid one set out by stone.  were the firefighters heroes?  of course, we don't need nicholas cage to tell us that.

stone made the complexity of jfk palatable so i know he has it in him.  if anyone can do it he can.  he just seems to have lost the vision.

-sl-

oh yeah, the money made should go to the victims' families in new york and iraq.  sounds a little idealistic and perfect, yet it's not an impossibility.

don't thinkk this is weird or anything, but last night I dreamed you wqould say this

verbatim?  lol, that's sweet.  you should take that shit on the road.

either i'd imagine you love xixax so much that you went online in your sleep or, shit guy, that is just weird.  no offense taken.  but, to what extent did you dream it? and more importantly, do you consider it a nightmare?

-sl-

word for fucking word, this is so freaky I can't take it anymore I'm crying

[MacGuffin]

Stone Casts Trio
Thesps join first 9/11 feature.

Variety reports that Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone has added more cast members to his forthcoming 9/11 feature film. Maria Bello (Secret Window) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (Mona Lisa Smile) will play the wives of the true story's two main characters. Michael Pena (Crash) also has been cast in one of the lead roles.

The untitled pic stars Nicolas Cage as Sgt. John McLoughlin opposite Pena as Officer William J. Jimeno. The two N.Y. Port Authority officers were trapped in the rubble when the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001.

The Paramount film recounts the efforts to rescue the two officers, who were the last survivors to be found.

Filming kicks off this fall in New York.

[hedwig]

Maggie Gyllenhaal

[MacGuffin]

Sept. 11 Pic Set for 8/11
The Oliver Stone-directed World Trade Center-themed film will hit theaters one month before the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11.

Paramount Pictures has selected August 11, one month before the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, as the release date for its upcoming Oliver Stone 9/11 pic...currently referred to as Untitled World Trade Center, according to Daily Variety. The studio chose the date so that it did not look like it was trying to commercially exploit the disaster.

Starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena, the film centers on the last two people pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center. The true story centers on John McLoughlin and William J. Jimeno, two Port Authority officers who were helping people escape from the Center when they suddenly became trapped in the rubble themselves. The pair was ultimately rescued. Andrea Berloff penned the script.

The touchy subject matter has already had the project being produced under a shroud of scrutiny. Many were worried that Stone might introduce his own politics into the storyline.

Currently Universal Pictures is also mounting a 9/11 pic, although that film centers on doomed American Airlines Flight 93, which went down in a field in Pennsylvania. Paul Greengrass is helming Flight 93, which many expect to hit theaters before the Stone project.

[Gold Trumpet]

Absolute glee Stone is committing to a project. Considering how bad the reviews were for Alexander, I expected him to likely drop out of film altogether. He seemed that disgruntled. Its excellent to hear he is getting back on board for new work so quickly. America cinema needs him.

[polkablues]

Many were worried that Stone might introduce his own politics into the storyline.

If he doesn't, I can't imagine any reason to actually watch this movie.  Oliver Stone, minus politics, equals "Alexander".  And any 9/11 movie, minus politics, equals pointlessness.

Much as I admire Stone, I'm actually looking forward to Paul Greengrass' film a little more.  If he can give it the "Bloody Sunday" treatment and not let it get glossed over (the TV version, "The Flight That Fought Back", made me want to throw up, then hit something, then throw up again), he should actually be able to do justice to the story, without making it a) exploitative, b) offensive, or c) jingoistic.