The cable network History -- formerly known as the History Channel (it'll always be the History Channel to me) -- has a couple of projects in the works, one of which will likely fuel both sides of the political debate as election time nears. "102 Minutes That Changed the World" is a piece on 9/11, culling footage from pros and amateurs, including two terrified New York University seniors in a high-rise dorm just blocks from the World Trade Center. They started shooting the smoking North Tower after it was hit by the first plane, then captured the second plane hitting the South Tower.
The 102-minute piece will premiere without commercials at 9 p.m. on Sept. 11. Done in "real time" format, it'll feature footage from more than 100 sources, pieced together in chronological order, without narration, to provide what History is calling a "seamless historical record of that day."
The other project, "WW II HD," is a 10-part series scheduled for 2009 that follows a group of men as their paths cross throughout the war. It will use 3000 hours of restored color archival footage and hundreds of pages of unpublished diaries and journals.
Known talent will read their words, with the goal being to present the war "not as detached historical facts, but rather as profound experiences on the level of a great Hollywood epic," the network said. Modern HD footage will blend with original Library of Congress audio recordings from the war.
As for the 9/11 piece: of course, we should never forget the horrors of that day, and the weeks and months that followed. But I won't be watching. Seeing it the first time in "real time" was quite enough to burn an imprint in my brain forever.
And the WWII piece? I don't know. There have been so many things done on WWII, you hardly think they'll keep coming up with new ways to frame it. And yet, they do. Or maybe they're not so new, and they just want us to believe they are. I'm sure my history-buff husband will check it out. I probably won't.
What about you? Think you'll be watching either of these?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-08-2008 @ 7:53PM
Doctor Professor said...
WILL THEY REPORT THAT 9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB? WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!!!!1
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7-08-2008 @ 8:45PM
plinstrot said...
lol... a truther calling other people sheep
7-08-2008 @ 10:12PM
Oreo said...
You are a disgrace to the human race.
7-08-2008 @ 11:30PM
ac said...
For the last time there is no way our dumbass president could of planned 9/11!
7-08-2008 @ 11:58PM
VP said...
You are giving our president way too much credit there.
7-09-2008 @ 10:09AM
Michael said...
if the president cant save a city from destruction what makes u think he could plan 9/11 Clinton maybe cus he was competent but not bush
7-08-2008 @ 7:57PM
Jorie said...
The History Channel showing something about history? I'll believe it when I see it.
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7-08-2008 @ 8:46PM
plinstrot said...
lol... a truther calling other people sheep.
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7-09-2008 @ 4:06AM
Mike said...
They will when someone provides proof that it was an inside job.
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7-09-2008 @ 7:25AM
Maverick Saturn said...
They are doing the same thing for 7/7 over here recently.
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7-09-2008 @ 10:36AM
dawn said...
When will the truthers stop, Don't you think the family's of the victims would be shouting from the roof tops. This was the worst terrorist attack in our history and the truthers are just playing games. It's the most disrespectful thing ever
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7-10-2008 @ 8:20AM
LC said...
They won't stop. They are mentally ill.
7-09-2008 @ 1:52PM
steve sundberg said...
@Jane Boursaw For all the history that exists of WWII, not much until the past decade has explored the personal experiences of the soldiers who actually fought the battles. That's why a program like this will be so enrichening, engaging, and educational. The publication of Stephen Ambrose's book "Citizen Soldiers" seemed to open the floodgate of personal memoirs that we're currently seeing. Prior to that, the history we learned was often only about leadership (e.g. Rommel, or fighting under Rommel) or strategy/tactics ... unless the history involved a citizen-soldier who went on to greater fame, e.g. George H.W. Bush.
Compare the original late-1960's "Battle of the Bulge" with "Band of Brothers" to see what I'm talking about.
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9-13-2008 @ 9:07PM
Lynn said...
I did watch the 9/11 show. Not because I don't remember what happened. I agree that seeing it once was enough to forever imprint it in my mind. My children, however, were too young to understand what was happening at the time. This year, I finally felt they were old enough to understand, and this program was the perfect opportunity to show them why 9/11 is such an important day now. I had to do some explaining as the show went on, but overall, I felt like it was a good testament to what happened on that day and how the event has changed our lives now.
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