What 9/11 Means to America

A series of events lasting 102 minutes changed the outlook of an entire nation. People will forever view the attacks of September 11th, 2001, as the dawn of a new era in the United States. The attacks left Americans lost and stricken with grief. No one knew how to react, how long to grieve, and when or if it was appropriate to move on. In the wake of the attacks, films offered an escape from the turmoil, anger, and frustration. However, like the general public, coping proved difficult for the entertainment industry. The question “what does 9/11 mean to Americans” can be answered by examining the evolution of film before, immediately after, and many years following the attacks.

1990s Cinema

The focus of filmography in the 1990s drastically differs when compared to cinema following 9/11. Escalonilla (2010) states a major theme frequently explored throughout the 90s is “the inefficiency of the authorities in the prevention of terrorism” (p.13). Furthermore, how 90s cinema portrays terrorism differs as well. Before September 11th, 2001, a foreign attack on American soil was incomprehensible to many people. Therefore, the fear of domestic terrorism overshadowed that of international terrorism. Four years after the Oklahoma City bombing, the entertainment industry capitalized on the public’s fear of domestic terrorism with Arlington Road (1999). Escalonilla (2010) explains that the film’s subtitle, “Your Paranoia is Real,” exploited the public’s fear of “mistrust, insecurity, and latent danger, in which the immediate threat comes not from outside agents but dwells within the borders of the country” (p.14). Although domestic terrorism is a dominant theme in 90s cinema, in general, catastrophic themes ran rampant throughout the 90s.

Cinema in the 90s thrived off of cataclysmic themes. Individuals are fascinated by destruction, and the entertainment industry capitalized on their fascination. Schneider (2013) further explains, “of all media platform and genres, disaster films exerted perhaps the strongest influence of Americans” (p. 298). Films such as Independence Day (1996) and Deep Impact (1998) are prime examples of popular movies depicting scenes of mass destructions and chaos in major cities. However, shortly after the attacks of September 11th, a radical thematic change occurred throughout the film industry.

Cinema Directly After the Terrorist Attacks

Following the terrorist attacks, few people wanted to view further chaos and destruction. People sought to escape the devastation they witnessed, and the entertainment industry took notice. As Dixon (2004) explains, “In the days and weeks after 9/11, Hollywood briefly abandoned the hyper-violent spectacles that dominated the mainstream late 1990s cinema” (p.116). Instead of continuing to release films based on the destruction of modern civilization, the entertainment industry released films that harmonized with the emotions of the population. Popular fantasy film series such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings offered the American people an opportunity to escape the tragedy and challenge of everyday existence (Dixon, 2004, p. 116). Although the change of direction of movie genres is noticeable, the censorship of the Twin Towers from films after the attacks is not as apparent.

Due to the hypersensitivity of the American people regarding the World Trade Center and air travel, films that were set to release in 2001 cut entire scenes including the towers. Along with scene cuts, the film industry altered popular movie posters. Scott Bowels (2002) further explains, “Images of the World Trade Center were removed from posters for fear of offending moviegoers.” Spider-Man (2002) and Lilo & Stitch (2002) both cut and altered entire scenes to avoid offending viewers. The entertainment industry practiced extreme caution in the years directly after the terrorist attacks. However, Hollywood’s sensitivity towards 9/11 did not last.

Cinema Moves On

Three years after the attacks, Holland (2012) states that, “The nation became ready more critically to examine 9/11” (p. 290). The documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) began a movement throughout the film industry to directly address the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Slowly, the American people became more comfortable with viewing material regarding September 11th. As comfort grew within the population, it morphed into a fascination. Films such as United 93 (2006) and World Trade Center (2006) directly depicted the attacks, and according to The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) were the first and fifth-ranked films of that year.

The success of United 93 and World Trade Center showed the entertainment industry the public had again become comfortable viewing cataclysmic themes that 90s cinema is known for. In the years since the two films were released, there have been numerous blockbuster films depicting the mass destruction of modern civilization. These films include the Transformers series, the Fast and Furious series, and Marvel’s Avengers series. The film industry is back to a point where it can venture into controversial themes without causing a public outcry.

After the attacks of September 11th, 2001, the film industry evolved alongside the American population. The violent and destructive themes of 90s films disappeared as the population grieved. However, as the people recovered, those violent and destructive themes made their way back into mainstream cinema. I believe the evolution of film shows the resilience of the American population. Despite the horrific events of 9/11, in time, the American population and the film industry moved on.

Reference List

Dixon, W. W. (2004). Teaching film after 9/11. Cinema Journal, 43(2), 115–118.

Holland, J. (2012). It’s complicated: Spider-Man 2’s inscription of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in post-9/11 America. Journal Of American Culture, 35(4), 289–303.

Most popular titles released 2006–01–01 to 2006–12–31. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2016, from http://www.imdb.com/search/title?year=2006,2006

Sánchez-Escalonilla, A. (2010). Hollywood and the rhetoric of panic: The popular genres of action and fantasy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Journal Of Popular Film & Television, 38(1), 10–20.

Schneider-Mayerson, M. (2013). Disaster movies and the ‘peak oil’ movement: Does popular culture encourage eco-apocalyptic beliefs in the United States?. Journal For The Study Of Religion, Nature & Culture, 7(3), 289–314.

Scott, B. (2002). Head-on Spike Lee says ‘hour’ is at hand. USA Today.