A brilliant view of recent New York historyAugust 16, 2008 I'm from New York and think it's one of the greatest cities in the world.
This video is very realistic. I lived in New York while the World Trade Center was being planned and built. This video really captures a lot of the spirit of the times. A lot of people don't realize that the World Trade Center was a near total financial disaster when it opened and was considered by many a giant mistake. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller saved the day by moving a lot of New York state offices into the complex.
Paradoxically, the World Trade Center represented little of the "free enterprise" vision that many see as gospel today. It was the creation of a government agency, the Port Authority - not free enterprise.
Nevertheless, I think it was a big plus for New York, and it eventually became a financial success.
A Brilliant DocumentarySeptember 11, 2006 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This eighth installment of "New York", the Ric Burns' PBS-TV "American Experience" documentary series, is a fascinatingly-absorbing tale of the rise and fall of the iconic World Trade Center.
At just a shade under three full hours in length, "New York Episode Eight: The Center Of The World" provides the viewer with an intense, in-depth look into the planning, development, construction, and sad demise of the famous Twin Towers in Manhattan, complete with breathtaking aerial views of the behemoths during construction and after completion.
This 2003 documentary relies on new interviews, plus a wealth of archival film and video footage from the 1960s and 1970s, to skillfully and entertainingly weave the complete story of the WTC and the enormous task of creating the massive Trade Center complex.
I like the fact that Director Ric Burns doesn't rush to tell the story at a mile-a-minute pace. The saga of these great buildings evolves in a more leisurely, relaxed manner during the program.
The sheer scope of what we lost in just a few short seconds as the Towers crumbled into dust on September 11, 2001, might not be fully realized until viewing a program like this one, which provides many of the statistics and specifications for the World Trade Center's combined 220 stories.
This film also includes a detailed account of the fascinating tale of high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who walked from the top of one tower to the other (1,360 feet above the streets of New York) on August 7th, 1974. In all, Petit spent 45 minutes walking (and dancing) from one tower to the other, making a total of eight passes between the two immense structures. We get to see many spectacular pictures of Petit performing his death-defying high-wire act, which was a feat that sort of "humanized" the bulky steel Towers in the minds of many people.
The final 52 minutes of the documentary focuses on the destruction of the World Trade Center on September the eleventh, 2001. During the majority of those last fifty-plus minutes of the program, you might very well find yourself with one hand clasped over your mouth, still in near-disbelief that this awful tragedy could have possibly taken place on that sunny Tuesday morning.
No matter how many times you see those airplanes slam into those two skyscrapers, and no matter how many replays you watch of the Towers pancaking down into the street, the images of the events of 9/11, even years later, are still powerful enough to produce the inevitable "Oh My God!" type of shocked reaction. It's a tragic event of such incredible proportions that it seemingly will never grow old, and will never cease to resonate in the minds of most Americans.
You're not likely to find a more complete, detailed, and heartfelt examination of the fallen status symbols known as the "Twin Towers" than can be found within this PBS presentation. This DVD is a keepsake and a timeless reminder of not only the sadness of what America lost on September 11th, 2001, but this enriching film also serves as an uplifting reminder of what the World Trade Center stood for in its nearly 30 years of existence.
The pride and sense of accomplishment in helping to rejuvenate a decaying New York City that was felt by the many, many people who were involved in helping those Towers rise to become (at the time) the tallest buildings in the world in the early 1970s, is something that no terrorist actions can ever diminish or destroy. And that sense of pride can be felt in this magnificent documentary program.
This "PBS DVD Gold" disc features a Widescreen (1.78:1) version of the documentary, which is the way the film was framed for its original telecast on PBS. The DVD's audio comes from a crisp English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Stereo soundtrack.
There are also a few bonus items on the DVD:
1.) An interview with Ric Burns on the making of "The Center Of The World". (Run time of just under 8 minutes.)
2.) A Deleted Scene (Outtake) from Part 7 of Ric Burns' "New York" documentary film, involving the crash of a B-25 bomber into the Empire State Building in July 1945. (4 minutes.)
3.) Selected Interviews, featuring Ed Koch, Philippe Petit, Mario Cuomo, and others. When strung together, these various interviews last for a total of 19 minutes.
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A Final Thought:
"New York Episode Eight: The Center Of The World" is a DVD that I am very proud to own, and is one that I shall treasure for many years to come.
A moving, entertaining, ultra-informative film about The Towers.August 24, 2005 9 out of 9 found this review helpful
You've just got to buy this DVD. It's about the World Trade Center, but it's really about so much more. It gives the history of the Towers from their inception in the 50s (I believe) to the aftermath of 9/11. David Ogden Stiers (Winchester of MASH) narrates it with power and grace. People connected with New York City give their perspectives on the buildings in the most poetic of ways. There are too many to mention here, but Pete Hamill (the writer), an older gentleman who held a top position in regards to the Trade Center (I'm embarrassed I can't be more specific, the guy is a treasure), and Mario Cuomo are among the standouts.
But best of all is the French performance artist who did an electrifying tightwire show between the towers back in the 70s, which humanized these huge, cold buildings (to paraphrase Hamill from the film). This guy, whose name I would have a hard time spelling if it were in front of me, brings a love of life, New York City and especially the World Trade Center to the proceedings that makes his segment the "Center of the Center of the World." With all the French bashing going on since 9/11, this film should be seen by everyone in the United States (and the whole world for that matter). Yes, French foreign policy sometimes leaves something to be desired (sounds like the US and every other dang country), but watching this French man express his unconditional love for New York and the Towers leaves you proud to be a citizen of the planet Earth.
So go order this episode right now. It's historic, informative, entertaining, moving, educational, witty, heartwrenching, and any other positive thing you can say about a 3 hour film. PBS gets a lot of flack for their programming, but they achieved perfection with this baby.
The best documentary about The World Trade Center and 9/11May 27, 2005 2 out of 4 found this review helpful
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