25 Years On: The 9/11 Legacy in Film, TV, and Journalism

Key points

• PBS FRONTLINE has released a curated list of 24 documentaries and one podcast episode, all available for free streaming, to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
• The collection spans from 2001 to 2022, covering topics such as the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the Iraq War, CIA torture methods, NSA surveillance, and the rise of ISIS.
• The Hollywood Reporter argues that despite numerous attempts, no film has successfully combined the literal tragedy of 9/11 with the vitality of cinematic fantasy, leaving a gap in cultural memory.
• The Los Angeles Times suggests that oblique dramas, such as 'Donnie Darko' and '25th Hour,' better capture the lingering anxiety of the post-9/11 era than direct depictions of the attacks.
• Deadline notes that the attacks directly impacted the entertainment industry, including the death of 'Frasier' co-creator David Angel and the subsequent success of the TV series '24'.

Background

The 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks has prompted a wave of retrospective coverage across various media sectors. While the archive contains unrelated stories on financial trends and public health, the current focus is on how the media landscape has processed the event over two decades. This includes a shift from immediate news coverage to long-term documentary analysis and a re-evaluation of how Hollywood has attempted to translate national trauma into entertainment.

How outlets are covering it

The outlets offer distinct lenses on the 9/11 legacy. PBS FRONTLINE emphasizes the factual and investigative record, highlighting the long-term consequences of the 'war on terror' through a comprehensive archive of journalistic work. In contrast, The Hollywood Reporter and The Los Angeles Times focus on the artistic and cultural processing of the event. The Hollywood Reporter criticizes the industry for failing to create a 'great' film that balances authenticity with spectacle, while The Los Angeles Times argues that indirect, atmospheric films have better captured the era's mood. Deadline provides a more industry-focused perspective, detailing how the attacks disrupted production schedules and influenced the success of specific television programs, such as '24' and 'Law & Order'.

Why it matters

This anniversary serves as a critical moment for reassessing the long-term impact of 9/11 on American society, policy, and culture. The availability of extensive documentary archives allows for a deeper understanding of the intelligence failures and ethical compromises that followed the attacks. Furthermore, the debate over cinematic representation highlights the ongoing struggle to find appropriate ways to process national trauma, reflecting broader societal tensions regarding memory, privacy, and security.

What to watch

As the 25th anniversary concludes, the focus will likely shift to the ongoing legal and political ramifications of the post-9/11 era, including the continued debate over surveillance programs and the legacy of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the entertainment sector, there may be a renewed interest in projects that attempt to address the 9/11 narrative, potentially from a new generation of filmmakers who did not experience the events firsthand.