Twin Towers at the end of Munich ?

This was clearly made as a symbolic imagery - and if that wasn’t enough - at the same time we are informed that 9 of the 11 palestinian terrorists where killed (9-11) 911

What’s your impression ?

Er. No, I think it was because the scene was set in New York in the 1970s, and the towers still existed then.

What he said. And they were digitially added–the park that the two guys were strolling around in wasn’t so clean and fancy in the '70s. I was there.

I thought it was a sad grace note to a fascinating film. I spent ten days before the Oscars watching the five nominees and Munich was not the best, but the most skillfully-made one.

Well, 9 of the 11 were killed. Coincidence, nothing more. And it would be stupid to not have the towers in the shot.

I don’t think the 9 off 11 thing had anything to do with anything. I can’t say it was a fact, because I think Speilberg took some liberties with the story, but he’d have to since the operation was pretty top secret (though maybe someone can find a cite?).

The lingering end shot on the towers was a really poignant reminder about the message of the film. That eye-for-an-eye violence, which is what the film is all about, is still something that exists today within our own government.

Wait, that was too harsh.

Spielberg did choose the park carefully, so that the towers could be seen. It was a statement on terrorism.

But I think it was chosen mostly to connect the audience with the Black September incidents, to help people understand the feelings of the people back then. Plenty of people who saw that movie had little idea how powerful the Munich murders were for Jews.

Connecting it to 9/11 would have (hopefully) made people say “Oh, yeah, I know how that feels, kind of.”

I think you are wrong :dubious:

This information came up on the screen while we saw the Twin Towers in the background

Coincidence ??

You people are so naive

I don’t think that Spielberg had any political agenda with this, but like most filmmakers he uses symbols for what it’s worth
I’m 99% sure that this was not coincident

It was about as coincidental as a bowling ball to the head.

:smack:

Why do you want our opinion, then?

Did you read my post at 8:25 am?

Oh wait, are you talking about how saying that 9 of 11 terrorists were killed is somehow tied to what happened in NYC on 9/11?

Okay, that IS a coincidence, and a lame one at that.

If you want something to get all up in arms about, how about the fact that the terrorist head of Black September was never brought to justice for the Munich murders, and was in fact later entertained by many heads of state, his crimes virtually forgotten as he aged?

Perhaps the director tried to create a line from 1972 Munich to 911

Well, duh.

I see you are from Israel, what do you think about this?

It’s a coincidence, kid. There are parallels to be drawn, but that isn’t one of them.

Nine people were killed, and there were actually more than 11 involved. There just happened to be 11 on the list. Allegedly.

What Alessan said.

For the purpose of further reference in this thread, here is the exact text of the postscript that appears in the movie’s closing shot: “Ultimately nine of the eleven Palestinian men originally targeted for assassination were killed, including Ali Hassan Salameh in 1979.” (I’ve copied it from the DVD, which I popped into my DVD player just to look this up.)

My thoughts: Even though the final scene was set in New York City, Spielberg did not have to include a shot of the World Trade Center. Recreating that image for the closing shot represented some extra work, so I do think Spielberg is trying to say something by including that image. I think the closing shot of the digitally WTC Towers helps give the viewers, particularly American viewers, an understanding that dealing with terrorism is not a historical issue, but one that persists to this day. It’s not a problem that happens overseas, but a problem that can have direct consequences on our home soil. And that dealing with terrorism in the 21st century can (and probably will) be just as difficult as dealing with it in the 1970s. This is strictly my opinion, though.

One thing that I think is important to consider is the context of that final shot. It comes after a heated conversation between Avner and Ephraim, during which Avner says something to the effect that killing the terrorists just led to other terrorists taking their place. Some viewers may interpret that final shot of the WTC Towers as a statement on the contemporary issue of tracking down the plotters behind the September 11, 2001 attacks and killing them, and whether or not that would truly address the issue of making this country safer. Others might say that such pursuit of terrorists is more about justice than about prevention of future attacks.

As for the reference in the postcript to “nine of the eleven” targets being killed, I think it’s a stretch to say that this is a direct reference to September 11, 2001. Unless you are big on numerology, and personally I have not previously encountered any interest in numerology in your posting history, which has been noteworthy for its preoccupation with Israel.

I’m not sure why a numerological reference in the text postcript would even be necessary, considering that you’ve got a digitally recreated World Trade Center on the screen in front of you, and nowadays most people are unable to see any visual representation of those Towers without thinking of that terrible day. Granted, Spielberg has not always been the most subtle of filmmakers, but I really do believe that in this case, the simpler explanation is the most likely to be correct.

Wildfire, what are your thoughts on the significance of the final scene? Suppose the numerological aspects of the postcript is a deliberate reference to 9-11? So what? Does it really change the context of that final image, which contains a digitally recreated WTC Towers? I would have thought that for most viewers, the mere image of those Towers would suffice to serve as a reference to the events of September 11, 2001.

I agree there. He was definitely trying to say something with this image

I’m not sure if you’re being obtuse, or just think the OP is retarded, but he is not talking about the fact that 9 of the 11 terrorists were killed. He’s talking about the fact that Speilberg decided to relate this information while showing the WTC towers. It could just as easily have been white words on a black background, after a fade, but the director chose to describe the fate of 9/11ths of the terrorists over the picture of the towers.