# WTC History in Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2007, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697 "2007-03-13T02:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/21 "2008-04-28T23:20:11Z")
The CIA’s New York offices were there in _Three Days of the Condor_. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/22 "2008-04-29T01:03:25Z")
Not a movie, but a music video. Ryan Adam’s video for New York, New York was filmed on September 7, 2001 with the WTC in the background. It’s a little eerie. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=YNMphsrBTJY](http://youtube.com/watch?v=YNMphsrBTJY) (video) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/23 "2008-04-29T02:37:29Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] They’ve just made a [documentary](http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/btm/feature/2008/04/28/tribeca1/) on Petit’s feat. It just premiered at Tribeca and is slated for general release in August. It sounds like a great film. [/QUOTE] There was also a Caldecott-winning children’s book about Petit called _The Man Who Walked Between The Towers_, written and illustrated by Mordecai Gerstein. The book was adapted into an animated short film by Michael Sporn for Weston Woods/Scholastic. Regarding depictions of the WTC in pop culture not involving it under construction, there are three depictions of the World Trade Center which seem rather disturbing nowadays after 9/11: The poster of the 1987 comedy [_The Squeeze_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094021/) depicts Michael Keaton being crushed between the two towers. An album called [_Party Music_](http://www.snopes.com/rumors/thecoup.asp) by a band called The Coup depicts an exploding World Trade Center. The [cover](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Image:Ssmag.197610.jpg) of the October 1976 issue of _Sesame Street Magazine_ parodies the 1976 _King Kong_ by depicting Cookie Monster eating the World Trade Center. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/24 "2008-04-29T04:59:41Z")
For poignancy, how can we leave out The Simpsons? [The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_of_New_York_vs._Homer_Simpson) The production crew tried to make the episode as graphically accurate as possible. They built a scale model of New York, paying close attention to the area around and between the twin towers.The detail work even extended to the interiors of the elevators. This episode was removed from syndication after the 2001 attacks, but has since returned, with some scenes edited out, most notably a scene where two men are arguing from the tops of the towers, and the man in Tower Two yells, “They stick all the jerks in Tower One!” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/25 "2008-04-29T05:04:59Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] This episode was removed from syndication after the 2001 attacks, but has since returned, with some scenes edited out, most notably a scene where two men are arguing from the tops of the towers, and the man in Tower Two yells, “They stick all the jerks in Tower One!” [/QUOTE] I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that scene is still in there, and the only cuts are standard syndication cuts (which in this episode, include a few subway jokes, including Homer believing someone else’s legs to be his own and Lisa exchanging addresses with a hobo. “Send it to…um…Jesus, care of the Pentagon.”) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/26 "2008-04-29T05:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that scene is still in there, and the only cuts are standard syndication cuts (which in this episode, include a few subway jokes, including Homer believing someone else’s legs to be his own and Lisa exchanging addresses with a hobo. “Send it to…um…Jesus, care of the Pentagon.”) [/QUOTE] Well, I’ll change Wikipedia, then. I’ll change a lot of things! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intravenus_De_Milo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/27 "2008-04-29T05:58:49Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > Regarding depictions of the WTC in pop culture not involving it under construction, there are three depictions of the World Trade Center which seem rather disturbing nowadays after 9/11: To this I’ll add the scene where Billy Ray and Louis are going to the commodities exchange in **Trading Places**. The scene opens with a big pan shot of the WTC, followed by Louis giving a pep talk (about trading) featuring phrases along the lines of “in here, it’s kill or be killed” and “take no prisoners”. Yikes. Time and history were not kind to that part of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/28 "2008-04-29T06:41:05Z")
I remember part of the ad campaign for the first Spiderman being pulled because he caught bad guys fleeing in a helicopter in a web between the towers. Poor Spidey - nothing goes right for him. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/29 "2008-04-29T11:54:10Z")
They show up in the end of _Sid & Nancy_, a I think there’s some shots of them in _Koyaanisqatsi_. In **post** 9/11 films, they appear in _Munich_ which is set in the early 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/30 "2008-04-29T12:03:51Z")
Slight hijack: Every year, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS puts out a CD of Broadway casts singing holiday songs. The songs for the 2001 CD were recorded September 9 & 10 at St. John’s Lutheran Church close to the Towers. The artwork that was being printed on 9/11/2001 showed the World Trade Towers. The artwork got pulled and was put on the inside, and BCEFA made a generous donation to the WTC fund. There also a snowglobe put out every year that features the logos from all the shows and the NYC Skyline. The 2001 one feature the Towers. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/31 "2008-04-29T12:07:17Z")
On reruns of Friends I still see shots of the towers on their little ‘this is NYC’ shot at the beginning of a scene. Zoolander did have all their shots of the WTC edited out but Vanila Sky (shot before, released after) did not. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/32 "2008-04-29T12:27:52Z")
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit use to open with a view of the WTC at night. They later switched to a view of an NYC street at night. The Simpsons had an episode Homer vs. the City of New York that revolved around the WTC. “All the jerks are in Tower One.” ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/33 "2008-04-29T13:29:14Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > …and yes, the OP was actually referring to/asking for depictions of the WTC while under construction, but also mentioned poignancy as a factor, and to me (and I guess to other repliers) seeing depictions of them as still-standing finished structures is much more poignant than showing them under construction, since they were finished structures since as far back as I can remember and a regular part of my life. Sorta related, I’ve seen several movies–RENT and Miracle-the story of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team–made post-9/11, but set pre-9/11 where they included at least one shot of the WTC as a tribute to the towers, as much as a framing shot to tell people/remind people this scene is set in New York City. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/34 "2008-04-29T16:22:56Z")
In the TV movie “Mazes & Monsters,” Tom Hanks goes nuts playing a D&D-like game and ends up at the WTC looking for his runaway brother. Not sure how poignant it was. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/35 "2008-04-29T16:54:38Z")
The Super Mario Brothers Movie. (I was a kid, I thought it was cool!) There’s a scene toward the end where Manhattan has been merged with the Mushroom Kingdom. The morphing of the Twin Towers with Koopa’s towers is rather striking; the Koopa towers are rather damaged, and the morph effect makes it appear as though the Twin Towers are collapsing. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/36 "2008-07-18T18:59:19Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] I can’t remember if it was in an actual feature movie, or part of some “magic” show on TV, or just what, but some guy attempted (and I believe actually completed) a tightrope walk between the two towers. Anybody else see that and remember any details of it? I seem to recall it was quite windy up there and the guy was maybe wearing a parachute or else had some safety equipment close by. [/QUOTE] [Man on Wire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIawNRm9NWM) opens next weekend (presumably in limited distribution). Looks great. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/37 "2008-07-18T19:26:46Z")
A brief montage of changes in the appearance of NYC from then (Civil War period) to now at the end of _Gangs of New York_ concludes with a modern view showing the towers (the film was released in 2002). ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/38 "2008-07-19T06:30:05Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] In **post** 9/11 films, they appear in _Munich_ which is set in the early 1970s. [/QUOTE] The don’t just appear in _Munich_–they’re featured in the very last shot of the film, like a double exclamation point on Spielberg’s message about how ugly and dehumanizing revenge is. That was about the most poignant appearance of the WTC in films I’ve seen so far. Also, it’s not so much their construction as their de-construction–footage of the ground zero clean up–that appears in _25th Hour._ Again, very poignant and sad. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697/39 "2008-07-19T16:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] [Man on Wire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIawNRm9NWM) opens next weekend (presumably in limited distribution). Looks great. [/QUOTE] I was coming in to post that- the trailer is amazing, and I can’t wait to see it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-history-in-movies/395697.md?page=1)