They're Removing the WTC from the Spider-Man Trailer and Poster?

[Jezka]

Before I get started, please hold your fire with the "callous bitch" comments until I'm finished.

I have heard that several films have been altered or have had their release dates pushed back in light of the terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C. and New York City. One of these films, Spider-Man, somewhat fits into the first category because it has had its trailer and poster changed to omit the image of the Twin Towers. Now I must ask: why? Neither the trailer nor the poster has anything to do with the towers blowing up, it merely has them included as part of the familiar New York skyline. The pushing back of films and television series that have to do with bombings is understandable, but the Spider-Man trailer and poster have NOTHING to do with explosions. The only connection the World Trade Center has to violence in the trailer is the fact that Spidey strung his web across the towers to catch some criminals fleeing in a helicopter. So why remove a perfectly harmless image of the World Trade Center? Does the image frighten so many people now that no one will be able to watch a movie set in New York again? How about all the reruns of "Friends" that are shown on T.V.? Are they going to have to digitally alter them to remove any trace of the World Trade Center? Will that postcard your Aunt Em sent you a couple months ago from New York with the skyline on it give you a heart attack when you look at it again? I assume that the images are being taken out of the trailer and poster because the Powers That Be figured that we didn't need to be reminded that that particular building doesn't exist anymore. Funny, because they seem to delight in showing the footage of the towers collapsing over and over. Somehow, I think people would rather watch the Spider-Man trailer with the World Trade Center in it than the news with the World Trade Center in it.

You may begin the "you callous bitch" comments now.

[ak]

"Callous bitch" has nothing to do with it, you make a very fair point.

It seems that watching the Spiderman film, or looking at the poster could have one of two reactions:

If they included the towers, people would say - "Hang on, those towers aren't there any more" and would think it odd and out of place.

On the other hand....if they don't put them in, people are going to say "It seems odd not having the two towers there".

When i will eventually watch this film, i'll probably find it odd not to see the World Trade Centre in the skyline, as will many more, but i think they just felt it was the decent thing to do. Having an advertising campaign that uses the World Trade Centre as it's main focal point could be seen as disrespectful. To some it does, to some it don't.

[psycho-man_666]

I couldn't agree more. This goes along one of the stupidest shit I've ever heard. They say we take off those tower from the trailer and poster of spiderman for the RESPECT of the family of the victims. What the fuck!!!

Last week I've seen this airplane crashes the twin tower at least twenty times. WE BASICALLY SAW THESE PEOPLE DIE!! Without really seeing them but still. So what do these stupid dumbass knows about respect. NOTHING!!

[Scrunch]

OK. So basically it's totally ok to use pictures of the World Trade Center that is no more in advertising?

That's the thing. I think because it's something to help the studio make money on their movie THAT is why it was taken away.

To have left them up there and flaunted them in an action adventure promo poster and trailer would to me be very tacky.

I'm glad they took them down.

I do understand your point, I just disagree.

[inglourious basterd]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Scrunch:
OK. So basically it's totally ok to use pictures of the World Trade Center that is no more in advertising?

That's the thing. I think because it's something to help the studio make money on their movie THAT is why it was taken away.

To have left them up there and flaunted them in an action adventure promo poster and trailer would to me be very tacky.

I'm glad they took them down.

I do understand your point, I just disagree.</font>

Perhaps, changing the trailers and posters are justified, but why was it necessary to take it out of the movie entirely? The WTC is not a character in the film, it simply serves as background and a setting to the events that take place. I agree that it would be in bad taste if they stuck to their marketing scheme, but there has to be more than that one scene to flaunt in trailers...

[Scrunch]

Everything that I have read says that the poster and the trailer were INDEPENDENT of the movie.

Meaning that cool scene in the trailer with the helicopter getting caught in the web between the twin towers was NOT in the movie to begin with.

They have not taken it out of the movie because it wasn't there to begin with. At least that is my understanding of the situation.

This is also why I feel that the studio definitely made the right call in taking down the posters and stopping the trailers from being run.

[ban all music]

Alright..it's next year, the bombings are almost forgotten, no giant war really came of them, and your brother died in the bombings of the WTC. So, you're managing to get on with your life, decide to go see Spiderman because it looks to be a fun film...then while you're watching it, you notice the World Trade Center towers in the background...how would this make you feel?

[This message has been edited by ban all music (edited 09-18-2001).]

[JoBlo]

Yeah, but then where do you draw the line?

Are future copies of INDEPENDENCE DAY going to have to delete specific scenes because it might be upsetting to some? Will video stores decline to carry flicks which feature the twin towers, or covers with the buildings on them? There are hundreds of movies (posters, art, etc...) already out there with the twin towers in them, and even though folks SURELY don't want to be reminded of this tragedy, I think we'd be playing right into the hands of the terrorists, if we began censoring and denying our past, instead of being proud of America's heritage (of which, the twin towers were a big part).

I think the studios are all taking the "safe" route in all this, since it's obviously a very touchy subject, but I personally don't believe that we should start removing all memories of what once was.

I have a poster of the NEW YORK skyline in my room and I'm not going to take it down because it reminds me of a great place that once was, and a great place that WILL BE once again in the very near future...

[Cyclonus]

Upcoming movies are one thing, but there is no way in hell that all previously existing films can be altered. Not worth it.

[ak]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by JoBlo:
...it reminds me of a great place that once was, and a great place that WILL BE once again in the very near future...</font>

That brings a smile to my face.

[Scrunch]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by JoBlo:
I have a poster of the NEW YORK skyline in my room and I'm not going to take it down because it reminds me of a great place that once was, and a great place that WILL BE once again in the very near future...</font>
Oh I don't know. I think it still is...

[ban all music]

That's taking it a little to the extreme, Jo.

[Jezka]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ban all music:
Alright..it's next year, the bombings are almost forgotten, no giant war really came of them, and your brother died in the bombings of the WTC. So, you're managing to get on with your life, decide to go see Spiderman because it looks to be a fun film...then while you're watching it, you notice the World Trade Center towers in the background...how would this make you feel?

[This message has been edited by ban all music (edited 09-18-2001).]</font>

Granted, it would bring back painful memories, but in the span of the time from now until the film comes out, I imagine I would be bombarded with so many different images of New York from older movies and TV shows, all with the towers intact, that I wouldn't be extremely bothered by it. Yes, I would be bothered to an extent, but I couldn't just pretend that the towers never existed and would have no right being in any film ever.

[Danny L]

I'm glad they're going to remove the towers. But the chopper dangling in the web between them in the old trailer (the one being removed from theaters right now) was pretty darn cool.

[Scrunch]

Hmm... there really is a gray area here. At what point do you stop trying to cover things and just move on.

For example one company in the US released a list of songs that it reqeusted it's radio stations to pull from their playlists in light of the tragedy.

Some of the songs on this list I totally disagree with. "Imagine" by John Lennon. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel, "America" by Neil Diamond and "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

There are a bunch more but I was looking at the lyrics trying to see on some what the big deal is. There are some lyrics in these songs (and others, there was a huge list) that if you read into it might seem to relate to the planes going into the buildings at the hands of international terrorists.

So where SHOULD the line be drawn? I think right now it is good to be sensitive. I think that there is nothing wrong with pictures of the World Trade Center. There is nothing wrong with places continuing to sell calendars and postcards and posters etc that have the WTC image on them.

HOWEVER I don't think that prices should be raised on these items. To do that is like making money off of the tragedy. And that's where the Spiderman trailer and poster come into play.

It's advertising. It's easy to pull it. It's probably very good and certainly a sensititve thing to do. I still agree with that.

But I guess now I'm thinking at what point should sensitivity overshadow other things. I don't think the image of the World Trade Center should be removed all over the place. It was a building that stood for like 30 years. It's a part of history.

I guess I've come to the conclusion after giving this more thought that a lot depends on time and purpose. Hope that kinda makes some sense.

[ParileseMonster]

I am one of the many people who are sorry for what happened and I am also angry but I am also a person who needs a sense of normalcy or escape if you will. There is no escape to be found. I am forever reminded of what happened over and over again and I seek a break! Tv will not give me a break, Movies will not give me a break either will radio or the computer. What they are doing to these posters and such is going a bit too far! Should we erase everything bad from history then? What the hell is up with all these songs? I am glad I am not a person who gets so damn offended, these songs came out before this tragedy happened! I heard a list this morning they will not play Van Halens jump cause well you know it will remind people of the people who jumped out of the building excuse me give me a fucking break jump? Hell if you all are so damn paranoid I would think you would attack Van Halens Panama before you would Jump! These same people who are taking this so far and getting so damn offensive are probally the same bastards who are going to sue the WTC and the airlines for what happened like it is their fault. Even through tragedy there are those still greedy! Quit taking things so far, pretty soon we wont be able to see or hear anything because there will always be a reference! And for those damn assholes out there stealing other peoples flags I hope like hell you get your just deserts asap!!!
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT!!!

[ArmyJacket]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ban all music:
Alright..it's next year, the bombings are almost forgotten, no giant war really came of them, and your brother died in the bombings of the WTC. So, you're managing to get on with your life, decide to go see Spiderman because it looks to be a fun film...then while you're watching it, you notice the World Trade Center towers in the background...how would this make you feel?

[This message has been edited by ban all music (edited 09-18-2001).]</font>

Well what about Pearl Harbor or Saving Private Ryan. I bet some WW2 veterans felt bad watching that one. Or a vietnam vet watching one of many vietnam movies. And it's not like Spider Man shows the buildings collapsing, like the news does 24 hours a day.

[Dumb-Fokker-**]

Yous guys are totally missing the fucking point man. What if their was a movie and there was a scene that involved your house and after your scene was done the house burnt down?? Would you want your house in the film?? I dont think you would even if you are gonna be a smart-ass and say you wouldnt care. Sure, the movies and posters, and t.v. shows that have ALREADY been aired or shown or whatever have the Twin Towers in them, but when they were released the Towers were still there. To release something that shows the Towers for ENTERTANINMENT after the towers have been destroyed would just be distasteful. They are gone. A movie comes out a year later showing them still there- that is pretty fucked up. Now why dont you stop bitching about it and learn some fucking respect?? You think it is disrespectful to show those images on t.v.?? Those are real images. Those are what really happened. Those are not for our enjoyment. ........whatever.

[Scrunch]

If they're in the background I don't know that it would bother me.

However as in the case of Men in Black 2 the ending as I understand it was in that area. By setting characters IN that area you're talking more than just showing them in the background.