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‘United 93’ shines new light on 9/11 with local premiere
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In this photo provided by Universal Studios, Becky London and Tom O’Rourke, as Jean and Donald Peterson, comfort each another aboard United Airlines Flight 93 in the drama “United 93.”
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Even before this weekend’s theatrical release of “United 93,” people are lining up for or against the first big-screen dramatization about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Critics say it’s “too early,” but others say that “it’s time we faced history — faced the enemy.”
Locally, people who have lost family members in the attacks expect to attend a special screening at the Loews Georgetown 14 theater on Thursday night.
The film, which had its world premiere Tuesday in New York City and will go into wide release this weekend, is likely to spark emotional debate for months. And that is just fine to Jim Laychak, president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund.
“Part of me thought maybe it was too early,” said Laychak, who lost his brother in the attack on the Pentagon. “But the fact that all of those 40 families are in support of it and feel the film is being done in a proper and respectful way... convinced me otherwise.”
Laychak said he hopes the film will help people simply “remember.”
“Any time the event is talked about it, helps bring back those memories,” he said. “While the movie focuses on one of the tragedies, it really sheds light on all of them.”
Laychak said his fund has raised more than $10.3 million of the $20 million it needs to begin construction of the memorial just outside the wall of the Pentagon destroyed in the attacks.
The film’s distributor, Universal, plans to donate 10 percent of the first weekend’s box-office grosses to the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pa.
At a glance
» 40 passengers and crew members were killed on United Flight 93.
» Family members cooperated in the production, offering filmmakers detailed backgrounds of their loved ones, down to the clothes they wore and what sort of candy they might have snacked on aboard the plane.
» David and Peggy Beamer, whose son Todd Beamer was killed on United 93, told The Associated Press that the film is a suitable testament to the victims.
mrupert@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:10 AM MST on Sat., Nov. 24, 2007 re: "Baltimore man played part in Lennon’s immigration fight"
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7:03 AM MST on Sat., Nov. 24, 2007
re: "Baltimore man played part in Lennon’s immigration fight"
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Examiner Reader said:
If Mr Zolotorow should have concentrated more of his efforts on trying to convince Lennon to resolve his differences with Mcartney,then perhaps we might still have the Fab Four...
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Examiner Reader said:
True,Lennon was an advocate of peace,and an excellent songwriter,but his methods were off the wall,and not very effective,His loss to the music world is still missed.
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