The Big Picture 2. ‘25th Hour’ and ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ | Mission Accomplished
Aug 15, 2025
Explore how the post-9/11 landscape shaped American cinema, particularly through '25th Hour' and 'The Manchurian Candidate.' Dive into the emotional impact of the September 11 attacks on filmmakers and audiences alike. Discover themes of redemption, trauma, and resilience in the wake of chaos. Delve into the manipulation and misinformation surrounding the Iraq war, and how these films reflected societal fears. Personal stories connect the audience to historical contexts, revealing the significant cultural resonance of these works.
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Nationwide Rage And Lingering Fear
- The early 2000s fused immediate rage with long-term fear, creating national emotional turbulence after 9/11.
- Films like 25th Hour and The Manchurian Candidate captured different facets of that era's anxiety and uncertainty.
Cinematographer's 9/11 Memory
- Rodrigo Prieto recalled being in Detroit on 9/11 while shooting 8 Mile and initially thinking the first plane crash was an accident.
- He describes moving to the U.S. and feeling paranoid and away from family during that trauma.
Keeping 9/11 Visible On Screen
- Spike Lee integrated 9/11 into 25th Hour to honestly reflect a changed New York rather than hide it.
- He criticized other filmmakers for removing the World Trade Center and called that avoidance 'punking out.'
