Swank, Costner to Narrate Sept. 11 Film --Not Political

AP ^ | 7/15/05

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Hilary Swank and Kevin Costner will narrate the upcoming film "On Native Soil: The Documentary of the 9/11 Commission Report."

The actors will share voice-over duties for the feature-length film on the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, directed by former NBC News producer Linda Ellman.

"I was in lower Manhattan that horrible day" when the World Trade Center collapsed, Swank said in a statement Friday. "I was drawn to the project by the amazing stories of the 9/11 families and survivors featured in the film, and I am proud that by contributing my voice to the project, I can help their voices to be heard."

"On Native Soil" will tell five stories of survival and examine the 9/11 Commission's final recommendations. The film features interviews with people such as the victims' families, Sen. John McCain, a former FBI counterterrorism official and the former head of the CIA's Osama bin-Laden desk.

"I saw this film in a rough cut and wanted to become involved," said Costner. "It's honest, it's serious and it's not political. This film tells stories every American will and should want to know."

[thoughtomator]

"Non-political", yeah right. Simply treating the 9/11 Commission as credible in itself is hard-left political.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

That was the ticket which convinced me.

[IrishGOP]

No not political, it's just all Bush's fault.

[Callahan]

Not political. Yeah right.

I read on a movie gossip site that Oliver Stone and Nicholas Cage are going to making a "true story" movie about a guy who was trapped in the WTC rubble. Let's see if Stone turns that into a diatribe and becomes the most hated man in America.

I wonder if anyone will ever have the balls to make a movie about went down on the airplanes. I don't think Hollywood will chance it for at least 30 years, but some foreigners might.

[tophat9000]

"I was in lower Manhattan that horrible day" when the World Trade Center collapsed

...That like saying..."I was in Hawaii that horrible day" when the Arizona Sank

[CitizenM]

Just once I would like a breath of fresh air and a documentary about something in the U.S. history that is accurate and true. No slant either direction. Just facts. Wouldn't that be nice? You can't even find that in school books anymore, they are all edited to be 1) socialist supportive and 2) politically correct in their language. A friend of mine teaches grade school and I looked at some of her books. It was sickening.

Sometimes I think I would like to black market the old history books that were used when our parents were learning. Prior WWII. I believe my father said they were pretty accurate. I don't recall, LOL, ahem.

[Tall_Texan]

"The plane crashed back and to the left..."

"Back and to the left..."

"Back and to the left."

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Why say it's not political?

[Tax-chick]

Why do they assume that anyone who can land a movie part has a voice worth listening to? Hooray for the subtitles!

[Tacis]

Any one who hires Costner to do a narrative has never listened to one of the narratives he's already done. He affects a strange, flat voice that detracts from the visual image.

I've never understood Costner. He is marginally talented so, he must be related to some one. Who?

I must admit, Cosstner is one of the few Hollywood types I look for. He did OK in "Bull Durham," but I've never seen anything else where hs performance even rose to "marginal." He is so bad, he is fun watching. Of course, I'd never pay a nickel to see anything he's done. But, next time there a narration he's done, listen. I GUARANTEE you'll ask yourself, "Why is he talking funny?"

[Tax-chick]

I liked "Tin Cup," although Costner was only tolerable in it. Cheech Marin and Don Johnson stole the show!

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

No one will see either of these two, I doubt their voices would be recognized. Their selection does provide something here, just as it would if another topic were narrated by the Bruce Willis and Bo Derek.

[Czar]

You might want to try "Field of Dreams", a marvelous movie told in a baseball context. I thought Costner did a great job.

[elder5]

Indeed! Field Of Dreams was a great film, Even my wife who hates baseball cried when he and his Father played catch.

[Czar]

Hard to imagine anyone not liking that film, but I suppose there must have been some who didn't.

I believe it's a real classic that will stand the test of time, at least as long as baseball is still around.

[Tacis]

A great movie! But, watch it carefully and watch/listen to Costner. There are so many folks who could have done it as well or much better.

One thing I look at is the relationships bewteen husband and wife. In "Everyone Loves Raymond" the relationship is vicious. In "Field of Dreams," the wife seems to agree to stuff that no sane wife ever would. The movie, itself, is so amazing in it's story line, that Costner's marginal performance doesn't detract that much from the overall presentation.

[Czar]

I thought Costner did a superb job, really. Perhaps someone else could have done a better job, I don't know. For me, Costner delivered a very solid performance. He seemed to feel every scene.

On the "wives" comparison, I consider "Raymond" a very broad comedy, unlikely to ever show the deeper aspects of the relationship because it would not sustain the comedic aspects. As for "Dreams", I thought the part of the wife was just right. Whether a "sane" wife would have agreed to the same stuff, who knows--in the context of the storyline, it seemed just about right.

I also like Costner in westerns where his style, speaking delivery, and stage presence seem perfectly suited. I guess I just like Costner as an actor.

[Utilizer]

I know I probably should not say this, but...

As an 'adopted' individual... it made Me cry for the father I never had.