Viewers Tune Out "Path to 9/11" (libs whining)

eOnline and Yahoo! ^ | Sept 11, 2006 | Josh Grossberg

[trane250]

My problem with this movie is with the production design and values, what I term the "MTV school of cinematography." I don't like the extreme closeups, the continuous swipes and fades, the "zitterbewegung" or jittery motion of the camera, the fuzzy texture, the dark (sepia?) filtering and the fast cuts. Unfortunately, this appears to be the standard for modern TV and movie making. Whatever happened to the old-fashioned way of making films where the movie field was crystal clear, the colors were vivid and the camera stayed in one spot long enough so that you could gain perspective?

[caisson71]

Amen.

[Cobra64]

we just decided to watch some recorded stuff

You're kidding?

[1-Eagle]

Just thought I drop in a link to the [deleted parts] for anyone who hasn't seen them. I also posted link on AOL boards (both GOP and DNC) early this AM.

Just imagine what Mr. Blythe and Mr. Sandy Baggypants must think about the existence of the [deleted parts Clinton doesn't want you to see]. Must be infuriating! The truth will out!

[Cobra64]

I've watched and I've actually not seen a lot of finger pointing. I guess most of that was cut.

It's what is not said that infers who is at blame.

[Joan Kerrey]

To be honest, I got a little bored with the first half. It's enough for me though that it pisses off slick willy and friends.

---

I agree. Glad it ran and glad it got some digs in but I was bored through much of it and also thought the scenes were choppy, jiggly and after awhile the short burst of jiggly camera on the run scenes just got to me and I switched to news toggling back and forth. I wouldn't watch it again and will probably toggle again tonight between part II and something else.

[Cobra64]

There are some here who didn't watch.

[Joan Kerrey]

Already know everything I need to know about Clinton, Berger, Albright, Gore

---

You're right. Didn't need to watch unless you needed reinforcement for your views. Wasn't a good movie for me anyway. I doubt if this film is going to change any minds.
Most here already know Clinton kicked the can down the road on his job as commander in chief and left a mess for the next guy. I don't need a film to tell me that, especially one that gave me a headache while watching jiggly scenes that bounced around so quickly.

Thanks ABC for airing it and putting up with the abuse but I'm not impressed with the final cut.

[dirtbiker]

Not me. I'm recording the entire thing....

BTW, Rush said that a total of about 1 minute was cut from the entire 5 hours. I read the posts on redstate.com, and all the scenes they said were cut were in the first night's show....Perhaps ABC said "F this" and ran the show anyway...

[okstate]

Hard to say what the usual viewership is. The season hasn't really begun yet so we can't compare it to typical shows during that slot. During Labor Day week the most-watched show had about 10.5 million viewers, which makes Path to 9/11 really good. But then again you have to figure that Labor Day marks a low point for viewership. I bet Path to 9/11 ends up being in the top ten for primetime viewership this week. (For comparison American Idol averaged 19 million viewers last year... CSI 15 million... Dancing with the Stars 13 million.... Desperate Housewives 12 million) -- Those were the top shows last year. Overall I'd say 13 million -- even for a special event -- is really good and the headline is just flat wrong.

[Brilliant]

It's the first time I've watched ABC in about 10 years.

[Tribune7]

And it had pretty stiff competitiion with the Manning Bowl.

[sten]

This shocked me... not the content of the show, which as a longtime freeper I already knew... but that ABC showed it in the first place.

still shocked...

[P-40]

The critics were especially irked that ABC touted the project as being based on the official 9/11 Commission Report, despite containing scenes that contradicted the report.

What scenes are they saying contradict the report? By an large, it followed it roughly closely. The scene with the fighter jets contradicted the report as it implied we had plenty at our beck and call ready to go; we had four.

[sandra_789]

The Path to 9-11

was a disaster for Bill Clinton and the lefties.

It showed the muslims as EVIL.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

"As someone who was directly involved in almost every event depicted in the fictionalized docudrama The Path to 9/11, I believe it is an egregious distortion that does a deep disservice both to history and to those in both the Clinton and Bush administrations who are depicted," Clarke said in a written statement.

That's kinda surprising considering that Clarke more or less came out smelling like a rose in the miniseries...

[P-40]

one that gave me a headache while watching jiggly scenes that bounced around so quickly.

I know that camera technique is supposed to impart excitement and all that...but it makes me reach for the off button. I am glad they ran it....but it sure was a gloss-over.

[bootless]

20 minutes cut? I don't know - Rush estimated it was about a minute. The 20 minute hole at the end is where the commercials will be placed when it's eventually rerun.

[managusta]

Leni Riefenstahl was not available for direction and editing.
However, sources close to PBS say Ken Burns is working on a 25 part version including lots of solo sitar and violin.

[GregoryFul]

I thought that Richard Clarke was portrayed heroically in the docudrama. My opinion of Clarke was elevated by his pushing for this country's defense over the bureaucratic sluggishness hampering our response.