Before and After 9-11: The Twin Towers on Film Quiz

Answer: Coyote Ugly

"Coyote Ugly" is a 2000 romantic comedy film, starring Piper Perabo as song writing wannabe, Violet, who finds herself working in a trendy bar named Coyote Ugly after moving to New York City. While on her quest to be recognised as a songwriter, she meets and falls in love with Kevin O'Donnell (played by Adam Garcia), and plenty of highs and lows ensue.

After being fired from the bar, due to a scene caused by her boyfriend, Kevin, a deflated Violet finds herself at rock bottom, with no job, and no boyfriend either. The scene then changes to a succession of shots, all with Violet singing in the background. One of these shows Kevin leaning against the side of his car gazing sorrowfully into the distance, before then turning his back on the scene. Just before Kevin turns, at this very moment, (approximately 1 hour and 13 minutes into the film), the Twin Towers are clearly visible through a foggy, cloudy background. The Twin Towers also appear on at least another three occasions, around 6 minutes, 42 minutes and 52 minutes, all of which are wide shots of certain parts of New York City.

Answer: X-Men

"X-Men" is a 2000 film revolving around a group of superheroes originally created by Marvel Comics. Collectively known as the X-Men, the characters are mutants, who each possess unique and potentially dangerous powers. Professor Charles Xavier, (played by Patrick Stewart), who himself possesses the power of telepathy, runs the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, and is the founder of the X-Men. However while the Professor wants only harmony between mutants and humans, his nemesis and former ally, Magneto, does not. Therefore when Senator Robert Kelly takes steps to pass a "Mutant Registration Act" which aims to reveal the identities of all mutants, as well as their powers, Magneto steps up to protect mutant-kind, caring little about the fate of humans, and thus forcing the X-Men to get involved.

Shortly after Jean Grey uses the Professor's Cerebro supercomputer to learn more about Magneto's plans, Sabretooth is seen killing a man on land, while a boat approaches in the darkness, Mystique at the helm. An aerial shot then scans the landscape, and to the right of the screen, as the Statue of Liberty comes into view, the Twin Towers are seen, lit up beautifully, like the rest of New York City. They are seen approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes into the film. The Twin Towers also made it to the film's official theatrical release poster, and are pictured in the top left hand corner, lit up against the darkness.

Answer: Vanilla Sky

"Vanilla Sky" is a 2001 science-fiction film starring Tom Cruise as David Aames, who was once a powerful and wealthy man, with the world at his feet. However his good fortune appears to be short lived, and he ends up in a psychiatric institution after killing his ex-girlfriend, Julie (played by Cameron Diaz). The film is filled with surreal twists and turns, and reality is continually distorted, not least because Julie is already supposed to be dead by the time she is killed by David, having previously died in a car crash which she orchestrated. Moreover David was present at the original car crash, and was horribly disfigured by the accident, resulting in him often being seen wearing a mask. To further add to the mystery, David's newest girlfriend, Sofia (played by Penélope Cruz), suddenly disappears from his life. Eventually it becomes clear that a company named Life Extension has an explanation for all of these bizarre occurrences. For in a shocking twist, it is revealed that David is in a cryonic sleep, which has lasted 150 years. This leads to David taking a very real leap of faith, in the hope of waking up from his nightmare.

At the very end of the film, as David starts to run towards the edge of the roof, preparing for his "leap of faith", the Twin Towers are directly in front of him, their outline unmistakable in the distance. They appear approximately 2 hours and 8 minutes into the film, nearly at its close. "Vanilla Sky's" director, Cameron Crowe, refused to edit them out, despite the pleas of studio executives, and so when "Vanilla Sky" was released, only three months after the September 11th attacks, the Twin Towers were included. As Crowe later explained in an interview, "The idea of wiping them away by computer - I couldn't do it. They've already been taken away once; they'll stay in the movie. Hopefully the audience will understand it's a tribute."

Answer: Changing Lanes

"Changing Lanes" is a 2002 thriller starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson, who play men whose lives are dramatically affected by one brief, chance encounter. Affleck plays Gavin Banek, a New York lawyer who is in a rush to file paperwork for a case, when he is involved in a minor car accident. Meanwhile Jackson plays Doyle Gipson, the other man involved in the collision, who is also in a rush to get to court, as he is attempting to gain custody of his children. However while Gipson is eager to obey the law, and exchange insurance information, Banek simply hands him a blank cheque, breaking the law as a result. Gipson continues to express his desire to obey the law, while Banek merely retorts with, "I'm sorry. I gotta go man, I'm late. I got to go." When Gipson then asks for a lift, he is refused, and all Banek has to say about the matter is, "Better luck next time," before then leaving the scene of the accident. As a direct result, Gipson fails to get custody of his children, as the hearing is already over by the time he arrives. What ensues is a 'tit for tat' response, with each man going out of their way to cause trouble for the other, which culminates in both men questioning their morality and finally, attempting to put things right.

Released seven months after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the Twin Towers appear twice in the opening credits of "Changing Lanes", as the camera captures various scenes of New York City's busy morning traffic. However director Roger Michell did initially edit them out, the morning after the Twin Towers fell, but later changed his mind, and included them as a tribute.

Answer: Gangs of New York

"Gangs of New York" is a 2002 film directed by Martin Scorsese, which brings to life one of the 19th century's notorious slums, Manhattan's Five Points. Based on a 1928 book by Herbert Asbury, the film starts with a battle between the Natives of New York, led by Daniel Day Lewis' character, Bill the Butcher Cutting, and the Irish immigrants, known as the Dead Rabbits, led initially by Liam Neeson's character, Priest Vallon. However Vallon is soon killed by Bill the Butcher and the Irish Dead Rabbits are declared outlawed. Yet some 16 years later, Vallon's son, Amsterdam (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), returns to Five Points and begins to infiltrate Bill's gang with the aim of exacting revenge. However things do not go as planned, and Amsterdam is beaten to within an inch of his life by the man responsible for killing his father. Once nursed back to health, he continues his vendetta against Bill the Butcher, even killing Happy Jack as a message to him. This tit for tat approach eventually culminates in the New York City draft riots, during which Bill the Butcher is finally slain. Having been struck by shrapnel from the shells of Union soldiers, Bill is finished off by Amsterdam, who stabs him, finally avenging his father's death.

In the final scenes of the film, Amsterdam is heard narrating, and he claims that, "My father told me we was all born of blood and tribulation, and so then too, was our great city." He also laments the fact that "no matter what they did to build this city up again", for "the rest of time" it "would be like no one ever knew we were here". As he stops talking, the landscape changes, until it stops at what is clearly meant to be the present day. In the centre of the shot stand the Twin Towers, marking the very end of the film, as they appear after 2 hours and 32 minutes. Responding to those who wondered why he had included them, as "Gangs of New York" was first released a whole fourteen months after 9-11, Scorsese explained that he had chosen to include the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center because "the movie is about those who built New York, not those who tried to destroy it".

Answer: Spider-Man

"Spider-Man" is a 2002 film which centres on a character initially created by Marvel Comics. The title character (who is known as Peter Parker when not in costume) is played by Tobey Maguire, while Kirsten Dunst plays Mary-Jane Watson, Parker's love interest. After being bitten by a genetically engineered spider, Peter begins to develop superpowers, such as the ability to emit web strings, and superhuman strength, in addition to several other powers. After his Uncle Ben is killed by a robber, he turns Spider-Man into a crime fighter, attracting the world's press in the process.

"Spider-Man" was released only six months after the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the images of the Twin Towers were immediately removed from the film's theatrical release poster. The film's teaser trailer, in which Spider-Man weaves a web between the Twin Towers themselves in order to catch criminals in a helicopter, was also pulled from theatres. However in the film itself, a scene in which the Twin Towers are reflected in Spider-Man's eyes did make the final cut, appearing approximately 55 minutes into the film. Two other scenes also included the Twin Towers, though these are primarily background shots, and are only noticeable if you are looking out for them. The first occurs at roughly 26 minutes, while Peter is jumping over rooftops in broad daylight. In the very far left hand corner, the Twin Towers can be seen, while in the last moments of the film, around 1 hour and 51 minutes in (approximately), as Spider-Man is swaying through the streets of New York City, the outline of the Twin Towers is just visible in the left hand corner.

Answer: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is a 1992 Christmas family film starring Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, the little boy whose family always seems to forget him. Reprising his role from the first film, in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" Kevin accidentally gets on a flight to New York, while the rest of his family make their way to Florida. By the time anyone notices his absence the family have already arrived at their destination. Meanwhile ten year old Kevin is having the time of his life, and is off sightseeing in New York, on his own. He even checks into the Plaza Hotel, but his plans go awry when the credit card he is using (which belongs to his father) is reported stolen. To make things worse, he bumps into Harry and Marv, the two thieves he outwitted in the first film, who plan on breaking into Duncan's Toy Chest, which is charitably planning to donate the proceeds of its Christmas sales to a children's hospital. Similarly to the first film, Kevin arranges all sorts of booby traps for the thieves, and hilarity ensues. By the time he is reunited with his family, he has foiled a burglary plot and earned the family a truckload of Christmas presents, sent by an appreciative toy store owner. Everything seems to be turning out perfectly, until the room service bill arrives!

The World Trade Center Twin Towers have a prominent role in this particular film, as they are one of the tourist attractions that Kevin visits as he is walking around New York City. Approximately 20 minutes into the film, Kevin arrives at the World Trade Center and looks up at the Twin Towers. He is then shown walking towards them, before then coming out onto the observation deck on the roof. As the camera moves away from the roof, the top of both Towers comes into focus, before then panning out. The Twin Towers are also depicted in miniature on the top of the film's theatrical release poster, as part of the New York City skyline.

Answer: It Could Happen To You

"It Could Happen To You" is a 1994 romantic comedy starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. Inspired by a real life event, the film revolves around New York police officer, Charlie Lang (played by Cage), who wins $4 million on the lottery and gives half of it to a waitress named Yvonne (played by Fonda), whom he doesn't know. For the day before his big win, Charlie had not had enough money to tip the waitress, and so promised that he would return and either double his tip, or give her half of his lottery winnings, should he be successful. Being an honest soul, unlike his soon to be ex-wife, Muriel, Charlie keeps his promise, and eventually starts a relationship with Yvonne, after his wife kicks him out. After Muriel takes him to court, and eventually takes all of his money, Charlie marries his waitress, unperturbed by the loss of his winnings. His ex-wife, however, soon gets her comeuppance when her new husband runs off with the money, leaving her penniless.

During the last quarter of the film, Charlie and his divorce lawyer, Walter, meet with Muriel and her divorce lawyer to discuss division of assets. Muriel's lawyer requests that there be no division of the lottery money, as it was his client's lottery ticket, outraging Walter, Charlie's counsel. However Charlie himself is soon outraged, as Muriel demands that the money he gave Yvonne is returned to her. As Muriel and her counsel leave, Charlie and Walter discuss these new developments in front of the office window. From this vantage point, the Twin Towers are as clear as day, right in the centre of the shot. The North Tower would not long have recovered from the 1993 bombing, which killed six people and injured just over a thousand.

Answer: Men in Black

"Men in Black" is a 1997 science-fiction film starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. As members of the Men in Black secret agency, they are tasked with the goal of maintaining the Earth's neutrality, and thus the anonymity of the many aliens who live on our planet under various human disguises.

At least four different scenes in "Men in Black" include the Twin Towers, which are also present on certain versions of the film's poster. Thirty-one minutes into the film, a clear daytime shot across the water reveals the Twin Towers in all of their glory, and precedes K's (played by Jones) conversation with J (played by Smith), in which the former explains to the latter that if he takes the job his life as he knows it will be over. The second sighting of the Towers comes a mere two minutes later, 33 minutes into the film, as J contemplates his decision. The sun sets and darkness falls over New York City, and as the camera moves towards the water, the Twin Towers are again clearly visible, this time lit up against the night sky. The next scene that includes the Towers comes shortly after K stops a car which contains two disguised aliens, one of whom is in labour. As J approaches the car, the Twin Towers come into focus behind him, and eventually become the central feature of the background, just as J is picked up from the floor and thrown about by the new-born alien. The fourth and final time the Twin Towers appear in "Men in Black" is 1 hour and 30 minutes into the film, and is the very last scene before the end credits. This scene is taken from high above the ground and is an aerial shot of New York City.

Answer: Miss Congeniality

"Miss Congeniality" is a 2000 romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock as F.B.I. agent Gracie Hart, who is sent undercover to the Miss United States Beauty Pageant in order to stop a domestic terrorist attack. Left under the care of star pageant coach Victor (played by Michael Caine), Gracie is primped to within an inch of her life, revealing a welcome feminine side to colleague Eric Matthews (played by Benjamin Bratt), who certainly takes notice. However when the terrorist is caught elsewhere, Gracie is convinced that the girls are still in danger, and opts to stay on without her badge, gun or backup.

Eleven minutes into "Miss Congeniality", at the beginning of the film, as Gracie Hart is making her way into the office, the camera zooms out and up from the Department of Justice seal on the front of the film's F.B.I. building. This shot captures the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, which are framed for a moment, before the camera pans away.