Discovery Channel recreates Flight 93 for documentary to screen on September 11

by Staff, Brand Republic 20-Jul-05, 08:45

NEW YORK - The Discovery Channel is to screen a documentary focusing on the actions of passengers on one of the planes involved in the 9/11 hijacks that crashed in the Pennsylvanian countryside.

Produced by a British production company, 'The Flight That Fought Back' is to be screened on the fourth anniversary of the attacks, and will be a minute-by-minute telling of the story of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked and diverted towards Washington DC.

It combines documentary and dramatisation of the flight, in which 33 passengers and seven members of crew fought back against hijackers, with many believing that they thwarted a suicide attack on the White House.

'The Flight That Fought Back' is based on research evidence including the 9/11 Commission Report and voice recordings left by passengers and crew members, including the famous "Let's roll" call to action, from passenger Todd Beamer.

It uses this evidence to recreate the struggle inside United Airlines Flight 93, including extensive interviews with family and friends, who speculate on how their loved ones would have reacted to the situation.

It has been created by Brook Lapping Productions, the London-based company specialising in factual programming. It has also made 'The Death Of Yugoslavia' and 'Watergate', and is part of Bob Geldof's Ten Alps group.

News of the documentary comes as filmmakers begin to tackle the subject of 9/11. Oliver Stone, the director of 'Platoon' and 'Natural Born Killers', caused controversy by unveiling his plans for a drama about the tragedy on the same day as the 7/7 London terrorist bombings. His film is to star Nicolas Cage and is being made by Paramount.

Other planned programmes including a mini-series, to be produced by ABC, and a four-hour documentary to be shown on the National Geographic channel.

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