America: A Tribute to Heroes

America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001)

There's really no reason to put a star rating on this tribute show that was done so closely after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. I didn't watch most of the show when it originally aired but watching it nearly a decade later you can still feel the sadness, power and emotion. A number of celebrities speak to the camera as they try to raise money for victims of the families and they share stories about some of the people who were lost on that tragic day. One of the most heartbreaking stories is about a man who could have escaped the building but instead decided to stay with his crippled friend who wasn't able to escape. They both ended up dying together. The tributes are incredibly touching but I guess one of the main reasons to watch this document all these years later are for the musical performances and we've got some pretty strong stuff here. Bruce Springsteen starts off with an incredibly powerful version of "My City of Ruins" and we also get strong performances from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on a reworked version of "I Won't Back Down" and Billy Joel with "New York State of Mind". Another strong performance comes from Paul Simon on "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the entire cast gathers around Willie Nelson to close the show with "America the Beautiful". Perhaps the most touching moment came from Neil Young who does an unforgettable version of John Lennon's "Imagine". I've always felt this classic song was butchered by everyone other than Lennon but Young was able to do a remarkable job with it.

I understood the premise for the special. And for a time I could see. As things progressed this became more and more depressing. At a time when America needed to mourn the loss of so many and prepare for a long drawn out war Hollywood could only give us sappy. This should not have been just a depressing "I'm an actor and I care" special. It should have let America know that things were going to be alright again. This let the country know all is lost, for we can never show resolve. What could have been a message to the world that America will not stop being the country they wish they were in, was nothing but a weepy feel sorry for ourselves ego-fest. Bob Hope performed to soldiers in battle and was able to make them laugh and feel better, it is a shame that in this politically correct age we cannot see as well. Maybe this wouldn't have been as bad were it not for the performances. Two stick out as ludicriuse(sp). Neil Young singing John Lennon's masterpiece 'Imagine' was quite possibly the greatest cover mistake ever. Lennon was a legend and Young is...well nobody has figured out that he isn't any good yet, and to sing that song that bad should be a crime. He would have been better off reworking the only song he ever wrote that was good 'Ohio' for the WTC. The other performance that sticks out was Limp Bizkut doing 'wish you were here' by Pink Floyd. This was not near as bad, and was quite good. The only problem was watching knowing that Pink Floyd was probably sitting at home with nothing better to do and would have done a better job. True we have not had to mourn like this before and had to start somewhere, but they should have done a dry run on maybe a single channel in Zaire to test the response before being on every channel in the greatest country in the world.

I honestly only watched the messages said by the various people. The only song I listened to was the last one. I tried to listen to Celine Dion's version of the song she did and got p***ed because she made her own version instead of sticking with the original lyrics. I got a little emotional with some of the messages. Tears in my eyes. I am in the US Navy currently, and honestly it isn't for me. But it is for some people and I will not stand in their way if they want to join. But this still got me to have tears in my eyes. I am glad I watched it when my roommate was away so he wouldn't make fun of me, hehe. But, no, this was a very serious thing and I am glad they did it. I gave it an 8 because I what I did watch I enjoyed but that Dion woman ruined one of my fav. songs.

This TV special is a true honor to watch as actors and musicians gather to show homage to those who died in the wake of terrorist attacks on America. The actors give shortened asides to describe the firefighters, policemen and innocent civilians who were involved in the catastrophic event of September 11, 2001. The various singers pour out heart-felt songs that eerily describe the terrorist act. Worth noting, Bruce Springsteen steals the show with his rendition of "My City's in Ruin".

A truly amazing tribute to America and the strength and character that made this country what it is today, especially in the wake of 911. The actors and musicians are incredible in their performances and relaying the stories of those heroes that gave beyond what was humanly possible on that day. Outstanding performance by Céline Dion, Bon Jovi, Sting, and Billy Joel. Julia Roberts emotional tribute brought tears to my eyes. And nobody performs "New York State of Mind" like Billy Joel. The audience, who remained silent after each performance couldn't contain themselves when Bill sang this song. They started clapping. They also clapped after Jon Bon Jovi gave his heartfelt performance of "Livin on a prayer." Fabulous DVD. It's the first time I've seen it, and you can be sure I'll watch it again!