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The compassionate red-haired stranger who risked gunfire to lay beside and comfort shooting victim Claire Wilson before help arrived in 'Tower,' the PBS documentary which chronicles the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror in August of 1966 via a mix of animation and archival footage.
The compassionate red-haired stranger who risked gunfire to lay beside and comfort shooting victim Claire Wilson before help arrived in 'Tower,' the PBS documentary which chronicles the University of
'Tower's' animated depiction of the pregnant Claire Wilson and her boyfriend Tom Eckman before she was wounded and he was fatally shot during the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror August 1, 1966.
'Tower's' animated depiction of the pregnant Claire Wilson and her boyfriend Tom Eckman before she was wounded and he was fatally shot during the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror August 1, 1966.
Another image of the wounded Claire Wilson from PBS' 'Tower' documentary which chronicles the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror in August of 1966.
Another image of the wounded Claire Wilson from PBS' 'Tower' documentary which chronicles the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror in August of 1966.
Claire Wilson and her boyfriend after they were shot on the University of Texas at Austin. The emotional image is one of many animated recreations in 'Tower,' the PBS documentary which chronicles the sniper horror of August, 1966.
Claire Wilson and her boyfriend after they were shot on the University of Texas at Austin. The emotional image is one of many animated recreations in 'Tower,' the PBS documentary which chronicles the sniper
Another animated image from PBS' 'Tower.' This shows the fallen bike of survivor Aleck Hernandez who was on his paper delivery route when wounded during the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror in August of 1966.
Another animated image from PBS' 'Tower.' This shows the fallen bike of survivor Aleck Hernandez who was on his paper delivery route when wounded during the University of Texas-Austin sniper horror in August
The 'Tower' documentary's animated depiction of Austin reporter Neal Spelce who was on the scene during the University of Texas sniper horror in August of 1966.
The 'Tower' documentary's animated depiction of Austin reporter Neal Spelce who was on the scene during the University of Texas sniper horror in August of 1966.
Officer McCoy, seen in animated form from PBS' 'Tower' documentary, was one of the heroes depicted.
Officer McCoy, seen in animated form from PBS' 'Tower' documentary, was one of the heroes depicted.
Survivors John "Artly" Fox and Claire Wilson join director Keith Maitland, retired Austin police officer Ramiro Martinez and Independent Lens executive producer Lois Vossen at a press session on "Tower."
Survivors John "Artly" Fox and Claire Wilson join director Keith Maitland, retired Austin police officer Ramiro Martinez and Independent Lens executive producer Lois Vossen at a press session on "Tower."
SAN ANTONIO -- "Tower" takes us back 50 years to the horror of the University of Texas at Austin sniper tragedy via a highly unusual television mix of animation and archival footage.
This documentary's cartoon-style imagery, coupled with interviews and actual sights and sounds from America's first mass school shooting, registers as both emotionally disturbing as well as, believe it or not, beautiful and uplifting.
The 90-minute doc debuts at 9 tonight on PBS (KLRN locally).
While showing the terror and carnage that resulted from Charles Whitman's rapid gunfire from atop the UT campus tower, which left 16 dead and many others wounded, Independent Lens' "Tower" also depicts amazing courage by everyday folks and police officers who risked their lives during those harrowing 96 minutes to help victims who lay helpless on the brutally hot pavement.
Among the victims who survived -- thanks in no small part to heroism by others -- were a wounded young pregnant woman, Claire Wilson, who was walking across campus with her boyfriend, Tom Eckman; and a paper delivery boy, Aleck Hernandez, who was riding his bike on campus as part of his route.
"No part of the film is told from the sniper's perspective," "Tower" director Keith Maitland told TV critics in a recent press session. "We made a very conscious decision to focus and tell the story from the ground up and not from the top down.
"The goal of 'Tower' is not to be a Wikipedia entry that gives you every piece of information about that day. The goal is to put you in the shoes of eight people who lived through that day and then explore what it's like to live with that for 50 years."
Why did they tell it largely through the strange device of animation, something that's usually associated with fantasy and humor?
"One of the things I'm always thinking about is how can we tell these stories to reach a broad audience" said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer.
"In some ways it's more harrowing and, yet, at the same time, more accessible, because it's not in your face. You don't see overt violence, and yet you're so sympathetic. The intimacy with those characters and what you watch them struggle during those 90 minutes is so potent."
Survivor Wilson said she's eternally grateful to the young redheaded woman who lay on the ground next to her to give her comfort, not to mention the men who carried her to safety.
She said she felt no trepidation about the fact that their stories would be animated, but rather embraced it because of director Maitland's "compassion" that came through.
One more thing: The voice of the reporter on the scene sounds a lot like that of former KENS-TV sportscaster and reporter Gary DeLaune. However, DeLaune said he wasn't there. He covered the Austin news story from the studio at his Dallas radio station.
jjakle@express-news.net
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