Man on Wire
2008 Directed by James Marsh
Synopsis
1974. 1350 feet up. The artistic crime of the century.
On August 7th 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between New York's World Trade Center twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of performing on the wire, 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan, he was arrested. This fun and spellbinding documentary chronicles Philippe Petit's "highest" achievement.
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There is no greater tribute to the losses of the World Trade Center coming down than this tale of the buildings creation and Philippe Petit's inspirational feat in the sky. The real tribute is in the fact that the towers falling is never referenced. Everyone knows that they no longer exist, but this is a nice reminder of a special time in their existence - probably one of the best ways to pay tribute to something or someone.
This movie is set up like a classic caper, complete with bow and arrow. The enthusiasm of Petit is infectious, he sucks you into the film immediately.
The risk taken is palpable, both because it is illegal and because of the height.…
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An impressive doc about an astonishing story: Philippe Petit’s unsanctioned tightrope walk between the Twin Towers. Marsh famously frames the story like a heist movie, cutting between time-frames, and mixing compelling interviews (Petit himself is a wonderful subject: poetic but straightforward) with unusually effective reconstructions, and idyllic archive footage, albeit none of the central stunt itself. The images of Petit in his element – hundreds of feet up, framed against the sky – are mesmerisingly beautiful, as if he were walking on air.
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Very touching documentary about a tightrope walker that performed on the top of the Twin Towers of WTC for over 45 minutes during the 70's.
Philippe Petit's passion for wire walking started when he was a child at the dentist. On the waiting room, he read an article about the construction of the WTC, which haven't even began yet. There was a picture of the building project. He tore the page off the magazine and left. "I had a toothache for over a week, but what was that compared to my newly-discovered dream?", he says.
His first famous routine as a wire walker was between the two towers of Notre Dame's cathedral. Height: 226 ft. Later on, he performed in…
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Take that stupid youtube kids who climb shit somewhere in russia.
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Absolutely fascinating and completely astounding.
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A truly unbelievable story of a man pursuing his dream at any cost.
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must see documentary. I love the way the story is told and it feels like a heist movie.
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A very inspiring documentary that everyone should see.
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The film is not nearly as good as the actual story.
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This is my favorite documentary. One of the fim's biggest strengths is that it doesn't discuss the obvious. It doesn't have to, your subconscious does all the calculations. I love the filmmaking style used here with the great recreation snippets and thrilling buildup. I love hearing about a group of people conspiring to do something to the WTC, only something in the reverse direction - a process of artistic creation and freedom. I love hearing what these towers inspired in people and watching man conquer the seemingly impossible. The characters are great, only the best part is they are all real. Dream big, live large, and try not to fall.
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Petit makes you believe in his dream. Would you not follow him to the top of the world?
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Everyone and their brother insisted that this is the best documentary in the world. Unconvinced! It was certainly moving and astonishing, but the reenactments were so kooky, like it was a Pink Panther episode. Here's my shadow, creepin' along!
However, Philippe is the most entertaining person ever, so I'm for it.
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A beautiful documentary that meditates on a life lived with graceful abandon. It works so well because Petit and his friends inject their personalities into recounting the story. It will make you feel lazy, in a good way.
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There is no greater tribute to the losses of the World Trade Center coming down than this tale of the buildings creation and Philippe Petit's inspirational feat in the sky. The real tribute is in the fact that the towers falling is never referenced. Everyone knows that they no longer exist, but this is a nice reminder of a special time in their existence - probably one of the best ways to pay tribute to something or someone.
This movie is set up like a classic caper, complete with bow and arrow. The enthusiasm of Petit is infectious, he sucks you into the film immediately.
The risk taken is palpable, both because it is illegal and because of the height.…
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Loved it. A documentary built a bit like a heist movie. A great mixture of obsession, idealism, humour and sacrifice.
Not to mention the final events happen in a place that's now famous for some of the darkest things humans can do.