Dvd
Man on Wire
If the World Trade Centre were standing today, it’s inconceivable that a slender bloke in black ballet shoes would try to tightrope-walk between its twin towers. Yet that’s exactly what French funambulist Philippe Petit did in 1974, in what would become known as “the artistic crime of the century”. In this documentary, members of Petit’s original team of accomplices, as well as his long-suffering girlfriend, recall the events of the day – codenamed “le coup” – in mesmerising detail, while Petit himself relives each second as though it was his last.
What emerges is a portrait of obsessive determination, superhuman focus and massive, joyous lunacy. Images of the towers provide a powerful but unspoken allegory for a lost era, when characters like Petit were able to get away with dangerous and illegal stunts in a spirit of death-defying rebellion, without receiving more than a slap on the wrist. Sufferers of vertigo will watch this documentary in an almost unbearable state of tension, but even those with a head for heights will squirm at images of Petit poised on the edge of what was a 450-metre drop between towers. It doesn’t matter that Petit survived the stunt – after all, here he is talking about it 30 years later – you still anticipate a horrible splat. [source: NZFF]
Starring Philippe Petit, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix, Jim Moore, Mark Lewis
Directed by James Marsh ('The King', 'The Team')
Festivals & Awards Best Documentary - Academy Awards 2009, BAFTA Awards 2009. World Cinema Jury Prize and Audience Award - Sundance Film Festival 2008.
Documentary | 1hr 34mins | Rated (M) | contains nudity | Origin: UK | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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5
In 1974, young tightrope walking Frenchman Philippe Petit illegally rigged a wire between the twin towers and performed on it for an hour before being arrested. This is the story of the man himself and the clandestine operation that made a dreamer’s wish a reality, soon dubbed the artistic crime of the century. The dizzying imagery, pathos of the twin towers and the vivid way in which history is reanimated form a potent cinematic cocktail that stays with you for days afterwards.
Petit lives up to his star billing by virtue of his impassioned storytelling abilities, which are almost as intoxicating as the daring spectacle that is the film’s focus. You can easily imagine watching him gesticulate for hours on end without growing bored. He personifies every positive stereotype of the French nature that has ever been proffered. The testimonies of his co-conspirators flesh out the details so that it becomes something akin to a heist drama, adding a layer of dramatic intrigue.
Director James Marsh also deserves kudos for the significant value he brings to the screen. In particular, he handles the recreations, which comprise a hefty portion of the film, brilliantly. It’s a technique that almost always drags down documentaries, but here they are amongst the highlights. This is no mean feat when they are in competition with the breathtaking photographic records of the actual event itself. Topping it all off is a soundtrack that would make even the most big budget blockbusters green with envy.
If I was to pick a documentary to convert detractors of the genre, this is my choice. Accessible, artistic and thoroughly enjoyable, what more could anyone want?SHARE:
The people's reviews
6 reviews
Press Reviews
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Chicago Sun-Times [Roger Ebert]
Man on Wire is about the vanquishing of the towers by bravery and joy, not by terrorism.
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FilmThreat.com [USA]
4
Pre the events of 9/11, the film might have simply been an entertaining, high risk tale of a death-defying feat related in both interviews, archival footage and photos and Marsh's usual meticulous and creative re-enactment vignettes. Post 9/11 you find yourself marveling that a man in far away France became smitten with the twin towers long before they became the target of terrorist attacks.
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Los Angeles Times
This is a police procedural, if you will, about what's been called the artistic crime of the century.
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New York Times
Thorough, understated and altogether enthralling documentary.
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NZ Herald [Peter Calder]
5
Stunning doco about the artistic crime of the century.
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Variety [USA]
One of the most wildly entertaining docs of recent years.
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