Sorry if this has been posted before, but I just wanted to give a brief shout out to Man on Wire. I watched this documentary last night rather than the Academy Awards and found it to be very entertaining (it ended up winning for Best Documentary). I never knew of this story until I read a brief article about him in either Outside or Climbing (can’t remember which). The story is about a highwire walker, Philippe Petit, who went to extraordinary measures to rig a wire across the World Trade Centers in 1974. The story is told as if they were pulling off a major crime (he was only charged with a couple of misdemeanors) and contains some great footage from the time. Although you know how the story ends as you are watching the movie, they do a great job of maintainingg intensity. As someone who has unsuccessfully tried to walk a slack line at my local rock climbing gym, all I can say is Petit has some serious mad skills on the wire. If you rent it, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
I saw it at Christmas time and thought it was really well done. Philippe is a great story teller. I too highly recommend it.
3rd that recommendation. Watched it this month-free on Netflix.
I had heard of him by the time I worked in WTC and remember looking across at the other building and being astounded that someone could do that. I was on 103 so just a bit short of the top and we would often have different weather than at ground level - often you couldn’t even see the ground.
The wind used to race around the building most days, it could have easily been a tragedy instead of a triumph. I have heaps of respect for his skill.
Saw it in a local independent theater. Very good and definitely different!
loved it, a very emotional (and romantic) story. wonderful characters with so much passion, it was a thrilling journey to watch. didn’t know it won best documentary, that is super.