Man on Wire (James Marsh, 2008)

[rs98762001]

Surprisingly, I couldn't find a thread for this, unless it's fallen somewhere into the 28 pages devoted to a Batman movie. My comparison is not merely fatuous, as Marsh's film is about a superman of another kind - and is equally thrilling, packed with as much derring-do (all genuine in this case), far more human, and considerably more moving as a consideration of the real Gotham City.

Some of the staged reenactments, particularly at the start of the film, felt a little disingenuous, as if they were intentionally trading on our contemporary knowledge of the Towers' ultimate fate. And the music choices - Nyman, Satie, etc - were a little cliched.

Otherwise, it's one of the most purely enjoyable films I've seen this year (along with ANVIL, another wonderful doc that also screened at Sundance). Marsh was incredibly fortunate that Petit and his friends are characters straight out of Runyon or Leonard, and that so much beautiful 16mm footage existed of the group's training and planning.

[LQ]

I'm seeing it on saturday, so I'll chime in again then but Ill just say for now that I can't WAIT to see this.

[Adam]

Saw it two nights ago and thought it great.
I don't know how any reenactment involving his attempt to cross the World Trade Center towers by tight rope couldn't inherently be "intentionally trading on our contemporary knowledge of the Towers' ultimate fate?" Everyone knows it; the whole film is trading in on that knowledge to give it depth. I think the fact that they didn't intentionally include anything about their fate to be nice, since everything about its construction was suffused with that knowledge.

Elaborate modern reenactments - finding someone also skilled at tightrope. I found even more incredible the 16mm footage that they shot back in the day, clearly preserving it for posterity. Well shot as well, properly covered direct cinema.

[rs98762001]

Saw it two nights ago and thought it great.
I don't know how any reenactment involving his attempt to cross the World Trade Center towers by tight rope couldn't inherently be "intentionally trading on our contemporary knowledge of the Towers' ultimate fate?" Everyone knows it; the whole film is trading in on that knowledge to give it depth.

I believe that, in interviews, Marsh has claimed that he didn't intend for the film to be read that way, that any depth it has should exist independently of our knowledge of the Towers' demise.

What I was referring to was not the reenactment of the act itself (was there a reenactment of this? I didn't think so, but the old and new footage were so seamlessly blended that I can't be entirely sure). It was the reenactments at the start of the film, covering the team's illegal entrance into the WTC, that I wasn't so keen on. The way it was shot, even the specific dialogue, seemed to play on the possibility that this was a terrorist attack on the Towers. For a few moments, it even felt exactly like one of those History Channel-style step-by-step reconstructions of 9/11, and it just felt a little disingenuous. But perhaps I'm overreacting...

[margot]

It was the reenactments at the start of the film, covering the team's illegal entrance into the WTC, that I wasn't so keen on. The way it was shot, even the specific dialogue, seemed to play on the possibility that this was a terrorist attack on the Towers. For a few moments, it even felt exactly like one of those History Channel-style step-by-step reconstructions of 9/11, and it just felt a little disingenuous.

That's how the trailer is cut and it's really fucking stupid.

[LQ]

What a great movie!! I couldn't stop grinning the entire way through. That one shot of his laughing and smiling on the wire between the towers will stick with me for a while; is there anything more enchanting than the face of someone who has fully realized his dream?

And it ended perfectly. Gee, what an inspiring, delightful film.

[Antoine Doinel]

A conversation between Werner Herzog and Philippe Petit.

[Banana #3]

Author Colum McCann has written a new book where the event of the Twin Tower high-wire forms the central theme. The status of the book is somewhere between "finished writing" and "on the shelves."

[Magic Hate Ball]

I saw this a week or so ago, and I really loved it. While some of the reenactments were a little shaky, the rest of the film was very solid. Satie's Gymnopedie No. 3 was put to good use, and made the film tremendously enchanting. I don't like that they stretched the old footage to fill the frame, but what can you do? I came out of the theater feeling like I was walking on air. It's terribly inspiring and uplifting.

Also, I don't think that the loss of the Twin Towers really detracted from or added to the film in any significant manner. It was more of a side note.

[Andrew_VB]

Also, I don't think that the loss of the Twin Towers really detracted from or added to the film in any significant manner. It was more of a side note.

agreed. i only thought of it when i was thinking "damn, i'd like to see those markings he made."

[manicsounds]

How does the UK disc compare to the US? I can't find any info on what's on the UK version, including language options.