Synopsis
Trailers
Reviews (115)
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A
I did this on the Wii Fit when I was ten. It’s really not that impressive.
85 2 -
A
There is something rather unique about this film. All that old footage of the Twin Towers in New York City gave me a feeling I can’t quite describe. During my lifetime the attack on the World Trade Center was the single most momentous news story I’ve ever had the misfortune to witness. It was tragic, heartbreaking, and it invoked anger in me I never knew was there. The how’s and why’s are now history, but this nostalgic look at an unbelievably audacious stunt to wirewalk between the two towers did bring it all flooding back. Philippe Petit’s carefully worked out attempt back in 1974 to wirewalk over 1300 feet above the Manhattan streets was madness. He was a fascinating individual…
89 1 -
V
As much as I admire what this guy did, he was a giant asshole. Not only did he jumped into bed with the first female groupie who offered herself up to him while his longtime girlfriend waits for him, he abandoned the friends who made his fame possible the instant he becomes famous.
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R
After watching this documentary, it is evident that Zemeckis’ film is almost a shot by shot retelling of this documentary, with additions from the book or creative freedom. Ultimately, I think the problem wasn’t the film but rather the story behind our French artist’s insane act. The behind the scenes, in my opinion, was interesting but not as compelling. My favorite thing about this documentary was seeing the real team tell everything in detail, but above all, I enjoyed their personalities, particularly Philip and his quirky humor. I also appreciated the news footage and original reports. All in all, while not as incredible as I was hoping for, this documentary takes you behind the scenes of one of history’s wildest and craziest moments. TODAY SCHEDULE Boys Don’t Cry Man On A Wire The Walk Chaplin
128 4 -
A
An exuberant documentary about the illegal 1974 Twin Towers high-wire crossing by Philippe Petit and his team of friends, Man On Wire is full of excellent interviews, photos, and videos taken at the time. This is lots of fun and I’m frustrated with myself that I took so long to watch it. He probably could have talked me into helping him with the crime. I can see him charming his way into anything. (read more here)
138 2 -
B
Philippe Petit states in this documentary that the most dangerous part of walking on a tightrope between the World Trade Center(s) was afterwards, when the cops arrested him and threw him down a staircase. Says it all really, doesn’t it?
566 4 -
N
my prof asked what we thought about the ending and i said that i thought that his impulse to immediately go fuck a random woman and get wrapped up in the lure of fame/abandon his friends and girfriend made him a shitty person. my prof decided he needed to spend 10 minutes defending that decision (apparently the feeling of elation after a near-death experience excuses all morally questionable actions) for some reason bc apparently my judgement isn’t valid? if anything choices in your most fragile emotional state convey your true nature but ok this man continues to be frustrating
75 3 -
M
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LLinusMxx 8 月 22, 2026
Film Genre Challenge for January: Documentary #21 Is he really an “artist” or just a “manipulative attention seeker”? Anyway, this documentary felt like I was watching a heist crime thriller, even though they only described all the intense stuff from their mouths, but of course with a little bit of reenactment scenes here and there. It’s a fun docu but overall, it’s basically a 94-minute glorification of an unlikeable, but very talented, person.
56 9 -
B
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B
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D
nothing more cartoonishly french than doing something this stupid and then IMMEDIATELY cheating on your girlfriend
729 4 -
G
That was a neat little stunt to learn about
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Y
Un très beau et émouvant documentaire reconstitution avec un personnage extraordinaire. Une expérience charnelle réellement profonde qui nous transporte. On a envie de la revivre. En plus, j’ai rencontré ce type en vrai, il m’a appris à faire du monocycle et a marché avec moi sur un fil, de grands souvenirs pour moi. A voir ABSOLUMENT!!!
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E
Love this but you won’t catch me on a high wire
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D
Interesting, but I wished they focused more on how it was practically achieved and less on the dramatisation. S: **1/2
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JJesus 8 月 17, 2026
I liked it but this is literally my nightmare and it was hard to watch
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RRachg17 8 月 16, 2026
Who the fuck walks across the twin towers in flared trousers. He is mental.
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T
👍7/10👍 Just wish they gave a bit more time to the main event
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⟡
How silly, mentioning that he cheated😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 but remarkable feat
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D
algunos attention seeker’s por ahí JAJAJAJ, buena película
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Uunsweetenedtea 8 月 12, 2026
always the damn french he shouldve spun 10 times and then walked wouldve been more thrilling
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S
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R
just went down to the twin towers to try this. when was somebody gonna tell me
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B
It’s like la la land if it was one sided and also starred Ilya rozanov and the twin towers were there.
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P
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K
“The object of my dream doesn’t exist yet.” Unbearably tense, but more surprisingly Man on Wire is also an elegiac montage film for the boldness of youth, the last gasping dreams of modernism, and the world before the towers fell. The entire Sydney Harbour Bridge segment is just exquisite, the preparation for the World Trade Center crossing is gripping, and the film’s climactic high wire act is agonising. When we finally get the walk, set beautifully to Erik Satie, I was in floods of tears.
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A
Award winning documentary about a French wirewalker and his complex / insane plan to walk between the two towers. It’s stunning for many reasons, but the emotions of those involved and how they still feel about the event was the part which really blew me away. 8.8/10
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M
Was really looking forward to this. It was just fine.
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L
soooo much drama just to what- walk across 2 buildings, okay man
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L
Absolutely incredible! So many parallels between Philippe Petit and Alex Honnold – the complete obsession, sheer determination and resolute concentration. Beautiful choice to use Satie’s Gymnopedie to soundtrack the walk across the twin towers (the Nyman piece is stunning as well). The doco maintains interest with the use of archival footage, reenactments (they work) and talking head accounts – all work effectively. Petit’s uncontrollable excitement makes for charming and engaging viewing too.
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P
The walk gives a dramatic version of the the story as given in man on wire wonderfully done and its always good to see what else petit actually crossed on wires with.
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O
“If I die, what a beautiful death, to die in the exercise of your passion.” Watched this completely by accident on the 52nd anniversary, and am struck by the irony of using something so utilitarian and utterly undecorated in an expression of pure joie de vivre. Fascinatingly French.
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P
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F
every time it gets to me a little deeper, and i cried a lot this time. passion , drive , beauty ,,,, an unending well of inspiration. wish i could thank phillipe for what it all meant
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M
The most beautiful, poetic and death-defying story ever told
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Ddanielpal 8 月 2, 2026
O ser humano é o que é porque faz coisas inúteis, as coisas que fazemos não precisam ter justificativa, não há um porquê, as vezes fazemos por fazer, por termos vontade. E em 7 de agosto de 74, Philippe Petit fez uma das mais belas odes há inutilidade.
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H
Amazing.
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L
Opening * “Right… imagine waking up one morning and deciding, ‘You know what? I’m gonna walk between the Twin Towers on a bit of wire.’ Not for money. Not because someone dared you… just because it sounds like a laugh.” * “That’s either absolute genius… or someone who’s completely lost the plot.” ⸻ Philippe Petit – Mad or Brilliant? * Properly obsessed with achieving the impossible. * Comes across as charismatic, confident and slightly bonkers. * Doesn’t care about fame…
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M
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R
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G
Un poeta
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N
#estudando
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C
Humans are so weird I love it
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T
es increible como parece q el tipo sabia desde q era chico q iba a haber un documental sobre su vida sjdsja
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P
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B
He destroyed all his relationships for a dream
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Z
When he was on the wire and it looked like he was just walking on air I couldn’t breathe
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RRomi Shmueli 7 月 28, 2026
לברו יש את התמונות הכי בדאס ביקום אני חושבת שהיו צריכים לקחת את נילי פלר לערוך את זה העריכה די ממוצעת וזה ממש מוריד יכול להיות הרבה הרבה יותר טוב
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D
To find a rope on the top of the twin towers, philippe decided that it was best to go completely butt naked and use his skin for the search. And did find the rope by feeling its texture on his thigh. this is the most french story ever
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A
shed a tear when trois gymnopedies played
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E
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M
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Sseth_sees_stuff 7 月 26, 2026
Narcissist* on Wire
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Ttlcolford 7 月 26, 2026
Contains unacceptable levels of French people and French behaviour.
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A
proof that nothing is impossible
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B
the power of audiovisual media right here.
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G
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M
Se nota la excentricidad de Philippe por como es capaz de llevar el ritmo de un documental que son puras entrevistas mezcladas con grabaciones reales de él mismo haciendo funambulismo
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D
Philippe only had to juggle for some kids BUT HIS FRIEND GOT BANNED FROM THE US? RUDE!!
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L
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M
Probs not the best film from a direction POV but the beauty and magnificence of the achievement is humbling. It’s a celebration of the fragility of our lives taken to the edge by of existence! Joyful.
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H
the main guy is pretty funny, i enjoyed the footage of them preparing and his at home wires. again, i don’t love reenactments. i can just listen to a podcast about the same thing.
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Bbellyofawhale 7 月 14, 2026
Had a truly profound experience at the end of thos movie. Then I snuck into Tropic Thunder.
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Mmahimahi 7 月 14, 2026
there’s no way the NYPD would have lifted him off with a helicopter
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Bbrit 7 月 13, 2026
So french
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C
I aspire to have half this man’s love of the game
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L
Enjoyable and interesting but surprisingly not inspiring for such an impossible feat. Score may have been effected by its #1 ranking on Rotten Tomatoes in the documentary category,
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A
в этом документальном фильме создатели больше сделали акцент на том, как они провернули всю эту затею с башнями близнецами. а меня больше интересует личность этого Филипе, которой они посвятили очень мало времени. совсем не рассказали, какой он был в детстве, юности. как он живет, откуда были все эти деньги мотаться по континентам туда-сюда. вот он преодолел этот гигантский milestone, а что дальше? личность он точно неординарная, как и любой такой artist он не от мира сего, хотелось бы больше послушать…
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S
What’s the pain in comparison now that I have acquired my dream? Philippe Petit’s storytelling is beautiful, exciting, and poetic. I feel there is a slight pacing issue with the edit. It seemed to be working towards the climax at a satisfying rate but then took another 15 minutes or so to get there. “You’re The Adult Now, Dog” Challenge 2026 17c. Fascinating, emotional stories and documentaries
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HHanna 7 月 12, 2026
it was so lovely to watch, and i love the spirit of the project, but there was something missing for me in the end. the archival footage was particularly thrilling to see. nostalgic, because i dressed up like him for an elementary school circus and walked across a “tightrope”, which was actually just a metal pole.
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S
Oh no! I cheated on my girlfriend! Sacré Bleu!
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1
stray, off-the-dome reflections: -The images from this film stay with you forever. They haunt you in a good way. -There’s an innocence to this film that not only inspires, but uplifts. It summons something, even just thinking about it. -It’s a film I don’t want to rewatch often but that puts it in a bit of a class of its own in that regard. It’s like a type of wine or a particular type of experience that transcends others and…
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L
not a movie about pursuing your dreams or living on the edge or narcissism it’s actually about french people being melodramatic liars
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C
How i’ll forever be jealous of this guy!!!
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D
i don’t know what i expected. in either subject or direction. i just expected more. the frenchman was not for me.
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MMirandamanghera 7 月 7, 2026
There is a shot from The Exorcist in this that they appropriated to show as the “streets of New York City” and I clocked that shit
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JJulienStout 7 月 6, 2026
Delicate
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L
How and why
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JJonah Pishkin 7 月 6, 2026
The random use of Walter Murphy’s A Fifth of Beethoven is the cherry on top here. Really makes it seem like they’re trying to make this into an Ocean’s movie. I knew this story, and knew how it ended, but seeing him up there still makes my stomach turn.
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A
très chouette
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H
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E
Mysig och spännande
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K
His friends needed Philippe to become famous to finally see he’s a narcissist that doesn’t really care about anything and anyone, but his own ego and selfish goals. The most impressive part is him and his team setting the whole thing up. The wire walk itself is not that different from those russian adrenaline junkies walking on skyscrapers with a gopro strapped to their head or idiots doing wheelies with a motorbike on the highway. The documentary is fine, but it’s glorifying sort of gross behaviour. There’s no stakes, because who cares if someone dies risking their life for a bit of attention whore glory.
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R
and then he got arrested…GOOD! idiot.
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J
It’s interesting that this movie is punctuated by an almost complete character annihilation while everything up to that point is brimming with joyful and innocent mischief.
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A
He has good balance and loves those twin towers downnnnn. My favorite part was when they cut him off during his monologue
1 1 -
G
rotten tomatoes has this as the highest ranked documentary, i would have to disagree. it was good and i found him very interesting. lots of these people say he’s an asshole cause he turned on his friends and cheated on his girlfriend and while that’s shitty i find this man very entertaining and it seems like even into his 60s he still wore walks! i was happy to watch but not the best ever documentary for sure.
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J
How apropos to watch after those folks climbed the empire state building to wave a flag that said “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” The way Phillippe speaks is completely and entirely poetic and also 100% ego. That ego is probably the only thing that kept him so committed to this feat as well. I found some of the anecdotal pieces of the story more entertaining from Phillippe stealing the Australian policeman’s…
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M
It’s too long and isn’t consistent. But impressive story and it was captivating
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T
The majesty of humanity within modernity can be sick as hell. The guy gets a pass on being a dick because he’s French
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L
Great show. Documentary of heist-like story planning, sneaking into buildings, and getting wire set up – much less the palm sweaty walk.
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M
Looks magical.
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E
הדבר הכי מטורף שקרה שם
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S
This whole movie is so unbelievably good. First of all the language, yes french is a beautiful langauge, but they all speak with such grace and earnest. They speak as if they have spent their whole life reading classics, while wine drunk in a meadow. They speak with life and reflection, each word sounding soo natural. And now while i am writing this i come to the realization that the whole movie is probably scripted or whatnot. BUT STILL! To…
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M
Lección de vida: Jamás ayudes a un egocéntrico que quiera cruzar dos torres gigantescas. Es una sentencia de por vida.
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B
I love a funky little Frenchman
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T
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A
Awe-inspiring and wild. I wish I didn’t deal with the anxiety I live with.
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B
The first documentary I have watched of this type. I have watched documentaries, but not a sport/event documentary. I really enjoyed watching it all unfold. It also followed a non linear structure. I really liked the first scene, where he nails the box shut, because he forgot to do it before. I enjoyed watching Philippe Petit as himself. Very lively, eccentric and imperfect. The shots that were filmed for the film were good too. The music didn’t exactly feel like…
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S
man why did no one tell me they made an anti-cop heist movie documentary
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J
Really interesting subject matter, but the doc itself was just a little lackluster to me. The reenactments were a little goofy.
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C
French people are just built different lmao. But seriously this does such a great job of showing the beauty of something that at face value seems incredibly stupid and unnecessarily dangerous, and how it was pursued with such obsession.
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K
A very memorable documentary. Your appreciation for what is unfolding only increases as the story dives further into the details, building up to a climax so incomprehensible that the audience is struck by both vertigo and awe.
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P
Very interesting, the movie version was very fatefull in many regards, goes to show how crazy the real deal was
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R
There is so much complexity of emotion in this doc. The narrative approach was immaculate, I loved the sequence of the construction of towers as Philippe is growing up. The interviews, archival photographs and reconstructed sequences create a sense of momentum that makes you forget you already know the outcome. Watching the Twin Towers stand not as symbols of tragedy but as objects of wonder gives the documentary an emotional dimension that couldn’t have existed when the walk happened. The film stands as a testament to the filmmakers ability to blend observational truth with cinematic storytelling.
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K
yk what my ego is telling me
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K
watched this in school it was so mid
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V
Das ist einfach nur verrückt. Ich habe keine Worte.
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R
Sort of an interesting story told in a pretty boring way. I just was not as invested in this as I should have been.
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CCarl Patterson 8 月 31, 2019
As a dramatised documentary it is still very good. The Michael Nyman score, with parts from The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover still seem jarringly out of place.
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CCarl Patterson 4 月 29, 2017
They should have used more Satie instead of Nyman for the soundtrack. Those Nyman pieces only remind me of The Cook, The Thief. I wonder if there is any mention of Phillippe’s walk in the Ground Zero Museum?
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C
Watched in 100 mile house with my family.
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G
Loved it.
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P
EVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL? Man On Wire (2008, UK/USA, Color, 94 min) – – 4 April 2009 Recommended. Man On Wire is a well-made documentary about the 1974 tightrope walk of Frenchman Phillipe Petit between the World Trade Center towers; however, I was much less moved by James Marsh’s film than the Oscar voters. While the shots of Petit ‘floating’ in air are astonishing, the back story seemed tedious. Perhaps it is the utter pointlessness of the feat, despite…
- Synopsis
- 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.
- Director
- James Marsh
- Writer
- Philippe Petit
- Studio
- Red Box Films, Discovery Films, BBC Storyville, UK Film Council
- Country
- UK
- Language
- English, French
- Year
- 2008
- Runtime
- 94 mins
- USA22 Jan 2008
- Canada01 Aug 2008
- UK01 Aug 2008
- USA29 Aug 2008
- Germany22 Jan 2009
- Taiwan06 Feb 2009
- Portugal05 Mar 2009
- Greece25 Mar 2010
- South Korea29 Oct 2015
- Ireland12 Jul 2008
- Austria21 Oct 2008
- Japan13 Jun 2009
- Norway01 Aug 2008
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