Mar
08
On the latter note, the beautiful black & white 16mm footage of the guerrilla tightrope team ascending the fire-stairs of the WTC jolted me. The insignificance of this action then and the knowledge of history I carry in viewing this now. Could they have imagined what would happen in that very stairwell 27 years later?
The doco conveyed the symbolic power of the twin towers. America - the powerhouse. The stratospheric height. That Philippe Petit was obsessed with rigging a wire between them to walk, is understandable - if one wants the ultimate headline grabbing challenge. That he did it just blows my mind. The act of pulling of 'the heist' surreptitiously is the subject of the film. Again, given what has occurred in the world since, his extraordinary feat will never be repeated.
Can you imagine the fear that would grip your body to step on a thin piece of wire in wind a kilometre above a New York city street? That he frolicked and crossed 7 times taunting police is beyond my comprehension. To conquer your fear like so - I would bow down to this guy.
In the lead up footage of the preparation for the WTC act - some wonderful crisp 16mm footage of his 'minor' walk between the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons. Amazing. As a Sydneysider I could 'feel' that 1970's traffic look and feel,I chuckled while viewing the Valiant* police car taking Phillipe away - as clear as I could today.
An added interest was the down to earth Aussie offsider and friend of Phillipe who (along with the other protagonists) offer such rich and personal and emotional accounts of events 3 decades ago.
The documentary looks beautiful. The existing footage is so strong, stills and film. As a record of an epoch and a crazy project that will never occur again - it's peerless.
Man on a wire
Posted by: gjayre |Tagged in: Untagged
Watched the documentary Man on a Wire recently. Enthralling for many reasons; from the sheer talent, fearlessness and chutzpah of this small wiry French tightrope walker, and the poignancy of seeing the World Trade Centre in its naive (in hindsight) glory days.
On the latter note, the beautiful black & white 16mm footage of the guerrilla tightrope team ascending the fire-stairs of the WTC jolted me. The insignificance of this action then and the knowledge of history I carry in viewing this now. Could they have imagined what would happen in that very stairwell 27 years later?
The doco conveyed the symbolic power of the twin towers. America - the powerhouse. The stratospheric height. That Philippe Petit was obsessed with rigging a wire between them to walk, is understandable - if one wants the ultimate headline grabbing challenge. That he did it just blows my mind. The act of pulling of 'the heist' surreptitiously is the subject of the film. Again, given what has occurred in the world since, his extraordinary feat will never be repeated.
Can you imagine the fear that would grip your body to step on a thin piece of wire in wind a kilometre above a New York city street? That he frolicked and crossed 7 times taunting police is beyond my comprehension. To conquer your fear like so - I would bow down to this guy.
In the lead up footage of the preparation for the WTC act - some wonderful crisp 16mm footage of his 'minor' walk between the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons. Amazing. As a Sydneysider I could 'feel' that 1970's traffic look and feel,I chuckled while viewing the Valiant* police car taking Phillipe away - as clear as I could today.
An added interest was the down to earth Aussie offsider and friend of Phillipe who (along with the other protagonists) offer such rich and personal and emotional accounts of events 3 decades ago.
The documentary looks beautiful. The existing footage is so strong, stills and film. As a record of an epoch and a crazy project that will never occur again - it's peerless.
Mar
08
Lists
Posted by: gjayre |Tagged in: Untagged
Had this urge to list my favourite movies tonight on Facebook. Idly thought about this many times on trains etc. Lists - top 5, top 10's.... Isn't there a book about this? Nick Hornby....?
For the record, (and for what it's worth). Movies; Blue Velvet, La Haine, Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou, Stranger than Paradise, La Dolce Vita, The Year my Voice Broke, Gallipoli, The Maltese Falcon, Rear Window, The Ice Storm, Bourne trilogy, Goodfellas.
Songs are liable to change depending on mood, month, year etc... Right now its as follows; There she goes, The LA's. Loaded, Primal Scream (cos I just listened to it again!). No 13 Baby, The Pixies. Love in a Trashcan, The Raveonettes. Death Party, The Gun Club. Long way to the top, ACDC. Streets of your Town, The Go-Betweens. Uncertain Smile, The The.
