Petits achievement made headlines around the world. Phillip petit s 1974 deathdefying performance is dramatized in a film by robert zemeckis. What other highwire stunts had philippe petit performed before attempting his twin towers walk. Born in 1949, french daredevil philippe petit became famous in august 1974 for his highwire walk between the twin towers of the world trade center in new york city. Documentaries that resonate deeply with audiences often do so on the strength of a compelling central character. A 25yearold french daredevil did a tightrope walk across the top of new york in 1974 on a 1foot cable strung between the 110story twin towers of the world trade center. The 1,350fthigh walk was six years in the planning, and afterwards petit was. Zemeckis first approached him about making a movie based on his memoir, to reach the clouds, the idea. It is based on petits book, to reach the clouds, released in paperback with the title man on wire.
Learn about philippe petit including past and current movies, upcoming movies, and celebrity news at. Man on wire on august 7th, 1974, a young frenchman named philippe petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between the new york world trade centers twin towers. Man on wire 2008 full movie download full hd youtube. Born into a middleclass french family in 1949, philippe petit taught himself magic, juggling and highwire walking while still a child. In honeyland, one of 15 feature documentaries still in contention for the academy. Another reason is that the documentary, a hybrid of actual and restaged footage, is constructed like a firstrate thriller. Philippe petits passion for performances started from magic. That is one reason i was helplessly engrossed in man on wire, the story of how philippe petit crossed eight times on a tightwire between the two towers of the world trade center on aug. The new movie, based on petits 2002 book to reach the clouds, tells how petit worked as a mime and street performer in france after first seeing a. Philippe petit is artistinresidence of the cathedral of st. On august 7, 1974, philippe petit, a french wire walker, juggler, and street performer days shy of his 25th birthday, spent 45 minutes walking, dancing, kneeling, and lying on a wire he and friends strung between the rooftops of the twin towers. He has performed illegal highwire walks between the towers of notre dame, the twin towers of the world trade center, and the northern pylons of the. The real story behind philippe petits world trade center. Philippe petit has performed on the high wire more than 80 times around the world.
Philippe petits crazy highwire walk between the twin. Theres a scene that is a timelapse reenactment of a sexual encounter that philippe petit had with a female fan after he was freed from jail that. The movie was about philippe petit, the extraordinary wire walker who put a wire between the twin towers in new york and walked on it. At sixteen he began to travel the world as a street juggler. Much like what is seen in the movie, during the 45 minutes he spent on the wire, philippe petite walked, danced, knelt down and saluted, and lied down on the wire. On august 7th 1974, french tightrope walker philippe petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between new yorks world trade center twin towers, then the worlds tallest buildings. He is known for his work on the walk 2015, man on wire 2008 and mondo 1995. Scene from the movie man on wire a 2008 documentary film directed by james marsh amazing scene. Forty years ago, new york awoke to find philippe petit walking on a wire between the 110story twin towers of the world trade center. W hether you take philippe petits tightrope walk between the twin towers as art, daredevilry, or madness, its hard to deny the awe it inspired.
Man on wire 2008 is a fascinating, suspenseful documentary with rare footage and some reenactments. Philippe petit, as played by joseph gordonlevitt, is very much the hero of the walk. John the divine, and has performed on the high wire more than eighty times around the world. He also streetjuggles, lectures, and practices closeup magic. He became famous for his high wire walk between the world trade center in new york city, on the morning of august 7, 1974. On august 7, 1974, philippe petit an impish, pixyish frenchman spent an hour tightroping on a wire suspended between the towers of the world trade center. This extraordinary documentary incorporates petits personal. A look at tightrope walker philippe petits daring, but illegal, highwire routine performed between new york citys world trade centers twin towers in 1974, what some consider, the artistic crime of the century. After dancing for nearly an hour on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally. The twin towers highwire walk, 40 years ago history. He is the subject of the awardwinning documentary film man on wire.
The title of the film is taken from the police report that led to the. After all, he is the person who crossed from one twin tower to the other on a wire. Walking on air between the towers the new york times. James marshs documentary brings petits extraordinary adventure to life through the testimony of philippe himself, and some of the coconspirators who helped him create the unique and magnificent. Petits routine was a delight to those on the ground, but it was technically illegal petit and a band of friends had schemed for months to make it happen. A hundred thousand people gathered on the ground to watch in awe as twentyfouryearold high wire artist philippe petit made eight crossings between the allbutcompleted towers, a quarter mile above the earth, over the course of nearly an hour. The real philippe petit top lies down on the highwire between the twin towers. Rent man on wire 2008 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Man on wire is a 2008 britishamerican biographical documentary film directed by james marsh. Philippe petit was born on august, 1949 in nemours, seineetmarne, france. The walk true story confirms that petit had already attempted and completed an illegal highwire walk at pariss notre dame cathedral in 1971 shown in the movie and another illegal walk at sydneys harbour bridge in 1973. The bbc aired this documentary recently about an audacious act, at once whimsical and surreal carried out at new yorks world trade center in 1974 man on wire is the story of philippe petits incredible highwire walk between the two towers back then, the tallest buildings in the world.
The new movie tells the story of philippe petits aug. The film chronicles philippe petits 1974 highwire walk between the twin towers of new yorks world trade center. Philippe petit is a french born tightrope walker who became famous for making an unauthorised walk on a steel cable between the twin towers of the world trade centre in manhattan august 7, 1974. I was involved in the making of this film from the very beginning, which began nine years ago and i do not believe that man on the wire the awardwinning documentary of 2008. Man on wire twin towers scene philippe petit sub ita. Highwire artist philippe petit takes you on an intimate journey from his first card trick at age 6. Petit was arrested for this exploit and for others, but he always presented himself. He was a man who permanently redefined the phrase, high wire. Robert zameckis has another thoroughly enjoyable film, the walk, about philippe petits joseph gordonlevitt highwire walk between the world trade centers twin towers in 1974. Philippe petit, a frenchman highwire walker was unknown to most people until one summer morning in 1974 he walked across the twin towers on a highwire. He did it with the aid of accomplices and in defiance of the law. Philippe petit on training joseph gordonlevitt for the. Philippe petit is a french highwire artist who gained fame for his highwire walk between the twin towers of the world. Balancing 110 stories in the air, petit played on the tightrope for 40 minutes, even lying down on the wire to watch those friendly clouds pass above him.
Philippe petit walks a tightrope between the twin towers. Parents need to know that man on wire is a 2008 documentary about a french tightrope walker who performed a highwire act of epic proportions in 1974. Philippe petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between new yorks twin towers. A feat that took him months of secret preparations to accomplish and landed him in prison outastanding feats always seem to provoke the smallminded. The world trade center was not philippe petits first highwire conquest. In 1974, highwire artist philippe petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream.
After dancing for nearly an hour on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. Philippe petits reallife walk between the twin towers. A magician from the age of six and former street juggler. Its as romantic as gump and addictive as future with the added interest of a biopic that is true to its history. In the summer of 1974 french highwire artist philippe petit gained notoriety when he walked on a wire between the twin towers in new york city the remarkable feat has been adapted into a. He was a man who permanently redefined the phrase, highwire. The walk is based on a true story of philippe petit. On august 7, 1974, a young frenchman named philippe petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between the world trade centers twin towers in new york. I auditioned, had a callback a few days later, and twenty minutes after the callback, the production called me to say i got the role. Philippe petit, born august, 1949, nemours, france, frenchborn highwire walker who attained worldwide celebrity on august 7, 1974, with his unauthorized crossing between the newly built twin towers of the world trade center in new york city, about 1,350 feet 411 metres above the ground. The frenchman philippe petit performed all his life.
The hullabaloo was over a frenchman named philippe petit, who was walking on a high wire more than 1,300 feet in the air, suspended between the tops of the twin towers of the old world trade center. After twin towers highwire act, philippe petit walked. Even a deathdefying magician has to start somewhere. Phillip petits 1974 deathdefying performance is dramatized in a film by robert zemeckis. Philippe petit i philippe petit was born on august, 1949 in nemours, seineetmarne, france. In 1974, frenchman philippe petit walked across a tightrope stretched between the world trade centers twin towers. This biography profiles his childhood, family, achievements, and other facts. The true story behind philippe petits world trade center.
327 559 231 185 126 1528 1273 1036 533 424 1314 1374 583 346 416 1330 1157 1495 1175 313 1104 91 744 1390 1382 831 1142 1413 271 239 110 1127 255 1247 724 300