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DVD Release Date: 12/9/2008
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On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between New York's twin towers, then the world’s tallest buildings. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released.
Following six and a half years of dreaming of the towers, Petit spent eight months in New York City planning the execution of the coup. Aided by a team of friends and accomplices, Petit was faced with numerous extraordinary challenges: he had to find a way to bypass the WTC’s security; smuggle the heavy steel cable and rigging equipment into the towers; pass the wire between the two rooftops; anchor the wire and tension it to withstand the winds and the swaying of the buildings. The rigging was done by night in complete secrecy. At 7:15 AM, Philippe took his first step on the high wire 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan…
James Marsh’s documentary brings Petit’s extraordinary adventure to life through the testimony of Philippe himself, and some of the co-conspirators who helped him create the unique and magnificent spectacle that became known as “the artistic crime of the century.”
 
Directed by James Marsh
Produced by Simon Chinn
Executive Producer Jonathan Hewes
Co Producer Victoria Gregory
Co Producer Maureen A. Ryan
Director of Photography Igor Martinovic
Film Editor Jinx Godfrey
Music by Michael Nyman
WTC Heist Music By J. Ralph
based on the book “To Reach The Clouds”
by Philippe Petit
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“ERUPTS ONSCREEN AS ONE OF THE MOST WILDLY ENTERTAINING DOCS OF RECENT YEARS. AN ADVENTURE TALE THAT ASTONISHES IN EVERY RESPECT."
– Robert Koehler, Variety
“RIVETING. This exhilarating film makes you shake your head in amazement.”
– Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“EXHILARATING.” – Stephen Holden, New York Times
“Lovely, touching and ALTOGETHER ENTHRALLING” – A.O. Scott, NY Times
“Shows, step by thrilling step, how Philippe Petit pulled off his astonishing tightrope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. NO DOC—AND NO FICTIONAL FILM [AT SUNDANCE]—WAS MORE PURELY ENTERTAINING.”
– David Ansen, Newsweek
“GRADE A. BREATHTAKING!” – Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
“ALFRED HITCHCOCK COULDN’T HAVE CRAFTED A TALE AS TAUT AS THIS.” – Jason Lynch, People
“**** ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST FILMS. Petit is a true artist with a rare gift and director Marsh has masterminded his own work of art.” Christy Lemire, AP
“NOTHING ON MOVIE SCREENS NOW CAN COMPARE WITH THE FOOTAGE OF PETIT’S PERFORMANCE. AWE-INSPIRING!” – Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“The stunning scenes of Petit dancing and tumbling 1,350 feet above the pavement put the most dizzying shots of The Dark Knight to shame.” – Stuart Klawans, The Nation
“**** I WAS HELPLESSLY ENGROSSED. A SUPERB FILM THAT WORKS LIKE A THRILLER.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
“A GREAT DOCUMENTARY. Enthralling and entertaining, it raises the bar for the genre to skyscraper heights.” – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
“EXHILARATING! A crowd pleaser in such witty, poetic ways that even a curmudgeon couldn’t deny.” – Aaron Hillis, Village Voice
“EXHILARATING! Words can hardly do justice to Petit’s feat.” – Jim Ridley, Village Voice
“A GRIPPING, IMPROBABLY AFFECTING STORY, BUT ALSO A DEEPLY CATHARTIC ONE. The climax unfolds with unexpected emotional force.” – Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
“**** IT’S BEAUTIFUL. The film is perfectly poised between artistry and audacity.” – Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
“INCOMPARABLY MOVING. Heart-stopping, knee-buckling and transcendent, Man On Wire is NIRVANA AT 1350 FEET.” – Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
“**** THRILLING AND BEAUTIFUL.” – Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“**** MAGICAL.” – Ty Burr, Boston Globe
“**** UTTERLY THRILLING.” – Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
“***** ONE OF THE MOST SUSPENSEFUL, WHITE-KNUCKLED FILMS OF THE YEAR.” – Richard Nielsen, Arizona Republic
“***** DELIGHTFUL AND UNEXPECTEDLY MOVING.” – Reyhan Harmanci, SF Chronicle
“**** A GUST OF FRESH AIR. It overflows with emotion.” – Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
“**** WHAT AN AMAZING STORY IT IS! Moving, terrifying and funny – in sum, it’s delightful.” – Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant
“UNDENIABLE MAGIC! A gift of a film.” – Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
“ENTHRALLING AND DEEPLY BEAUTIFUL. It has the excitement of a great caper movie.” – Gerry Peary, Boston Phoenix
“HAVING SEEN MAN ON WIRE 5 TIMES I’M READY TO SEE IT AGAIN. IT’S FAR AND AWAY MY FAVORITE FILM RELEASED IN 2008 SO FAR.” – Ray Pride, New City
“HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND DEEPLY MOVING. The film relates the complex tale with the breathlessness of a caper thriller.” – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
“MIRACULOUS” – David Edelstein, New York
“THRILLING! An exciting tale that plays like a heist film.” – Bruce Diones, New Yorker
“BREATHTAKING.” – Harlan Jacobson, USA Today
“EUPHORIC AND WILDLY ENTERTAINING. A magnificently eccentric film about imagination, risk taking and creative self-expression.” – Scott Foundas, LA Weekly
“THRILLING! Every bit as suspenseful as even the best Hollywood heist films.” – Andy Klein, LA City Beat
“THRILLING AND PROFOUND. Filled with jaw-dropping footage of NYC and paced like a heist film, the movie reaches great heights.” – Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
“***** ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING PORTRAITS OF ‘BECAUSE IT’S THERE’ IDEOLOGY EVER CAPTURED ON CELLULOID. The film commemorates the towers in the most fitting manner possible.” – David Fear, Time Out New York
“THERE IS NO WAY A REVIEW CAN ADEQUATELY CONVEY ITS COMPLICATED RESONANCE, OR ITS SUBTLE POETIC TRANSFORMATION. Director Marsh has done much more than document one man’s unlikely accomplishment; he has restored those towers to us as symbols of joy and transcendence.” – Andrew O’Hehir, Salon
“BREATHTAKING! A HEART POUNDING THRILLER. It is impossible not to get caught up in the sheer audacity of Philippe Petit’s plan.” – S. James Snyder, New York Sun
“The film runs 95 minutes, and you'll be holding your breath for most of them”. --Ken Fox, TV Guide.com
“Don’t Miss! The finale is stunning and heart-stopping.” – Sara Cardace, New York Magazine
“NO AMOUNT OF DESCRIPTION CAN TRANSMIT THE PASSION AND JOY IN THIS WONDERFUL PICTURE. GRADE A+.” – Cole Smithey
“IT’S TOO ELECTRIC AND GRIPPING TO BE CALLED A MERE DOCUMENTARY.” - Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere
“A STUNNING ADVENTURE. A RIVETING, EXHILARATING RIDE.” – Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal
“AN ASTONISHING TRIUMPH OF A FILM – EASILY THE BEST I’VE SEEN ALL YEAR. The human emotions around the dizzyingly beautiful feat are unexpectedly, suddenly, overwhelming.” Luke Crisell, Nylon
“IT WALKS ON AIR.” – Jessica Winter, Oprah Magazine
“**** EXHILARATING” – Jeff Craig, Sixty Second Preview
“BREATHTAKING. A STRANGE, STIRRING EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY DOCUMENTARY YOU’LL SEE THIS YEAR.” – Joshua Rothkopf, Penthouse
“ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS YOU ARE LIKELY TO SEE ON FILM. CLEARLY THE BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR SO FAR, THE ONLY ONE THIS YEAR I’VE CONSIDERED A PERFECT 10. It may be one of the most amazing cinematic experiences in terms of recreating a single event in history. ” – Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.net
“SPELLBINDING, REMARKABLY FUNNY AND DOWNRIGHT THRILLING – A MUST SEE.” – Dennis Demody, Paper
“MAN ON WIRE REMINDS US WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE LIFE, SKY HIGH.” - Rosie DuPont, Columbia Spectator
“IT’S NOT JUST ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR, BUT IT”S A NON-FICTIONAL NARRATIVE THAT CHANGES THE RULES OF ITS GENRE. Calling it a mere documentary is a great disservice to the film” – Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com
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