We have just finished watching the documentary "Man on Wire", directed by James Marsh. The topic of the documentary itself was already captivating, as almost all of us would never have the chance the experience wire-walking, but the director has additionally applied different techniques to enhance the excitement that the film gives us. For example, right before Philippe walked between the Twin Towers, to intensify the tension of the atmosphere, the director included shots of lighting / thunder / rain while Philippe's ex-girlfriend is speaking about her worries, which foreshadows that something bad might happen. It turned out that he successfully reached his dream and gained a lot of fame, however, on the other hand, his personality changed and he seemed to forgotten about those who have supported him along the way. His friend got expelled from America, while on the contrary, his is praised and admired by everyone. I also felt really bad for his ex-girlfriend, as she has been supportive from the start, yet Philippe seemed to have immediately forgotten about her and went on his "pleasure journey".
To retell the story of Philippe and his team planning and sneaking into the Twin Tower, a lot of old photos and archived footage were included - they even managed to include old news footage. Flashbacks were involved as the film did not follow a linear chronological order. There was also docudrama, where they reenacted the actual events in a dramatic and vivid way, and these all allow us to gain deep insight into what was happening from different perspectives as the film crew was able to interview everyone who was involved in the actual event.
I really admire how Philippe is able to pursue his passion. It was certainly very fascinating to see the behind the scenes of an "artistic crime", and I could never imagine myself having the courage to step and walk on a single piece of wire.
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