But you presumably knew the subject matter of the film and the one event it revolves around - which you presumably hadn't previously thought of as being profound in any way - before deciding to watch the film.
So why complain?
I never understand why people complain that others see something different in films/art to themselves. No-one forced this upon you, did they?
I actually did find it building up tension, which I didn't expect as everyone knows the outcome of the events, but I empathised with the witnesses and what they must have been feeling at the time - not least the fact that if anything went wrong they could well have been assisting their friend's fall to his death.
That it won so many awards may have been due to the fact that it was a very well made documentary, regardless of what you think of the subject matter, surely you must admit that the material they had to work with - vintage footage of them meticulously planning the walk, etc - really added to the film, where most documentaries are forced to use extensive and often poorly directed reconstructions and "Ken Burns" stills.
The only thing I felt was missing was an explanation of where Petit got the money from to constantly fly to New York and back.
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MrPunish
16 years ago
Knowing the subject before seeing the film doesn't mean i have to like the film does it? I recently also saw "King of Kong" - I have no interest in Donkey Kong or any other video games but I thought it was a very good film. Similarly saw Deep Water recently, again I've no interest in the subject matter (sailing) yet I was gripped - and I would say that there was a sense of profundity in the subject matter there.
I think the disproportionate interest in Man On Wire is due to the the loss of the WTC towers, which is peripheral at best to the film.
Don: No, you are going to have to turn this opportunity yes!
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decorativeedison
16 years ago
"Knowing the subject before seeing the film doesn't mean i have to like the film does it?"
That's the opposite of what I was suggesting. I meant that if the subject matter didn't interest you, why did you expect the film to?
I agree that the fate of the twin towers probably contributed more interest in this film than there might have otherwise been, but personally I was intersted in this event ever since I was a child and I received a history book with pictures of Petit's wire-walk in it as a present.
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