Man On Wire

So this documentary was about a man who put a cable between the twin towers and walked across them. I didn't hate this film as much as I thought I would, but it kind of drag itself out. We spent like an hour with them as they were sneaking into the tower and I just wanted them to get up their and get it over with. They did not need to spend that much time describing what it was like to be under a sheet hiding from guards. This isn't a suspenseful novel, this is a documentary!

The film wasn't completely boring thought it was interesting to see how they did it and how it affected them. I think the reason their friendships and relationships fell apart was not only because the fame had gotten to Philippe, but also because now that they had accomplished their goal the team was broken there was no reason for them to stay together. Philippe just seemed to be using them. However I learned awhile ago that there is no such thing as unconditional love we're all just using each other. Do you love your mother? Why? Because she gave birth to you? She did something for you that's why you love her. Why was Philippe with Annie? Because she was their to comfort him. However he had no problem throwing her away. However overall this documentary was able to keep my interest for the most part.
 

Universal Monster Frankeinstein

The Universal Monster [here UM is a proper noun, not a generic term] I chose was Frankeinstein [spelling]. In 1931 James Whale directed a American Pre-Code [what does this mean?] horror monster film from Universal Pictures. A few key film starts are: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, and Boris Karloff (as the Monster]. Frankeinstein is a hit w/ both audiences & [avoid using the ampersand in academic writing] critics. The original film was followed by multiple sequels, and it's become an iconic horror film! The plot takes place in a European village Henry Frankeinstein, a young scientist and his assistant Fritz, a hunchback, piece together a human body that they've collected from a various amount of sources [run-on]. Henry aspires to create a human through electricity [here you are using a noun when you need an adjective] devices in which he succeeds. They put the pieced together human on the operating table when a crash of thunder, a few crackling of Henry's electric devices, and the hand of Frankeinstein's monster beings to move, where it causes Henry to shout his later famous line,"It's alive!"

Tati,

You have clearly done some research here. If you did not glean your summary/retell from watching the film you need to cite your source. Additionally, I am curious as to what makes Frankenstein iconic and whether or not you think it might appeal to contemporary audiences? Why or why not? I look forward to your revised post.

MM

This film is NOT interesting at all to me, I mean there was some parts that caught my eye, but other than that I really didn't enjoy this movie.

Brittney,

Can you be more specific as to which points "caught [your] eye"? Also can you explain how it fits in or does not fit in with other films you critically viewed in class? Thanks.

MM

Man on Wire 1

One can imagine the height of the two World Trade Center towers; 1 World Trade Center standing at 1,368 feet and 2 World Trade Center at 1,362 feet. To the average person, the very thought of being inside one of those buildings at the highest floor might be intimidating. To those same people, the thought of walking across the gap between them is most likely flat out ridiculous; but to Phillipe Petit, a French daredevil from Nemours, it's exhilarating.

The 2008 British-American documentary Man on Wire shows Phillippe's exploits into walking between then-tallest buildings in the world. It contains many of the tropes the average moviegoer would be able to point out in a traditional documentary: interviews, B-roll footage, real world footage, etc., but what makes this 94 minute feature worthy of it's Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature is - by and large - is it's creative usage of these cinema tropes, as well as Petit's almost psychotic enthusiasm towards his great feat. 

This is enhanced by much of the real world footage used in the film, such as actual footage and photos of Petit and his crew's preparation for the unworldly feat. This real world footage allows the viewer to really get intimate with Petit and his crew, and perfectly outlines each detailed step that went towards accomplishing the stunt. It's very easy to see why this was awarded Best Documentary Feature, as its creative usage of basic documentary techniques sets it apart from the rest entirely.

Man on Wire

Man on Wire is a 2008 documentary directed by James Marsh. The documentary chronicles Philippe Petit's high-wire walks, his most astounding being the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It won Best Documentary, and for good reason. The film is set up with interviews of those who participated in helping to get Philippe to high-wire walk the Twin Towers, as well as actual footage and still photographs that helped prepare for the event and reenactments.
High-wire walking the Twin Towers was Philippe's dream, a dream that formed when he was seventeen and at the dentist. He was reading about the proposed project of the Twin Towers in a magazine when he saw the drawings of the proposed project, both of which were not yet built. He ripped out the picture and left the dentist still in pain. He became infatuated with the Twin Towers, collecting articles wherever he could. He just had to walk across it. It drove him. It became his dream.
Throughout the documentary through interviews with Philippe and his friends and acquaintances, it's easy to see that he was very passionate and very determined. Philippe was a self-taught wire walker, and with his self-taught skill he walked the Notre Dame Cathedral and Sydney Harbor Bridge before finally tackling the famous Twin Towers. He thought that if he died it would be a beautiful death, to die in the exercise of his passion. He was indeed very passionate.
It seemed as if Philippe was doing it not only for his passion but as a test, to see if he could get away with it. After getting caught wire-walking the Sydney Harbor Bridge he pick-pocketed a policeman's watch just because he could. I think thrill was also a major part of why Philippe did what he did, he loved it, but he also got a thrill from it.
This film is very artistically put-together. The interviews of Philippe's collaborators with different accents and speaking different languages, along with the reenactments, and still shots and footage make it easy to get lost in the story, their story. Everyone had a different perspective of what was happening, or how things were going to go down and its an amazing feat that Philippe got to make his dream a reality that day. With so many people, so many things could've gone wrong but they didn't. Philippe was able to high wire-walk the Twin Towers, a dream he's had since he was seventeen years old. That is unbelievable!
Overall, I am thoroughly enjoying this film, it's artistic, informative, and cultural. What's not to like?

Kassandra C- Rocky

There was a dream that was wanted, known as the American Dream. Rocky was a boxer, who was mostly always by himself minding his business just trying to make it somewhere in life get hs money for the day to live through out the day. Rocky was known for the Italian Stallion, Thats what caught Apollo Creeds eye into boxing an unprofessional boxer. Apollo Creed was a world famous boxer, That randomly just decided to pick a lower classed unknown boxer. Rocky never knew he would receive a chance like the one he got fighting Apollo Creed.WhenRocky received the news that he got that chance he didn't think was real, and there was a point where he didn't even want to do it. He was confused and wondering, "Is this real? Is this even worth it?
Rocky ended up realizing he was a man that honestly wasn't going anywhere with what he was doing for himself. He was just finding random and unnecessary ways to make his money that just barely helped him live. He noticed that being handed the chance to fight Apollo Creed in the ring he couldn't resist under any circumstances. Training early mornings to late nights made him positive and encouraged to do what he wants for himself. There was also this love stage that came in the film which was pretty interesting because it seemed like being with the girl he was with was far more important to him he [this sounds like both a new and interesting idea] just didn't want her to leave in the moment of the fight if he either won or lost. He repeated it to her various amount of times at the end of the fight

it was New Years Eve he knew he didn't win he knew it wasn't for him but that didn't phase him he was just calling the girl of his dreams that's all he wanted that all he cared about. Not in every movie there's going to be an expected ending where the main character wins this one had a twist up but with a win win situation to him with the thought of what's next

Kassandra C -Man On Wire

I'm starting to find this film a real interesting story to experience and to learn about. Luke (phillipe the main character). Says as to all the practice, all the fails, long days and night of wire walking. He's not bount to stay at just a small distance from the floor. Phillipe is willing to go higher and higher in his wire walking and nothing at all is stopping him to get to his highest goal. I feel as if he tries his hardest to try and do what he loves we should all feel about the same way and do The impossible to accomplish what your dreams are. In mind this was his dream that he has been to master and do ever sense he was a young rope walker. Nothing held him back from accomplishing his dream. He went behind guards and was type commuting a crime but did that stop him no not at all even though he knew it wasn't right he did all he can and completed his only true goal to walk across the towers.
I believe this compared to sugar in the way that he went and tried his best to make it into the big leagues something he's been wanting to do since he was a little boy. He didn't really stop going for what he wanted till he realized what was truly for him and what was best for him at that time being. He learned how it felt to be known and start off to what his dream and family goal was. But he didn't forget from where he came from and what he wanted his destiny to be. I find these two films alike because they both went for What they wanted and did all they can to be happy at the end.

Kassandra,

I am glad that you are enjoying the film. I am curious what you think it might be saying about personal dreams and goals? How might it compare with Rocky and Sugar? I look forward to hearing more from you.

MM