"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."
-Albert Einstein
My boyfriend shared this quote with me last night after we watched Man On Wire, a film we both have been wanting to see for quite some time. We agreed that while the scientific part of the quote was represented by the Great Albert Einstein, the artistic element fit well with the life outlook of Philippe Petit. Both men shared the seemingly effortless ability to challenge ideology; I'm sure they would be great friends if they had ever crossed paths.
What struck me most about the film was the reaction of those who were close to Petit at the time he crossed the twin towers. They were frightened for him, but much more than that they desperately wanted to see him succeed. His girlfriend at the time, Annie Allix, was interviewed for the film. Years after they parted ways (shortly after Petit walked across the towers), she still had this look of awe on her face as she described the beauty she felt when she was watching Phillipe on a wire.
Like Einstein, those who didn't know Petit thought he was crazy for taking such a risk. But the documentary reveals the world inside Phillipe's mind; it shows the viewer the inspiration and the mystery behind the man.
"To me, it's really so simple, that life should be lived on the edge. You have to exercise rebellion. To refuse to tape yourself to the rules, to refuse your own success, to refuse to repeat yourself, to see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge. Then you will live your life on the tightrope."
-Phillipe Petit
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