Sunday, 3 August 2008

Before the Towers Came Tumbling Down

In August 1974, tightrope walker Philippe Petit gained a mythical status for his illegal walk between the Twin Towers in New York City. Clandestine preparations included shooting a line between the Towers with a crossbow before securing a 450-pound steel cable to both buildings. Then, at 7.14 a.m., Petit set off from the South Tower, clutching his 55-pound balancing pole. In 45 minutes, he made a total of eight crossings, bowed to his audience a quarter of a mile below and spoke with a seagull circling above his head.
Later, when asked why he did the stunt, Philippe Petit said “When I see three oranges, I juggle; when I see two towers, I walk.” "Man on the Wire", a documentary about Petit's WTC crossing, has recently been released. The trailer is available at:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wiebel wiebel, meine Gute...
Gone watch the docu..thanx