10 Movie Scenes That Will Give You Vertigo
7. The Walk (2015) / Man On Wire (2008) - World Trade Centre Crossing
The real-life story of 24-year-old French tightrope walker Philippe Petit culminated in his daring, illegal high wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in 1974.
The two most high-profile versions of the event were the Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire in 2008 and the 2015 Robert Zemeckis-directed film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, The Walk. Both versions are included here as they tell the same story, and each have elements of them that make them worth watching.
Man on Wire is compelling as you know that what you are watching is actual footage, meaning there are no special effects and all reactions you see are completely genuine. Petit comes across as fearless and dedicated to attempting his ultimate feat, prepared to die if necessary. It is frightening to watch what could easily have ended in disaster.
The Walk uses music and CGI to further enhance the feeling of vertigo and you can see the stunt from Petit’s perspective, raising the fear to a whole new level. Gordon-Levitt really commits to the role and his last wobble at the end of the wire is incredibly convincing. The IMAX 3D version of the film is only recommended for those who definitely do not have a fear of heights!