The World's fair, Paris 1900

(Image source here)

Already to begin with, the poster art is incredible

And this was the entryway (source here )

Above is rare footage, courtesy of YouTube, MetalDrake channel

and below is the WONDERFUL documentary series People's Century, (uploaded by Jack black, no copyright infringement intended)

In the first half of the documentary, there is wonderful footage from the world's fair and people who remembered it talk about it (and its magical moving footpaths) the footage is enchanting! the whole of  People's century is brilliant.

(Image source here )

 the Eiffel tower and its lights display (image source here)

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Man on Wire 2008

After repeated recommendations from my wonderful sister, I finally got around to watching this documentary.(Available on Netflix)

In 1974, French tightrope-walker Philippe Petit crossed a wire between the Twin Towers in New York City. The documentary looks at all the planning that went into it, and how his friends and girlfriend at the time struggled to help him out, realising there was a high level risk to this since-adolescence dream of his.

Here is Philippe walking between the wonderful towers of Nortre Dame cathedral

And walking the pylons between the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Planning for the twin towers crossing was extensive, and Petit and his team planned for years, helping him practise to compensate for wind by pulling on his home-made tightrope. They all helped him get up there and watched in fascination, particularly down below on the street, where a magical sight of a man walking a rope lay down in the middle, a magical piece of art. 

The twin towers were 417 metres high, a fall from this height meant certain death.

The film is a beautiful reminder of the heights man goes to (no pun intended) and how humans are capable of whimsy, dreams and beauty.

A must see!

All pics courtesy of Pinterest

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Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux is an English journalist who has become quite well known, and deservedly so, for his body of work speaks for itself. Personally my absolute favourite series of his are the Weird Weekends specials. There is a full list of them here but do check out his other specials! One of my all time favourites, the UFO special, you can view the whole thing here and that's the first episode of the first series! staying power! 

There's a magically indefinable quality about Mr. Theroux. People open up to him in a way that seems surreal, especially in his specials where he embeds himself with people who are living on the fringes of society, or their beliefs and way of life are seen as bizarre, and in some cases, bigoted and hateful, but then he stops and talks to them and tries to understand why they have approached this way of life, or this belief system, and he ultimately reveals their human side, to the chagrin of some of the interviewees. This is his official website. The episode Louis and the brothel from his BBC 2 Specials, is well worth watching. His relationship with working girl Hayley will linger in your mind after you finish watching.

Rather than 'just a journalistic' approach, i feel he has a deeply human one too towards all he talks to. A place for Paedophiles is another one that will stay with you. 

I find Mr Theroux an  extremely thought provoking person, and will continue to watch his work.

(pics from Wikipedia and The Sun)