Modern movie audiences are jaded. It takes a lot to impress. But as one showman says in The Great Waldo Pepper, "Dream up a stunt where people think you're gonna die. No. Where people are sure you're gonna die..." It takes a certain amount crazy to make movies, but making movies that tempt gravity...
There are a few movies that put me into a panicked state of vertigo - but none are more effective than Safety Last! Occassionally I am asked for a silent movie recommendation - and this is always my go-to answer. There are certainly other silent films that are more heralded or influental - but I defy anyone to watch Harold Lloyd dangle off of rooftops and not gasp.