The Prestige

[Guest]

The Prestige (Requires Quicktime)

[Guest]

Originally posted by Adam Brooks:
The Prestige (Requires Quicktime)

Nice, one magician goes to Alfred for help, the other one goes to Ziggy himself? Makes you wonder who's gonna have the better toys.

[Guest]

I've been saying it for a while, if you haven't read this yet, you need to get this book! Christopher Priest, The Prestige, it's available on Amazon. Mcbride recommeded it to me, and it's fabulously fun and disturbing. I can't wait for this movie!

[Guest]

I loved the book, really fun and unique. The trailer looks great, I'm jazzed this has become a movie with a director that can do the material justice.

[Guest]

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prestige

[r paul wilson]

Great trailer, film looks very good but -

is anyone concerned about exposure?

Personally, I'm not, but the birdcage vanish is clearly exposed in the trailer as Michael Caine adjusts devices on the performers arms.

While this is not the exact method used (actually it's a little cooler) the principles are the same and, supposing this movie enjoys the success it deserves, the birdcage vanish might have to go back on the shelf for quite a while...

P

[NCMarsh]

Paul,

I think it depends on how the vanish is performed. The image that I think filmgoers will come away with is that of a complicated body vest and the cage going up the sleeve.

Performing a version ala Tommy Wonder with the elbows bare and the coat buttoned -- and emphasizing those conditions in the presentation -- should, I think, make the vanish stronger; especially for people who recall that sequence in The Prestige.

Other presentations, like the wonderful Alton Sharpe version in Expert Hocus Pocus, can also make a collapsible cage going up the sleeve seem utterly impossible.

I think that media exposures can be oppurtunities for performers with strong construction and strong technique to create an even more powerful experience.

In any case, this looks like a really enjoyable movie, and one that may help to temporarily improve the image of magic in popular culture.

Best,

N.

[Guest]

I'm just upset that they'll expose the use of clones in magic. I've gotta find a new closer now... :p

[Guest]

Originally posted by John Wilson:
I'm just upset that they'll expose the use of clones in magic. ...

Also the possibilities of fertility drugs... glad my parents were not magicians.

A doggerel about doing a trick over someone's dead body also comes to mind.

[Guest]

Let's not forget about The Invisible Hand by Greco & Michel. I saw Michel perform a vanishing cage at FFFF that was stunning. After the cage instantly vanished, he took off his coat and had speks examine everything. The cage was gone....REALLY gone!

The hold-out lives!

Onward,

JR

[Guest]

ohh.... David Bowie looks great!

[Guest]

The trailer looks great. Did I catch a quick glimpse of Ricky Jay?

[Guest]

Originally posted by Nathan Coe Marsh:

Performing a version ala Tommy Wonder with the elbows bare and the coat buttoned -- and emphasizing those conditions in the presentation -- should, I think, make the vanish stronger; especially for people who recall that sequence in The Prestige.

Other presentations, like the wonderful Alton Sharpe version in Expert Hocus Pocus, can also make a collapsible cage going up the sleeve seem utterly impossible. N.

I'm curious if anyone else has ever done either Wonder's or Sharpe's presentation of the Vanishing Birdcage?

[Richard Kaufman]

Pepka, you might have: Ricky is definitely in the movie.

[Pete Biro]

Al Koran gave me a vanishing method where the cage is NOT connected to a pull and it does NOT go up the sleeve, yet uses a standard vanishing cage. If you do a lot of research you will find other ways. Harbin had a beauty where you followed the cage vanish with a production of something (hehehehe)!

Stay tooned.

[Guest]

Harbin also had one that was capable of neutering the performer.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Jon Racherbaumer:
<snip>

The hold-out lives!

Onward,

JR

A holdout :rolleyes: I think not.

RE: Tommy Wonder's version of the vanishing cage

Tommy Wonder used a smaller cage than is typically used for this effect (more the size of the poorly made cages from India - copies of a poorly designed cage). Due to the design of his basic cage, he needed to highly modify his cage to eliminate possible snags (a better cage would have not required this extensive a modification) and to easily be lifted by one hand. A better design of cage can easily be held in one hand.

It is important to note how he held his cage. This is NOT the position in which such a cage is usually held. For his presentation, holding the cage in this manner made the vanish smoother. For close-up work visibility would be fine; but for larger audiences sitting in unbanked rows, the cage might not be seen by everyone in this lower position. For his working conditions, everything was perfect for him. All performers do not work under the same conditions. His cage holding position was critical to the vanish as he performed it and where he performed it.

In addition, he redesigned his take-up reel to work for his needs. He made several modifications that may or may not help things - depending upon the desired presentation, clothing worn, performer's body type, and holding position.

As anyone who has performed the vanishing bird cage hundreds or even thousands of times will agree, there is much more to the effect than buying a cage and take-up reel. Tommy Wonder perfected his presentation to meet his needs. The end result was amazing.

Jim

[Guest]

pepka:

On imbd.com Ricky Jay's character is listed as Milton. I just re-read the book, and there is no such character - so he's evidently a created character, perhaps an amalgam of other characters. hmmmm

the prestige geek,

john tudor