MAGICAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS
If you are bored with the usual TV fare of rom-coms and football, here are some suggestions for you...
PAUL DANIELS TV CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FROM 1981
Join Paul Daniels as he conjures up a host of seasonal surprises and introduces his special guests: from Hamburg, Tux and his flying kitchen; from Paris, Les Samurai, exciting exponents of the martial arts; and the brilliant illusionist Pierre Brahma.
Some good "classics of magic" in this episode with Paul performing Cups and Balls (instead of his usual Chop Cup) and a quick Dice stacking routine and some card manipulation.
Also we get to see Martin Daniels (Paul's son) performing Houdini's Water Torture Escape.
Credit to Justin (Hey Presto) on YouTube for posting this clip.
AN HONEST LIAR
This is the fascinating 2015 documentary about magician James “The Amazing” Randi’s life, featuring never-before-seen historical footage and many interviews with those involved, including Penn and Teller, Uri Gellar and Alice Cooper. The film also follows Randi and his partner through their most dramatic – and potentially devastating – twist in their lives.
Watch the entire documentary for free HERE on YouTube (with ads).
You can also find this documentary available for rental with no ads elsewhere- just Google it. :-)
PENN JILLETTE REVIEWS MAGIC TRICKS IN MOVIES
Legendary magician Penn Jillette reviews some of the most iconic magic tricks in cinema, from the dramatic illusions in 'The Prestige' and 'The Illusionist' to the comedic tricks in 'Ant-Man and The Wasp' and 'Arrested Development.' Learn how realistic some of the most famous cinematic magic really is.
THREE LITTLE WORDS
Fred Astaire as a magician! Maybe you'll enjoy this change-of-pace, a classic big-budget musical!
This 1950 American musical film is a biography of the Tin Pan Alley songwriting partnership of Kalmar and Ruby. It stars Fred Astaire as lyricist Bert Kalmar and Red Skelton as composer Harry Ruby, along with Vera-Ellen and Arlene Dahl as their wives, with Debbie Reynolds in a small but notable role as singer Helen Kane and Gloria DeHaven as her own mother, Mrs. Carter DeHaven. Bert Kalmar had originally intended to be a magician, and it is a delight to see the brief but fun magic segments in the movie. The film, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was written by Academy-Award-winning screenwriter George Wells, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Jack Cummings. Harry Ruby served as a consultant on the project, and he appears in a cameo role as a baseball catcher.