The Guest:
• Ivan Amodei
We talk with the author of the new book Magic’s Most Amazing Stories tells us some of the best tales from the book including an all time classic embarrassing thumb tip story.
- Trick Shop Magic Find out what is new including great stuff from John Kennedy, Dave Bendix, Peter Nardi and a classic from Corrinda.
Thanks to iTricks reader Derek who passed along this info. Some original writing of Harry Houdini is now available for online reading thanks the Library of Congress and Google Books. Hat tip to Boing Boing for finding this.
The Guest:
• Eric Ross
What does David Blaine’s street magic marathon in Times Square to benefit the Haitian earthquake relief do for his legacy? What are the pros and cons of taking a long-term gig? Is storytelling the most important element of magic? In our lifetime, will Houdini ever be less important than he is now?
- Trick Shop Magic Get $10 off The Dracula Book Test 2.0 if you buy now!
David Blaine performs a street magic marathon to aide the victims of the Haitian earthquakes. The FBI investigation into David Copperfield has closed without incident. James Randi talks about his chemotherapy publicly for the first time. Morgan Strebler gets a new stage show.
Newsmaker Interview: Chris Cox Young UK mentalist who was a smash hit at Edinburgh is now touring Europe. Hear all about it.
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One Australian magician is using the centennial anniversary of a legendary Houdini escape to stage his own version.
On February 17th 1910 the Great Harry Houdini jumped manacled off Melbourne’s Queens Bridge into the Yarra River.
One hundred years to the day, escape artist Cosentino will attempt the greatest feat of escapology since Houdini’s time.
Handcuffed, chained and shackled to a 60kg concrete block, Cosentino will be sunk to the bottom of the Melbourne Aquarium.Isolated, alone and surrounded by creatures of the deep sea, with only lock picks to aid his escape, he will attempt to free himself from a 2.2 million litre watery grave.
Thanks to iTricks friend Tim Ellis for the tip.
If you know an old school movie buffs who enjoys a classic serial film now and again as well as magic, do we have a gift idea for you. This restored version of Harry Houdini’s The Man From Beyond features a frame-by-frame restoration of the 1922 adventure serial.
Here is the plot…
HOUDINI PLAYS HOWARD HILLARY, A MAN WHO IS FROZEN IN 1820 AND RETURNS TO THE WORLD OF 1922! CONTAINS THE FAMOUS NIAGRA FALLS CLIFFHANGER! THIS IS A RARE GEM!
The disc also features news reel footage of Houdini escaping from a straight jacket while suspended above Dayton, Ohio.
For those who might have missed it live…
Thanks to everyone who helped make this a reality including David Nott, Barry & Stuart, Michael Shermer, Phil Plait, Penn Jillette, Teller and David Copperfield. Very special thanks to Brandon of the JREF for making sure this happened and, of course, to James Randi for allowing us the space and making a very special cameo at the beginning.
