After posting the Mysteries & ScandalsKnickerbocker Hotel episode yesterday, I was inspired to break out my old VHS copy of the episode they did on Houdini himself. I don't think I've watched it since it first aired on October 26, 1998. It's a decent little doc containing interviews with all the usual suspects (Dorothy Young, Ken Silverman, Penn & Teller), but what made me sit up was that it contained a pretty substantial clip of the jail cell sequence from Houdini's lost film, The Grim Game.
I've combined the clip with the eye-blink fragment I posted back in December of last year to now give us 13 glorious seconds of Houdini struggling with his shackles in The Grim Game! Enjoy.
Wow! Very nice find. Now with this 13 seconds plus 1 to 2 seconds of the flag-pole eye blink fragement plus the 5 minutes of plane crash, we only have 44+ minutes more to see; hopefully during my life time.
I have seen the entire film twice. It exists in the hands of a man who claims to love Houdini and is one of Houdini's worst enemies. The film rots. We have offered to pay to have it restored. Though this is well known he is invited to Houdini seances every year. Not very respectful of Houdini by any of them.
I hoping we will see it someday. I think there's a chance. I'm actually more worried that we may never see the missing reels of Terror Island. I'm not even sure those exist anywhere. It's heartbreaker because having read the Terror Island screenplay what's on those missing reels is the great stuff!
BTW, I know I've seen another fragment of him removing the chain from around his neck, but I forget where. Might be the American Experience doc? When I find it, I will add it to this. Might get us up to 15 seconds. :)
Wow! Very nice find. Now with this 13 seconds plus 1 to 2 seconds of the flag-pole eye blink fragement plus the 5 minutes of plane crash, we only have 44+ minutes more to see; hopefully during my life time.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the entire film twice. It exists in the hands of a man who claims to love Houdini and is one of Houdini's worst enemies. The film rots. We have offered to pay to have it restored. Though this is well known he is invited to Houdini seances every year. Not very respectful of Houdini by any of them.
ReplyDeleteI hoping we will see it someday. I think there's a chance. I'm actually more worried that we may never see the missing reels of Terror Island. I'm not even sure those exist anywhere. It's heartbreaker because having read the Terror Island screenplay what's on those missing reels is the great stuff!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I know I've seen another fragment of him removing the chain from around his neck, but I forget where. Might be the American Experience doc? When I find it, I will add it to this. Might get us up to 15 seconds. :)
ReplyDeleteNope, not in the American Experience doc. I know I've seen it. But where?
ReplyDelete