It was 48 years ago today that I first saw Houdini on television, and it changed my life! So what better day to continue my scene-by-scene dissection of the movie. Last time Harry beat two challenges in London. Today he takes on the rest of Europe...
Chapter 13: Europe's Eclipsing Sensation
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I've been waiting for this. I really enjoy your breakdown of this classic film
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. Glad to know you are enjoying them. Sorry I'm going so slow. These take more work than an average post, so the mood has to really strike me. But I will do the entire movie.
DeleteMy absolute favorite "Houdini biographical film" too. Because of the "Water Torture Cell death"...many dismiss this entire film as Hollywood fiction....but you have provided a strong case that it just MIGHT be the most accurate film of his life made, so far.
DeleteThanks Fox! It is certainly the movie that respects history the most. And magic. But, yeah, the USD death is what people remember.
DeleteI love it too. I wonder if David Blaine one day will be as big as Houdini, but I don`t think so...
DeleteI don't think anyone can ever become as big as Houdini. He's an immortal. But David Blaine has a lot of similarities to Houdini.
DeleteI and others believe this is the best MOVIE, (not documentary) of HH. Made with a full studio system behind it, big budget, props, costumes by Edith Head, and two very hot stars of the time, playing their roles together. When you stack other HH movies against each other for accuracy and/or entertainment value, it definitely holds it's own.
ReplyDeleteThe use of "Big Game Hunter" costumes may have been used as HH is shooting a rifle in the scene and the different costumes during the montage show more changes and expansion as his fame grows.
Diego
Understand that about the costume. My meaning was HH didn't do costumed performances like this. As far as I know.
DeleteJohn Sorry but on another different direction, you have seen everything
ReplyDeleteis there Houdini funeral program out there? I am led to believe there is.
Thanks for your time…
You know, I don't think I've ever seen a Houdini funeral program. There certainly must have been one. That would be a nice find!
DeleteSomeone posted the front page of what they thought may have been Houdini funeral program on Facebook last week. A few hours later it was gone. Did anyone see it besides me?
DeletePerry from NJ.
I did not see that.
DeleteThe HH funeral program remains elusive. I've never seen it either.
DeleteWhen H’s mother shows up for H’s bday, she is wearing and unusually beautiful and extravagant gown. One that could have been made for a Queen. Didn’t Houdini buy a gown for his mother that had been made for a Queen and rejected?
ReplyDeleteHe did! Good point. We could read that here. Although his mother arrives in Europe as a surprise to him here.
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