Sunday, September 1, 2024

It's the Houdini Miniseries 10th anniversary

Can you believe it has been ten years since the Houdini Miniseries first aired on HISTORY as a two-night event over Labor Day weekend, 2014? What can I say? I was not a big fan, and my opinion has only diminished over the years. But the run-up was undeniably exciting, and it was great to see a Houdini movie given such a big publicity push. So here's to the Houdini Miniseries. I'll be watching it tonight, just as I did 10 years ago.
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9 comments:

  1. Neil McNallySeptember 1, 2024 at 1:59 PM

    I haven't seen it in probably ten years. But, I remember it not being very good, and pretty much made up.

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  2. Khadi MadamaSeptember 1, 2024 at 1:59 PM

    I will be watching it, too, with my special Houdini Escape Tea blend. Enjoy!

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  3. John CoxSeptember 2, 2024 at 8:27 AM

    As promised, I watched Night One last night. I haven't watched this in years. What a weird experience. It's like a Houdini fever dream. It's Houdini, Bess, Jim Collins, and familiar elements. But it's all wrong and distorted, nothing connects, and it lapses into weird fictions with wall-to-wall music that seems tonally all wrong. And Adrian Brody looks like funhouse mirror version of Houdini; elongated, bent, and strange. Like a dream it seems to have deep meaning...or not. It's very neurotic and generally unpleasant and certainly not the real Houdini. But it's colorful, I like the production design, and it all gets under my skin. I kinda liked the strange ride and I'm actually looking forward to watching Night Two.

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    Replies
    1. Leo HeviaSeptember 2, 2024 at 9:18 AM

      Hear, hear! I also got those weird, strange, distorted vibes when I saw this ten years ago. Same for the Sloman/Kalush book. Both are behind me for good.

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    2. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2024 at 5:59 AM

      Funhouse mirror Houdini sounds hilariously accurate.

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    3. John CoxSeptember 3, 2024 at 7:39 AM

      Well, I did not enjoy Night Two. Funny, because I remember liking the second half more than the first back in the day. But it was a slog last night. Happy to wait another 10 years before watching again. :)

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    4. Leo HeviaSeptember 3, 2024 at 1:45 PM

      Don't punish yourself anymore. It's not worth it!

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    5. John CoxSeptember 3, 2024 at 3:40 PM

      Haha. I did find a few things to enjoy. I thought the actor playing Conan Doyle did a good job. I also picked up on a mention of the S.S. Imperator that I had never caught before.

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