L’illusionniste (original title)

This film is amazing and such a fresh movie about the world of magic.

"A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever."

Here's a trailer for it.

Houdini’s Needles

I recently went to the Skirball Cultural Arts Center in Los Angeles to see the Houdini: Art & Magic exhibit. I loved it. I saw some amazing artifacts directly from private collectors and other museums. This one struck me (notice I didn't say stuck me) powerfully. Pictured here, and a bit blurry, are the actual needles that Houdini used in his recreation of the famous Indian Needle effect.

There are a handful of magicians who perform the effect almost identically in presentation as Houdini did it. Teller (of Penn and Teller) does it beautifully. In my effect, thirty to forty 2" needles are swallowed, similar to Houdini's version, but in my Intimate Illusions show, the ending of this effect takes the piece in a completely different and "mind-boggling" (as Dick Clark would say) direction. 

Each performance of it gives me new nuances to insert and perform. It's my passion and I'm always thinking about how to improve each piece. It is one of my favorite effects in the entire show.

Thanks again for stopping by and see you at the show.

Ivan

Houdini’s East Indian Needle Trick

For years, I wanted to perform the East Indian Needle trick. I didn't want to do it the way Houdini or other magicians of the past and present perform it. So after a few years of toiling, it came to me of how I was going to my it my own.

Here's a brief description of the effect: In this trick, Houdini swallows 50 to 100 needles, 20 yards of thread and brings them all up threaded, after his mouth and throat have been inspected by a committee. 

"Around the World" is one of my favorite effects that I perform in my show Intimate illusions and is fast becoming the talked about illusion in the show. Mainly because it has so many great qualities that make an effect great: danger, mystery and of course, impossibility.