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3D in Bollywood

 

Abra Kadabra

The reports from the Indian equivalent of Hollywood,  known as Bollywood, are releasing information about the newest magic movie soon to come to theaters ? at least in India. 

 

The Movie Abra Ka Daabra is described by the press as a hybrid of the Harry Potter series and the styling of the India cinema.  The film features one of India?s top directors working in the 3D medium and making a show marketed for kids.

 

Aabra Ka Daabra tells the story of Shanu, who joins the school of magic, Aabra Ka Daabra, to become a magician. There’s a reason behind Shanu aspiring to be a magician: His father, Madan, was a magician who everyone presumed had died while performing a daredevil act.

 

There is virtually no money for the promotion of the feature and so the director and producer are hoping for big word of mouth.  If the pic is ever released in the US, we?ll let you know.

 

Check out the scandal sheet with all of the news on Bollywood here.

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December 25th, 2004 | Category: Magic News | Leave a comment

Essay in Philippines: Learning Secrets Didn?t Steal Magic

 

“Oh My Goodness!” says Lindsay

There is a pithy and poignant essay in one of the Philippines? fine papers this morning (yesterday for the folks in Manila) about the effect of exposure shows on the psyche.

 

The essayist proclaims his love for magic not as a performer but as an audience member.  He watched women cut in half or levitating and wondered.  ?What strange, alien world did these awesome magi of the impossible come from? What inexplicable powers they possessed! Like many other children in the audience, I wished I could be as preternaturally potent as they were.?

 

He tried to learn the craft but found he couldn?t even fool his puppy. 

 

As he aged, he was treated to the performances of better magicians and even ?more dazzled.?  He was stunned when he volunteered for a magician:

 

One time, I volunteered to be the object of a name magician’s expert moves, and I was stunned when he correctly announced the numbers that made up my TIN code, in exactly the right sequence! Did he have an eye inside my pocket, or what?

 

In the gentleman?s heart, he knew it was all just a trick but he loved the magic.  This last Monday, the masked magician finally made it to the island nation loved by General McArthur.

 

We don?t know if the show featured the Masked Magician in person but his spirit of disclosure was evident even in the title, “Magicians’ Biggest Tricks Finally Revealed.”

 

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Continue reading Essay in Philippines: Learning Secrets Didn?t Steal Magic

December 25th, 2004 | Category: Magic News | Leave a comment

Arthur Kurzweil: Our Hero

 

Arthur Kurzweil

We were counting, for some reason, our heroes in this biz we call magic.  There are magicians we admire for their ability, for their dedication, for their love of our Art, for their enthusiasm, and for other reasons.

 

Arthur Kurzweil comes to the top of the list for each of these qualities.  We wrote about Mr. Kurzweil a while back and thought the time was right to revisit where he has been and what he has done.

 

Mr. Kurzweil is a genius in the sense of the MacArthur Awards? definition of ?Genius.?  He is intelligent, learned, gifted and imaginative.  He lives out side of the box and yet presents a message acceptable to those who live their lives within the box. 

 

Mr. Kurzweil is a student of the Torah, Jewish history and all things Judaic.  For 20 years ? longer than my third step-mother has been alive ? he worked as the editor-in-chief of the prestigious Jason Aronson publishers and those who share our interests, know he authored the book on Jewish genealogy. 

 

But fitting for a magic website, he is also a magician par excellence. 

 

Mr. Kurzweil studied magic since he was a babe in arms at three years old.  He has moved from editing and writing to performing in the last few years.  His show brings a message with the magic and should not be missed.  If you see one religious magic show this New Year, let Mr. Kurzweil be the performer. 

 

Mr. Kurzweil ? our hero, if we didn?t mention it earlier ? brings a ?serious magic show? and a theological lecture…
Continue reading Arthur Kurzweil: Our Hero

December 25th, 2004 | Category: Magic Stories | Leave a comment