Let’s begin with a syllogism:
I like movies and documentaries.
I like magic.
Therefore, I like movies and documentaries about magic.
The problem with syllogisms is that while they are logically sound; they are not necessarily accurate. In this case, I can name many films with performance magic at it’s center that I’d watch again and again while there are many that I regret spending my time.
Two recent magic related documentaries have been announced. One has me interested and the other has me cautious.
R. Paul Wilson was recently a guest on the Penguin Magic Podcast discussing his latest work, Juan Tameriz: Love and Magic. News of this effort has been circulating for a few years. Many magicians know of Wilson’s work as a magician and hopefully they know of his work as a filmmaker. His documentary, Our Magic, is a delight. I have recommended it highly to anyone who will listen. His movies, Con Men and Isolani, are great suspense films. Both are well worth watching. I am genuinely looking forward to his documentary on Juan. The interview with Erik Tait of Penguin is worth the listen.
A good friend sent me a screenshot of a social media post by Andi Gladwin announcing the documentary, Stealing Magic. It is a feature at this summer’s Tribeca Film Festival. It’s described as “Someone is stealing the secrets behind magicians’ greatest tricks and selling them on illicit websites. Magician Andi Gladwin leads an unlikely team of illusionists on an international caper to track down the culprits.” The director is Matthew Testa – an award winning filmmaker with an impressive record. One of the four producers is Randy Pitchford of the Magic Castle Enterprises and one of the deepest pockets in magic.
I’m cautiously optimistic about this given the director. However the subject gives me pause. Gladwin has appointed himself savior of magic by seeking out and defeating pirates and thieves. He’s written about on the Vanishing Inc blog and given speeches at magic conventions. However being the co-owner of one of the largest magic companies, the effort has felt a bit self serving – not to mention Quixotic. It’s also not without consequences. The Vanishing Inc website was shutdown by hackers during the Black Friday sale forcing a delay of major releases as well as a potential loss of revenue. Coincidence?
It’s this that gives me concern about the film. Will it show the consequences of his actions? We’ll have to wait and see.
