talkmagic.co.uk

Written by Tim Quinlan
Tuesday, 05 June 2007
Movie Hole confirms the rumors: Criss Angel has agreed to appear in the film version of Mandrake.

Criss Angel told the industry journal Cinema Blend "It's gonna kind of be like a kind of cool realm of The Crow but a different kind of Mandrake the Magician coming to life. I'm designing and creating the visual effects for that, as well as going to be acting in it."

The usually harsh Cinema Blend complimented Criss Angel's acting ability, noting that Magic is "half acting anyway, but he's also played a killer on CSI: New York, where he got pretty decent reviews. A Criss Angel led film might not be so bad, especially one focused on subject material he's already familiar with: Magicians."

We agree with Criss Angel's observation that "normally magic hasn't translated very well with storytelling. I mean live it's been disastrous if you look at certain shows that try to incorporate it throughout the course of the last twenty years.

"Being involved from the beginning in the creation of the script, and of the characters and effects, really gives me an opportunity to work with the director to make sure that it's really seamless with how they coexist and work hand in hand, and how one supports the other and it’s not contrived and it's not cheesy."

So how will he make sure it is not cheesy?

"I think with my show and how it's based in reality it would be interesting to try and have that kind of transfer over into a movie. So that when you're shooting this stuff it's shot practical, and people can really get a sense of what's happening and that it is really real. It has that quality about it, that spirit, you can't get from CGI."

Amen, brother.

Chuck Russell, director of The Mask will direct Mandrake.

The plot sounds great: