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Ok, i just wanted to say that although at first this seems like it should be in the 'non-magic' part of the forum, it links to magic very nicely and is hence part of the reason I decided to write this here.

I just finished watching Tarantino's Kill Bill V1 for the fourth time, and it seemed just as vivid to me as the first. If you ask me what my favourite film is, just the one favourite, i would have to say Kill Bill, because to me, it echoes every genre i have ever loved.

It prompted me to observe what film really means to me, and somehow it reminded me of magic. You may be wondering how exactly i will tie the two, but if you love film, then you should understand me. That said, i think even those of you who are not that enthusiastic about film will still understand.

Finally, before i begin, i would just like to say that although i am new to magic, i am not new to film, and i thought it would be an interesting subject to discuss, were i to link the two in a definitive way.

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Ill start by saying that my revisitation to Kill Bill earlier today was in Blu-Ray. This had quite an influence on encouraging me to write this short piece. Mainly because Blu-Ray brings out extremely vivid colours and sound, as the picture is eight times better than normal DVD quality and four times than High Definition. Therefore i noticed a lot more colour and aesthetic cinemtaography than i did the first three times i watched it.

It can be said that Magic, in any form, is very colourful when pulled off by a good magician. The contrast between red and black in a fast moving deck of cards to the dark, black atmosphere that is usually associated with magic are the literal interpretations of colour present. Although it may not be magic itself, card flourishing carries a certain fascinating dexterity to its kinetic pace, and could be described as colourful through the spinning motions and shapes created, colourful being used as a adverb now instead of an adjective. Sleight of hand also carries a certain 'colourful' aura to it, the ability to manipulate cards and objects in deft, delicate and often intricate movements is very broad when it comes to the artistic beauty of its appearance. This theme stretches throughout magic, and I believe applies to every form of it.

On a deeper level, to take the mood that surrounds magic further, the term 'colourful' can be elaborated to represent more than just visual appearances. For example, the reactions of people in disbelief at a well executed trick are somewhat colourful, in the way that they add to the atmosphere that a magic performance creates. Whether it be a stunned silence, a scream of astonishment or just plain denial, the emotions that respond to a magic act are colourful in their own way.

When we bring this use of 'colour' back to the subject of film, i percieve Kill Bill to be a very rich and vivid creation, with many classic, cult and artistic images created in both the looks, style and narrative. The music, colouring, dialogue and characters all contribute to this image, and it is one that describes the meaning of film in a way i feel to be magical through the emotions it causes me to feel. Contemporary swordplay in a gentle snow covered japanese garden, abnormal angles that carry combinations of flavours, and death drenched scenes with seriously excessive helpings of blood and gore provide incredibly deep contrasts that have been generated throughout the history of film, bit by bit.

When you take all of this into consideration, you can begin to imagine how the worlds of both film and magic combine together. Both in their different ways, creating beautiful pieces of kaleidoscopic motion-picturesque, accomplished through, and with the use of, emotion, visualisation and more specifically colour.

I may seem to be misleading you here, magic in the terms i speak of is different to the ones we discuss on these forums. But, dare i say it, there is a huge link. At first, the way i use magic is casual, and in the artistic sense, as i am referring to the production of film perfection and how this can be observed as magical in its ability to touch us emotionally. Yet is this use of magic as a description correct?

Yes and no. When in the world of film it is correct, but obviously in the world of magic it means little as it does not apply. However, if i was to break down the term 'magic' and find its foundations, maybe you can start to see what i am getting at. The very basic definition of magic as a word and not a culture or art form, is; a mysterious quality of enchantment that produces baffling and admirable effects. Now, when you examine the ability of a brilliant film to capture and amaze its audience through the images they see, and then contrast this to the ability of successful magicians to perform magic that baffles and amazes the audience, it seems they both achieve similar reactions and effects.

Nowadays, there is a multitude of film and magic being produced and churned out. In film there are only a minority of 'true' films in every dozen or so Hollywood-like flicks, and in magic there, as it appears to me, seems to be a quite similar degrading effect as a result of over exposure by media forms. Although film is bound to this over-exposure by its nature, and magic less bound but more inclined, it is safe to say that both have suffered, over time and throughout history, at the hands of said catalysts.

Rewind to the beginning of the last one-hundred years and you will find the birth of the saplings that grew to create our modern cultures and societies. Magic had its characters like Houdini, with their fantastic abilities to combine showmanship and skill for the benefit of entertainment, and the very first productions of film had the work of geniuses on display, that combined acting and art for a new form of show business.

Both film and magic began with similar traits, and have now evolved with those same signiture abilities to capture an audiences emotion in many different ways. Although quite different on the surface, they have carried these characteristics up to this day, although not as proudly as they were once displayed.

But when you watch an artistic film with deep colours and vivacious performances of fiction and human emotion, not only the modern classics like Kill Bill, but the true films such as the works of Hitchcock, John Ford, Akira Kurosawa and the rest of the greats, your mind can appreciate just how magical film can be. Audiences have derived pleasure from the entertainment that performances, art and stories have provided for millenia, and yet there is something incredible about the feeling you get inside of you when you witness a film or magic performance that just blows you away...

This may seem like me rambling on, but I hope that i have provided something that everyone can relate to and discuss.

Steve

Interesting reading. You remind me of Andy Nyman and Orson Welles Which is a very good thing by the way.

Why thankyou Although i am not as much a genius as Welles was - Citizen Kane is probably one of THE best films of all time!

Have you seen cemetery junction? It was VERY entertaining and I think JUST tips the border of 'art', although very narrowly I might add. It was a quite deep film and I was VERY surprised it coming from Ricky Jervais and Stephen Merchant, if I am at all honest (which I am not ).

Sk8r St3v3 wrote:Why thankyou Although i am not as much a genius as Welles was - Citizen Kane is probably one of THE best films of all time!

Citizen Kane- eh, over-rated in my opinion.

Ian The Magic-Ian wrote:

Sk8r St3v3 wrote:Why thankyou Although i am not as much a genius as Welles was - Citizen Kane is probably one of THE best films of all time!

Citizen Kane- eh, over-rated in my opinion.

Depending upon which angle you are coming from. Welles' was way ahead of his time in both narrative capabilities and the subjects he delved in.

But if you are looking at it as just a film, and not a landmark in the history of film, then it is over rated.

I am sorry to say I saw the first twenty minutes of Kill Bill the other day and I had to switch off. A pile of pretentious sh*te, in my view. I don't wish to rain on anyone's parate but it has always struck me that film, like magic, is just entertainment, not an art form.

A fair view, but as with any art form it always depends upon the viewer/audience interpretation.

I can understand a dislike of Kill Bill though, it is rather violent to say the least. Tarantino's style is just so unique that it takes quite a cult film buff to admire his work.

I'll take you up on that point Tony. Can something not be both entertaining and art? Like I said, I think cemetery junction served both purposes and I love it an appreciate it so much more than if it was just entertainging- it now has a purpose other than creating money and getting laughs.

It wasn't the violence that put me off. I loved LA Confidential (one of the few times a film matched the book). What turned me off was that the story wasn't strong enough to hold my interest and the characters weren't sympathetic enough to make me want to share two hours of my life with them. When you take out the story and the characters all you are left with is the action. And that doesn't match the excitement (or realism) of UFC.
I just think style has replaced substance. I caught Charlies Angles on a flight, and they managed to turn bad seventies tripe into something completely unwatchable. They turned the hulk into a bad cartoon, Beawoulf into something an Eastern European animation student might have produced back in the days the Iron Curtain still hung. Its as if the improvements in technology have allowed film makers to get away with ignoring good writing and strong stories. Remember Titanic? A poor story bolstered with special effects. All the tension of A Night To Remember was replaced by CGI and teen heart throbs. I find it diificult to get even mildly excited about new films any more.

Sk8r St3v3 wrote:

Ian The Magic-Ian wrote:

Sk8r St3v3 wrote:Why thankyou Although i am not as much a genius as Welles was - Citizen Kane is probably one of THE best films of all time!

Citizen Kane- eh, over-rated in my opinion.

Depending upon which angle you are coming from. Welles' was way ahead of his time in both narrative capabilities and the subjects he delved in.

But if you are looking at it as just a film, and not a landmark in the history of film, then it is over rated.

It also didn't have Keano Reeves in it, so it's c*** (not the best)!
On that note, the Bill & Ted films were amazing!!!

As a point on what makes a good film: I have not watched all of Citizen Kane as i saw it as boring s*** and turned it off; I have however watched Wayne's World on no less than 30 occassions. despite being able to quote [i would imagine, if it was on] all of the film, i am still never bored watching it, and that makes it a fantastic film [to me]

Artsy fartsy cinematography can do one, I want to me entertained!
Yes, you can make your magical comparisons now.

Well its a fine 'art' to balance both entertainment and style whilst achieving the support of both the audience and the critics.

I agree with you too Tony, nowadays there needs to be much more substance and so it is a rare occasion when a film that balances substance and style is released. I have found many hidden gems that i never knew about from the 30s to the 80s and the majority from these times just captured everything that film is meant to.

Like i said, its all to do with globalisation and modern society, the studios prefer to subsidise substance for style so they rack up more of a revenue.

Anyone like the Coen Brothers? IMHO They're both very talented writers and directors.

I loved the Big Lebowski (perhaps the greatest movie of all time), Barton Fink, A Serious Man, Burn After Reading, No Country for Old Men and O Brother Where Art Thou. Wasn't a huge fan of Fargo and I'm not even going to talk about Raising Arizona.

I find there movies to have fun, bizarre stories with wonderful scripts and awesome cinematography.

The Coen Brothers are among my favourite directors, mainly because i love their unique and fresh style.

They manage to take a genre, turn it upside down and add incredible mood, amongst a generally sombre, entertaining atmosphere.

I also adore their use of Cormac McCarthy's works, which are also incredibly moody and brilliant.