Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
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Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
Jay Marshall, the man behind the counter at the magic shop, has said for many years, "If you want to keep something a secret, publish it." Once in print, information is often filed, forgotten, or dismissed. Publishing a secret takes away its cachet and causes it to be overlooked.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
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Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
The magician was rewarded for his service to the French government; they were convinced that his magical demonstration had intimidated the Marabout and quelled any potential uprising.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
Some highlights have been hidden or truncated due to export limits.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
"Peter Pan" was exactly the collection of crude, obvious effects that Maskelyne thought he could improve upon. The levitation in "The Coming Race" was far more astonishing than "Peter Pan"'s, but the Maskelynes had made a mistake by confusing special effects with illusion, and deception with magic.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
phantasmagoria was a generic term for a performance of projected lantern images on smoke or gauze curtains.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
His specialty was convincing each person that they had witnessed a near catastrophe.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
Some highlights have been hidden or truncated due to export limits.
Teller Jim Steinmeyer • Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
The English landscape painter John Constable once insisted that his art "pleases by reminding, not deceiving." It's the same with magicians. The real art is in the subtle touches of reassurance that surround any deception and disguise it as a positive thing.