Directed by:
Uli EdelScreenplay:
Nicholas MeyerCinematography:
Karl Walter LindenlaubComposer:
John DebneyCast:
Adrien Brody, Kristen Connolly, Evan Jones, Tim Pigott-Smith, Tom Benedict Knight, Shaun Williamson, Eszter Ónodi, Jeremy Wheeler, József Székhelyi (more)Plots(1)
The two-part miniseries HOUDINI follows the epic tales of Harry Houdini as he emerges as America's first bonafide world-renowned superstar. From humble beginnings at circus sideshows to sold-out concert halls, Eastern European immigrant Ehrich Weiss rose to become a household name across the globe - Houdini. Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody stars as The Great Harry Houdini as he finds fame, engages in espionage, battles spiritualists and encounters the greatest names of the era, from U.S. presidents to Arthur Conan Doyle and Rasputin. A thrilling ride throughout Harry's psyche, HOUDINI delves deep behind the curtain into his life through his stunts, his visions and his mastery of illusion. Joining Brody is Kristen Connolly as Bess Houdini, the love of Harry's life and right hand when it came to some of his most amazing feats, and Evan Jones as Jim Collins, Harry's assistant and confidant. (HBO Europe)
(more)Reviews (2)
When HBO decides to go after a certain premise, it usually can’t turn out wrong. And Houdini lived such a life that it’d be a shame not to tell a bit of his story with the quality that this channel can offer us viewers. The two-part division is absolutely appropriate here, because there are really just so many episodes from his life that need to be told. And since Houdini’s life was one big illusion, you won’t get rid of those, on the contrary; the director Uli Edel has filmed an incredibly stylish modern movie that was a little over-the-top with the effects, but it still managed to completely captivate me with the story. The three hours went by like a hurricane.
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Maybe too hurried, but on the other hand, there’s no time to get bored. Houdini’s life was a tense as a piano string and it’s hard to find any consistency in such a packed story, especially so heavily dramatized. Modern fast cuts and Debney’s electronic music is a bit disruptive at the beginning, but there’s a method behind it. Even so, it’s very well filmed. Brody immerses himself in the role with his own peculiar enthusiasm and steals the show every time he’s on camera. The main attraction is Houdini and his unarguable talent and determination to push back frontiers. P.S.: The second part is a little weaker than part 1 and I recommend you look here to see better where the truth lies... http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2014/09/fact-checking-historys-houdini-night-one.html
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