• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Magic and Magicians in the movies

July 31, 2015 by Gary Collinson

Despite the fact that many modern forms of magic appear to have evolved from simple tricks, like those featured in the Royal Vegas Rabbit in the hat game into ridiculous feats of stupidity or endurance, there is still a rich history of real magical performance and style. Of course magic is always a great concept to delve into and the perfect fodder for movie goers to enjoy as well. Magicians and magic have featured in a number of popular, and not so popular, movies throughout the years each tackling certain aspects of the industry whether it’s going behind the scenes or directly trying to outwit and trick the audience themselves. We take a look at just a few examples of this magical sub-genre.

THE PRESTIGE (2006)
This brilliantly conceived mystery thriller about rival magicians attempting to upstage each other using various techniques of trickery comes from renowned director Christopher Nolan. The two leads played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are terrifically engaging and so is the story which is full of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Each magician uses his own unique skills and talents to try and compete with each other to create the best show stopping final magic trick, the “The Transported Man”.

MAGICIANS (2007)
Comedic double act David Mitchell and Robert Webb have had huge success on British television famed for starring as the loveable odd couple Mark and Jeremy in long-running Channel 4 hit POV sitcom ‘Peep Show’. In 2007 the duo teamed up once more for this crudely cobbled together effort from first time director Andrew O’Connor. Unlike ‘The Prestige’ this rival magician tale was somewhat lacklustre and very disappointing for both magic and ‘Peep Show’ fans alike.

NOW YOU SEE ME (2013)
Mystery crime thriller ‘Now You See Me’ arrived in theatres back in 2013 and it swept in a fresh and more exciting way in which magic could be portrayed in movies. It’s star-studded line-up included Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher all of whom play talented illusionists who find themselves grouped together by a unknown person and are led to create a number of magically based criminal heists. There’s plenty of magic on show in ‘Now You See Me’ as well as some more “creative” magic aspects and many of the most common magical practices around such as escapology, mind-reading, sleight of hand and more are all portrayed in the movie.

https://youtu.be/IWWtOQOZSTI?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng

Filed Under: Special Features Tagged With: Magicians, Now You See Me, the prestige

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer, who is the founder of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket' and the upcoming suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Die Hard on a Shoestring: The Low Budget Die Hard Clones

8 Great Cult Sci-Fi Films from 1985

Forgotten 90s Action Movies That Deserve a Second Chance

The Essential Exorcism Movies of the 21st Century

The Most Overlooked Horror Movies of the 1990s

Philip K. Dick & Hollywood: The Essential Movie Adaptations

The Legacy of Avatar: The Last Airbender 20 Years On

10 Badass Action Movies You Might Have Missed

The Gruesome Brilliance of 1980s Italian Horror Cinema

The Most Disturbing Horror Movies of the 1980s

Top Stories:

7 Cult 90s Teen Movies You May Have Missed

4K Ultra HD Review – James Bond: The Sean Connery Collection

Movie Review – Heads of State (2025)

8 Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

10 Great 1980s Sci-Fi Adventure Movies

Movie Review – M3GAN 2.0 (2025)

Movie Review – Ice Road: Vengeance (2025)

Is Denis Villeneuve the Best Choice to Direct Bond?

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Francis Ford Coppola In And Out Of The Wilderness

MTV Generation-Era Comedies That Need New Sequels

The Most Shocking Movies of the 1970s

The Best 90s and 00s Horror Movies That Rotten Tomatoes Hate!

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket