The Illusionist (2006)

[xpgeek]

I rented this movie last week. Was ok, better then I thought it would be, but a bit predictable.

[Rappy Veteran]

I rented this movie last week. Was ok, better then I thought it would be, but a bit predictable.

Yeah it is a bit at times but watch the Prestige its alot better imo...even tho I created this thread :p

[Berto]

Gonna try and watch both this week. I'm partial to the Illusionist as I'm a fan of smoke and errr, magic. A fan of magic.

;)

[Jase]

Just watched this.... the ending made my hair on the back of my neck stand up...

one of the best movies ever!

[azcodemonkey]

Yeah it is a bit at times but watch the Prestige its alot better imo...even tho I created this thread :p

Really? I thought the Illusionist was better. I thought the Prestige was good, but a bit predictable. LOL Maybe I was just too distracted by Beal.

[Koolslacker]

I loved that movie. It was well done.

[Razorwing]

I'd say they were both good. :cool:

[zeroday]

Excellent film, I loved it. Also, The Prestige is very good.

[sammy2]

I know i'm late, but the trailers weren't interesting to me. If I am to sit for 2 hours and focus on a movie then it better be good. And this movie was gun!!

[Golferjim]

Love this film, truley amazing!

One of my top favorites.

9.5/10

[Sir Topham Hatt]

A very good movie.

It is likened to the Prestige because of the period and magic involved, but two very different films. However, I would rate them both in my top ten movies I have seen.

Worth buying on DVD.

[jelli]

Always considered this film to be one of my favourites, recommend it to most people who ask for a good film.

[traviscfs]

good movie but some of it is just so stupid.

the orange tree, the book describes that it's mechanical. that still doesn't explain how the fruit grows and the butterflies. i imagined the audience tried to eat the orange when the magic toss it them. if it was mechanical, then the fruit has to be fake. and if the orange tree can be done mechanically, why did the movie used special effects? lol, that's just contradiction and makes the mechanical orange tree book implausible.

what about the spirits? that was never explained. they obviously didn't have advanced star-trek era holographic technology. so how the F did he do it?

The Orange Tree is actually a very famous trick of the 19th century created by a magician who had experience w/ mechanical apparatus, having married into a watchmaker's family. All details in the movie are fairly precise. The tree would have blossoms which would "sprout" from hidden tubes within the branches, with the blossoms having been folded into the tubes delicately so that when they were pushed out of the tube they would unfold and bloom. As for the fruit, they were camouflaged by a surrounding of green leaves which by clockwork action, the leaves would carefully be unfolded from around the oranges creating the illusion of them sprouting before one's eyes. The hankerchief is lifted from a support behind the tree, with two mechanical fluttering butterflies attached at either corner.

As for the spirits, obviously digital technology was used in the film. Such technology is needed in such a movie to impress a modern audience used to grand effects. Take a step back to the 1800s and ask what is the bare minimum of an effect needed to be convincing at that time. The stage effect of projectors were in possession quite commonly from grander forms to the simple "magic lantern" in many Victorians' homes. On stage, controls can be put in place to create mystifying projection effects by use of lights and mirrors as well as various contraptions to add mystery to the overall effect; things like fog, distortions created by projecting the images first through water, etc. I can only speak for my own limited knowledge as to how I might try to do such an effect back then. Once the audience is convinced, their own actions can amplify the effect. By believing what they saw onstage is real, an actor of similar build and dress could be be set to walk down the street w/o anyone thinking to interfere with the "ghost".

Lastly, as to the effect of the spirit force leaving Jessica Biel's doppleganger in the mirror, to fly over her head and cause her to pass out. I have actually created this effect of the swirling luminous "aether" at home to impress my friends. If a quantity of white phosphorus is heated to vaporization in an oxygen-free container, when the lid is taken off the phosphorus vapor will leave the container and upon being oxygenated by the atmosphere will quickly illuminate and become visible, appearing as a ghostly, glowing air or fluid which will persist for some short amount of time. The color and appearance is identical to that seen in the movie, moving between shades of green and yellow depending on concentration of the vapors. I should say that no one trained in scientific technique and fully aware of the dangers involved and the precautions necessary should try this effect themselves. White phosphorus is fatal at 50mg. and is highly flammable, and can create horrific burns on contact w/ skin.

At least, these were my thoughts on how to accomplish the effects seen when viewing the movie this morning.