"Houdini" review by
Sundi
8/31/14
Airs Labor Day 9/1 and 9/2 on History
HIstory Channel has done it again. The two-night
mini-series, Houdini, starring Adriene Brody is
good. And I mean really, really good.
While I didn’t know much about the famed escape
artist of the early 20th century, I knew enough
to be intrigued by the story before I sat down
to watch. Once I did, however, I got sucked into
a movie that has equal parts history (although
I’m not one to personally vouch for its
authenticity), heart and melodrama: all things I
love.
The movie follows the life and career of Harry
Houdini, nee Erich Weiss, son of a immigrant
rabbi from Budapest, who finds fame with death
defying stunts of escape. I probably don’t need
to tell you who Harry Houdini is, but the movie
is about far more than a magician. Brody brings
us a closer look at the huge legend of Houdini,
who has garnered so much fame in our popular
culture that its hard to even imagine him as
real person. This movie hones the focus just
enough so that we can reconcile the legend with
the person.
We get to meet his long-suffering wife, Bess,
who stood by and watched as he risked his life
for fame and celebrity over and over. Their
relationship is one of the most interesting
aspects of this movie. Houdini obviously loves
her, but his relationship with fame gets in the
way of their marriage and leaves Bess feeling
invisible. We also get to see a man very close
to his mother, and how that relationship helped
him navigate his ambitions, while battling
against the memory of his oppressive father.
We also get to see an examination of a man who
was willing to risk everything, life and limb,
to please his fans. He is presented as a man
with something to prove, tortured at times by
his demons, but chaste, loyal and patriotic. But
he is also painted as a real man, with real
emotions. This, coupled with his place in
American history makes for a very intriguing
movie.
You should watch this movie. Both nights. You
won’t be sorry. Adrien Brody gives a really
believable performance as one of the world’s
most famous performers, while also allowing us
to relate to him past his notoriety. I loved it,
and I think y’all will too.
For more of my thoughts and opinions about the
shows I watch, visit my blog at Entertainment
Weekly’s
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MORE INFORMATION
Before David Blaine and David Copperfield, there
was one man whose name was synonymous with being
the master of illusion and escape – Harry
Houdini. HOUDINI follows the
man behind the magic as he finds fame, engages
in espionage, battles spiritualists and
encounters the greatest names of the era, from
U.S. presidents to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and
Grigori Rasputin. The drama will chronicle the
life of a man who can defy death through his
stunts, his visions and his mastery of
illusion.
BIOS
EVAN JONES - "Jim Collins"
Evan Jones, who is a familiar face
in many feature films we all know,
has worked with some of the best
directors and actors in the
business. He was most recently seen
on the big screen in A MILLION WAYS
TO DIE IN THE WEST, starring
alongside Charlize Theron and Seth
MacFarlane. He was also seen in
Tommy Lee Jones' THE HOMESMAN, which
premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film
Festival.
Best known as
Eminem's sidekick, Cheddar Bob, in 8
MILE, he also starred opposite Jake
Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx in Sam
Mendes' JARHEAD. His other notable
film credits include GANGSTER SQUAD
with Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling; THE
BOOK OF ELI with Denzel Washington;
THE EXPRESS with Dennis Quaid;
RESCUE DAWN with Christian Bale;
GLORY ROAD with Josh Lucas; and MR.
3000 with Bernie Mac. Jones can
also be seen in several independent
features films including GOING
GREEK, SOCIAL MISFITS and WISHCRAFT.
After landing several lead roles
in theatre productions offered
through his college, Jones decided
to move to Los Angeles to pursue an
acting career. Shortly after
arriving, he landed guest starring
roles on major television shows and
in several commercials.
On the small screen, he was a
series regular on ABC's OCTOBER ROAD
and played in recurring roles in
major television shows such as
CRIMINAL MINDS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS
and GOING TO CALIFORNIA. His
additional television credits
include guest starring roles in ER,
CSI: NY, HOUSE M.D., and many
others.
Evan Jones grew up in College
Station, Texas and currently resides
in Los Angeles.
ADRIEN BRODY - “Harry Houdini”
Adrien Brody won the Academy Award
for Best Actor for his portrayal of
real-life Holocaust survivor
Wladislaw Szpilman in Roman
Polanski's THE PIANIST. He is to
date the youngest person to have
received the Oscar in that category.
His performance also earned him Best
Actor honors from the National
Society of Film Critics and the
Boston Society of Film Critics, and
nominations for Golden Globe, Screen
Actors Guild and BAFTA Awards. He
was also bestowed with the Cesar
Award, France's equivalent of the
Oscar - the only non-French citizen
to do so.
In 2013, Brody filmed
AMERICAN HEIST, Wes Anderson’s GRAND
BUDAPEST HOTEL and Paul Haggis’s
THIRD PERSON which premiered at the
2013 Toronto International Film
Festival.
Brody was born and raised in New
York City, where he studied drama at
LaGuardia High School of the
Performing Arts and the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts. He first
came to prominence when he played a
leading role in Steven Soderbergh's
KING OF THE HILL and for starring
performances in two features for
director Eric Bross: TEN BENNY AND
RESTAURANT. The latter earned Brody
an Independent Spirit Award
nomination.
He has worked with some of the
most prominent film directors in the
industry: Roman Polanski (THE
PIANIST); Peter Jackson (KING KONG);
Ken Loach (BREAD AND ROSES); Wes
Anderson (THE DARJEELING LIMITED);
Barry Levinson (LIBERTY HEIGHTS);
Spike Lee (SUMMER OF SAM); Xiaogang
Feng (REMEMBERING 1942); Tony Kaye
(DETACHMENT); and Woody Allen
(MIDNIGHT IN PARIS).
Some other films in his
filmography include: HARRISON’S
FLOWERS; LOVE THE HARD WAY; THE
JACKET; HOLLYWOODLAND; CADILLAC
RECORDS; THE BROTHERS BLOOM; SPLICE;
and PREDATORS.
KRISTEN CONNOLLY - “Bess”
Concurrently to filming season two
of HOUSE OF CARDS, Kristen Connolly
also shot the independent film A
GOOD MARRIAGE opposite Joan Allen
and Anthony LaPaglia directed by
Peter Askin.
Connolly's expanding list of film
credits includes THE BAY, CABIN IN
THE WOODS, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, THE
HAPPENING, and CONFESSIONS OF A
SHOPAHOLIC.
On television, Connolly has made
guest-star appearances on LAW &
ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, NURSE JACKIE
and LIFE ON MARS.
Connolly's theater credits
include MEASURE FOR MEASURE and
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL at
Shakespeare in the Park in New York
City in 2011, as well as KING LEAR
at The New York Public Theater.
She starred this summer as Desdemona
in the Old Globe production of
OTHELLO.
Kristen is a graduate of the Yale
School of Drama.
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