kitellis-98121
All in all there is little to fault in this stylish and well-made biopic.With heavily stylised visuals, anachronistic music, and very modern editing, this film presents its period storyline with a mind to 21st century audiences. But unlike most others that attempt this potentially hazardous balancing act, "Houdini" neatly pulls it off without injury.I watched it on Amazon as one long and very satisfying film, but apparently it was originally presented as a two-part miniseries, which I can't imagine helped the pacing or momentum. I'm glad Amazon joined the two halves together into a complete and uninterrupted telling of Houdini's life, with a beginning, middle, and end.Technically it is excellent. The performances are all top-rate. Adrian Brody shines in the title role, despite looking nothing like the real Harry Houdini.The story unfolds in a mostly linear way, but there are several flashback sequences which interrupt the narrative somewhat, despite giving important and relevant insights. I'd have, perhaps, preferred it to be more linear.Also, while I'm busy nit-picking, having already been aware of the circumstances of Houdini's death before watching, I was at first rather pleased with the early foreshadowing "moments" that this film inserted. But then it inserted them again and again. And then again. And then a few more times. Two or three evenly-spaced foreshadowing moments would have worked well. But by the time of his eventual death, I felt that I'd already seen it a dozen times. But this minor niggle did not mar an otherwise gripping and relentlessly enjoyable rideLiberties may have been taken with a few historical facts, but that is neatly covered by the opening caption, which playfully encourages the viewer to separate fact from fiction.Having thoroughly enjoyed the ride, I'll definitely be returning for more.
feakes
Houdini isn't going to pass as fact. Actually it isn't going to pass as a truthful account. Seeing that everyone associated With Harry Houdini is long dead. this is only speculation. Entertainment if you will. Houdini is an immortal larger then life. So if you were to tell the story how would you do it ? Tell the story that might not be nearly as compelling as the Myths around Houdini. Or tell the Myths and legends that made Houdini great and immortal and a legend. Cue John ford in the man who shot Liberty Valence. When the legend becomes fact print the legend.Anyone that argues that this is incorrect or not factually based must understand one thing. Houdini in the end was a showman. This biopic tells us that over and over again. And its true. Adrian Brody is fantastic as Houdini. I am a fan of Adrian Brody's and liked his movies but this one is his best yet. People might bash him or this movie and they have no reason to. If you know anything about Houdini This movie is not going to disappoint. If you're a fan of Houdini you get a new appreciation for the man . And remember this is TV This is a movie. They are not real life. this is entertainment. and like the Great Houdini there are slight of hands tricks that'll trick you. Houdini a spy ? Houdini a womanizer Houdini a pilot Houdini a movie star and writer of pulp novels . Houdini a spiritual investigator busting fake mediums . Houdini a Mama's boy Houdini The Master escape artist and master Showman.He was all of these things and more. And if this movie isn't fact then it's fiction. And if its fiction then its entertainment. And its grand entertainment and fun.What more can you ask ?The direction is good the acting superb. and its watchable. what else are you looking for? Sit back and enjoy the greatest master escape artist that ever lived tell his story.
thecrazyelwin
Its a shame that a channel like History would show such fiction. This movie is more based on, or an accumulation of, past movies on the man than they are on his actual life.It is entertainment and in such, writers will change what they want to make it more interesting. As the saying goes "Controversy creates cash." If not, then Hollywood would be broke.As far as facts, they did get his name right. The way he met his wife, also quite true. His relationship with his father, no. His relationship with his mother they really down played, he was very devoted to her. The time lines of his escapes, wrong and the secret agent stuff was the worst fiction of all.For a mini-series, they told less about the man than the 1953 movie with Tony Curtis. While the 1953 movie had it's own mistakes, it was a lot more accurate than this mini-series was. I gave it 2 stars only because the actors did good with what they had.
Sebastian Heron
Now I want to say before I start that this show is actually a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. Not all of it is real, most of it is speculation and some of it is completely made up, however all of it is picked, to give the watcher the best experience possible. That being said, this show was nothing special.People see the topic of Houdini bashed about now and again, however what we know of Houdini's "real" life is so little it becomes a topic which struggles to live and dies sour.This is why most of us were so shocked when we heard there was going to be a Houdini biopic, I mean it had to be done, one of the greatest figures of the late 19th/early 20th century was going to get his screen time.But from the first day it started to go down hill. The initial cover art and the poorly chosen cast were the first of many mistakes which lead to this mediocre expo. The second mistakes made, were the poorly written (and acted) dialogue and lack of attention to details which really shone through in the finished piece. Finally it has to be the airing of the show on the "History Channel". Now I'm not sure if this was planned from the start or a change made in production or maybe the original channel who produced it didn't want it, but I couldn't have picked a worst channel to air this on, surely history is something true and honestly, to be fair, barely any of this is actually true. However "luckily" for me and my 64 million neighbours the show was aired on channel 4, a TV- channel known for airing interesting and provocative dramas.All in all the finished product was rather average and most definitely disappointing, the latter episode being the worst of the two. My rating 5/10.
AD
