The directors, Molly Bernstein and Alan Edelstein treat the art of magic with such loving care and respect. The finest magic documentary I've ever seen. I saw the world premiere of this documentary tonight at the Lincoln Center Film Festival. Here's the review I wrote at the time:ĭeceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay
Small edit in “Somebody” to fix camera bumpĪdditional screen captures from this episode are available here.I saw this in October at the Lincoln Center Film Festival.Rich Hall: 5 appearances 1 voice-over.Christopher Guest: 4 appearances 1 voice-over.
Fitting with the theme of the show, Bryan Adams was also solid, if not particularly electrifying. Anderson was an OK host, though his appearances as himself were stronger than his sketch work. However, as the night went on, the more interesting original sketches made more of an impact. The first part of the show was weighed down with a lot of the second-tier recurring characters given the talent and professionalism of this cast and writers, these sketches were still funny, just not particularly memorable.
Harry Anderson recalls how a man named Morris taught him how to make a wide variety of hats using a felt donut.Written by Kevin Kelton, Andrew Kurtzman and Eliot Wald according to Kelton, Short’s character was originally intended to be in 20th century dress, but Dick Ebersol and Dave Wilson insisted he be in period costume as well.Future award-winning composer Marc Shaiman, then SNL’s rehearsal pianist, can be seen as one of the courtroom spectators.Pamela Stephenson also gets one of her better roles of the season as the adulteress who claims Manning impregnated her with Satan’s child while in the form of a goat (“He took me to a restaurant!”).This is a sketch I’ve always liked good premise, great performance by Martin Short, and peppered with memorable bits throughout (particularly Jim Belushi as the prosecutor delivering the evidence, arguments and proof: he prepares to read from notes, then just points at Kroeger and screams “WIIIIIIITCH!”).Jessi Colter, June Carter Cash and Marty Stuart (who was Cash’s son-in-law at the time) are also visible in the audience here. (Billy Crystal) does a routine about visiting a Hawaiian restaurant Crystal is good as the character, but the funnier part is when he goes into the audience and confronts Waylon Jennings (“When did you go Hassid?”), Johnny Cash (who really seems to be enjoying the insult jokes) and Christopher Reeve. It’s a little obvious, but I enjoyed the sight gags of the fake bugged-out eyes and the balloon Weinberger head deflating.