Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Houdini TV Mini-Series Part 1 - Recap and Review


Adrien Brody as Harry Houdini in History Channel TV Mini-Series Houdini

In the opening scene, Harry Houdini (Adrien Brody) jumps from a bridge into icy waters, while being bound in chains.

Harry (original name - Erik Weisz) has always been captivated by magic tricks and is particularly impressed with magician R. Houdini. He has the full support and encouragement of his mother, Cecilia (Eszter Ónodi). His father, Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz (Jeremy Wheeler) loses his job due to his lack of mastery over the English language.

Harry leaves Appleton, Wisconsin and becomes an apprentice to a magician. Harry continues to support his recently widowed mother through the earnings from displays of magic tricks. Soon he sets his eyes on a lovely young woman, Bess Rahner (Kristen Connolly). He courts and marries her.

Adrien Brody and Kristen Connolly as Harry Houdini and his wife Bess Houdini in History Channel TV Mini-Series Houdini

Houdini is ambitious and wants to go to the next level. He hires a Jim Collins (Evan Jones) to be his assistant. He performs his disappearing act from inside The Chinese Water torture cell.

With his rising fame comes recognition from the US Government. He joins the Secret service and is sent to Germany and Russia as a spy. His cover is that of a performing magician.

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Houdini performs the bullet catching trick and impresses the German Kaiser Wilhelm II (Gyula Mesterházy). He manages to ring the long defunct Kremlin Bell and grants a wish to the Russian Tsar Nicholas Romanov II (Simon Nader). Even a disbeliever like Rasputin (Iván Kamarás) has to grudgingly accept Houdini's powers.

Houdini's successes put a considerable strain on his marriage. His oath to secrecy prevents him from disclosing the truth about his espionage activities to Bess, who assumes that he is having affairs. His wife starts to make passes at strangers.

Adrien Brody as Harry Houdini performing death defying acts in History Channel TV Mini-Series Houdini

Houdini also starts experiencing a significant drop in the spectators for his magic performances. He faces considerable challenge from moving pictures and Charlie Chaplin. The enterprising Harry decides to bring the theater to the common man and starts giving his dare devil performances in the open.

The writing has been credited to Nicholas Meyer, author of Sherlock Holmes pastiches including the famous “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution”. This is undoubtedly the best aspect of the show.

Adrien Brody is miscast as Houdini, who was a consummate and charismatic showman. Adrien seems to be sleepwalking through the role, except from some rare moments when he gets to show some emotion. Someone like Hugh Jackman would have been a better choice. He was great in Chris Nolan's movie about magicians, Prestige.

There is no palpable chemistry between Houdini and his wife, as played by Brody and Connolly.

Adrien Brody as Harry Houdini and Evan Jones as his faithful assistant Jim Collins in History Channel TV Mini-Series Houdini

The best performances are given by Evan Jones and Eszter Ónodi as Houdini's assistant and mother respectively. Both of them manage to hold one's interest whenever they are onscreen. Evan is excellent as the idolizing and sincere Jim. Eszter exudes warmth and motherly love for her son. 

The way the episode has been shot is very modern and prevents one away from getting fully involved. 

The preview for the concluding part promises to showcase my all time favorite author, Arthur Conan Doyle. Houdini was dead set against spiritualism and as expected, crossed paths with ACD, one of the greatest supporters of Spiritualism in the early 20th century.

Click here to read my review of the concluding part of Houdini.

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Image Sources: Egon Endreyi, A&E Television Networks, Lionsgate Television, History Channel

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Monday, September 1, 2014

The Strain Season 1 Episode # 8 "Creatures of the Night" - Recap and Review

David Bradley as Jewish Holocaust survivor and pawn shop owner Abraham Setrakian in the train station in The Strain Season 1 Episode 8 Creatures of the Night

This post discusses the episode in detail. Readers yet to watch the episode are recommended to skip it, if they wish to avoid spoilers.

At the end of the previous episode, Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel) is about to kill Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley), when he was shot in the leg by Dr Eph Goodweather (Corey Stoll)/ Dr Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro). The Strigoi makes good his escape, but is weakened by his injury.

Abraham, Eph, Nora and Jim Kent (Sean Astin) break into a facility to acquire some supplies. They run into Vasiliy Fet (Kevin Durand), who beat them to the punch and has been helping himself already.

The gang heads to a store to buy some UV lamps. They come under attack by a horde of vampires. Dutch Velders (Ruta Gedmintus), the internet hacker hired by Eldritch Palmer (Jonathan Hyde) also happens to be in the same store with her friend.

Mia Maestro as Dr. Nora Martinez in the store in The Strain Season 1 Episode 8 Creatures of the Night

A delivery guy and Dutch's friend try to flee and are killed. Jim gets infected by a vampire. Eph and Nora remove the worm from inside Jim and destroy it. But it is too late and Vasiliy shoots Jim dead to prevent his transformation.

The group makes its escape in a delivery truck.

This is hands down the most interesting episode so far. 

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Vasiliy referring to the store worker Hassan as Apu” was a nice reference to The Simpsons. As readers familiar with the long running FOX show would be aware, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is the owner of the convenience store in Springfield. Guillermo del Toro is a fan of the show and has created an opening for a Simpsons episode which can be viewed below:


We get to see some hardcore and non-stop action. The focus of the episode was on the vampires/Strigoi. We learn that each vampire is connected to the Master. The Master commands them and can communicate through them. The Strigoi reach their full maturity after about a month.

Then, there are the Chosen ones like Thomas Eichorst, who are more advanced and can retain their original appearance.

The discussion among the group about deciding the fate of the infected Jim shows the different approaches taken by Abraham and Vasiliy vs Eph and Nora. While the former two are practical and do whatever is necessary to ensure their survival, the two doctors tend to be emotional. 

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Image Sources: FX Networks, DelToroFilms.com

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