Since I've been posting solicitative issues today I have something else I'm shopping on as well. Something you all may have some fun playing with.

For years I've been using the well known theme music to Alfred Hitchcock's Tv show along with a sillohuette that moves back and forth on the stage, etc. As some of you know I move into my version of "Dinner With The Borgia" from there.

Here's the question... How would you expand upon the Hitchcock theme and image? What kind of routines would you do (Bizarre or Psychic styled are o.k.)? Would you, if it were a sound move, incorporate actual footage from his movies or shows and if so, which one's and how?

If you have material you want to keep a bit more private either PM or Email me.

Thanks!

What about Chelman's "The Seventh Object" or "Malediction" from Capricorn Tales? A woman makes a prediction from the grave, and a spectator explores a mystery and becomes the unwitting victim of an Egyptian curse.

Going out on limb, if you could control flocks of birds with your mind, that would really freak me out.

--Christopher Carter

If you haven't read it I would recommend Francois Truffaut's book "Hitchcock"

Sorry, I'm still recovering from Christopher's suggestion... GOD how I'd love to pull that off! PK Bird Flock with a masacre finale!

I love your suggestions McCritical... I'm going to look into that (can you point me to where to buy that source?)

Quentin, I assume this book is more biographical?

I'm forcing myself to start watching more of his films, studying the style, etc. It's ironic, after investing much of my youth learning to hold to Vincent Price's sense of humor and now, trying to shift over to one of the other masters... one that understood the power of understatement, misdirection adn the "gotchya" twist. The kind of things I like best.

You will enjoy the book. There are a lot of interviews about his work. It will help get into "Hitchcock" mode thinking.

Interstingly Vertigo is regarded as one of the top ten best films ever made both by the critics and the directors.

Fortunately I know you're referring to Mr. Hitchock's work and not David Whatshisname's pole sitting stunt

I'll have to find a copy (if you happen to have it... could you PM me with the ISBN#?)

TO ALL... My mind keeps flashing on doing some kind of interactive bit between Mr. H and myself e.g. something similar to what DC did with Orsen Wells a few years ago... Anyone have any ideas? (especially if they can be spun off from actual show footage.)

:handcuffs: (Ooo! Proof That Houdini can speak from beyond the grave... Don't you love these new icons?)

If you have the means, it would be cool if you could hire a Hitchcock look-a-like, and do a video introduction like on his TV show to introduce you, or each show highlight.

On one of David Copperfield's earlier special, he did an illusion with a "Psycho" theme. Very cool.

Family Plot was a movie about jewel theives. You could do a Bank Night type of routine for that.

Frenzy was about a serial killer. You could do a "who dunnit" type of routine. You could also do that type of a routine with a Rear Window theme.

Darmoe, I really like the idea of having an interactive Hitchcock bit. As I was reading your post I thought of the Orson Wells bit with DC before I even read what you wrote.

I also like the idea of using a Hitchcock look-alike, but only if it's almost identical.

Humm... I'm going to put a lot of thought into this and see what I can come up with. I think it would be cool to do a cool trick which involves Hitchcock (or impersonator) video, yourslef and a spectator. Kind of like you and Hitchcock teaming up for a trick with the spectator.

Maybe you pull out the video, Hitchcock introduces himself, you pull up a spectator, take a deck of cards and have the spectator choose a card. Then you throw the deck into the video screen and Hitchcock finds the spectators card.

But I don't know what type of magic you want to present.

I'll keep thinking...

~Priest~

Don't forget Hitchcock's trade mark bit...

He was always in his own movies at one point or another, blended into the background. Sometime during your show have Mr. Hitchcock take some props off stage while you are performing. Again most won't see him but some will.

From the Dark Side,
Doug

O.k. Important note here... I use the sillohuette opener because I LOOK LIKE ALFRED these days (well, not quite as large but...) In short, I am the look-alike... at least, that's kindof sortof the direction I'm heading.

Some cool thoughts (BTW... I already do a Murder Mystery routine in the show, we'll look at doing a Rear Window twist... it's a thought.)

Later!

NO NO NO PLease don't take an idea as good as this and turn it into a card trick.
Sorry i go carried away...

Best thoughts,
John Smetana

I was just taking an idea and running with the first thing in my mind. I would hope he would take that suggestion and make it much more grand.

~Priest~

Along the lines of North By Northwest, mistaken ideanty and all, you could do a confabulation routine with it OR you could do a confabulation routine with characters and bits of info provided to you by your audience in regards to Hitchcock's movies and then, and you could present it while doing the best imitation of Hitch that you could do.
PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
http://www.stores.ebay.ca/abstagecraft

I do love the new icons and has anyone noticed that this little guy looks remarkably like Scott Guinn???!!?

The Seventh Object and Malefaction are both in "Capricornian Tales." I managed to get a copy at a local magic shop, but I've seen it available online at:

http://jcrmagic.com/

and slightly cheaper at

http://www.geocities.com/magicyardsale/usedbooks.htm

Seventh Object could be reworked to accomodate an edited videotape where Hitchcock reveals the forced item (as opposed to the "Hand of Cleopatra").

Using that theme, here's how I see it performed. An eccentric antiques dealer predicts his own unnatural death. You have in your possession a letter he wrote concerning his morbid obsession, along with a list he left of seven possible weapons. The victim disappeared one evening, leaving a recording of the last few minutes of a Hitchcock Presents episode (which can be given to a spectator to hold until the crucial moment). The letter suggests that with the help of an intuitive young woman, at least part of the mystery can be solved. If her guess is correct, a clue on the tape will support her intuition. The list is given to the woman, and she is asked to remember one item on the list, with the hopes that her hunch will prove correct. The list is then placed in a box and seven weapons--all ornate antiques--are placed on the table. The woman is asked if she sees the weapon she chose on the table (which she does not reveal until the end of the trick---and hopefully in a cold sweat). The tape is shown, and Mr. Hitchcock confirms the woman's choice of weapon.

Just a suggestion...you may actually like Chelman's routine for this bit a lot better.

Seems to me, you'll have lots of ideas after watching the movies. Each one has something in it that would be great:

Psycho has that iconic moment in the shower with the knife -- you could do a routine with multiple objects in paper bags (one of which contains a knife), and an audience member designated as "Mother" can freely select a bag with which to stab you (wearing a shower cap).

Strangers On A Train has a clue at the scene of the crime that links the killer to the victim -- an engraved zippo lighter. If a lighter in your possession were linked to members of your audience (ala Gold Medallion), that could be interesting.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is centered around a music hall memory performer, which gives you complete license to do a Giant Memory demonstration, Move A Card, Andruzzi's Magazine routine, or any number of other traditional memory effects (real or simulated).

One thing that strikes me, however, is the need for your audience to be as familiar as possible with the films that you will be making reference to.

Perhaps your presentation should be a balance of Hitchcock film overview (in which you discuss the various films, punctuated by short video sequences culled from them) before you proceed to make the films interactive through magic.

Good luck!

Dang Neil! That's some great stuff for "off the top of your head"...

This I've appreciated all the ideas brought forth and John, don't worry about me doing a "card trick" ala Copperfield & Orsen... NOT GOING TO HAPPEN... but then you know my thinking better than that.

As I've kindof hinted at, I'm trying to evolve away from my Vincent Price image and more towards MR. H... his sense of humor differed greatly from Price's and, as I've "matured" my humor tends to be shifting more and more towards MR.H and away from the VP personna. Add to this my rather potted belly and other physical transformations I'm going through (shorter hair, a more exotic and yet, cold appearance)... it's the beginning of a new evolution.

Thanks so much for the ideas and resources gang!