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The Magician
(1900) United States of America
B&W : 60 feet
Directed by [?] Edwin S. Porter?
Cast: (unknown)
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company. / Cinematography by [?] Edwin S. Porter? / © 28 February 1900 by Thomas A. Edison [D4733]. Released February 1900. / [?] Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format? / Website-AFI extrapolates incorrectly that this may be an Edison rerelease of a Méliès film.
Trick film.
Synopsis: [From Edison promotional materials] The scene opens on a theatrical stage. The magician enters from the wings, and making a bow to the audience, removes his coat and hat, and they disappear mysteriously into the air. He then takes a white handkerchief from his pocket, holds it over his knees, and his long trousers disappear, and behold! he is clad in knickerbockers. He next makes a pass with a magic wand and a table suddenly appears before the audience, on which is a large pile of tissue paper. The magician takes up the paper and shakes it a few times and three live geese fly out upon the floor. This is a highly pleasing and mystifying subject. 60 feet. $9.00.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Library of Congress film archive [35mm paper positive (LC 1148), 35mm reference positive (FEC 2807).
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 6 February 2009.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 43 : Website-AFI; Website-LoC.
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