Official promotional PressKit for the TNT original movie HOUDINI.

Presskits are made available to members of the media and are not sold in stores, so this is a unique opportunity!

The PressKit includes ALL THIS:

Black folder with color image from film logo
3-page packet of cast & crew list
2-page packet of selected cast bios
1-page QA with Johnathon Schaech
1-page QA with Stacy Edwards
1-page QA with George Segal
1-page QA with Paul Sorvino
1-page QA with Rhea Perlman
3-page QA with writer & director Pen Densham
1-page of premiere info and slide captions
1-page press release
2-page packet of production bios
1-page of Houdini milestones
2 B&W 8x10 glossy photo sheets
1 sheet of ad slicks
3-page packet of production bios
8 Color slides!!

Credited cast:

Johnathon Schaech .... Harry Houdini - Stacy Edwards .... Bess Houdini - Paul Sorvino .... Blackburn - Rhea Perlman .... Esther - George Segal .... Beck - David Warner .... Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Mark Ruffalo .... Theo - Grace Zabriskie .... Mrs. Weiss - Ron Perlman .... Booking Agent - Karl Makinen .... Jim Collins - Judy Geeson .... Lady Doyle

Rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Tom Michael Bailey .... Policeman - James Barbour .... Reporter #1 - David Bickford .... Journalist - Joshua Breslow .... Young Theo - Martin Clark .... Hank the Old Prisoner - Jeffrey Cox .... Reporter #3 - Rob Elk .... Detroit Police Officer - Daren Flam .... Montreal Student #1 - Michael Gallagher .... Doctor - Emile Hirsch .... Young Houdini - Endre Hules .... Franz - Jack Knight .... Warden - Curt Lowens .... Samuel Weiss - Jack Marston .... Kaiser Wilhelm - Martin McDougall .... Radio Technician - Jack McGee .... Street Vendor - Frank McRae .... Usher - Ralph Meyering Jr. .... Reporter #2 - David Moreland .... Sweatshop - Foreman - Bill Moynihan .... 1st Volunteer - Laura Pallas .... Dancing Woman - Jeffrey Pierce .... Montreal Student #2 - Haruo Shimada .... Street Magician - Kevin Shinick .... Reporter #4.

Review:

Houdini is a made for television movie about the life and legend of magician Harry Houdini. Jonathan Schaech plays the title role, while Stacy Edwards plays his wife. The film traces Houdini's life, beginning with his childhood. He was originally known as Ehrich Weiss, growing up in a poor ghetto family in turn of the century New York. With the death of his father, the soon-to-be Houdini and his best friend, Jacob Hayman, labor in the textile industry and dream of greater things. Jacob urges Ehrich, to practice slight-of-hand and magic. Borrowing from the tricks and the name of the legendary French magician, Robert-Houdin, the 'Houdini' brothers set out to a faltering career in show business. While magic was originally Jacob’s idea, Ehrich displays the greater talent for the art, and thus the legend of Harry Houdini is born.

Told through flashbacks of his widow, Houdini jumps from waypoint to waypoint through his life. It details many of his well known stops along the way: his false starts in show business; his obsession with gaining the love and respect of his mother; his 'holy war' against fraud clairvoyants; his demise; and the séances that have since been conducted to contact Houdini in the spirit world.

The movie is focused on the legend of Harry Houdini; to that end, many of its elements are there solely to convey this fascinating story. While the acting and direction are competent, none of it outshines the tale. This film puts Houdini's fame in perspective. If you juxtapose Houdini and magicians of his era with today's world of entertainment, you start to appreciate the huge impact Houdini had during the 1920s. He entertained kings and presidents and was always the talk of the town when his touring show called. Simply put, he was a legend. The period in which Houdini thrived was a perfect breeding ground for what he did, as magic and wonder were becoming accessible to the masses. Technology was starting to deliver some wonders to the average person, and more people than ever were able to travel to exotic locales.

Houdini captures the feeling of the era and puts the story comfortably in that context. Even if you’ve watched documentaries and other productions about Houdini, this interpretation is worth seeing. It sheds some new light on the master magician and presents the tale of his life in an evenhanded manner.

The photos and EIGHT slides are worth the price of the PressKit alone!!

The PressKit folder shows some wear, but ALL the materials inside are just fine.