Hidden in Plain Sight

An Archaeology of Magic and the Cinema

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Film, History & Criticism, Performing Arts
Cover of the book Hidden in Plain Sight by Colin Williamson, Rutgers University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Colin Williamson ISBN: 9780813572550
Publisher: Rutgers University Press Publication: October 22, 2015
Imprint: Rutgers University Press Language: English
Author: Colin Williamson
ISBN: 9780813572550
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Publication: October 22, 2015
Imprint: Rutgers University Press
Language: English

What does it mean to describe cinematic effects as “movie magic,” to compare filmmakers to magicians, or to say that the cinema is all a “trick”? The heyday of stage illusionism was over a century ago, so why do such performances still serve as a key reference point for understanding filmmaking, especially now that so much of the cinema rests on the use of computers?
 
To answer these questions, Colin Williamson situates film within a long tradition of magical practices that combine art and science, involve deception and discovery, and evoke two forms of wonder—both awe at the illusion displayed and curiosity about how it was performed. He thus considers how, even as they mystify audiences, cinematic illusions also inspire them to learn more about the technologies and techniques behind moving images. Tracing the overlaps between the worlds of magic and filmmaking, Hidden in Plain Sight examines how professional illusionists and their tricks have been represented onscreen, while also considering stage magicians who have stepped behind the camera, from Georges Méliès to Ricky Jay.
 
Williamson offers an insightful, wide-ranging investigation of how the cinema has functioned as a “device of wonder” for more than a century, while also exploring how several key filmmakers, from Orson Welles to Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese, employ the rhetoric of magic. Examining pre-cinematic visual culture, animation, nonfiction film, and the digital trickery of today’s CGI spectacles, Hidden in Plain Sight provides an eye-opening look at the powerful ways that magic has shaped our modes of perception and our experiences of the cinema. 

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

What does it mean to describe cinematic effects as “movie magic,” to compare filmmakers to magicians, or to say that the cinema is all a “trick”? The heyday of stage illusionism was over a century ago, so why do such performances still serve as a key reference point for understanding filmmaking, especially now that so much of the cinema rests on the use of computers?
 
To answer these questions, Colin Williamson situates film within a long tradition of magical practices that combine art and science, involve deception and discovery, and evoke two forms of wonder—both awe at the illusion displayed and curiosity about how it was performed. He thus considers how, even as they mystify audiences, cinematic illusions also inspire them to learn more about the technologies and techniques behind moving images. Tracing the overlaps between the worlds of magic and filmmaking, Hidden in Plain Sight examines how professional illusionists and their tricks have been represented onscreen, while also considering stage magicians who have stepped behind the camera, from Georges Méliès to Ricky Jay.
 
Williamson offers an insightful, wide-ranging investigation of how the cinema has functioned as a “device of wonder” for more than a century, while also exploring how several key filmmakers, from Orson Welles to Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese, employ the rhetoric of magic. Examining pre-cinematic visual culture, animation, nonfiction film, and the digital trickery of today’s CGI spectacles, Hidden in Plain Sight provides an eye-opening look at the powerful ways that magic has shaped our modes of perception and our experiences of the cinema. 

More books from Rutgers University Press

Cover of the book Fault Lines of Care by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Blood on Their Hands by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book A Year in White by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Labor of Love by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book War Is Not a Game by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Family Trouble by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Unbecoming Americans by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Techno-Orientalism by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Abandoning the Black Hero by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Acting by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book College in Prison by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Arterial and Venous Access in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Faith, Family, and Filipino American Community Life by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Selling Science by Colin Williamson
Cover of the book Thieving Three-Fingered Jack by Colin Williamson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy