History's 'Houdini': What the Critics Are Saying

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | September 1, 2014 | Ashley Lee

[EveningStar]

History Channel's magical miniseries Houdini begins tonight, starring Adrien Brody as the death-defying escape artist in a TV event that traces the arc of Houdini's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame.

The Lionsgate/A&E Studios four-hour event also stars Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) as Bess, Harry Houdini's stage assistant and wife. Oscar nominee Uli Edel directed the project, adapted by Nicholas Meyer from the 1976 book Houdini: A Mind in Chains — A Psychoanalytic Portrait (written by his father, Bernard C. Meyer).

Read what top critics are saying about Houdini:

[fhayek]

I don't know if he started it (he may very well have) but there is a long standing tradition of stage magicians debunking psychics, spoon benders and other frauds. James Randi (the Great Randi) has continued this tradition. Magicians are aware of (or can figure out) techniques used by these charlatans, and can duplicate them while disavowing supernatural explanations. A valuable service if you ask me.

[mylife]

Love History Channel.

[SunkenCiv]

Rosabel Believe.

[mass55th]

I hope it’s better than their Bonnie & Clyde. I couldn’t get through the first episode of that. The article says Houdini has a modern soundtrack, which kind of puts me off. I read several bios of Houdini many years ago, and I’m just hoping they don’t ruin it by attempting to modernize his story.

[mass55th]

"Hopefully, this will be more accurate than the 1953 Tony Curtis movie, which I did like."

I remember seeing that, plus there was a 1976 made for TV movie titled: The Great Houdini with Paul Michael Glaser as Harry Houdini, and Sally Struthers as his wife Bess.

[MinuteGal]

The guy playing Houdini looks like a cartoon character on the trailers.

I can't relate to him.

Leni

[Yaelle]

I’m sorry; he was a hottie.

[Yaelle]

After reading these reviews in the article, I am torn. I love Houdini but the movie sounds horrible, hamhanded, and hollywoodian. Might watch anyway.

[SoFloFreeper]

I am highly suspicious of the "History" channel. They completely blew it with the horrible, horrible, Howard-Zinnesque "America: The story of US". They also bent to political pressure and chose NOT to show Joel Surnow's excellent series "The Kennedys".

So color me a skeptic.

[Hatteras]

I just can’t wait for the commercials to be over with...

[CommerceComet]

Love History Channel.

Used to be my favorite channel. Then they shifted to the "Making History" theme and started putting out the same reality TV shows as all the other cable channels. Haven't watched History Channel in a long time and don't intend to when I can find lots of good history documentaries on-line instead of the faux-history slop they peddle now.

[KingLudd]

Library of Congress has the Houdini collection - very cool stuff.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html

enter Houdini in the search box and then select “gallery view”

[Afterguard]

Ummm. Who cares?

[mylife]

Houdini is on now.

[mylife]

I like all the cool Houdini stuff that comes in on Pawn Stars.

Prolly my favorite program.

[mylife]

So far the show is good.

“I made some great escapes in my life but the greatest was escaping home in Appleton Wi”

[mylife]

This is a story of true grit.

[mylife]

This is very well done.
Highly entertaining.

[mylife]

Who knew Houdini was a spy?

[mylife]

Did Houdini really do the bullet catch?

Yow!

Let Lady Gaga top that!