Houdini Movie

Don't Look Now! Good Idea Alert!

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (21)

Lookie here: Trade news that doesn’t involve a remake, a reboot, a sequel, a prequel, or a crossover, although it is based on a book. A biography, in fact. William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s Harry Houdini biography The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.

I’m not entirely sure what they’re going to do wit the book, but the biography posited that Houdini was actually a spy for Britain and that he was once asked to be an advisor to Czar Nicolas II over in pre-Communist Russia. I guess that job went to Rasputin, instead. (And thank God, otherwise, Rasputin would’ve never come to prominence, and Eddie Murphy wouldn’t have been able to name his Norbit character Rasputina. She’d be, like, Houdinia). The book also asserts that Houdini had it in for the spiritual movement — he thought spiritualists were con artists, which may have led to his death.

The movie, which will be written and directed by Jeff Nathanson (he wrote Catch Me If You Can and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, as well as the upcoming Milli Vanilli biopic (for reals)) will most likely ignore much of what’s in the book, as they are taking an action-adventure approach to the story in the vein of Guy Ritchie’s upcoming Sherlock Holmes, with the hopes of launching a franchise.

You could do worse than a Houdini franchise. And now the race is on to find their Harry Houdini. Ryan Gosling, please.

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Comments

Considering that this isn't a prequel, sequel or reboot, colour me excited. Personally, I'm hoping for some Lee Pace goodness on this one. Pretty please?

Posted by: Jeremy Feist at June 3, 2009 10:58 AM

*record stopping noise*

I'm sorry, did you just say Milli Vanilli biopic? WHY, HOLLYWOOD, WHY???????

Posted by: Marra at June 3, 2009 11:03 AM

Not a remake, huh?

1953 "The Great Houdini," starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

Since Houdini's claim to fame was being locked in something hidden behind a curtain, getting out of it quickly, and then hiding behind said curtain for another hour until the audience was frantic and then popping out from behind the curtain as if he'd just escaped, I'm not seeing a lot of ACTION in this action/adventure biopic unless they make it all up.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 3, 2009 11:07 AM

I'm sorry, did you just say Milli Vanilli biopic? WHY, HOLLYWOOD, WHY???????

Blame it on the rain.

Posted by: jM at June 3, 2009 11:11 AM

oh, snap!

Posted by: Marra at June 3, 2009 11:13 AM

Blame it on the rain.

It was not even six weeks ago, but my brain tends to automatically repress memories like these, too:
http://www.pajiba.com/trade_news/brett-ratner-may-direct-milli-vanilli-movie.php

Posted by: branded at June 3, 2009 11:15 AM

will most likely ignore much of what’s in the book

*sigh*

Posted by: twig at June 3, 2009 11:30 AM

Oh, jM, girl you know it's true.

...

Oooh, oooh, ooh, I LOVE YOUUUUUU!

Posted by: Lainey at June 3, 2009 11:42 AM

I hate you all. I now have all those fucking songs in my head.

Posted by: Stella at June 3, 2009 11:58 AM

There have been several movies about Houdini; the most recent looks to be this one, which must've been very bad to have had this cast but me never to have heard of it...

The Tony Curtis movie from the 50s was quite good, not least because Tony Curtis was shirtless during a lot of it. (Synchronicity weirdness: according to IMDB, today is Tony Curtis' birthday.)

Posted by: Jerce at June 3, 2009 12:03 PM

My first thought was the Guy Pearce version (as Jerce posted) but you never have too many biopics, I guess. But I don't see Ryan Gosling as Houdini, despite how much I like him.

Posted by: Brie at June 3, 2009 12:10 PM

I've seen the 2007 release Death Defying Acts. It was a flawed movie but it wasn't bad. You can't say something is a remake just because it has been done in film in some way or another. The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and The Return of The King were all done as feature film cartoons (I do own these on DVD. More for their quaintness than their greatness) in the late 70s but no one said the Peter Jackson films were remakes. This Houdini franchise sounds like something totally different than Houdini films which have come before.

Death Defying Acts focuses on the relationship Houdini has with a psychic (who is actually a con woman) while trying to contact his dead mother. It's an Australian film if I'm not mistaken which I got to watch in an international film festival. For the curious it's worth checking out.

Posted by: barf at June 3, 2009 12:28 PM

Ryan Gosling looks too much like a Golden Retriever to be Houdini.

Also if this is anything like "The Prestige", then we're in for a good time.

Posted by: figgy at June 3, 2009 2:17 PM

Actually just read the book. The British spy thing mustered all of 2 or 3 paragraphs and I don't even recall the Russian czar part. The main focus of it dealt with Houdini's war with the spiritualists, coincidentally lead by that ass Arthur Conan Doyle. That would make a pretty good movie.

Posted by: Gene Simmons at June 3, 2009 4:47 PM

"The book also asserts that Houdini had it in for the spiritual movement"

This makes it sound like this is a point that might be in dispute. It's a historical fact that Houdini made a habit of exposing mediums and the like and offered big prize money to anybody who could convince him that there was anything to spiritualism (as in things like mediums, seances, magic, etc.)

Posted by: Eep at June 3, 2009 5:21 PM

The female character in Norbit was named "Rasputia", not "Rasputina".

(Now, where's the nearest military blockade? I feel a suicide run coming on for knowing that.)

Posted by: Ling at June 3, 2009 6:07 PM

I'd totally pay to be trapped with a naked Ryan Gosling as Houdini, regardless of any circumstance or anything else in particular.
But in all honesty, Houdini was a very interesting fellow, that's for sure.

Posted by: Kamikaze Feminist at June 3, 2009 9:36 PM

This is Rasputina:

www.rasputina.com/

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at June 3, 2009 11:45 PM

The Great magician /Escape Artist Michael Lee of NYC would be a perfect choice to play Houdini, he is possibly the Greatest most death defying Escape Artist around today , has the looks of a Hollywood star, and a speaking voive that would add imense substance to the role of the great Houdini.
www.michaelleemagic.com

Posted by: jennifer Stackell at June 11, 2009 6:43 PM

To anyone reading this I would highly reccomend the new 'Modern Day Houdini" his name is Michael Lee.

Mr.Lee has not only duplicated all of Houdini's great & daring escapes, but in many cases vastly improved on them.
The Great Michael Lee has my vote to play the role.

Roger Drier
CEO-
Fantasma Magic & Fun shop

Posted by: Roger Dryer at June 11, 2009 6:53 PM

As a professional performer, I issued a challenge to the worldwide escape community approx 5 years ago- to escape from a one of a kind maximum security supercuff. Michael Lee/USA accepted the challenge. Not only did he effect his escape, but I have yet to explain how it was accomplished.
So I would have to say in my humble opinion, that yes I would have to recommend Michael Lee to play the role of the great master, Harry Houdini.
Steve Santini
the Dark Escape Artist

Posted by: Steve Santini at June 11, 2009 7:07 PM

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