- Actors: Jay Acovone, Clive Owen, Jeremy Kemp, Peter Howitt, Philip McGough
- Directors: Terry Winsor
- Writers: Jeff Pope
- Producers: Jeff Pope
- Format: Colour, Content/Copy-Protected CD, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: NR (Not Rated) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Koch Vision
- DVD Release Date: 6 Jun 2006
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- ASIN: B000EWBODG
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 126,914 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
4 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Deus ex machina
24 Jun 2006
Format:DVD
In a welcome act of cinematic sado-masochism, this little pit bull of a movie sinks its jaws into the neck of the fortunate viewer and simply won't let go. In early 1980s London, Scotland Yard and the IRA are agreed on one thing. They each must get their hands on a criminally inclined machine operator before the other side does. Why? Because this elusive alchemist, aptly named The Magician, can, with a little help from his trusty printing press, transmute paper into 20 pound Bank of England notes of the highest funny money quality. As the 3 sides (Bobbies, Paddies & Paperboys) maneuver...
Presto! Chango! Deus ex machina!
The Magician's accomplices come to believe they've stumbled onto an outsider with the ability to usher them out of this contentious triangle and into Happy-ever-after-ville with their pockets lined with legal tender. One of them, like some Iron Age prophet, even remarks, "This man! This man has dropped out of the sky. We got lucky!" Is he Messiah? Nemesis? Or, as detective George Byrne (Clive Owen) first believes, just another "wanker"? The FBI helpfully confirms that he's, at worst, a nothing special U.S. citizen visiting London on business. His day job? Selling time-shares. Although, as the action plays out, he's shown to have such a pathologically arbitrary attachment to the truth that he really should be selling used cars.
His name is David Katz, and in him writers Jeff Pope and Terry Winsor have fashioned a character worthy of the best of David Mamet's "confidence cinema," i.e., HOUSE OF GAMES, THINGS CHANGE, HOMOCIDE and THE SPANISH PRISONER. As portrayed by Jay Acovone he's this pit bull of a movie's alpha pit bull who seems to have no problem at all squaring every circle as he runs circles around all competitors and collaborators. He's the real magician.
Presto! Chango! Deus ex machina!
The Magician's accomplices come to believe they've stumbled onto an outsider with the ability to usher them out of this contentious triangle and into Happy-ever-after-ville with their pockets lined with legal tender. One of them, like some Iron Age prophet, even remarks, "This man! This man has dropped out of the sky. We got lucky!" Is he Messiah? Nemesis? Or, as detective George Byrne (Clive Owen) first believes, just another "wanker"? The FBI helpfully confirms that he's, at worst, a nothing special U.S. citizen visiting London on business. His day job? Selling time-shares. Although, as the action plays out, he's shown to have such a pathologically arbitrary attachment to the truth that he really should be selling used cars.
His name is David Katz, and in him writers Jeff Pope and Terry Winsor have fashioned a character worthy of the best of David Mamet's "confidence cinema," i.e., HOUSE OF GAMES, THINGS CHANGE, HOMOCIDE and THE SPANISH PRISONER. As portrayed by Jay Acovone he's this pit bull of a movie's alpha pit bull who seems to have no problem at all squaring every circle as he runs circles around all competitors and collaborators. He's the real magician.
2 of 9 people found the following review helpful
"Jay Acovone, Clive Owen, Jeremy Kemp & Terry Winsor ... The Magician (2006) ... Koch Vision"
3 Oct 2006
Format:DVD
Koch Vision and London Weekend Television present "The Magician" (1993) (99 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Under Terry Winsor (Director), Jeff Pope (Producer), Jeff Pope (screenwriter), Robin Paxton (Executive Producer), William Woolf (music) ----- the cast includes Jay Acovone (David Katz), Clive Owen (Det. Con. George Byrne), Jeremy Kemp (The Magician), Peter Howitt (Herbie), Philip McGough (Des Hibbert), Jennifer Calvert (Frances Katz), Jennifer Ness (Claire), Peter Jonfield (Tony Palmer), Walter Sparrow (Leonard Cox), Edward Tudor-Pole (Dick), Seamus Newham (IRA Man), John Turner (Det. Chief Supt. Gration), Brittany Nagle (Louisa Katz), James Bannon (Chivers), Ian Barritt ('Dutch' Undercover Man), Patrick Duggan (The Undertaker), Rebecca Wernick(Cab Office Girl), Lucy Maurice (Claire's Friend), Alex Leppard (Black Cab Driver), Mike Carnell (Sierra Cab Driver), Steve Knowles (Surveillance Officer), Teddy Smith (Boxing Promoter), Christopher Adamson (Radio Operator), Paul McNeilly (Surveillance Officer) . . . . . what a wonderful who's who dunnit film this is, great direction from Terry Winsor with an outstanding cast of leading and supporting actors gives this plot an on the edge lift ... the sting that Jay Acovone is ready to set up with Clive Owen as the Detective, sends this into a suspenseful spin ... will they catch Jeremy Kemp who they suspect is The Magician, and is he really The Magician in this circle of counterfeit schemes ... is Acovone on the up and up working with the police, or is this the big double-cross ... don't miss this one, it's about to keep you wondering even after the films final credits.
Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "The Magician" (1993) - Terry Winsor , the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the foreign film market...order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- just the way we like 'em
Total Time: 99 mins ~ Koch Vision KOCV6652 ~ (6/06/2006)
Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "The Magician" (1993) - Terry Winsor , the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the foreign film market...order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- just the way we like 'em
Total Time: 99 mins ~ Koch Vision KOCV6652 ~ (6/06/2006)
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