What’d make this trick extra exciting is if he used it to also demonstrate his other skill with cards…
Oh man, Ricky Jay. I love this guy, i used to watch his performances on HBO (i think) when i was a kid and it’s just as mind blowing now seeing him show off his skill.
His skill is amazing, but his delivery is so flat. I felt like I was listening to an accountant describing tax deductions.
well, he likely doesn’t want your mind to be at peak alertness…
I’ve always thought of that as part of his gimmick: he starts off his tricks in a very dull and casual way, almost as if he doesn’t care and is utterly bored with this dumb card thing, even talking about other things, and then as you’re lulled into being a little bored as well, all of a sudden he’s throwing cards around and making something amazing happen.
Ricky Jay is a god damned national treasure. Flat affect nothing, Teller doesn’t get shit for not even talking.
Even with all of his knowledge and skill, I was really affected by the part in Deceptive Practices where he’s talking about reaching the point where he’s been able to find love.
I’ve always had the assumption from the get go that this is his delivery style. The tricks he’s performing are really god damn hard, and he performs them in such a casual, calm style. And i rather like how he performs, the contrast between being so casual and then getting your mind blown makes me enjoy the tricks more. Plus some magic performers tend to put too much emphasis on the showmanship, which is fine but i do like a more straightforward style.
He just seems like a nice guy. Loved watching his behind the scenes stuff for Magnolia.
The delivery is familiar from his several film appearances. Though when you watch a David Mamet film, you expect a certain level of flatness.
Ricky Jay can be a real asshole.
From what I know of this it was somewhat of a work. As I understand it the people he’s presenting to aren’t in on anything but the anger/frustration/terse demeanor was an act, and he apparently let them in later and apologized if he was being rude.
I mean it is literally called a structured drama
Years ago Mamet was working with him on a project and he kept asking Jay to show him a trick. Every day he’d come after him, show me a trick, I want to learn a trick.
Finally Jay does, gives him a great card trick, Mamet is floored. “Okay,” says Jay, “now practice it until you’re the best in the world at it, show it to me and we’ll see if you can do it for anyone else.” “I don’t have that time,” says Mamet, and never asked him to see another trick ever again.
from here
I look forward to watching this later.
I had no idea that he was a magician, I thought he was just the guy who Jonathan Pryce shot in Tomorrow Never Dies. Hmmm, I shall watch some of his stuff.
And one of if not the best alive today. He is also a wonderful and well learned historian of the art as well.
Start here:
I cannot figure out how any of it is done and I don’t ever want to know.
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