But defining In & Of Itself by its celebrity clout goes against its core premise. Tim Gunn, Larry Wilmore, Bill Gates, and Marina Abramovic can be spotted in the audience. Both the Off Broadway run and the film were directed by Frank Oz.
Here, we round up some of our favorite magic shows, specials, and documentaries you can check out right now to explore this beautiful, dorky art form in all its glory.ĭerek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself was championed by the likes of Neil Patrick Harris (who produced the stage show) and Stephen Colbert (who coproduced the film). As technology has advanced, techniques have gotten more sophisticated, but the effect is always the same: the seamless execution of a seemingly impossible feat. That’s part of the fun of magic too, though - trying to figure out how the trick works.įrom David Blaine to Harry Houdini to ancient Egyptian conjurers, magicians have captured the public’s attention for as long as human beings have been able to manipulate each others’ senses. At a certain point our more boring, logical human brains kick in and rationally conclude that the magician has a specially rigged box or he can manipulate cards really well or he’s just got an insanely good memory. Our dumb lizard brains freak out when our eyes see something that doesn’t make sense. There’s a reason magic reaction gifs are so beloved. But at the heart of magic is wanting to believe in something amazing happening right in front of your face. There’s a lot of satin and glitter and bow ties. Most magic acts are very cheesy and require a high tolerance for earnestness. I totally get why it’s dorky to be into magic.