The Trick

I saw this short almost before I was aware short films existed. Back in the days when cinemas still screened shorts before features (I could have sworn it was earlier than '97), I happened upon this little gem quite by accident at my local.

Although my memory of it is rather sketchy, the fact that I remember it at all well is testament to its power as a short. Bereft of dialogue, The Trick is set at an audition for magicians. After an amusing opening effort involving a raw fish (if memory serves), the next audition comes in with no props at all.

Or so it seems.

He pulls a small pen from his breast pocket, and in a succession of clicks, twists, and peels he produces a door. From the pen. He walks through the door and leaves the jury waiting for him to emerge from the other side. He does not, so one of them goes up to investigate, but finds that the magician has vanished. he tentatively opens the door, and... ..I won't spoil it any more than I already have, but the short reminded me somewhat of the milkman sketch by Monty Python, not just in plot but also in tone. Very haunting.

And the props master deserves an Oscar for what he did with that pen.

Had the great pleasure of seeing "The Bunker" and was impressed that Rob Green added so much tense atmosphere to the proceedings. This takes me to "The Trick". I just had to see this after "The Bunker" and knew that this was a short, made some time before. Again, it had all the characteristics of a Rob Green film - dark, atmospheric, moody, unsettling, but this time injected with chilling humour. Looking forward to seeing more work from this unique Director who works well in the genre of physiological horror movies.

To summarise, check this short film out and you will see something that is a little bit different from the rest.

A good little 12 minute short with an emphasis on style and imagination. Ahead of its time slightly with the emphasis on talent show tryouts, with a pleasingly weird denouement. A good cameo from Don Warrington rounds things out nicely.

Every now and then a film appears out of nowhere that surprises you, in a good way. "The Trick" is such a film. A unique piece of black comedy revolving around auditions for a magic show, the three central characters are wonderfully over-the-top. As judges during the magic auditions they remind you very much of the obnoxious panel judges you sometimes get in TV talent shows; the sort of people you love to hate. As if to emphasise the audiences point-of-view, Don Warrington's delightfully underplayed mystery man manages to show them a thing or two in a very unique way. His 'magic trick' is a definite work of art and appealed very much to the child in me. What makes this short film all the more remarkable is the fact that it has no dialogue at all. Everything is conveyed beautifully thorough actions, facial expressions, sound effects, music, lighting etc; almost like a homage to an old silent movie.

This short is really rather interesting. There's on talking, very little music, and held together by expressions on impressionist faces. The basic plotline is about three talent scouts auditioning for the best eponymous 'trick'. After kicking out a magic chef type, a guy comes in who unfolds a magic door from a pen and ... well, you'll have to see for yourself. Excellent camera work and lighting, and pretty neat performances - especially from Steven 'Spudgun' O'Donnell. Worth a watch if you can locate a copy.