chung ling soo...the MOVIE

kittynh · 28th February 2006, 07:40 PM

Why isn't this man's life a movie?

I am still reading the history of magic book, and I never knew that his wife (Dot, so called because she was so small) was suspected of murdering her husband because he was living with another woman!

A Western man who dressed and "speaks" like a native of China to find success. Marries one of his first assistants, but later drops her for the OTHER WOMAN. Mysterious death, suspicions....

Has anyone written a book just on this man?

Garrette · 1st March 2006, 06:47 AM

I don't know about him, but if this kind of thing interests you, I recommend Carter Beats the Devil which is a fictionalized story about a real magician (Chris Carter). It doesn't pretend to be true, but it is simultaneously:

1. Very well written
2. Very engaging
3. Enlightening regarding the old world of great illusionists
4. A little bit of a mystery
5. Something of a love story

kittynh · 1st March 2006, 10:04 AM

I wanted to get a copy of "Twelve have Died" by Ben Robinson about the bullet trick. Yeah, a used copy is going for over $200! I sure hope our library has it!

Stir · 1st March 2006, 12:18 PM

Just published last year : "The Glorious Deception" by Jim Steinmeyer ... a biography of Chung Ling Soo

kittynh · 1st March 2006, 12:35 PM

now if he can only sell the movie rights! I've read other works by Jim Steinmeyer, and I've very much enjoyed them!

I'm going to look it up!

kittynh · 1st March 2006, 12:35 PM

now if he can only sell the movie rights! I've read other works by Jim Steinmeyer, and I've very much enjoyed them!

I'm going to look it up!

Azrael 5 · 2nd March 2006, 05:16 PM

Another book kitty is A gift from the Gods by....Todd Karr(I think) this is quite rare also The Riddle of Chung Ling Soo by William Dexter.

ETA:Sorry Ive mixed my authors Todd Karr wrote The Silence Of Chung Ling Soo,Virginia Andrews wrote Gift from the Gods.

tonyguitargoat · 29th March 2006, 02:43 AM

Many years ago, I think in the Sixties, there was a TV series here in England which dealt with court cases involving firearms - robberies, murders, accidents etc. One episode focussed on Chung Ling Soo's gun trick in which he died onstage, here in London. The trick was re-enacted, Soo being portrayed by magician Billy McComb. The programme dealt in detail with the mechanics of the trick and the gun, and how it went wrong. I found the whole series fascinating, even though I have no particular interest in ballistics or weapons. The book on which the series was based was called "The Other Mr.Churchill" by Macdonald Hastings if you're interested, and includes the chapter on the Gun Trick. Looking forward to reading Soo's full story...

Beanbag · 29th March 2006, 04:25 AM

Originally Posted by kittynh

now if he can only sell the movie rights! I've read other works by Jim Steinmeyer, and I've very much enjoyed them!

I'm going to look it up!

Actually, if the facts presented in the book are true (i.e. non-fiction) and have been determined from other sources (like newspapers, other books, trial transcripts, etc.), then ANYONE can write a screenplay and submit it. Just because you wrote a book on a historical subject doesn't mean you own all rights to the subject. That only works for fiction.

I think Dale Brown will win the suit against him for just that fact, because his work is presented as pure fiction, while the two authors sueing him wrote their work as a legitimate historical fact or possibility.

Beanbag.

CFLarsen · 29th March 2006, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by kittynh

Why isn't this man's life a movie?

Because it has no uplifting messages and has a tragic end.

Hollywood doesn't like the absence of uplifting messages and tragic ends.

kittynh · 29th March 2006, 05:25 PM

well.....

FRANKLY MY DEAR I DON'T GIVE A DAM!

and you know, Dorothy ended up back in KANSAS!!!!

CFLarsen · 29th March 2006, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by kittynh

well.....

FRANKLY MY DEAR I DON'T GIVE A DAM!

Hoover, Parker or Aswan? Which one? Be specific, none of this waffling.

Originally Posted by kittynh

and you know, Dorothy ended up back in KANSAS!!!!

Yeah, with some other Goober-type. Talk about tornado bait!

(So, you made 10K, eh? Wimp....)

MagicFan · 19th June 2006, 01:46 PM

Yeah, there should be a movie about Robert-Houdin too. After all, he stopped a rebellion!

There should be a lot more movies about magic. It’s a vastly underrepresented genre in films.

At least The Illusionist is coming out this August. Hope it’s good.

Azrael 5 · 22nd June 2006, 11:11 AM

Who should play Houdin? Someone with grace,an air of mystery about them..
Anthony Hopkins? Suggestions?

kittynh · 23rd June 2006, 10:38 AM

maybe that ghandi guy. I think he could pull it off. Houdin wasn't a big dude.

kittynh · 5th October 2006, 03:23 PM

well I just read the book. Really good. But the story is so complex, I'm not sure it can be less than a mini series.

And I still didn't get a good feel about the man. I am prone to like him, but the author was NOT. Not getting along with Houdini is rather a common problem many magicians had.

HeyLeroy · 11th October 2006, 04:57 PM

Psst. They're talking about Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, the guy Houdini took his name from.

Randi's book Conjuring has a good chapter on Soo.

Jeff Corey · 14th October 2006, 09:20 AM

Coincidentally, I just finished a library book "The Bullet Trick" by Louise Welsh. I picked it up because I was familiar with the trick - saw P & T do it.
Further coincdence, one character does the trick in the video in the thread below this.

28th February 2006, 07:40 PM	#1
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	chung ling soo...the MOVIE Why isn't this man's life a movie? I am still reading the history of magic book, and I never knew that his wife (Dot, so called because she was so small) was suspected of murdering her husband because he was living with another woman! A Western man who dressed and "speaks" like a native of China to find success. Marries one of his first assistants, but later drops her for the OTHER WOMAN. Mysterious death, suspicions.... Has anyone written a book just on this man?
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

1st March 2006, 06:47 AM	#2
Garrette Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 10,540	I don't know about him, but if this kind of thing interests you, I recommend Carter Beats the Devil which is a fictionalized story about a real magician (Chris Carter). It doesn't pretend to be true, but it is simultaneously: 1. Very well written 2. Very engaging 3. Enlightening regarding the old world of great illusionists 4. A little bit of a mystery 5. Something of a love story
	__________________ My kids still love me.

1st March 2006, 10:04 AM	#3
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	I wanted to get a copy of "Twelve have Died" by Ben Robinson about the bullet trick. Yeah, a used copy is going for over $200! I sure hope our library has it!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

1st March 2006, 12:18 PM	#4
Stir Anarchist In The System Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Plaza of Dark Delights, Lankhmar Posts: 171	Just published last year : "The Glorious Deception" by Jim Steinmeyer ... a biography of Chung Ling Soo
	__________________ For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong. -H.L.Mencken ... if I have been wrong in my agnosticism, when I die I'll walk up to God in a manly way and say, Sir, I made an honest mistake -H.L.Mencken

1st March 2006, 12:35 PM	#5
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	now if he can only sell the movie rights! I've read other works by Jim Steinmeyer, and I've very much enjoyed them! I'm going to look it up!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

2nd March 2006, 05:16 PM	#7
Azrael 5 Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Yorkshire,Uk Posts: 5,029	Another book kitty is A gift from the Gods by....Todd Karr(I think) this is quite rare also The Riddle of Chung Ling Soo by William Dexter. ETA:Sorry Ive mixed my authors Todd Karr wrote The Silence Of Chung Ling Soo,Virginia Andrews wrote Gift from the Gods.
	__________________ "I achieve these results through a mixture of magic,misdirection,suggestion and showmanship"-Derren Brown Last edited by Azrael 5; 2nd March 2006 at 05:19 PM.

29th March 2006, 02:43 AM	#8
tonyguitargoat New Blood Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Many years ago, I think in the Sixties, there was a TV series here in England which dealt with court cases involving firearms - robberies, murders, accidents etc. One episode focussed on Chung Ling Soo's gun trick in which he died onstage, here in London. The trick was re-enacted, Soo being portrayed by magician Billy McComb. The programme dealt in detail with the mechanics of the trick and the gun, and how it went wrong. I found the whole series fascinating, even though I have no particular interest in ballistics or weapons. The book on which the series was based was called "The Other Mr.Churchill" by Macdonald Hastings if you're interested, and includes the chapter on the Gun Trick. Looking forward to reading Soo's full story...
tonyguitargoat New Blood Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5

29th March 2006, 04:25 AM	#9
Beanbag Master Poster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dallas/Fort Worth Posts: 2,709	Originally Posted by kittynh now if he can only sell the movie rights! I've read other works by Jim Steinmeyer, and I've very much enjoyed them! I'm going to look it up! Actually, if the facts presented in the book are true (i.e. non-fiction) and have been determined from other sources (like newspapers, other books, trial transcripts, etc.), then ANYONE can write a screenplay and submit it. Just because you wrote a book on a historical subject doesn't mean you own all rights to the subject. That only works for fiction. I think Dale Brown will win the suit against him for just that fact, because his work is presented as pure fiction, while the two authors sueing him wrote their work as a legitimate historical fact or possibility. Beanbag.

29th March 2006, 04:52 AM	#10
CFLarsen Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 42,804	Originally Posted by kittynh Why isn't this man's life a movie? Because it has no uplifting messages and has a tragic end. Hollywood doesn't like the absence of uplifting messages and tragic ends.
	__________________ SkepticReport.com

29th March 2006, 05:25 PM	#11
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	well..... FRANKLY MY DEAR I DON'T GIVE A DAM! and you know, Dorothy ended up back in KANSAS!!!!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

29th March 2006, 10:10 PM	#12
CFLarsen Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 42,804	Originally Posted by kittynh well..... FRANKLY MY DEAR I DON'T GIVE A DAM! Hoover, Parker or Aswan? Which one? Be specific, none of this waffling. Originally Posted by kittynh and you know, Dorothy ended up back in KANSAS!!!! Yeah, with some other Goober-type. Talk about tornado bait! (So, you made 10K, eh? Wimp....)
	__________________ SkepticReport.com

19th June 2006, 01:46 PM	#13
MagicFan Student Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 26	Yeah, there should be a movie about Robert-Houdin too. After all, he stopped a rebellion! There should be a lot more movies about magic. It’s a vastly underrepresented genre in films. At least The Illusionist is coming out this August. Hope it’s good.
MagicFan Student Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 26	__________________ Never underestimate the power of wishful thinking.

22nd June 2006, 11:11 AM	#14
Azrael 5 Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Yorkshire,Uk Posts: 5,029	Who should play Houdin? Someone with grace,an air of mystery about them.. Anthony Hopkins? Suggestions?
	__________________ "I achieve these results through a mixture of magic,misdirection,suggestion and showmanship"-Derren Brown

23rd June 2006, 10:38 AM	#15
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	maybe that ghandi guy. I think he could pull it off. Houdin wasn't a big dude.
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

5th October 2006, 03:23 PM	#16
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	well I just read the book. Really good. But the story is so complex, I'm not sure it can be less than a mini series. And I still didn't get a good feel about the man. I am prone to like him, but the author was NOT. Not getting along with Houdini is rather a common problem many magicians had.
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

11th October 2006, 04:57 PM	#17
HeyLeroy Vegan Cannibal Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Going off the rails on the Crazy Train. Posts: 5,565	Psst. They're talking about Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, the guy Houdini took his name from. Randi's book Conjuring has a good chapter on Soo.
	__________________ Cows are in large numbers, and do not serve any other purpose, other than to eat grass, and moo -- makaya325 I ♥ my kids. I ♠ my dog. I ♣ my baby Harp Seal.

14th October 2006, 09:20 AM	#18
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Coincidentally, I just finished a library book "The Bullet Trick" by Louise Welsh. I picked it up because I was familiar with the trick - saw P & T do it. Further coincdence, one character does the trick in the video in the thread below this.