- Harry and Reasons for escapes.
- Types of magic tricks and escapes.
Harry Houdini performed magic tricks in which he escaped from bondage by different objects. It included chains and handcuffs through which he would be tied first before he could manage to get off the chains and escape. He also performed magic tricks in which he was buried, but still managed to get him out of the coffins and the soil hence cheating death. His escapes were from different objects that were tied around his body or in the hands and legs only (Phillips).
- Relationship with his mother
Harry Houdini was close to his mother as a young boy. She, however, died before his career started. He was also close to his father as he was to his mother. His parents were Mayer Samuel and Cecilia who died long before his career had started.
- Psychological effects from his escapes
His stunts did not have any negative effect psychologically. He was able to perform magic tricks even after some of them almost failed. An example was when he was buried in a cage and had to climb to the top. He was unable to call for help. He dug up and removed his hand to the surface where he was pulled up by his assistants. This did not stop him from performing the trick over and over again and the tricks grew even stronger after this incident.
- Quote
One of the most famous quotes from Harry Houdini was when he tried to explain how people could make their faces emerge from a mass of flame. It reads; “To cause the face to appear in a mass of flame make use of the following: mix together thoroughly petroleum, lard, mutton tallow and quick lime. Distill this over charcoal fire and the liquid which results can be burned on the face without harm”. This was much anticipated as people wanted to know how he performed and how they could also try some of his tricks.
- Types of escapes
- Bondage
- Tied up, Hung upside down from cranes, biplanes, tops of buildings
They were one of the most dangerous tricks that Harry Houdini has performed in his life. He would be tied up with ropes and hung up on top of cranes and buildings but still manage to get out of the bondage (Tricks). These were done with different circumstances also available. Things like fire and water were commonly used in which he could be killed if in any way he was not able to perform the magic. They were the commonly used substances that triggered the audience in looking for the magic and brought suspense with them which was all that Harry needed so that his tricks could be outstanding (Houdini, 1-16).
- Chained up
These were one of his tricks that attracted many people to watching him perform. He even came into the limelight after asking a policeman to dare keep him locked up. He was able to escape and that is how he started his career as a magician. He continued building up on this and was able to move to cages and other bigger bondage items like chains, ropes and even in cages that he also managed to get out of eventually (Brown).
- Always trying newer harder things
Harry Houdini is also known for original and unique tricks and sued anyone who tried them. He kept on devising and working on new tricks to entertain his audience time and again. One of the most fabulous inventions was the “escape from a milk can” that filled with water. He held his breath before escaping from the can which he invented himself and introduced to the world. In his life, he devised and performed new magic tricks with no one to help him craft them. This is one reason that he is said to have been the greatest magician who ever lived.
- Quotes
He was also quoted saying; “I make the most money, I think in Russia and Paris, for the people of those countries are so willing to be amused, so eager to see something new and out of the ordinary”.
- Under Water
- Sealed milk can with water
Harry Houdini invented this trick after he tried to prove that he could hold his breath and the same time escape from the can filled with water. He had to hold his breath as there was no air supply that was available for him in the can. The can was also sealed meaning that air could not pass through the can for him to breathe through.
- Driving off of bridges
In this trick, he had to escape from two obstacles. A ball of fire and water or the vehicle and the water combined. Many people died out of accidents and he tried to prove that people can escape. He tried to prove that people could cheat death and be able to come out of circumstances that involved accidents.
- Dropped in ocean padlocked with no air supply
The main aim in this trick was to show that he could escape from the ocean without any air supply. The only air that Houdini used was only what he had inhaled before he was padlocked and submerged in the ocean. He was able to face the obstacles such as water and tides, strong and weak, and finally able to unchain him and emerge to the surface again. He risked a lot as he could drown in the ocean and lack any help to save him.
- Constantly reenacting birth – Quote
A quote about reenacting birth by Houdini is; “It is still an open question to what extent exposure really injures a performer”.
- Caged/locked up
- Jail cell
He was jailed in a cell that was locked up and he had to get out. Some of them were either submerged in water and others have instances of fire that could burn him. He had to get out so as to ensure that he did not drown nor did he get burned in the fire. At other instances, he was chained inside the cage and the cage locked and chained too.
- Buried alive
This was the trick that was considered as the most dangerous as he almost failed in a few. He would be put in a casket which will then be lowered in a dug area in which he will then be lowered and then it will be filled with soil. His aim was to get through the sol and come out of the grave with minimal injuries.
- Small space
He was locked in cages that fitted his body and limited his movements. He had to break free from the cages with minimal injuries. He always attempted to get out of the cage with success though there was inadequate space for him to move his body and parts of the body that were important for his movement. Some of them were also subjected to fire and water and he had to try his best to walk out of them.
- Never stopping
- Trying more dangerous things
He kept on introducing more and more dangerous tricks to his audiences in various performances around the world. He proved to be the best magician of his time with a lot of recognition of his tricks across the world. His tricks are still not solved and are considered very dangerous to try (Gresham).
- Never feeling like it’s enough
His tricks kept increasing in number as time went by. To him there were never enough and he wanted to entertain his fans even more. Despite the criticism that they were not real, he continued targeting the people who did not believe so that they could believe in his tricks. He gained a lot of acceptance and criticism which never stopped him at all.
- Feeding off of the audience
The audience used to pay to watch Houdini perform and this was his source of livelihood and was his career. He developed in it and was able to become chairman of the Association of magicians in America. His audiences were the main source of his livelihood and most stunts that he did were to be paid for. He also gained his equipment from the same money that people paid to see his shows.
- Psychological effects from escapes
- Attachment to mother
- Deep love for mother
He had great affectionate for his mother who had passed away before he could start his career. He dedicated most of his tricks to her for making it very possible for him to live the life that he had. They had to struggle out of poverty but he was later successful in life. He had affectionate for his father too as they had all struggled for the well being of their children. To him, she was a good example of how mothers should be.
- Impressing her with stunts
Before he officially began his career, he used to do stunts as a young boy which he later developed. His mother was his only audience who believed in him and he kept on improving on them. She died before his career but dedicated many stunts to her memory.
- Grieving over his mother’s death
He was angered that his mother had died as he was growing. She played a big role in his life and he felt that he had lost something that was very significant and something that he was never going to regain. He had to work just to make sure that he could provide for himself.
- Exposing fake séances
He believed in being original and wanted all the magicians to be true. He exposed those that were fake and also sued those who tried to copy his original work. This was after people had questioned the credibility of magicians. It was alarming on the rate that the magicians were increasing in. The magicians were copying work from other magicians which was not fair to them. Houdini used his post to make sure that they were exposed and the original magicians continued ding their work (Houdini, 1-16).
- Water
- Birth
Houdini was born in March 24, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin as a child but he claimed to have been born in his place.
- Drowning as a little boy
As a little boy, he used to do many stunts such as opening locks around the house. When he drowned as a young boy, he came out which is least expected by anyone. This was one of the awakening calls that introduced him to the magic.
- Submerged under water for tricks
He used to be submerged in water while performing his tricks. He was either chained or introduced other obstacles that made it almost impossible to escape. He strained and was able to escape from these obstacles which made the trick very famous (Cannell).
- Wanting to be free
- Always wanting to break free
All his tricks were all about breaking free of chains and strained from other obstacles. Escaping from water was the best tricks he ever performed. An example was when a milk can be filled until it overflows. He was submerged chained and was able to break free.
- Energy from fans pushes him to continue
The fans always wanted to see more from Houdini. He did more tricks due to the pressure from fans wanting to see more from him. This was the force that kept driving him because he felt happy when more and more fans were attracted to him (Cannell, 377-399).
- Nothing can contain
Through his career, he was able to break from all the obstacles that he was ever introduced to. He broke out of chains, ropes and entrained jackets that he struggled to break. This proved that there was nothing could contain him (Solomon).
- Building his body
- Working out
He had to work out so that he could stay physically and mentally fit. This was crucial else he would not have been able to perform his tricks. Keeping fit was the main aim of ensuring that he could break through chains and from buried caskets (Gibson).
- Toughening up his body
His body needed to be tough so that he could be able to withhold chains and other things that he used as he performed. They were very heavy and therefore had to make sure that his body was tough enough to make his tricks very sustainable.
- Quote
One quote about fitness was; “It is still an open question, however, as to what etent exposure really injures a performer”.
- Near death
- Buried underground
This is the most dangerous acts that he has ever devised. He almost failed in one of them although he was able to come over the dust. These tricks attracted many people and have resulted to many deaths of many people who have tried them.
- Incased in beer
He attempted to break out of a can filled with beer instead of water. This made it possible to ensure that he kept his tricks fresh and better than before.
- Quote
"My professional life has been a constant record of disillusion, and many things that seem wonderful to most men are the every-day commonplaces of my business."
- Conclusion
His tricks made him the best magician of all times. Magicians up to date use his tricks as reference as they prepare their tricks. He has been a role model to many young people and will remain to be so over the years.
Work Cited
Brown, M. "Tricks of the trade that ensured Houdini’s great escape’." The Independent I7 July (1998).
Cannell, John Clucas. The secrets of Houdini. Courier Dover Publications, 2012.
Gibson, Walter Brown, and Morris N. Young, eds. Houdini on magic. Vol. 384. Courier Dover Publications, 1953.
Gresham, William Lindsay. Houdini: The man who walked through walls. Holt, 1959.
Houdini, Harry. "Houdini exposes the tricks used by the Boston medium Margery; also a complete exposure of Argamasilla." (1928): 1-16.
Kasson, John F. Houdini, Tarzan, and the perfect man: the white male body and the challenge of modernity in America. Macmillan, 2001.
Laurier, Eric. "The spectacular showing: Houdini and the wonder of ethnomethodology." Human Studies 27.4 (2004): 377-399.
Phillips, Adam. Houdini's box: the art of escape. Random House LLC, 2010.
Solomon, Matthew. Disappearing tricks: Silent film, Houdini, and the New Magic of the twentieth century. University of Illinois Press, 2010.
Tricks, Disappearing. "Silent Film, Houdini, and the New Magic of the Twentieth Century by Matthew Solomon." (2010).
