Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters and Ricky Jay (1996 TV Movie) User Reviews

The classic set em up and knock em down.

[grayzie5 · 9/10 · 28 September 2012]

I was surprised by this documentary. It began as you'd expect, a run of the mill tribute style show on conjurer, illusionist, master of slight of hand Ricky Jay.

He does a few tricks, others talk about his skills and knowledge in awed and glowing terms, including Steve Martin. Simply another forgettable 'TV spot' style film. But the documentary travels this familiar path until somewhere into the second half, when it suddenly asks the question of what type of person might be a magician.

And bam, it tugs aside the curtain and gives you a peak behind the facade, behind the showmanship. A momentary glimpse into precisely the type of person that Ricky Jay is. And it ain't pretty.

The film, despite a formulaic start, takes on a sinister twist that I found fascinating. It's worth hanging in for the peak behind the magic.

A hero

[BandSAboutMovies · 8/10 · 8 February 2021]

Ricky Jay was one of my heroes. Beyond acting, writing books and being one of the best sleight of hand men ever, no one else was more devoted to capturing the history of magic than him.

Jay did not have a great childhood, said that possibly the only kind memory he had of his parents was when they hired magician Al Flosso to perform at his bar mitzvah. He was devoted, however, to his grandfather, Max Katz, an amateur magician who introduced Jay to the world of magic.

By the age of seven, he was performing, becoming the youngest magician to perform a full magic act on TV. He was also the first magician to ever play comedy clubs and probably the first magician to open for rock and roll bands.

What I love about this film is more than just seeing Jay do his illusions. I love that he let the curtain back a little and answers exactly who would sit in their room as a child for hours and hours, practicing with a deck of cards over and over.

There aren't many celebrities that I'd want to meet. But Jay would have been one of them, even just to have a casual conversation.