Three Greatest Illusionists who are Actual Magicians

When I was little I began to doubt Santa Claus's existence when I realized just how desperately every Christmas movie was trying to prove it.  In contrast, every movie about illusionists focuses on proving them to be frauds.  No matter how convincing the trick in the end it's nothing more than smoke, mirrors, and misdirection.  That's why I love stories where the opposite happens; someone who appears to be a typical stage magician is revealed to have bona-fide supernatural abilities.  The new TV series The Magicians caught my attention because I assumed it was about that very thing. Although it is fantastic and quickly becoming one of my favorite shows among steep competition, it has very little to do with illusionists.  For this particular craving I am once again left to feed on morsels.  The scarcity and admitted inadequacy of these stories is regrettable, but perhaps their specificity and "quirkiness" only lends to the mystical quality of these unique few.

Now You See It...

My first memory of this very narrow trope comes from a 2005 Disney Channel Original Movie.  Like many people of my generation, DCOMs fill a special place in my excessively nostalgic heart.  Now You See It... may not be as well remembered as Zenon or Halloweentown for example, but it ignited my imagination like no other.  If nothing else it deserves credit for originality as a member of this exclusive club where every member is different.  It aired when I was becoming a bit too old for Disney Originals and as such it is one of the last DCOM's that I have any feelings about whatsoever.  It starred Aly Michalka, who is perhaps best known now for her role in the fantastic supernatural detective series iZombie but at the time was in the middle of Disney's Phil of the Future.  She played an aspiring producer who discovered a prodigy, Danny (Johnny Pacar), for a magic reality contest show.  Before long Michalka's character discovered that Danny could perform acts of real magic as could the man behind the competion, Max, played by the magnificent Frank Langella.  Danny and Max briefly form a mentorship until Max reveals his wicked intentions, at which point they battle before Danny goes into hiding.  Of course, the ending was made to feel as uplifting as possible but it really wasn't as triumphant and ending as you would expect from the source, which is further proof of its peculiarity.

Zatanna/Zatara

The most famous example of an actual sorcerer masquerading as a fraudulent performer is the DC Comics hero Zatanna Zatara.  She is a frequent member of the Justice League and has appeared in various adaptations including Smallville and perhaps the potential Guillermo Del Toro film based on the Justice League Dark series.  She inherited both her sorcery and her occupation from her father, John Zatara, who first appeared in 1938.  They perform spells by speaking backwards.  A recent example from someone outside the family is "noil sdrib," which resulted in bird lions.  As per usual for comic book characters, Zatanna is great at everything she does.  She is one of the most powerful people in the DC Universe and still she has perfected a thrilling stage act that has no necessity of the supernatural.  She stands out from the typical superhero for her theatrical appearance; a top hat, tuxedo top, and fishnet stockings.  Also, doesn't seem to have ever had any interest in a secret identity.  As a civilian she's a public performer and as an adventurer she just wears her stage costume without any facial concealment.  Her chosen career involves tricking people into thinking she has magical abilities even though she really does have magical abilities, a fact that she makes no attempt to hide.  I suppose audiences just need to take it on faith that when she's pretending to do magic she really is lying to them and trust that a respected Justice League member would never lie to them about lying to them.

Thriller: "Dark Legacy"

Anthology series like The Twilight Zone gave great imaginative minds, namely Rod Serling, the perfect outlet for their sci-fi and horror stories.  There's a pretty good chancy that any of your favorite recent sci-fi stories are little more than an imitation of a Serling script.  In this case however, that honor goes to Thriller, the series hosted by horror icon Boris Karloff.  The episode stars Harry Townes as an illusionist who rapidly rises through the ranks when his uncle bequeaths him a book of occult origins.  He uses the book to summon a demon, an act that rarely if ever goes well.  He carries the hellish agreement through to its inevitable end despite warnings from his well intentioned friend played by the Rat Pack adjacent Henry Silva.  Overall it's a decent piece of 50's horror.  The opening scene of the uncle's death while garbed in full wizardry attire is remarkable all on it's own.  Although, it isn't quite the affirmation of the wonders of a magical world hiding in plain sight that I like to idealize.  Actually, it's closer to The Magicians; a glimpse at the dangers of the supernatural lurking behind a deceptively childlike veneer.  All it needs is a good quarter-life crisis and Harry Townes could be Quentin Coldwater.