Favorite Magic/Cheating Scenes in Movies/Books

Nov 3, 2018
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Hi guys,
A few days ago there was a thread about your favorite magic movie. I'd like to be a little more specific: What's your favorite magic/card cheating (or any other form of cheating at games, for that matter) scene in a non-magic movie or book?

Though I don't know many such scenes my favorite is probably from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel "Witches Abroad". In this scene a friend of the witch Granny Weatherwax* gets hustled out of all her belongings in a game of cards, so Granny takes it upon herself to teach the hustlers a lesson. What I like most about this scene is that Terry Pratchett seems to have actually done some research. It might be little more than superficial, but it makes this scene, which isn't longer than a few pages, so much better; among the cheating methods he mentions are bottom dealing, marked cards and even a device which seems to be similar to the Keplinger Holdout.

So what do you think? Which magic scenes or little details did you enjoy most in a non-magic book or movie?


*The best short description of this character: "Granny walked the bandit infested woods in the certain knowledge that the dark held nothing more terrible than herself."
 
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Dec 1, 2013
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I love Terry Pratchett! His character Moist Von Lipwig describes palms and switches in one of the books as well, so I think Mr Pratchett had at least a passing interest in magic.

For books, Jeffrey Deaver wrote The Vanished Man, where the police are hunting a Killer magician, and I think quite a lot of research went in to the book, as there seems to be some solid stuff in there, amidst all the artistic license.
 
Nov 3, 2018
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Without wanting this thread to deviate into Discworld-nerd-discussion --
Actually, I do! Does Moist Von Lipwig appear in any book other than Going Postal? I've read that one, and actually don't distinctly remember palms or switches being mentioned. Can you help me out here?
I love all of the witch series: Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad (at least these are the ones I know so far). One concept I particularly like is what Pratchett calls Headology; it's quite interesting to apply this concept to our magic world.

The Vanished Man looks like a really interesting book, I'll see if I can give it a read sometime.

Glad to meet a fellow Discworld fan! :)
 
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Sep 10, 2017
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I haven't really came across these things. Probably the best thing I can think of is the SHADE movie, (which was almost completely magic related). Also in one of the new disney star wars movies, there's a sort of card game scene which was actually done by a magician by the name of Steven Bridges.
I've not come across any worthwhile thing in books which would be worth mentioning
 
Dec 1, 2013
40
15
Does Moist Von Lipwig appear in any book other than Going Postal? I've read that one, and actually don't distinctly remember palms or switches being mentioned. Can you help me out here?

The Vanished Man looks like a really interesting book, I'll see if I can give it a read sometime.

Glad to meet a fellow Discworld fan! :)

Moist wasn in two more books- Making Money, and Raising Steam.

I don’t think the mentions were anything big but were kinda throwaway remarks during his plan to escape with painting the horse and the glass ring and stuff.

The vanished man is great, it talks a lot about misdirection and the subtle psychologies around effects (some of it is a little subtextual though)

Always good to meet another scholar from the Unseen University!
 
Nov 3, 2018
542
427
Moist wasn in two more books- Making Money, and Raising Steam.

Are they worth checking out?

The vanished man is great, it talks a lot about misdirection and the subtle psychologies around effects (some of it is a little subtextual though)

I'll have to read it sometime.

Always good to meet another scholar from the Unseen University!

Unseen University?!? Are you trying to insult me? The most likeable guy there is a monkey! (Cue: An angry "Ook!" followed by pained grunts and a bruised head on my side.) No, my favorite institution in Ankh-Morpork is the Watch. (Could it be that this thread has wandered off-topic a bit?)
 
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