Witness the Magic of Thunder and the House of Magic through the Eyes of Their Performers

Thunder and the House of Magic is a 2013 computer-animated comedy film directed by Ben Stassen and Jeremy Degruson. The film follows the adventures of a young abandoned cat named Thunder who stumbles upon an old mansion owned by an eccentric magician named Lawrence. As Thunder begins to explore the house, he discovers that he is not alone; the mansion is filled with a colorful cast of magical entertainers who are preparing for their big show. **The main idea** of Thunder and the House of Magic is the magical world that exists within the old mansion. Thunder, the curious cat, provides the audience with a gateway into this enchanting world as he encounters a variety of magical creatures such as a talking mouse, a rabbit magician, and a ventriloquist dummy. Throughout the film, Thunder forms unlikely friendships with these magical entertainers and together they work to save their home from being sold.

All in all, about a 7 out of 10.

The Puff-Chested Boyfriend In the presence of a girlfriend, a funny thing happens to this ordinarily easygoing species He becomes surprisingly defensive, remarkably unreceptive to being entertained by the magic. But if you want to act out little miracles that you can perform on the spur of the moment with items that are usually within reach, then Magic For Dummies can show you how.

Throughout the film, Thunder forms unlikely friendships with these magical entertainers and together they work to save their home from being sold. The film showcases themes of friendship, teamwork, and the power of believing in oneself. Thunder, with his brave and adventurous spirit, becomes an important part of the magical community, proving that even the smallest of creatures can make a big difference.

talkmagic.co.uk

Magic for Dummies book by David Pogue, boasts “over 90 easy-to-perform tricks using everyday items like money, silverware and playing cards!” and “Includes favourite tricks from 35 top professionals magicians” Also Lance Burton is quoted on the front saying “A book that all magicians of any age and level of experience will cherish and refer to for years to come”

I got this as a Christmas present, The RRP is £18.99 but you can get it for £9.49 here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Dummies-s . 842&sr=1-1

Difficulty: 1-2
(1=Easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

This is a book aimed at beginners so most of the effects in here are pretty easy.

The author is joined by a collective of magicians including Jeff McBride, Johnny Thompson and Lance Burton amongst others. For the purpose of this book they are known as the advisory pantheon and contribute tricks. There’s an introduction on each at the start and their tricks are credited in the trickography at the back
Also included sprinkled throughout the book are advice and anecdotes on the fundamentals of magic as well as icons informing you of needing to do prep work, misdirection, acting etc next to each trick point to enhance the effect.
The book is 369 pages long, 18 chapters in all but the last 4 are to do with advice and history and magic events in history.
My favourite chapters in this book are the ones on cards and building your own card trick which contains both forces and reveals and the chapter on mentalism.
I particularly enjoyed the torn and restored toilet paper effect in chapter 14, “Don’t show me the money” in chapter 3 where the magician puts down three $1 dollar bills and one $20 dollar bill on the table and turn his back and the spectator switches the bills and then the magician tells them to keep taking bills off the table until there’s only one left which is the $20) I thought that was fun, same with “give me a ring something – and a string” where the magician hooks a ring on a looped string and with a couple of twists he manages to pull the ring off the string even with both ends wrapped around the spectators thumbs. I decided to skip a lot of this book because I didn’t like the tricks because I didn’t think they were real magic but I’ve gone into more detail about that below.

I would recommend it for beginners only who want to get something easy to get started with as not to put them off magic but unfortunately this book did because a lot of the stuff included are more gags than magic or tricks that are really easy to figure out or are impractical but there are a few chapters which I did enjoy and a few more tricks from other chapters I enjoyed as well but I didn’t think these justified the price of the book, I probably wouldn’t have bought this book if I hadn’t got it as a present, however it did give me plenty of ideas and taught me the basics of magic.
3/10

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"
"Self improvement is masturbation of self destruction"

by Replicant » Nov 11th, '07, 20:35

I agree with your summary of the book. I got this when I was first starting out in magic and thought it was ok; like you say, there are a few gags and jokes in the book which I don't really care for. Definitely not worth the RRP of £19-odd, in my opinion, but typically for a Dummies book, it is quite an enjoyable and humorous read.

Check my review index for an existing review on this book. http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic1759.php

by memorire » Nov 2nd, '08, 08:23

I disagree with the review. This book does have some very strong effects in it. Perhaps they are even too good for the general public.

In my opinion its a very good introduction for a beginner and thats how it should be rated. for a beginner i would rate it 9/10 (the amateur magicians handbook having 10/10)

@reviewer. if it taught you the basics of magic then it has fulfilled its purpose. why such a low rating?

by Alraune » Nov 2nd, '08, 10:38

Most reviews of the book are positiv. I personally agree with the negative one here.
I got this book to start with magic and I didn't. Years later I made a second try with the Royal Road and Wilsons Complete Course and those beginners book are simply on another level than the Dummy-book. It includes some nice gags but nothing you can really use in a performance (and thats what IMHO is the reason for learning magic).

by Misanthropy » Nov 4th, '08, 16:40

I gave it a low score because as you said there are much better beginner books out there and it did put me off a little because some of the things in it were really dumb but maybe I was a little harsh and should have given it 5/10

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"
"Self improvement is masturbation of self destruction"

by drewj » Feb 4th, '09, 23:07

I got this for my daughter when she was about twelve and expressed a (passing) interest.

OK, you can call me Percy Pedant, but I do have an instinctive dislike of the 'for Dummies' concept due to its failure to differentitiate between stupidity and ignorance. However, I was pleasantly suprised by this. There are some strong effects here, and quite a lot of the sort of filler material of gag/fun stuff things that you might used between tricks. The writing style is quite relaxed, without overdoing the folksy feel that could be a problem.

All in all, about a 7 out of 10.

Incidentally, my daughter decided that her future lay in the audience side of things. Unusually, she really preferred not to know how things were done.

In my opinion its a very good introduction for a beginner and thats how it should be rated. for a beginner i would rate it 9/10 (the amateur magicians handbook having 10/10)

Visually, Thunder and the House of Magic is a vibrant and colorful film that captivates the audience with its magical setting and whimsical characters. The 3D animation brings the house and its inhabitants to life, making for an immersive viewing experience. Overall, Thunder and the House of Magic is an entertaining and heartwarming film that appeals to audiences of all ages. It reminds us to embrace our inner child and believe in the magic that exists all around us..

Reviews for "Meet the Stars of Thunder and the House of Magic and Experience Their Mesmerizing Performances"

1. John - 2 stars - Thunder and the House of Magic was a disappointing and lackluster film. The storyline was predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. The movie failed to hold my interest and I found myself constantly checking the time. The animation was decent, but that alone couldn't save the movie from its boring plot and lackluster execution. Overall, I would not recommend this film to anyone looking for an exciting and engaging animated adventure.

2. Sarah - 3 stars - Thunder and the House of Magic had potential, but it fell short in many aspects. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to care about their journey. The humor was forced and the jokes often fell flat, which made the movie less enjoyable. Additionally, the plot felt rushed and disjointed, with many scenes feeling unnecessary. While the animation was visually appealing, it wasn't enough to salvage the overall mediocrity of the film. I would suggest looking for other animated movies that offer more compelling storylines and well-rounded characters.

3. Michael - 2 stars - Thunder and the House of Magic seemed promising, but it ultimately failed to deliver. The plot was predictable and cliché, lacking any real surprises or excitement. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them on any level. The animation was the only redeeming quality of the film, but even that couldn't make up for the overall disappointment. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this movie, as there are much better animated films out there that offer more engaging stories and memorable characters.

Discover the Secrets of Thunder and the House of Magic through the Eyes of their Magicians