Many people have forgotten that escape artist Harry Houdini parlayed his stage fame into a series of gimmick movies and a serial during the age of silent films. Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at those overlooked productions.
THE MASTER MYSTERY (1918-1919) – The first film footage of Harry Houdini performing his stage act dates to 1907, but it wasn’t until this 15-part serial that he hit the big screen in a series of adventures. Chapter One of The Master Mystery debuted on November 18th, 1918 and starred Houdini as a federal agent named Quentin Locke.
Quentin is assigned to infiltrate a sinister corporation that practices patent fraud, but as Locke’s investigation probes deeper, a far-reaching conspiracy against the entire United States is exposed.
Every cliffhanger ending for the chapters of the serials involves a deathtrap which Houdini escapes from at the start of the following installment.
No trick photography was used in filming Harry’s escapes, and another bit of history in The Master Mystery involves the villain’s robot, called the Automaton. One of the first powered exoskeletons in movie history was used to maneuver the android around. As the story goes on, the Automaton’s creator modifies it to spray his nerve gas called the Madagascan Madness. Continue reading
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