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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Working Magic is the newspaper heading for an article about The Tennessee Theater's "Summer Movie Magic." This is a series of classic movies including "Gone with the Wind" and "Westside Story." The questions is why the producer/marketers want to connect these movies with "magic." Some possibilties would include: (no particular order)
A) The feelings a spectator gets is similar to those from watching a magic show. B) The word "magic" in advertising just means "something special." C) It will be magic if anyone comes instead of watching TV. D) Magic is such a powerful entertainment vehicle that they wish some of it to rub off. E) ???? What do you believe is the motivation? Next, why would the newspaper reporter enhance that into saying "Working Magic?"
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
BarryFernelius Inner circle Still learning, even though I've made 2537 Posts |
mag•ic
(maj-ik) –noun 1. the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.; legerdemain; conjuring: to pull a rabbit out of a hat by magic. 2. the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature. Compare contagious magic, imitative magic, sympathetic magic. 3. the use of this art: Magic, it was believed, could drive illness from the body. 4. the effects produced: the magic of recovery. 5. power or influence exerted through this art: a wizard of great magic. 6. any extraordinary or mystical influence, charm, power, etc.: the magic in a great name; the magic of music; the magic of spring. When my friend who teaches anthropology talks about magic, the context tells me that he is usually using definition 2. When Whit Haydn talks about magic, almost always he's talking about definition 1. Based on the context, it sounds like the producers/marketers to whom you are referring are talking about magic as defined in either number 4 or 6 above. If you don't think that this is correct, clearly articulate why this is the case. The same word can mean different things when it is used in different contexts. Why are you so obsessed with conflating magic (as per definition 1) with magic (as per definition 4 or 6)?
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
-Leonard Bernstein |
Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
I'll take the 2nd first. Head Lines are almost always an abbreviated form. I take the short 'Working Magic', to mean: Hey, these guys are WORKING magic by what they have put together. It's also an obvious inclusion and riff on the title of the presentation. Which leads to the 'specialness' implied by having a "Summer Movie Magic". Since the movies are not themselves 'about' magic as such the obvious, at least to me, meaning is some form of "B" above: These particular movies are something SPECIAl, you'll have a 'magical' experience watching and enjoying them.
If THE movie was the Houdini movie for instance then we could bifurcate that analysis to mean both/and. It's not only is about 'magic' and a 'magician', but is also 'magically special' in a way that you hope all good movies will be and special in a way peculiar to anything that has or is about magic or magicians in general. Magic as noted in other posts has become one of go to all encompassing general adjectives to describe or set apart something as "Special" with a capital "S". That's quite nice actually! When one says they are a magician, many if not most educated people will almost automatically ascribe something 'special' and generally I thing 'positive' to that. Not all people like magic or magicians, but that's ok. Not everyone like Star Wars either. I have only twice while working restaurants met anyone who stated that they hated magic and magicians. It was so odd an experience that it freaked me out both times. In the 40 years I've been involved with magic on a professional level and counting ALL places and ALL folks met both casually, etc. I have met may a half dozen folks who showed and expressed outward and overt dislike for magic and thus myself and it's representative! I don't know of any "I have magic" clubs or organizations although they may exist. This is all to say that in it's adjectival form 'magic' or 'magical' is I believe generally very positive to folks. By the by in the early years of my marriage my wife owned and ran an Advertising Agency! So I let her read and critique the above and she couldn't find fault from her experience, etc. She only noted that at times the words would seem to be almost overused, but that's another matter, etc. Best,
Brad Burt
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BarryFernelius Inner circle Still learning, even though I've made 2537 Posts |
Context is the key.
ring –noun 1. a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, especially one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc. 2. anything having the form of such a band: a napkin ring; a smoke ring. 3. a circular or surrounding line or mark: dark rings around the eyes. 4. a circular course: to dance in a ring. 5. a number of persons or things situated in a circle or in an approximately circular arrangement: a ring of stones; a ring of hills. 6. a ringing sound, as of a bell or bells: the ring of sleigh bells. 7. a sound or tone likened to the ringing of a bell: Rings of laughter issued from the school. 8. any loud sound; sound continued, repeated, or reverberated: the ring of iron upon stone. 9. a set or peal of bells. 10. a telephone call: Give me a ring tomorrow. Situation 1: A scene in a restaurant A young woman begins to speak: "I'm so confused. When we first started going out a couple of years ago, we used to have such fun together. Then, you started dating other people, but we still remained good friends. Now, we're back together, but I just can't figure out if your heart is in this. You say that you're committed to being with me, but at other times you seem to be hard to pin down. If you want to send me a clear message, get down on your knees, propose to me, and give me a ring." Situation 2: Another restaurant scene, same restaurant An English businessman is talking to a prospective client "I know that you need some time to think about my proposal. I am certain that my company has the perfect product for your needs, but it is quite expensive. I understand your need to do some more research. Please take the time to give careful consideration to my offer. Once, you have made your decision, please let me know. Just give me a ring."
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
-Leonard Bernstein |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Barry, the question is not why you think about magic or what I think about magic, but what you believe the advertisers think they are doing. It is also not about the fact that words can have different meanings according to context.
Are you suggesting that the advertisers/reporter use the term "magic" just to be confusing? Thanks Brad for dealing with the topic at hand -- and to your wife. One follow-up on your thoughts is that a magician could possibly benefit by referencing the "magic is fun" attitude of advertisers -- supporting evidence for a claim of, ""Everybody likes magic."
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Johnny Butterfield Veteran user 378 Posts |
[quote]On 2011-08-13 12:29, funsway wrote:
Working Magic is the newspaper heading for an article about The Tennessee Theater's "Summer Movie Magic." This is a series of classic movies including "Gone with the Wind" and "Westside Story." The questions is why the producer/marketers want to connect these movies with "magic." They don't. The movies evoke a charm. (6. any extraordinary or mystical influence, charm, power, etc) I think it's painfully obvious that it in no way "connects movies with magic" but describes them as having extraordinary or mystical influence, charm, power, etc Quote:
On 2011-08-13 12:29, funsway wrote: Because it's a figure of speech (briefly, to do something extraordinarily well, or with an almost supernatural efficiency, grace, style, etc.), and it coincides with the event being reported on. Hard times at the animal pound are usually headlined as "going to the dogs" or "working like dogs" for similar reasons. Wouldn't something like this be better off in a forum about movies, newspapers, advertising or even semantics? This has nothing to do with "Our magic."
The current economic crisis is due to all the coins I've vanished.
The poster formerly known as Fman111. |
Alan Wheeler Inner circle Posting since 2002 with 2038 Posts |
I use this kind of stuff (all the uses of the word "magic") for patter fodder. For a magic-themed English course that I developed, I was also able to work out a couple of extra units by stretching the use of the word "magic" to include storybook magic as well as some psychology and philosophy. But because the context for me is always performance or stage magic, the word is more defined by the center than the circumference.
I think that may be a good semantic tool, to define things by the CENTER not the CIRCUMFERENCE. In patter for magic effects, in my magic class, and at the Magic Café (Our Context), the center is something like "entertainment of the impossible," no matter how far we may stretch it or how far the use may go for special purposes.
The views and comments expressed on this post may be mere speculation and are not necessarily the opinions, values, or beliefs of Alan Wheeler.
A BLENDED PATH Christian Reflections on Tarot Word Crimes Technology and Faith........Bad Religion |
Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-08-13 14:51, funsway wrote: Ken: I have no problem with that, but I think, to a certain extent that it's a 'sub text' to the more prominent point discussed in my first post. But, it's a STRONG sub text and in fact could probably depending on contextual use be the primary. Let me give an example that comes to mind: The MAGIC of SEAWORLD! Or, ANY other 'fun' park. In this case the allusion is lighter, etc. Best,
Brad Burt
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BarryFernelius Inner circle Still learning, even though I've made 2537 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-08-13 14:51, funsway wrote: Terrific. You win. Go have a party.
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
-Leonard Bernstein |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
At its root the notion of "magic" is a band-aid you can put over a cut between what you have and what you'd like to believe you should have. There are other such projective rationalizations about the world that are common enough to have been studied. Inside the frame of a story "magic" is a device to advance the story arc without doing any more than gloss over the details of the work required to get something done. In a story all you need is a "magician" and a "result". The story proceeds apace without that sort of distracting detail about building bridges, long voyages, learning languages, all the politics required in forming an army and getting them ready to fight.
Making a belief into a noun or dancing around it as reaction formation is telling. Those who can read find such behavior informative. At the root of all this: What specifically do you wish others to interpret as your beliefs? The audience relationship to magic and beliefs has been knowingly explored since ancient Greek theater. Then again the ancient Greeks notions about the gods and their nature was much more animistic/humanistic (projection - modeling) than what we have today. link to example. Quote:
On 2011-08-13 12:29, funsway wrote: Who specifically is "working magic"? The producers? The directors? The actors? What is the basis for comparing films and making claims about their magical effect upon audiences? Mismatched ethnic casting does a magic of its own; a Latino playing an Italian? An Italian playing an Irish character? Kinda pushing that willing suspension of disbelief IMHO. What about the story/film induces people to find meaning and value in the performance? What's their takeaway?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
The interrelationship between the inner and outer worlds and our apparent ability to control either one with the other is the very definition of magic.
Thus a movie is magic. Or more strictly speaking sorcery, as is the outer world controlling the inner world of the audience. It is an art and all art is sorcery. Who specifically is "working magic"? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlr0qf0eTHU
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Sean Giles Inner circle Cambridge/ UK 3517 Posts |
B. In the context that they are using it, it has nothing to do with magic tricks. Magic can mean many things. Context is everything, as Barry pointed out.
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