Memories (A/K/A: “The Attic") with Kim Alexis - The Magic of David Copperfield

This is an illusion called “Memories” (A/K/A: “The Attic”) performed by David Copperfield with special guest Kim Alexis.
This was performed for David’s twelfth television special, The Magic of David Copperfield XII: The Niagara Falls Challenge. This special aired on March 30, 1990.
The song used for the illusion was called “Who Loves You” written and performed by Alannah Myles (Released on March 28, 1989, as the 9th song from the album "Alannah Myles”).
NOTE: Many people, including myself, know how the illusion is performed. If at all humanly possible, please try to enjoy the nostalgia and the performance, resisting the urge to reveal the secret in the comments section. Again…. many of us already know how it’s done, but we can still watch it for the performance aspect of it; particularly those of us who watched it when it originally aired.

[@kennyabi3515]

Its my favorite magic presentation of all time this one. I always loved this because it shows how to use magic for more than just spectacle 👍👍

[@derrickseeto9698]

3 "mundane" magic tricks, but done with quite the presentation. Presentation matters!

[@thewab1974]

I have to agree. None of the tricks he did here are gonna move mountains, but put them together in a short story that makes sense and it brings them to a whole new level.

[@billgreen4003]

And champions of magic tv special

[@billgreen4003]

The attic illusion long ago he used different close up illusion ideas concepts plus his young puppy sheep dogs then valierie vanished in chair illusion and otyer tv shows he did different close up illusions also then lady vanished in chair

[@arielsalort507]

When I was young I could not believe a guy like David could be enoght strong to lift her. Now I know. The model help him with her knee.

[@johnbauman4005]

I appreciate this upload very much, but strongly favor the original with Valerie Bertinelli from 1979. The scripting and staging were masterpieces. Barry Manilow's, "Weekend in New England" is not only beautifil music, the lyrics form a script for the silent performances of the actors: Tight spot in a darkened attic on D.C. musing over a found picture, and then her hands appear on his shoulders. Using the matchbox effects to mimic his little dog's sit up and rollover tricks, and then flicking the matchbox through her arms to mimic the dog jumping through them first was at once amusing and unspoken proof there was nothing attached to the box. The dog is vanished. D.C.'s playful "hide and seek" move upstage to a sheet draped over a coat rack while she seeks the dog downstage left presages her use of the sheet subsequently. The dog is found with D.C. and set free. D.C. & V.B. almost embrace, almost kiss - it is a memory not reality. As she turns him away from her, she hesitates - her memory or his? At this point hard to say. But if it is only his memory, why would she hesitate? Does she imagine finding him thinking of her? Is this her memory then, or his? It is her turn to hide, under the sheet, in the chair on the table. He knows she's there, and leans against the table "accidentally" showing without saying a word that there is nothing under or behind the table. (Current video he just shoves it around like any magic box pushed by any generic assisstant.) She vanishes. She was never really there. He returns downstage to the box of memorabilia and to the photo which initiated the whole reverie as Manilow's "Weekend in New England" closes, spot tightens on D.C. and finishes to black. The more recent version seems soulless and thrown together by comparison. I wish I could find a hi-def version of the 1979 version. The ones I've found here are 320. IIRC, there should also be at least one other filmed version out there with yet another actress, and maybe more. Please don't think I'm ungrateful for your time and effort to make this version available. It is definitely worth watching and studying. ATB! John (Edited to remove 1 word that may, upon reflection, be construed as exposure.)

[@thewab1974]

I don't doubt the beauty of the act to which you're referring, but putting it bluntly, I was trying to digitize clips from a video cassette that was degrading to the point where it was borderline unwatchable. KZbin was the lifeboat I used to save the performance before the medium upon which it was originally recorded was discarded.

[@mistermindahenziandalasnus3754]

Yes, the original performance was much better... kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5C8Y62vZryjm8k

[@twincams350]

hmm... this act seemed a lot better with "Weekend in New England" for the soundtrack. Why did he change it?

[@thewab1974]

I'm guessing he did a similar vanish in a previous special using that track because when this special aired in 1990, the Alannah Myles song "Who Loves You" was the song that aired to accompany his illusion.

[@twincams350]

@@thewab1974 , yes that is exactly what he did. The first version of "the attic" as far as I know was made with Valeri Bertinelli. Not sure exactly when that was made, but somewhere in the late 70's or early 80's. There are youtube videos of that version too.

[@jp3813]

Copyright issues, probably.

[@billgreen3138]

yep kim alexis

[@billgreen4003]

Barry manilow song

[@billgreen3138]

t Amen Bill Bushey very good illusions and using mirrors at certain angels and the sun location you can magically apear a motorcyle or car or house a jet airplane or vanish large objects or lazy susan turn table or move to look alike location minus the object your trying to vanish or reverse to magically appear or raise platform higher up the sun meets the horizon ideas concept franz harary style and use photo realistic card board cut outs or scenery to vanish or bring in a jet air plane into view secretly and drop sheet there is the airplane or use guy cramer hyper stealth quantum stealth bending light invisbility idea

[@billgreen4003]

Milk gag then vanished for real to new location

[@billgreen4003]

Acrobatic matches