Unlocking the secrets of Houdini's enduring magic

Although he died nearly one hundred years ago, the legendary magician Harry Houdini remains one of the most famous magicians of all time.

His famous escapes - from straitjackets while suspended high in the air boxes, and from trunks and boxes locked tall - made him a household name worldwide in the early 20th century.

"This guy here, he is 85 years after his death, he is still well known - everyone knows who was Houdini," says Jeff Taylor, director of the American Museum of Magic in the 'Marshall, Michigan.

Houdini stunts and tricks have relied on "magical device" or props, such as "Metamorphosis Trunk," for his handcuffs, and "Water Torture Cell," for example.

"They are not exotic accessories, like the trunk is like a metamorphosis trunk packing a trunk or an immigrant community would have an immediate identification with him," said Brooke Kamin Rapaport, curator of "Houdini: The Art and Magic" at the Jewish Museum in New York.

The exhibition, "she said, shows that many of these accessories and reveals how the American Hungarian incredible stunts based on the daily life of common man.

Although Houdini fans included rich and poor, immigrant communities, was not only an artist, was a "superhero" and one of the first major celebrities of the era of new media, Rapaport said.

"I think people in immigrant communities seem to be feats of Houdini is a very symbolic way, which was not only expedient, but they were symbols, because he symbolizes the community's ability to free oneself, to be able to escape the ' oppression or restrictions, "he added.

Weiss Ehric Houdini was born in Budapest in 1874 and emigrated to America with his family as a child. He began to perform circus tricks and nine hundred years, but it was not until 1899, was discovered by a vaudeville booking agent.

Based at the Jewish Museum of two diaries written by Houdini, who are both from private collections and have never been publicly displayed before.

Is the period just before he became famous in 1898 and 1916, after achieving fame for his incredible escapes.

They include stoop in New York, East River in a crate wrapped in chains, from which he escaped and swam to the surface and escape before a glass box filled with water is known as " The water torture cell ", which had been inserted upside down and chained jumps bridge.

An expert user of new media at the time, Houdini made sure that his exploits were captured on camera and later in the film. According to Taylor, his public stunts - which attracted crowds of thousands of people - were actually a way to bring publicity to their shows.

And from 1919, moved to celluloid Houdini good production, and acting in silent films, which generally also develop bad game.

Also available at the Jewish Museum of contemporary art works that show the lasting appeal of magician for artists and contemporary culture.

Artist Jane Hammond will present an array of references famous Houdini trick to draw a series of needles from his mouth.

"I think it's much more interesting harmonies of art and magic, and you know the artists want their art is a transformative and magical," he said.

Fans curious to know exactly how Houdini accomplished these extraordinary feats to get their views elsewhere.

Strictly "magic code" Jewish Museum does not reveal the secrets of Houdini or visitors can look inside his props.

"Objects do not have this meaning and drama that we know how they are made," she added.

Despite his incredible physical strength, was not invincible and Houdini died on Halloween in 1926 of a ruptured appendix, which was caused by a student to test the famous Houdini ability to withstand any blow to body.

"I think it got to a point where the public expects it would upping the ante," said Rapaport. "And he never disappointed, he really continued to do throughout his career.

"In fact, death was the ultimate escape for him, which is still so well known here for many years after his death, you know, there's a lot of animators can not say," he said.

"Houdini: The Art and Magic" went to Los Angeles in the spring, then San Francisco and finally to Madison, Wisconsin.