Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box

I have read the other negative comments about this film and I must say I strongly disagree! I thought it was an interesting story with GREAT 3-D visual effects. Anyone who is interested in magic and the life of magicians would really enjoy this film. I think it is unfair to criticize this production as though it was some sort of fictional movie. It is simply telling the life story of two great modern performers of magic. My niece loved the beautiful 3-D effects and wanted to see it again!

Also, it is true that the two are gay and that the movie avoided mentioning it, but who cares? I actually think it was a wise choice to keep certain "personal" elements out of the story.

If you get a chance to see this movie and want to experience some of the best 3-D effects ever produced, by all means see it!! It is very impressive to say the least!

The IMDB lists this one as a "documentary." It's more like a 40-minute commercial, written by Siegfried & Roy themselves. At no point do you feel you've learned anything new about these carefully coiffed slight-of-hand experts. The first half of the production spins a magical tale of how fate brought the two European artistes together and eventually made them the toast of Sin City. The last half of the film indelicately drives home the point that Siegfried & Roy's animals live pampered, un-abused existences on the pair's luxurious Las Vegas estate (the only thing that could have made this sequence more obvious would have been a subtitle that read "Take that, PETA!"). Yes, it's filled with fancy 3-D effects, not to mention all those magic tricks that have made this decrepit duo two of the biggest stars on the Vegas Strip. But the best trick doesn't even happen on the screen. It takes place at the box office before the show even starts when you're duped into forking over eight bucks for a so-called "documentary" that turns out to be forty minutes of fluff.

If you have seen their show you will love this DVD. If you have not seen their show it will mean little to you. The DVD includes some of the illusions seen in the show and their early life story. I am seeking a pal versionof their other DVD's e.g. Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage and it must be a Region 2 version. I have been unable to unlock my player to cope with a region 1 DVD version of this " Mirage " disc. I would appreciate any information as to where I can get a region 2 disc. Luckily I got the magic box in region 2 from Holland. I have seen other reviews with some very harsh comments but the picture quality along with the special effects are excellent quality.

I've never been to Las Vegas, I've never seen S&R show, and all my knowledge about them comes from Father of the Pride series. Still, this movie was definitely worth watching and very enjoyable.

By today's standards, the movie lacks in graphics and in scientific approach. I would have so much preferred to watch it without all these ridiculous and silly "effects" which may have been impressive a decade ago, but now look cheap. Special effects should help viewers immerse in the movie, not exist by themselves. But this knowledge comes with time and a decade ago these effects were the way to go, so I'm not to blame the authors. Another problem is that today everyone knows that there's no such thing as a "white lion breed", so what S&R did isn't environment preservation in any way.

But... the way S&R treat their animals and interact with them warms my heart. I don't advocate using animals in circuses, but I know for sure S&R love them and never treat them badly (just google for "Make sure no harm comes to Montecore").

The way S&R portray their childhood memories, children's perception of the world is interesting and fun to watch. This is as documentary as Simba's singing I Just Can't Wait To Be King in The Lion King is. But still, it's fun.

The music, the narration are top notch too.

The sad thing about the film is that there's a very high quality IMAX filmstrip lying somewhere, but we won't get to see it...

Siegfried and Roy's first autobiographical sketch on film comes with state of the art graphic effects and a touching story about the lives of two of the most greatest performers alive. In their story they challenge the obstacles that came from postwar Germany and the strenuous tasks of making it in show business. Furthermore the film adds a touch of beauty to the meaning of fufillment of lives goals but gives a new understanding to the word success, for not only is it acheived by believing in onself it is the outcome of years of preserverance.