The Last Trick

The Last Trick
Directed by	Jan Švankmajer
Written by	Jan Svankmajer
Starring	Jiří Procházka Juraj Herz Blanka Vrbecká Eva Švankmajerová
Cinematography	Svatopluk Malý
Edited by	Milada Sádková
Music by	Štěpán Koníček Zdenek Sikola
Distributed by	Ústřední půjčovna filmů
Release date	1964
Running time	12 minutes
Country	Czechoslovakia
Language	Czech

The Last Trick (Czech: Poslední trik pana Schwarcewalldea a pana Edgara) is a 1964 Czechoslovak animated short film by Jan Švankmajer. It was Švankmajer's first film.

Plot

During the title sequence, the cast and crew are seen backstage preparing for their performance. The play depicts two mime-like magicians (who are portrayed by both costumed actors and Kuroko style puppets) named Mr. Edgar and Mr. Schwarzwald, trying to outdo each other by performing various stage tricks for the pleasure of an unseen audience. After each act, the two performers congratulate each other with a handshake. However, as tensions rise, the handshakes become less friendly and even violent. For his first trick, Edgar skins a fish by placing it inside his papier mache head; Schwarzwald one ups him by making a dog puppet perform various tricks on a tightrope; Edgar in turn grows several arms and begins playing various instruments simultaneously; Schwarzwald imitates this trick by growing several heads and juggling them; and Edgar causes several chairs to come alive and perform tricks at the crack of a whip. For the magicians' last trick, Edgar and Schwarzwald make themselves disappear by tearing each other to pieces.

External links

• The Last Trick at IMDb