I recently saw the world premier of this film at the Sydney Film Festival and I admit I wasn't expecting much. It was dubbed as some kind of Chopper-like film with no budget, no known cast and shot on the streets. I was surprised to find it quite entertaining and a real relief from the mostly poor uninspired films currently being made within the Australian Film Finance system. 'The Magician' has a real edge and it has one element lacking in most of the cinema produced in Australia, a strong, genuinely funny lead in writer/director Scott Ryan. Shot in digital video this is a mocumentary on Ray Shoestring, a Melbournian hit-man, a man that makes people disappear. We following him on his exploits see the reality of this profession. Full of improvised dialog and shot in a raw, realist style, you get an insight into the mind of a flawed killer. The character takes his time on camera, you see him thinking and he becomes disturbingly real. The funniest film I've seen come out of my native country in years. Its interesting to note, according to Scott, it was filmed in ten days on a self raised AU$3000. It is a testimate to the passion of the Australian filmmaker making what he can without the need for 'developement' money and 5 - 8 years of 'writing'. It's the most inpiring self funded work I've seen since Robert Rodriguez filmed 'El Mariachi' for $US6000 in 1991.
