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veegates Loyal user 208 Posts |
Hi,
I am hoping to get a bit of input. Recently, I built a version of a Magic (Dancing)Harlequin. I think he has been referred to by many other names. His history goes back to the 1700's where a Dutch Mechanic named Opre built what is believed to be the first. Anyway, he is the little acrobat in the box. The performer carries a box out to the table and walks away, shortly the lid of the box opens and out springs a little acrobat. He does handstands, somersaults, dances, whistles, smokes a pipe, etc. What I am curious about is (and I believe I am in the correct part of the forum..after all this section is "the Spooky, Mysterious and Bizarre" section) if I were to redesign his head to maybe a form of demon, redress him perhaps in a striped prison costume, would he be maybe more of an attention getter? A nice spooky table with skulls, gargoyles, etc painted on it with a nice surreal backdrop. Or.... is it too far out there? I also have almost finished a nice Rapping hand that sits on a glass plate suspended above a table. Would general audiences like something like this? Or is a 'Demon Imprisoned In A Box' a little too politically incorrect? Thanks to all!! |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
I like your idea alot. Go for it!
I want one.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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christiancagigal Special user SF Bay Area 625 Posts |
It's a wonderful idea but it makes me wonder if you're going for a laugh or something that could be actually spooky. As you're describing it, it makes me think that it might get more of a laugh but I could be misinterpreting what I read.
If you want to make it spooky, I would say, just make sure that it looks 100 or 200 years old, worn and chipped; and maybe with a "darker" face. I don't mean skin tone I mean like, meaner or colder. But, something subtle, though. Then tell the audience that there is a demon inside the box. In other words suggest that the spirit of a demon is inside the doll that's inside the box as opposed to saying that this doll is the demon...Ok I confused myself again...did that make sense? Let me know. Great Idea Though! C EDIT Oh and yes I WANT ONE TOO!
"Besides the known and the unknown, what else is there?"-Harold Pinter
www.christiancagigal.com |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
I think not saying anything AT ALL is the way to make the best impression. Whatever you say, some will take as corney anyway...just Let It Happen, don't tell them anything!
If it gets laffs or brings the creeps...both are entertaining but if ity's mystery you want to present, let it be mysterious...it wont need a narrator.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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magus Special user Huntington Beach, Ca 669 Posts |
Demon in a striped prison costume= Beetlejuice
If that's your intention go for it it, if it's not, just letting you know.
crappy deium-
what a lousy day to be seized thaumometer- a device for measuring a magical field |
Balaram Special user 904 Posts |
Quote: No. But "Demon Jumping Out Of The Box"--?
On 2008-08-08 18:31, veegates wrote: Balaram sez Thumbs Up ! |
lin Special user California 876 Posts |
Veegates,
Please post more photos of your work. I loved your last project, the little acrobat. For the Demon in a Box, trust your artistic vision. Presentation of an effect has more to do with audience perception than the props. FWIW, I like Mr. Cagigal's ideas, but his taste seems to agree with mine. For the rapping hand, did you go with the option of using the giant electromagnet beneath the stage? (BTW, when I posted the decoupage suggestion in the other thread, I didn't recognize your user name...it looked familiar, but I couldn't place it. So, let's pretend it never happened...) cheers, Lin |
Eddie Garland Inner circle Hells Kitchen, New York City 4207 Posts |
Build it...we will come.
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veegates Loyal user 208 Posts |
Hi Everybody,
Thanks to all for the input. Magus called it correctly, a prison uniform and I've got Michael Keaton In A Box. Scary, yes, but not quite what I was going for! I am not locked into the idea of a demon, just something a bit different. There are a couple of Harlequins out there performing now. I did this before...I built a version of Antonio Diavolo not thinking about the fact there is already a pre-existing one performing. I have tried to figure out how to put a different spin on my acrobat. Can't very easily say "Ok, what we've got here is a Demon On A Trapeze???. Makes no sense at all. Then he almost became a Monkey On A Trapeze..Arrgh, so what he is right now is "Resting Comfortably in A Trunk". That is my quandary..how do I make my Harlequin different. Christiancagigal called it correctly, is he meant to be funny or scary? I think there is too much interaction with the magician to be scary. The creature in the box does smoke though...that is scary. We are always being told 'smoking is evil!!" Again, thanks to all! Kevin |
KOTAH Inner circle 2289 Posts |
If the box were a music box; a half masked cloaked image could leap from it. The phantom of the opera as played by Lon Chaney was a creature imprisoned by love and maddness. Just a thought inspired by your idea. Andrew Loydd Webber music playing softly in the background.
Kotah |
IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
People always find clowns scarey? maybe tap into that..
someone mentioned skin tone..i actually think that would look quite disturbing if it had a very life like face..its sounds very interesting though.. anyway - yeah, a small trapped man in a box somehow seems more sinister to me for some reason..if he was a hunchback or something too...like a freak-in-a-box..rather than a jack... I want one too!
I've asked to be banned
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magus Special user Huntington Beach, Ca 669 Posts |
I saw a cartoon of Paganini (The Devils Violinist) a while back that might be good model for a demon.
A quick search on the internet did not bring up the cartoon, but perhaps a more careful one might bring it up. tall, extremely thin, tails, and an evil smile is all I can describe of the cartoon. How do you dress the devil? A prison uniform would be the result of the devils work, but generic concepts of the devil (besides the red suit) would probably cast him as a lawyer, wealthy businessman or politician, well dressed, someone who causes bad things to happen without getting his hands dirty himself. (Apologies to any lawyers, wealthy businessmen or politicians here, I speak of images, not facts, of course. The other image would be rotting flesh, unclothed and sexless or Grand Vizir/evil wizard Otehr images of demons? Anyone? Buhler?
crappy deium-
what a lousy day to be seized thaumometer- a device for measuring a magical field |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
The devil is more likely to appear as a priest than as a convict.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Eddie Garland Inner circle Hells Kitchen, New York City 4207 Posts |
I would like to see it done as a thin tortured wicked faerie creature. A gnome captured by the box, forever to perform its endless dance...and it does not like it.
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