The Magic of David Copperfield 10: The Bermuda Triangle (1988) Online

The Magic of David Copperfield 10: The Bermuda Triangle (1988) Online

This is the 10th CBS Copperfield TV special, introduced by the host Lisa Hartman and then presented by David Copperfield himself, from a huge triangular platform floating on the Atlantic Ocean. For the first time he is also the executive producer, and this special is the first and only one titled with a natural number ("10") in place of the equivalent roman one ("X"). The shown platform has been built to allow Copperfield to perform the last illusion, named "Bermuda Triangle", as expressed in this special's title. The feat that Copperfield wants to perform is to enter just before the dawn in the parallel hidden dimension present inside the Bermuda Triangle and, more important, to be the first person ever to return alive, given that nothing that entered in this parallel dimension has ever been able to come back. This illusion is one of the few no more repeated, and also one of the few conceived and filmed for the TV audience only, since it was not possible to have a live audience. So, ...

The "Death Saw" escape/illusion makes a really wide use of the original motion pictures score composed and conducted by James Horner for Aliens - Die Rückkehr (1986).

According to one Copperfield's interview left to 2006 edition of Guinness World Records, the illusions he considers the better performed by himself are "Death Saw" and "Flying", this one performed in The Magic of David Copperfield XIV: Flying - Live the Dream (1992).

The "Run Duck Run" illusion has been already performed in The Magic of David Copperfield VII: Familiares (1985).

At the end of the "Poultry In Motion Reversed" (aka "Webster And Consuelo Restored" and "Baby Ducks") illusion, Copperfield shows to the audience the four puppies born from the crossing between the pet duck Webster and his girlfriend the chicken Consuelo, these last two previously seen both in the "Poultry In Motion" (aka "Webster And Consuelo") illusion. The puppies are named Rudy, Judy, Thrudy and Dudy.

This special makes a really wide use of the original motion pictures score of two films: one composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith for Explorers - Ein phantastisches Abenteuer (1985) and the other composed and conducted by James Horner for Aliens - Die Rückkehr (1986).

The "Bermuda Triangle" illusion is the second longest illusion included in a Copperfield TV special: it reaches the length of 16:04 minutes, and is surpassed only by the "Escape From Alcatraz" escape, that holds the record for length of 17:25 minutes, more than any other one, and is included in The Magic of David Copperfield IX: The Escape from Alcatraz (1987). The measured times also take into account the initial explanation.

In this TV special there are five illusions filmed for the TV audience only since David Copperfield performed them in places where it was not possible to have a live audience: "Sunglasses Routine" on a boat in the sea, "Floating On The Beach" and "Coal To Diamond" on the shore of a beach, "Floating Match" inside an ancient round building isolated and located on a hill, and "Bermuda Triangle" on a huge triangular platform floating on the Atlantic Ocean within the Bermuda Triangle. No other Copperfield TV special includes so many illusions performed without a live audience.