That’s Entertainment/The Conjuror’s Assistants 1978
"That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants" (1978), directed by Jeanette Iljon, is a provocative short documentary that dissects the complexities of vérité filmmaking through a meticulous frame-by-frame breakdown of just 100ft of footage.
Director: Jeanette Iljon
Frequently Asked Questions
What is That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants (1978) about?
This short documentary by Jeanette Iljon deconstructs a single scene from a children's Christmas party, where a young magician performs for an audience with the help of two assistants. Through meticulous analysis, the film examines the ethical pitfalls of vérité filmmaking, including voyeurism and the manipulation of truth.
Who directed That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants?
The film was directed by Jeanette Iljon, whose sharp, analytical approach challenges viewers to reconsider the authenticity of documentary footage.
Who stars in That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants?
The documentary features a young magician, two child assistants (a boy and a girl), and an audience of adults and children at a Christmas party.
Is That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants (1978) worth watching?
While it's a niche experimental documentary, its 35-minute runtime and thought-provoking themes make it a compelling watch for fans of vérité cinema or those interested in the ethics of filmmaking. Its unrated status leaves room for personal interpretation, but its intellectual depth is undeniable.
How long is That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants?
The film runs for 35 minutes.
About That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants (1978) — A Short Film That Reveals the Illusions of Vérité Cinema
"That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants" (1978), directed by Jeanette Iljon, is a provocative short documentary that dissects the complexities of vérité filmmaking through a meticulous frame-by-frame breakdown of just 100ft of footage. Filmed at a children's Christmas party, the scene captures a young magician performing for a captivated audience of adults and kids alike, assisted by two youngsters—a boy and a girl—whose roles blur the line between participant and observer. Iljon's sharp analysis exposes the ethical dilemmas of documentary filmmaking, from the voyeuristic gaze of the camera to the unspoken power dynamics that shape audience perception. The film challenges viewers to question their own passivity, turning a seemingly simple performance into a meditation on the hidden manipulations of truth in cinema.
Shot in stark black-and-white, the documentary strips away the illusion of objectivity, revealing how even the most candid moments are curated by the filmmaker's choices. The young entertainer's exaggerated charm and the audience's rapt attention create an atmosphere of both innocence and tension, as Iljon interrogates the blurred boundaries between performer and participant, spectacle and reality. A thought-provoking experiment in documentary ethics, "That's Entertainment/The Conjuror's Assistants" is a must-watch for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes mechanics of truth in film.