Lost In The Shuffle

Jon Ornoy’s Lost In The Shuffle is an entertaining documentary. It weaves in the history of trading cards, magic, and political intrigue of King Charles the Eighth’s death. Ornoy’s film follows Shawn Farquar, a notable magician who’s appeared on shows like Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Farquar is investigating the meaning behind the trading cards. He believes the King of Hearts to be Charles the Eighth and the Queen of Spades, Anne of Brittany. The King of Hearts is unusual as he has an extra arm, pointing to suicide by sword. Farquar wants to know the truth of Charles The Eighth’s death. In order to figure out the mystery, he must come up with the ultimate magic trick.

He receives the help of his magician friends: Richard Turner, Michael Vincent, Alexandra Duvivier, and Juan Tamariz. Each magician brings their trademark abilities and unique ways of understanding magic. Richard Turner, who calls himself a “card mechanic,” creates his tricks by thinking like a gambler. He is amazing with his hands in lieu of his periphery vision issues. Michael Vincent uses his magic to understand order and chaos, which he visualizes through his deceptive shuffling techniques. Alexandra Duvivier, who’s following in her father’s footsteps, is curious and experimental with her card tricks. Juan Tamariz brings in the art of acting and the audience embracing their inner child. His best trick is cards ascending out of a cup and levitating.

“…He believes the King of Hearts to be Charles the Eighth…”

Besides Farquar’s globetrotting journey, we are treated to a film brimming with historical facts. Trading cards have a fascinating origin. Each kingdom in Europe had its own individual looks for them. China was the first country to use cards for gambling purposes. This is just a sliver of the fascinating trivia. Farquar and the other magicians highlight the importance of Dai Vernon, a well-known magician who elevated the craft of card tricks. Vernon combined magic with sophistication, capturing the audience’s attention. The political intrigue of Charles The Eighth’s death involves deep digs into his personal life and debunking facts recorded about his demise.

Jon Ornoy makes the world of magic exciting and one of brilliant skill. It is a treat to learn the psychology and nuanced talents of magicians. There are so many layers to it and involves dense multitasking. The history of trading cards was a highlight of the film because it added extra context. It was great to see their artistic evolution and multiple usages throughout history. They could be used to display hidden maps for POWs during World War II, and at one point in history were banned by the Church.

Farquar and his magician friends bring so much passion and enthusiasm it is infectious. Each magician reveals their backstories, which capture the spark that comes when we find our passion. I highly recommend this film for its historical information and explanation of the magician’s craft in an understandable way.