The Magic Man

From the collection of

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

The Magic Man


Grave-robbing, murder and villainy abound as a trickster brings his mind-reading act to a remote Irish village.

Winner of the World Amateur Film of The Year, The Magic Man features the talents of Rowel Friers. Artist and celebrated political cartoonist, Friers not only helped design the sets for The Magic Man, but even played the central role of Mesmero. The grounds of the folk village - at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum - here double as the small town at the centre of the mysterious shenanigans.

Twin brothers Roy and Noel Spence have been making films like this for over fifty years; with subjects including crafty leprechauns, creatures from outer space, fifties rock 'n' rollers and the undead. You can enjoy many of these fantastical creations on BFI player. This film is courtesy of Roy Spence and is held in the Irish Film Archive.


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