Illusionists don’t need box office magic

So, “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” movie isn’t going to fill up Las Vegas magic shows after its opening weekend gross of less than $11 million at the box office.

At best, the pleasant comedy about Las Vegas magicians will have a half-life on video and basic cable. But local illusionists who aided the filmmakers say the movie doesn’t embarrass them, and will only help in the long run.

David Copperfield says he snuck into the AMC Town Square to see it with an audience and “they were laughing their butts off. That’s the important thing.”

Copperfield has a cameo, and his staff devised the “hangman” illusion that Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi perform as a Siegfried & Roy-styled duo.

“It’s all done in one camera shot. We created that to give them credibility and they did it,” Copperfield says, even if it took multiple takes to pull off the switch.

The movie duo also spoof a stunt Nathan Burton did in 2005, purporting to spend a week locked in a clear, suspended box with seven showgirls.

The movie contraption wasn’t the one Burton used. But the Saxe Theater magician says he contributed in a less expected way, by talking to James Gandolfini about his role as a casino boss.

As a result of the conversation, Burton claims credit for at least one line Gandolfini uses in the movie: “Your numbers suck.”

The movie arguably documents the end of the sequined, Siegfried & Roy era of Las Vegas magic. But it fulfills a promise Copperfield says the filmmakers made: “They told me at the end of the day it was going to be fun, but very respectful of the art.”

Burton adds: “Any time there’s magic in movies or television, it’s always good. Even if it’s spoofing us.”

Copperfield sounded more eager to move on and talk about the next movie he consulted for: “Now You See Me,” a more ambitious thriller due in theaters May 31. The action-heist movie is “closer to the brand of what I do, to make magic cool and make magic current and all that stuff.”

The magician has one more Monday of serious commuting. All month he’s been flying to New York to be on “The Today Show” each Monday morning, but still doing shows at the MGM Grand on Sunday and Monday.

The first Monday drew some unexpected publicity when his private plane was forced to land in Peoria, Ill.

“Imagine being on a plane and hearing this scraping sound all throughout the plane, for a half-hour, trying to figure out what it is,” he says.

“Team Copperfield,” including Chris Kenner and Homer Liwag, improvised an illusion to perform from the hangar via Skype. ...

For those who keep up with the breast count: Bally’s venerable “Jubilee!” revue has quit “covering” its early Saturday show. The showgirls no longer wear bras that lowered that one performance’s age restriction from 18 to 13.

A hotel spokeswoman cited “the demand we have been receiving from our guests” for the move. Right on, guests! Take the tweeners to Copperfield or Burton instead. ...

Sunday’s column about restructuring at Base Entertainment drew a belated response and new information from the company.

I wrote that last year’s successful move by the Actors Equity Association to convert “Rock of Ages” to union status raised the show’s operating costs by about a third (based on industry standards for payment into union funds, such as pension and vacation).

After the column ran, Base’s spokeswoman said the conversion to Equity status did not raise the show’s operational costs by one penny.

Checking back with an Actors Equity member (who is not a union spokesman) confirmed the two sides agreed to honor the original contracts for one year.

In essence, the deal lets “Rock” keep seven union members. But everything is back on the table when annual contracts come up for negotiation.

Base’s spokeswoman also clarified that the company served solely as landlord for CeeLo Green’s “Loberace” show, which is co-produced by Caesars Entertainment and Green’s company, Primary Wave. (Base leases the two theaters at Planet Hollywood.)

Sunday’s column did not say otherwise, but questioned whether it’s a landlord’s role to simply collect rent or to have input into key content and business decisions.

The question still stands.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.