MovieChat Forums > Red Lights (2012) Discussion > The tests

The tests

posted 11 years ago by theCurlyone
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I am taking it that De Niro knew, ahead of time, the tests he would be taking, hence why he was able to come up with an appropriate code for the numbers game.
Assuming this, how could his accomplices have altered the other tests?
The water trick couldn't have been accomplished with static electricity as that trick would attract the water, not repel it. Perhaps the water was magnetized in some other fashion allowing repel?
The camera trick is a difficult one, any ideas?

I think it's a joke

[–] gothor 11 years ago

The water trick could be something as simple as the filmmakers got the shot wrong. While researching for the movie, they probably read it's possible to "bend" water, but didn't make sure it was bending in the right direction for the shot.

As far as the camera trick, check out this article:

James Randi argued that Serios could have created the thoughtographs by concealing a small lens with a photographic transparency attached to it inside the gismo. Randi was able to produce similar photographs in this way.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/photo_database/image/thoughtography

Also: http://www.skepdic.com/thoughtography.html

So, it's possible to pull off both of these tricks in real life.

The movie doesn't correctly shoot how the hoaxes are pulled off. But then, Hollywood is REALLY bad about accurately representing stage magic, without resorting to CGI or outright getting it wrong.

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[–] theCurlyone 11 years ago

the idea that the filmmakers got the concept slightly wrong is believable. Why else would they use a known to be debunked method?

Museum of Hoaxes - Alex Boesse - Yes yes yes.
I read his 'Elephants on Acid' and that book blew my mind. It's similar, but a collection of bizarre experiments written as if he was there.

I think it's a joke