Mysteries and magic

Along the winding avenues of the Streets of America, full of Disney’s Hollywood’s Studios facades, are a number of windows that reference film history. Some of them are grand, like The Big Sleep (as investigated by Jeff Pepper of 2719 Hyperion), and some of them not so grand, while others are simply obscure. Today’s window rests firmly in the latter two categories.

In January of 2005, the Disney Channel Original Movie, Now You See It…, premiered. It starred Alyson Michalka (Phil of the Future, Aly &AJ) and Johnny Pacar (Flight 29 Down). Michalka plays a young and upcoming, albeit teenage, producer, named Allyson, who is making a television program to uncover the world’s greatest child magician. The contestant, and ultimately the winner of the contest, is Pacar’s Danny.

Danny and the show’s magician host Max (Frank Langella), it is revealed, have the gift of magic. Not your typical slight-of-hand, but they are honest to goodness sorcerers. The remainder of the story is a jumble magical artifacts, the magic of film, and treachery. Max attempts to murder the novice Danny, who is able to thwart him only with Allyson’s help. In the end, Danny has gone into hiding to work on his powers, feeling that another confrontation with Max is inevitable, though Allyson is able to visit Danny.

Here is where the second half of the window comes into play. Now You See It… was originally supposed to have a sequel, entitled …Now You Don’t. Unfortunately, due to obligations or other tricks of the Hollywood trade, the movie was never made. Which, in a way, is slightly sad. After all, we all could use a little more magic in our lives.