The document provides an overview of the 2010 animated film "L'illusionniste" or "The Illusionist". It discusses how the film addresses three main issues - changes in pop culture and technology which see the illusionist struggle as his acts become outdated; the concept of growing up as the young girl Alice realizes magic is just an illusion; and the father-daughter relationship between the illusionist and Alice as he cares for her. The document also provides background on the film's source material and direction, as well as summaries of contributions from three students - Noelle, McKenna, and Miguel - who analyzed different aspects of the film.

1. How Does
It End?
Noelle, Miguel, McKenna

2. Ambiguous Endings: Overview
● “Ambiguous: open to or having several
possible meanings or interpretations;
equivocal.”
● Ambiguity is an attribute of any concept,
idea, statement or claim whose meaning,
intention or interpretation cannot be
definitively resolved
● Specifically, endings that leave you
guessing, wanting more, and leave
unanswered questions fit under this
category.
● Popular movies with these endings include
Inception, Total Recall, and The Sopranos

3. "L'illusionniste" (2010).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmsukmz
3QQE&list=PL9D7B0AAB3687C965
A French Illusionist travels Europe trying to make a living off of his magic
tricks. He travels to a small Scottish island to perform, where he meets a
young woman named Alice, and she is convinced that he is a real
magician. They embark on a journey together after Alice sneaks on the
departing ship on which The Illusionist is onboard. As Tatischeff battles
coming to terms with the fact that his audiences are diminishing, he takes
on several jobs to provide Alice with gifts and a place to live, as a fatherly
figure. We watch as The Illusionist is forced to either change with the
times, or fall behind and be forgotten.

4. Textual Source
● The Illusionist is an animated comedy/ drama
film directed by Sylvain Chomet that was
released in 2010.
● The film is based on unproduced script titled
“Film Tati No. 4,” that was written in the late
1950’s by Jacques Tati for his daughter.
(Chomet based the character The Illusionist
off of Jacques Tati)
● “There’s a scene where the Illusionist goes to
see a Tati movie playing in a local cinema,
creating an odd mirrored effect as the Illusionist
looks at the man who inspired his creation.”
(NYtimes.com).

5. Issues Addressed 1: Changes in Pop
Culture & Technology
Changes in pop culture and technology are
presented throughout the whole film,
specifically in two scenes.
● The first scene the one where Tatischeff
waits backstage to go onstage, smoking a
cigarette as he watches the 60’s British boy
band called the Britoons performing for
what seems like thousands of screaming
girls. After they play three encores for the
screaming fans, it’s the Illusionist’s turn to
go on, only to find that everyone has left
the auditorium except an old granny and
her fidgety grandson.

6. Changes in Pop Culture & Technology
II
•
•
The other scene is the one where Tatischeff arrives in an old fishing town
in Scotland, and performs his classic bunny in the hat trick. The whole
bar loved it, and found his illusions to be real. After he finishes his
performance, the owner of the venue brings in a brand new Jukebox and
turns on some 60’s rock, and the whole bar dances and screams in
delight.
These two scenes depict the fact that technology and pop culture
constantly are changing, and leaving behind the old and useless things of
the past; Jukeboxes and rock and roll replace magic tricks and operas.
These scenes show what its like on the receiving end of that
replacement; the struggles associated with being forgotten are shown
through Tatischeff and his little bunny friend, and eventually leave to
the ending that makes everyone wonder, what happens to those people
once they are forgotten?

7. Issues Addressed 2: Growing Up
No matter how much we fight it, people eventually grow up. The wonder
and imagination that we once possessed as children gradually fades away
as our views and perceptions age. The scene when Alice receives the
magician’s note, saying “Magicians do not exist” is a great example of
this. Throughout the film, Alice is portrayed as an innocent and naive girl,
who thinks The Illusionist can make anything just appear for her... but
this scene is the moment when her wide-eyed innocence disappears as she
comes to realize that life is not truly full of magic; Magic is just an
illusion. Alice grows up and meets a boy, and moves in with her new
boyfriend while The Illusionist rides away on a train.

8. Issues Addressed 3: Father Daughter
Relationshipsin hand, but the third issue in the film was shown
Issues 2 & 3 may go hand
through the caretaking role The Illusionist fulfilled as young Alice snuck out
of Scotland to follow him to Edinburgh. While Alice still saw Tatischeff as a
real magician, providing her with gifts like shoes and a coat, he actually
had to spend his hard earned money on them. Eventually, Alice is forced to
realize that magic isn’t real, and The Illusionist was taking care of her
when she had nowhere else to go.

9. Noelle
Noelle created the outline of the
presentation as well as the Powerpoint, and
directed the group. She also provided
information on the Changes in Pop Culture
and Technology, and Father Daughter
Relationships, and found the video
sequences on Youtube.

10. McKenna
McKenna provided information on the
Growing Up issue addressed in the film, as
well as contributing to the creation of
discussion questions, created the
bibliography and worked on finalizing the
Powerpoint.

11. Miguel
Miguel found the information for the Textual
Source of the film, basic info about the film,
as well as clip art for the presentation,
discussion questions, and definitions of
Ambiguous.

12. Works Cited
•
"Ambiguity." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 July 2014. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.
•
"Ambiguous." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.
•
•
•
"Guest Appearance By Jacques Tati | Director Sylvain Chomet On The Illusionist | Features |
Empire." Empireonline.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.
Kehr, Dave. "Conjuring Tati's Spirit With Animation." The New York Times. The New York
Times, 30 Oct. 2010. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.
"L'illusionniste." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.