[Heartbeat]
[Children giggling]
I'm glad to see everyone's on time...
For once.
You sound like my homeroom teacher.
Drago the dull.
I like Mr. Drago. He's funny.
Step off. The guy's stale.
I think he's pretty cool.
You don't even know him.
Sure, I do.
He comes into my father's magic shop all the time.
He's a prestidigitator.
A what?
That's a magician.
Really?
Yeah. He calls himself "the Amazing Drago."
Get outta here.
I'm serious. He's been on TV.
I've seen him. He's pretty good.
I guess you shouldn't judge people.
You never know when they might surprise you.
Exactly.
And that's...
What my story's about tonight.
Sometimes things don't turn out
exactly the way you expect them to.
People might not be who they seem to be.
And simple things...
Could turn out to be far more amazing
than you could ever imagine.
Submitted for the approval
of the Midnight Society.
I call this story...
Todd marker was having a tough time.
His father recently died,
and his mother worked all the time.
To help make ends meet,
Todd went to apply for a part-time job
he read about in the paper.
It sounded like fun,
but if he'd only known what he was stepping into,
Todd might never had answered that ad.
[Sound of pigeon cooing]
Hello?
Man: Who are you?
Um... I'm um...
Todd Marker.
I'm answering the ad about a magician's assistant.
Uh, never mind.
Leaving so soon?
Mr. Shandu?
Not "Mr." Shandu.
Shandu the Magnificent!
You may call me Shandu.
Yes sir, Mr. Shandu.
I mean--
So, you want to be my assistant?
Well, yeah.
Have you had any experience?
Sure.
Who have you worked for?
Uh, Phil.
Phil the fabulous.
In other words, you have no experience.
Well, no. But I'm a quick learner.
Magic is not a subject to be learned.
It's a skill to be acquired.
You acquire it by keeping your mouth shut
and your eyes open.
Does that mean I have the job?
Perhaps.
We'll have to see how you work.
Aw, no sweat.
I'm a hard worker.
Good. You can start by tidying up those props.
Shandu: No! Not that.
Never touch another magician's wand.
That's a magic wand?
Yes. For thousands of years
deadeyed sorcerers used wands like this
to draw power from the earth.
Magical rule number 1--
never ever touch another magician's wand
unless he hands it to you.
Like this.
Understand?
Todd's mother was an artist at an ad agency.
It was hard work,
and she was always getting stuck
working late at the office.
I know we need the money,
but I don't know if I want to go back there.
Sorry to make you eat alone again, sweetie,
but I've got to get back to the office.
I have to finish those new storyboards.
Did you hear what I said? They guy's a boss from hell.
I know the feeling.
I wonder what dad will tell me to do.
He would have told you to do your best
and not run away from a challenge.
Try not to be too late.
Love you.
First of all, we'll get the fingers warmed up.
In the following weeks,
Todd and Shandu rehearsed the act.
Shandu made Todd nervous,
and Todd made plenty of mistakes.
Magical rule number 2--
only let them see what you want them to see.
Whenever Todd messed up a trick,
Shandu really let him have it.
[Drops cylinder]
But the funny thing was,
the more mistakes Todd made
the more determined he became
to prove himself to the old magician.
All right. The magic word--
Shandu can do.
No, no no!
You're out of position again.
Sorry.
Close it quickly.
How many times must we do this?
I know, I know.
Magical rule number 3--
the cardinal rule!
Never ever get caught in your own reflection.
It's a precept of magic as old as the thessalonians.
You are hopeless.
Can I say something?
Only if it will soothe me.
Well, I don't want you to take this the wrong way,
but it's OK. To lighten up sometimes.
I beg your pardon?
Well, you're always in such a nasty mood.
What's the problem?
There was a time
when I was the toast of Broadway.
I performed before the crowned heads of Europe.
I even had my own movies series.
Now what have I got?
A few scrapbooks of yellowed reviews.
A few faded movie posters
and this broken-down truck.
My movies aren't even on video.
It isn't very pleasant being a has-been.
You must excuse me
if I don't always have the sunniest of dispositions.
This may be against my better judgment, but...
I've got something for you.
What is it?
It's the tie that I wore for my first performance.
Don't make me regret it.
Then the day finally came
when Shandu and Todd were ready to face
the most demanding audience.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for,
the magical,
the mystical,
the Magnificent Shandu!
[Kids cheering]
Yay! Yay! Yay!
Whoa!
Shandu: And now, the magic words--
Shandu can do!
[Kids] Whoa!
I'm feeling a little scattered lately.
Do you think I should pull myself together?
Yeah! Yes! Yay!
Shandu: Only this time,
I'll need your help.
You just shout "Shandu can do" with me.
When I count up to 3.
1...
2...
3!
Shandu can do!
Whoa! Yay! Yay!
Yay! Yay! Yay!
Well?
Well what?
How'd I do?
You want me to critique your performance, do you?
Well, you aren't the worst assistant that I've ever had.
I'll give you that.
Shandu?
Come on, guys.
Help me out.
Shandu...
can do!
[Poof]
Oh, man.
[Quack quack]
No wonder he didn't want me to touch it.
It's really magic.
Anything happen while I was away?
Todd: No. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Mom! Mom!
You're not going to believe what happened.
I'll believe anything right now.
What's wrong?
5 minutes before I leave work
I get a new project dumped in my lap.
40 storyboard frames.
2 tomorrow.
They're killing you, Mom.
Tell them no.
Oh, I can't.
Do me a favor, sweetie.
Wake me up in an hour.
I gotta pull another all-nighter.
But I gotta tell you about--
Shh. Tell me later, OK?
Shandu?
You back yet?
Here goes nothing.
Shandu can do!
[Poof]
Whoa.
Amazing.
Who-- who are you?
I'm Nazrak, Spirit of the Wand.
Unbelievable.
I have a message for you.
A message?
For me?
Yes.
What is it?
The wand has special powers
that only you can bring out.
Use it anytime you wish.
But Shandu said that--
Anytime you wish.
Very weird.
What are you doing?
I...
I was...
The wand. You took it.
Did you use it?
Well, yeah. But Nazrak told me--
Nazrak! You saw it?
Yeah.
I knew this would happen.
After all these years
to be released by a mere boy.
What are you talking about?
Nazrak is a demon.
A powerful, ancient magician
who has been imprisoned for centuries
in the vortex.
No. She was beautiful.
Nazrak can take on many forms, you fool.
It wants this wand.
To use it is to summon its evil.
I... I didn't know.
If Nazrak is released, it could mean the return
to the dark ages for all humanity.
I...
Get out.
But--
Get out.
Shandu!
[Coughing]
Shandu?
Man: Fire! I'm trapped!
Hel-l-l-p!
Shandu can do!
Shandu?
Are you OK?
I certainly am.
I only needed you to use the wand one more time.
What?
Magical rule number 2--
only let them see what you want them to see.
Hah hah hah!
Nazrak.
Heh heh.
Shandu... can do!
It will no longer work for you.
Where's Shandu?
Silly old fool.
He's taken my place in the vortex.
Now...
give me the wand!
Give me the wand.
Mom?
What? What's the matter?
Aw, man. You're not gonna believe this.
It's all my fault. I didn't know!
What have you done to my tree?
It's not a tree. It's magic.
It's evil.
What magic?
The same magic I used on your storyboards.
I didn't know what I was doing when I...
"I don't know how you did this, but you're amazing.
"I'm bringing them to work right away.
"We'll talk about it when I get home.
Don't wait up. Mom."
[Thunder and lightning]
[Sinister voice] Only let him see what you want him to see!
Hah hah hah!
You silly boy. Give me the wand!
[Sinister voice] You can't escape.
Todd.
Shandu?
Is that you?
Remember the rules of magic, Todd.
Use them!
Shandu?
[Sinister voice] The old man can't help you!
Give me the wand.
I know the rules, Nazrak.
You can't take it unless I hand it to you.
I'm not gonna!
I could force your mother to convince you.
Nazrak?
I'll make a deal.
I'll hand you the wand.
You have to leave my mother alone.
You hear me? That's the deal, or no wand.
Nazrak: Agreed.
Give it to me.
Ah. Great.
Mine.
I've waited centuries,
and now it's mine.
Remember our deal.
Oh yes.
Your mother's safe...
but you're not!
What?
Magical rule number 1--
never touch another magician's magic wand
unless he hands it to you.
You never should have handed it to me, boy.
For now, you're going to join
the old man in the vortex!
You can't do that.
Oh, yes I can.
Magical rule number 2--
only let them see what you want them to see.
Be gone!
Magical rule number 3--
the cardinal rule!
Never ever get caught in your own reflection.
You did it, my boy. You did it!
Yeah, I guess I did.
I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Shandu.
Actually, I should be apologizing to you.
You see, I've been trusted with this wand
for far too long now.
I've been searching for someone to take my place.
That's why I handed it to you in the first place.
Me?
You've passed the test.
I don't believe it.
It's magic is very powerful, my son.
Learn to use it.
How?
I don't know what to do.
You'll know.
Besides, I won't be far away.
For now, I leave you with just one more rule--
magic rule number 4.
Always leave them wanting more.
You're not going to believe the night I've had.
Hey, where's my tree?
And that's the last Todd saw of the old magician.
Good story.
Wait up.
Hey!
You coming, or what?
Captioned by Grant Brown