Magic In the Moonlight Trailer – Shot By Shot Breakdown

We’ve finally got our first taste of Magic In the Moonlight, the upcoming 2014 film written and directed by Woody Allen. The trailer hit earlier this week, and we know a lot more about the film. Here’s a shot by shot breakdown of the trailer, matching up with what we know so far.

Here’s the trailer if you’ve not seen it yet.

Here’s our shot by shot breakdown.

We open with a scene outside the Opera in Nice. This was one of the very first nights of filming. Colin Firth was spotted on on set, and it seems to be where Firth’s character runs a magic show.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.32.37 pm

Seems that Nice Opera is the Berliner Theater hold shows for ‘Wei Ling Soo’. There was a real Berliner Theater in Germany in the 1920s, suggesting this scene could be set in Germany. Firth’s character is established in continental Europe.

Wei Ling Soo is likely based on the real life Chung Ling Soo.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.38.15 pm

A familiar looking Wei Ling Soo, with an elephant.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.43.17 pm

He makes the elephant disappear, which is one of Harry Houdini‘s most famous tricks.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.44.03 pm

The crowd cheers on. The interior also matches the interior of Nice Opera.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.45.55 pm

Look who it is! Colin Firth appears, and voice over calls him Stanley.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.47.58 pm

The voice over is by Simon McBurney. He calls Stanley the best in the world. And he needs his help.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.54.01 pm

“The plot thickens.”

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.54.21 pm

We meet the Cartledge(?)s…socialites from London (hence speaking English?). This looks like a London street. Was there filming done in London we weren’t aware of?

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 1.59.47 pm

Tennis continues to be a motif in Allen’s films.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.00.57 pm

“…in the South of France”.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.06.25 pm

“There’s a woman…”, and indeed there is. Emma Stone.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.06.53 pm

Our first look at Jacki Weaver. The matriarch of the Cartledges.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.08.15 pm

And we find out what Stanley does…he debunks fakes.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.08.50 pm

Our heroes depart…driving past that same spot we just saw a second ago.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.10.13 pm

Our heroes arrive…at Menton. Two locations there were used – Villa Maria Séréna and Serre de la Madone. This is the home of the Cartledges. Voice over starts telling us about ‘Sophie’.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.13.49 pm

It’s Hamish Linklater, one of the Cartledges. He is enamoured by young Sophie.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.33.23 pm

Our first real hero shot of Stone as Sophie.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.18.17 pm

Linklater meets McBurney and ‘Stanley’.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.20.02 pm

“She’s a visionary and a vision.” Great sweater.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.21.16 pm

Marcia Gay Harden arrives with ‘Sophie’. We know that she is Sophie’s mother.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.21.52 pm

And they knock out ‘Stanley’ and McBurney.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.22.46 pm

A quick look back at Wei Ling Soo before…

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.23.19 pm

…a lovely stroll.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.23.55 pm

A bit more tennis. Stone in a green dress.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.24.27 pm

More strolling, this time by the sea.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.26.23 pm

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.26.46 pm

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.26.37 pm

Strolling in a garden. With Eileen Atkins – we later find out she is Stanley’s aunt Vanessa. Stone in a green dress so this comes around the tennis scene.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.27.37 pm

Atkins and Firth debrief.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.29.02 pm

Harden smokes as Stone uses her powers – shortly after that first meeting. MPAA told us there would be smoking throughout.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.29.29 pm

“Are they cumulus clouds or cirrus?”

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.30.23 pm

Why stroll when you can drive. And you’ve paid for a vintage car to be part of your film. Part of the tennis day (green dress).

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.32.03 pm

Harden and ‘Sophie’ debrief. They call ‘Stanley’ Mr…Tavers? Taverner?

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.33.11 pm

OK, we get it, south of France is pretty with lots of things to eat and do. Green dress. Not sure where this location is.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.34.25 pm

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.35.02 pm

Firth in a tux, Stone is a particularly French get up. Outfits we have seen in photos previously.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.41.17 pm

Cartledges, Harden, and pretty scenery.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.42.10 pm

A séance. The first one for ‘Stanley’ to witness.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.43.18 pm

A great reaction from McBurney. On the left is Jeremy Shamos. Is he a Cartledge also? There must be more than two.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.44.24 pm

Atkins with ‘Stanley’.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.46.16 pm

Beds look comfortable in the south of France.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.47.34 pm

Talk to the hand.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.48.18 pm

Our best look yet at Atkins.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.48.56 pm

Strolling has led to eating in a lovely house.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.49.55 pm

And more magic fun. It is neck and neck which of the two here is acting more Allen-esque.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.50.42 pm

We continue the strange pattern of trailers using original graphic elements that will never make the finished film. Looks a bit ‘The Great Gatsby‘.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.51.41 pm

A big garden party. The perfect way to relax after a day of strolling.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.53.05 pm

A new dress for Stone. Firth in white tie.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.55.02 pm

Our players.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.55.24 pm

One more montage of lovely scenery. Looking.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.56.54 pm

Strolling.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.57.06 pm

Swimming.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.57.36 pm

Dancing.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.58.13 pm

Driving.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.58.56 pm

Oh no! Twist! Maybe the south of France is not the paradise the first 1 minute and 51 seconds so far made out.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 2.59.13 pm

What’s this? Who left an observatory here? This is the Nice Observatory.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.00.52 pm

Green dress. That’s quite a day they are having. ‘Stanley’ knows the area from when he was a boy.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.02.49 pm

The moonlight from the title. We were wondering when that would turn up.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.04.28 pm

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.05.35 pm

The film’s name!

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.06.03 pm

And check out some of the sites for the film.

Screen Shot 2014-05-24 at 3.07.57 pm

Facebook

Twitter

Official site…which doesn’t seem to work yet.

And that’s it! Lot’s more to find out in the coming weeks, before the US premiere on the 25th July. Find all known international release dates here.

 

You may also like

5 Comments

    1. I loved it. I wasn’t too impressed by my two hour captioning job… And I really don’t know much about this film. I wonder if it’s going to be lik midnight in Paris… There’s a twist that’s hiding.

      1. Yeah, I really loved it myself. It appears to be one of the most visually stunning films that he’s done.

Leave a Reply