David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Dissapears part 3

good evening I'm Michelle Lee we're at the base of what is perhaps the most important symbol of freedom in the world today the Statue of Liberty our reason for being here goes beyond illusion or entertainment the United States government has granted permission for David Copperfield's attempt to vanish the Statue of Liberty why David bull explain later good evening I'm William Dee Williams last year David performed the world's largest illusion when he vanished a 7-ton jet airplane now to give you an idea of the the magnitude of tonight's illusion the statues arm alone is longer than that airplane the Statue of Liberty measures 305 feet in height and weighs an incredible 450,000 pounds the statue was designed and constructed in France back in 1884 by a sculptor named Frederick Augusta Bock tall and raised over New York Harbor 1886 after being shipped here in separate pieces there have been many theories on how David would accomplish this incredible illusion for instance it would take 26 helicopters to lift the separate pieces straight up if it were possible to detach the statue from the fort below another theory is to lower the statue into the ground but because of its size and weight it would take an elevator more than 15 minutes to get the statue below the fort level if such a device existed approval for this event came from our government their officials informed me of the presidential appointed fundraising Commission for the statues restoration headed by Lee Iacocca by 1986 she'll be as good as new it was necessary to erect two scaffolding towers 200 feet in front of the statue the towers are constructed to hold a curtain used in the illusion circling the statue will be a helicopter it will give an aerial view of the results of the illusion this is where audience will sit the chairs are in reclined position so that our audience can have a good view of the statue David is in radio communication with our helicopter and three other strategic points around the statute surrounding statue we place three koto Matic instant captain's they're being loaded with film now these cameras will eject their instant photographs into these locked boxes they'll be set off before the illusion begins and take continuous photographs in sequence to provide photographic proof of the statues disappearance from three different angles around the statue these young ladies will stand in front of the units and will remain with the cameras until we're finished the members of our audience here are from all walks of life they will be the jewelry for those back in our studio and all of you throughout the world watching this on TV we've anchored the towers down in front of the fort to prevent them from blowing over while the curtain is raised between them the green display on this radar screen shows the statues existence this radar screen will be your way and my way of keeping track of the statue when the curtain is raised standby that our time is running short but I think it's important for you to recap using this model of Liberty Island the audience on Liberty Island and myself are seated here in front of the towers 200 feet in front of us is the Statue of Liberty it's surrounded by a circle of Lights the china punt array is between the statue in the audience here this is to protect the secret of the statutes disappearance when the curve is lowered if we have successfully managed the statue we will go to our helicopter camera which will give us an aerial view to prove the statue is managed searchlights from the audience area will pass through the empty space is that you occupy moments before there's two things you must remember first this is the real Statue of Liberty not a model and second when the curtain is raised we will not cut away from our camera shop it will remain on until after the statue has vanished David's magic is performed with absolutely no camera tricks the illusion you are watching at home is exactly the way he is doing it now ladies and gentlemen mr. David Copperfield you wash what was your reaction I was just an enchanted entire thing it's just disappeared what happened is that gone - I have no idea no idea where what that's the negative Richard describe what you saw I tell you if I was home watching on TV I would be a little skeptical but I was here and it was there and now it's not there I don't know what happened - fantastic you look like a skeptic all I know is that when the curtain dropped the statue was not there and I didn't see it and how about you when that curtain went down and it was nothing there I just couldn't believe it your reaction I was amazed I don't see it it was there and it's not there anymore do you have any ideas where it went and no I don't i do idea our co2 Matic cameras with their boxes are being brought to our audience area now let's take a look at the instant photographs from the three surrounding views these are the photos from the right side of the statute miss in the back and finally from the left side I have never seen a statue a little bit Liberty disappear the way this one did converted naturally appear you'll find out I want to tell you why I did this my mother was the first one to tell me about the Statute of Liberty she saw it first on the deck of a ship that brought her to America she was an immigrant she impressed upon me how precious our Liberty is and how easily it can be lost and then one day it occurred to me that I could show with magic how we take our freedom for granted sometimes we don't realize how important something is until it's going so I asked our government for permission to let me make the Statue of Liberty disappear just for a few minutes I thought if we faced emptiness where for as long as we can remember that great lady has lifted up her lamp why then we might imagine what the world would be like without Liberty and we'd realize how precious our freedom really is and then I would make the Statue of Liberty reappear by remembering word that made me appear in the first place the word

Channel: docebrown1955

Views: 5,032,841

Rating: 4.4902201 out of 5

Keywords: David Copperfield, Magic, 1983, Statue of Liberty, Statue of Liberty Dissappears, David Copperfield V

Id: qXQqrXljnm8

Length: 11min 27sec (687 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 30 2011