The best magicians of the 21st century set out on a journey to search for the lost author of the most legendary book about the art of sleight of hand.

S.W. Erdnase... the pseudonym of the man thought to be the most notorious card shark of the 19th century. His book "The Expert at the Card Table" is now considered the card conjurer's bible, making it compulsory reading for any magician. It took more than 30 years after its publication for the true value of the book to be appreciated - too late for the author to witness the success of his work and too late for all the magicians who would have enjoyed meeting him. His true identity is still uncertain and remains a great mystery, leaving even the best illusionists in the dark.

In our film the greatest magicians of our time go in search of the long-lost genius. They talk about the rumors of his supposed suicide and other stories that will chill you to the bone. No proof of the many legends appears to exist, but in searching for him we learn about the true significance of hisbook. Along the way, we are given valuable insights into the history of deception through the ages and the origin of some of the best-kept secrets of the contemporary world of magic.

Lead: Florian Beyer a.k.a. Yann Yuro as S.W. Erdnase

Interview Partners: Richard Turner, Laura London, Guy Hollingworth, Jason England, Richard Hatch, Chris Wasshuber, Bill Mullins, R. Paul Wilson, Joseph Cranford

Extras: Making Of

Language: English

Subtitles: German, French, Spanish, Italian

Region Code: 0/ALL (Worldwide)

Run Time: 1h 24 mins 22 sec

FSK: 12 (i.e. PG-13)

Theory, History & Business

The Expert at the Card Table - Looking for Erdnase - DVD