Secrets of the Playing Card

Overall, very informative, but I am disappointed they did not mentioned or give credit to Pamela Coleman Smith…I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to mention Pixie and it was a major let down when they didn’t. Nor did they touch focus on major modern day scholars such as yourself Mary….heck, they didn’t even mention Stuart Kaplan. However, the video is in line with the History channels usual dramatic presentation of a subject, but I am glad to see they did it…anything which gives the general public a broader understanding of the Tarot is a good thing.

Thanks for posting it Mary, you’re blog is such a blessing.

Hi, Mary, I didn’t even know this was out there! Thanks for posting it.

Gayla, I’m a big fan of PCS and mentioned her in the interview. I also spoke more of the story-telling and symbolic side of the cards, which is my main interest in tarot. But of course, so much ended up cut!

Overall, though, I think the film did a good job on giving a look at playing cards and the tarot from various points of view.

The Playing card history is the best part of this film. As for the ‘mysterious’ cards – WOO! History Channel’s films are frequently informed by a very conservative or fundamentalist mind-set, which is played up for effect to make the topic seem more controversial. The authors of Wicked Pack of Cards are themselves very anti-divination; you feel that they can barely bring themselves to mention it, it is so beneath their notice. They rely on the historical and cultural sides of things.