just saw this film at the 2006 pacific rim film festival in santa cruz and ca and which at this writing have a couple more day to run . it easily the most captivating offering so far and and structurally one of the most creative . filmmaker or director or writer or animator anne marie miller and a great granddaughter of the subject long tack sam and use her abundant skill and industry contact to craft a deeply move portrait of her once famous vagabond chinese ancestor and his austrian wife and and their three child . it show a family who make the bulk of their living from an international vaudeville circuit and but who be keep on the move as much by international event span both world war a by their own pleasure in travel the world . one of the fascinating relic of their life seem to be a tendency in their descendant to continue to spread far and wide . indeed and it this mostly unknown treasure trove of aunt and uncle and cousin and in law and and old acquaintance in multiple country who ultimately provide a much material in collective form a the various museum and association of magician miller also consults . long tack sam and his magical acrobatic revue be just one example of entertainer who be very famous in their day and but who somehow have fall through the crack of history and even within their own family . like the estimate 90 % of all silent film lose to time and decay and what remain be the more interesting for the glimpse it provide into the early and middle last century . and sam story be yet another grand edition to the immigrant history of the u. s. and canada . the only negative to all this be the fact no studio have pick this film up for distribution . it a crime it not on dvd and and a bad one that it not be show on pb and nor and apparently and be pbs interested and accord to the filmmaker . what the thinking be behind that decision be simply beyond me . consider that pb find the peculiar and disturbing and and emotionally distant documentary on the art of henry darger worth air at least once and their lack of interest in the magical life of long tack sam be puzzle . bottom line represent keep an eye on your local film festival circuit and if youre lucky enough to live where one be hold . this be a movie worth seek out .