Over the years, Magic Realism has been misunderstood by many and it remains an elusive term today. In recent times, there has been a trend to apply it imprecisely, and even gratuitously. A large part of the problem relates to applying the term to different art forms and in different periods. There are few cohesive links between the two main movements, one in art and the other in literature. And to complicate matters, recently the term Magic Realism has also been applied to works in cinema.

       From the early 1920's through the 1950's  the term Magic Realism was only applied to painting. It referred to a type of Realism that  incorporated unusual or mysterious elements, but portrayed everyday life. The term was applied to the work of many artists in number of areas of the world, and there are countless references made  to Magic Realism by writers, art critics and art dealers during the four decades which represent its heyday .  

     The term Magic Realism was applied to literature beginning in the 1960's. At first it was used in reference to works of Latin American writers, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Miguel Angel Asturias, Isabel Allende and Jorge Luis Borges. Its usage has been broadened to include works of diverse origins and earlier periods, such as those of Ernst Juenger, Mikhail Bulgakov and Salman Rushie. Because the majority of this literature features considerable amounts of fantasy, this is a  type of Magic Realism very distinct from the type that had been established in art in the preceding four decades.

     More recently, some writers have established that Magic Realism should be applied to Motion Pictures, and there are many fine examples . These include films like American Beauty, Big Fish, Chocolat, The Red Violin, and Whale Rider. Also, one of the highest grossing foreign films was Like Water for Chocolate, based on a Magic Realism novel. It is clear that it is fairly easy in Cinema to develop the complex and inextricable mixture of realism and fantasy that makes up the fabric of effective Magic Realism .

      Today the term Magic Realism is developing interest that it never commanded during the first half of the 20th century. Its place in the history of painting is well defined, although now somewhat obscured by the passage of time. As is the case with other types of Realism, the conversation has always been polite and cerebral, rather than shocking or publicity seeking. Because a different set of criteria are used to define Magic Realism in literature, it seems more appropriate to treat Magic Realism in art as purely historical, rather than a contemporary continuation of the original movement. Still for artists who are willing to research its roots and apply its distinct techniques to contemporary subjects, great rewards await. The rewards of life as a Magician.