Ok its time for one of my world famous reviews. This time around, we will be joining David Acer in his Extreme Close Up dvd, ok.

Find it here
Extreme Close Up

A demo you say?? ok

On to the effects, ok.

LICKETY FLIP

This is a flashy way to produce the 4 aces. You cut the deck a few times and produce an ace, which is immediately split into the other ace of the same color. You outjog one ace, and injog another ace. You then Karate Chop the middle of the deck and in an instant all four aces are face up in your hands.

Let's start of by saying how nice this actually looks, words can not describe this effect, it is very visual. The workings are simple, but the ending result is a pain in the (EDIT). You will need to work on this one for quite some time, ok.

HOFZINER'S DELUSION

4 aces are produced beforehand I might add, (see above). The aces are counted for all to see. On the second count, the ace that corresponds with the selected card is seen to be face down. When turned over, it happens to be the selected card, and the card on the table is the corresponding ace!!!!!!!!!

I love the look of this effect, I just have not tried it yet so I can not comment on how difficult it is or not. It uses a very good count to accomplish the effect, more to come on this one, ok.

CHANGES

Hands down the most visual effect in the set. A card is selected, let's say the 7 of clubs. It is then split into 2 cards, the 3 and 4 of clubs, then changed into the 5 and 2 of clubs, and then just as easily changed back into the 7 of clubs.

Very visual effect, which doesn't look too hard, again I have yet to try this. David goes over an easy setup for this one, and it can be done with a borrowed deck.

AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DOLLARS

Some cards with various countries are shown to the audience. Two of them are then selected by spectators. A bill of currency is borrowed, then changed into one of the selected cards countries currency. It is then changed into the other countries currency, and back to the original borrowed bill.

This, I would assume, would hit very hard with the layfolk. This seems impossible. David teaches this bill switch very nicely, and I now have a new favorite type of bill switch. Pretty easy to perform for the intermediate to advanced/beginner magician, ok.

CHEAP LABOR

A card is selected by a spectator and placed on the table. Two other cards are placed on the table. Another card is used and a stick man is drawn on the back of this newly found card. The stickman is going to help us locate the selected card. The stickman is placed with the other 3 cards. The stickman can't find the card so he enlists the help from an amigo of his. Now there are 2 stickmen, on different cards of course. They can't find it either, so a third stickman is brought in to play, on a different card. well, no such luck and a fourth stickman is needed, so he shows up to help solve the case. In a flash, 3 of the stickmen dissappear and the remaining stickman happens to be on the selected card!!!!!!! Whos say's hired help has to be expensive???

I absolutely love this effect and it can be seen in the demo. This actually fooled me the first time I saw it(the power of the rewind button). It is very easy to perform and will most likely be the newest addition to your act, ok.

OVER EASY

This is the first effect I performed for someone off this set.
A card is selected and placed back into the deck. Nine cards are taken as a sort of guess to help find the selected card. Every other card is then turned face up one by one. With a flurry, all the cards are face up expect one, and you guessed it, it's the selected card.

Like I said, this was the first effect I tried on someone, and it went well. It is as impromptu as impromptu gets, and is not too hard, there are just a few things that need smoothing out, ok.

RINGER

Well..... David's ode to the song "feelings" is quite interesting when performing this effect, but the effect is pretty cool.

A finger ring is layed on the table, and a coin is introduced. The coin is shown like it will be penetrating the ring, but the coin dissappears instantly leaving the coin as confused as a 14 year old who is about to get some for the first time. The ring is then taken in the left hand, grabbed by the right hand, dissappears from the right hand and is seen chillaxing on the left pinky finger.

I actually like this effect, it's simple and to the point, although you are limited to where you can perform it, ok.

QUARTERMAIN

1 by 1 coins penetrate a deck of cards into the awaiting glass.

Simple, straight to the point and flat out ingenious. The gimmick is as ingenious as the person who invented Carmen Electra. You WILL use this at one time or another in your life.

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Stuck to the card case is a 5 dollar bill with Mr. Lincoln thinking about nothing. A card is selected by a member of the audience and Abe is now thinking about that card.

Yes, it's done how you are thinking, ok.

COLOR SCHEME

Imagine being able to hypnotize the spec into thinking he saw you change his blue backed card red, and back again. Well, with this wonderful effect you can.

This was the reason I bought the dvd. It is in the demo video, amd I had to have it, even though I knew how it was done by watching it. The utility move that accomplishes this effect can be used elsewhere as well, ok.

MADCAP

12 ounce curls!!!!!

This is just like Karate Coin but with a bottle cap. Very visual, but very easy to do, ok.

RINK
A borrowed finger ring is put into a coin purse, and a borrowed pair of glasses are introduced. The glasses are folded into closed position, and dipped into the purse, and when removed, the ring has penetrated the glasses and is hooked onto one of the arms.

I like this one, it is a good impromptu effect with borrowed items. I give it 3 thumbs up, way up, ok.

PAINTBRUSH

This is the color change at the end of the demo video. It is a nice way to change a card, and the color of the deck(as David does in his routine).

Easy to do, needs practice for timing and smoothness, ok.

PLOP

This is a Richard Sanders idea, and it is seen in the demo as well. This is the one where the ball appears behind the empty coin purse frame.

You saw how easy it is, but it looks nice, ok.



FINAL THOUGHTS

At first glance, I wasn't too impressed with this dvd, but after reviewing it a few times, I found I like it more than I thought I would. David teaches his material very well. I will be working a lot of this material into my closeup act and some of it wil be going into my strolling routines. David keeps things interesting with his comedic performances and his beautiful sleight of hand work, even the camera guy makes you laugh at times. I would say that this is one of the better purchases I have made, and I am not sorry at all that I purchased it, ok.

Material 9/10

Quality 10/10

Teaching 10/10

Overall 29/30

Hotsauce