Hi there, this is my first review at the Café, I hope you enjoy it.

Preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UFhtJeUOt0

Olmac ( http://www.magicolmac.com/ ) is an award winning French magician ( 9 awards, check the website ) that doesn't have much material published. From the gallary section in the DVD, he seems to be quite known among magicians ( he has photos with Greg Wilson, Henry Evans, Mac King, David Williamson, David Acer and many others ). This DVD was released in 2003 I believe, and its very good. Let me tell you this: The material is HARD. I've read many material on card magic, and this DVD is one of the HARDEST card magic I came across. No, no center deals here, but the routines are of manipulative nature. You'll do Longitudinal palming, you'll do a half pass and follow it with a turnover pass, you'll do palming and color changes quite alot. Also, you won't be spood-fed, you'll rewind and watch again till you get the move down. Lets go into some detail.

The DVD begins with an explanation of the Wow control, an extremly deceptive control that is extremly angly as well. The move's only good angle is the front, which is why Olmac doesn't do it in any of the performances section. Many variations are taught, the only one that I use is the reverse, which is quite angle-friendly. Other than that, the control suffers from the angles. Olmac doesn't teach anything about angles by the way, you have to do some work to be able to do the move well.

Another control is the Subtle control ,which is a card steal. I have seen something similar by Marlo, though Marlo uses Longitudinal palm, this one is different, and if you're fimilar with tenkai palm and its variations, you'll find this a nice idea. Olmac does this for his sandwich routine, which fits perfectly. Olmac doesn't go into detailed explanation, though he does provide MANY clips ( different angles, slow motion ). The move can be used as a side steal, control to the top or 2nd position. Also, its used a boommerang, for people who like card spinning moves.

One Card Pass is the best move in the DVD. Although Olmac doesn't go into details of angles, though from watching the clips ( different angles, slow motion ) you'll get it down. Its a version of Krenzel's One Card Pass, though the refinement here is a very good one which allows you to control the card to the top, 2nd, and to you're palm ( making it a side steal ). Also, you can do it with multiple cards ( inserted together, not in different places ), this makes a very good method to side-steal multiple cards from the deck, not to mention control them. In any case, this move is what I got from this DVD, and its the move that Olmac uses throughout the DVD as a card control.

3 color changes are taught. One is the *Roll Over change*, where you blow on a card and it changes ( see preview ). This is a good one. Another one is the *Dark Change*, which I've seen it being used by the Buck twins in a trailer. Its really hard and knacky ( see preview, you'll know it ). Last change is *Flash change*, which is the good ol'Twist change, by Ed Marlo.

Some flourishes are taught ( not card juggling, mind you ). A novel one is a top card turnover with one hand, which I can't seem to do. A good one is a method to do a boommerang, which one of the harder ones.

The effects, these effects rang from medium to darn hard difficulty. "Phoenix Card Production" is taught ( also in Cliff Green's Professional Card Magic, Greg Wilson's Double Take DVD too ). "Illusive 4 Aces" is where 4 aces are vanished, reproduced, vanish and appear in middle of the pack, its of medium difficulty. "Mouth Surprise" is a 2-selections revelation that teaches you the a Marlo move to switch a card. "Repeat Card to Pocket" is a nice routine where the spectator reaches into your pocket to take the selection out, only to do it again, then the whole deck vanishes as a climax. The routine is one of the easier ones. "2 Invisible Cards" uses a specific color change extensively, to make two selections vanish into air, then produced. The routine is a hard one ( for me ), and you get to see some slightly original thinking in terms of method. "Foot Magic" is a card color change where you rub the card with your shoe. "Multi Sandwich" is a 3 phase routine where you place the selection openly inside, and its trapped between 2 kings. This is repeated, and finally the kings trap the selection when they are away from the deck.

I'm glad I bought this DVD and studied it for several reasons. First, I get to see an extremely good card handling skills. The half pass, palms, turnover pass, double lifts, changes, misdirection in performance, all these things are done in a wonderful way. Olmac is darn good when it comes to the pasteboards. Second, I feel this DVD is what elevated my card magic one more level ( I got it in my 2nd year in magic ), now I'm comfortable doing palms ( tenkai and classic ), and the one card pass is something to be proud of. Third, you get to see someone's style. These routines are soo *Olmacish*. They fit him very well, and he sure has some style when handling the deck.

Hope you liked this review.

~ Feras

Feras, thanks for the review. It matched what I remembered about the DVD.

No problem Christopher.

I'll try to do more reviews. All the reviews I've seen are of new items, it would be nice to remind the people of some great older items every once in a while.

~ Feras

Thanks for the review

I particularly like card controls and so this is one of my favourite DVDs. There are some very nice controls on there.

Thanks guys.

Pharaoh, which control do you use from this DVD? I use the One Card Pass extensivly, and actually yesterdat combinded it with another sleight that gave it a different *taste*.

Great move.

~ Feras

What an amazing DVD! Although the moves are not for beginners, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Oliviers work.

- FP

Just to add on it - the angles of the WOW control are not as bad as they look like

Agreed, with the right timing and execution, this can be done almost surrounded! I have fooled many Magicians using this control, it really is a great and deceptive control, and put in the practice and you will be well rewarded

Just a heads up for those that are interested, the wow control can be found in Greater Magic (the Kaufman reprint). Look under Pughe's Pass. It's basically identical with the exception of the dribble.

Best,

Dorian Rhodell

If you liked his first dvd, then you will probably like his second dvd called atomic or something like that..

Same for me Chris. I love this control and have gotten a lot of use out of it. Not that angley at all. In fact I showed a group at my local brick and mortar this control just last weekend. Three times in a row it fooled them.

This is a great DVD and highly recomended.

Tim

WOW control is actually "Steranko's Shadow Steal" from "Steranko on Cards".(Denis Behr)

While Steranko was the first to establish this move in print, the move can be found on pg. 1053 of the 1994 edition of Greater Magic. This pre-dates the 1960 Steranko publication. In 1933 George Pugh wrote a letter to John Northern Hilliard regarding a one card version of the Houdini - Elliot Shift. George Pugh used the move to control a selection to the top in the same manner that is on the Control Freak DVD. The only thing that was not described in the 1933 description was a dribble. So, in fact, the move belongs to George Pugh. See "George Pughe's Pass" in Greater Magic.

Best,

Dorian Rhodell

@Dorian Rhodell:

Thanks for your explanation.
I was very interested in this move and I think I read in another forum this about Steranko and the wow-control.

No problem.

Best,

Dorian Rhodell

Didn't notice these posts about the Wow control. I'm actually surpise that there are people who use it.

I tried it in front of mirror, and the control is just flashing badly. Maybe I'm not doing it properly, even though I'm trying my best, I keep rewatching and rewatching.

Dorian, Greater Magic is not currently in print ( the notes are, I believe )? I would love to get my hands on a hard copy. Same goes to Steranko on Cards.

~ Feras

Duh . . . I knew that I have seen that move somewhere before . . . .

I think Dan Army invented the move.

? huh ?

Christopher, Dan Army is the real Erdnase.

~ Feras