Anyone happen to have this set? They sound awesome, and very informative. Course what else can you expect from Dai Vernon?

Dai Vernon is one of the most important figures in the history of Close-Up magic. On September 2-6, 1982 he was filmed in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada discussing and sometimes demonstrating magic with Gary Ouellet, Steve Freeman and Michael Ammar. This was originally released as a set of 17 videotapes that sold for a small fortune. All of the footage is now available on eight DVDs.

Volumes 1 & 2 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
The Story Behind the Stars of Magic Series, Vernon on Think-of-a-Card, Dunninger, Brainwave Deck, Vernon on Effects, Triumph-the Vernon Triumph Shuffle and the Proper Presentation, Story of the Vernon False Shuffle, Practice & Improve Your Magic, Keeping Notes on Your Magic, Cutting the Aces, Another Vernon Card Classic, Vernon on Passes and False Cuts, Irv Weiner's Opening to Cutting the Aces, The Story is the Entertaining Part of the Trick, Story of the Ambitious Card, Vernon Performs the Ambitious Card, Vernon Explains an Ambitious Card Move, The Vernon DL, The Fingerprint Card Trick, Vernon DL Replacement, On the Strike DL, Vernon's First Intro to the Pass, Spellbound, Story of the Purse Palm, Vernon Demonstrates the Purse Palm & Spellbound Move, Vernon on Coin Vanishes, The Ring and the Wand, Slow Motion Aces, Story Behind Slow-Motion Aces, The Slow Motion Card Vanish, Story of the Last Card (Tent Vanish), Lay Down & Routine, The Force with No Name, Slow Motion Aces for Magicians, and much more. Running time: Approximately 112 minutes.

Volumes 3 & 4 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
The Travellers, Vernon on Malini's Method of Marking the Cards, Proper Way to Turn the Top Card Over, Why Vernon has the Cards Signed, The Kangaroo Coins, Vernon Talks About Lapping, The Balls in the Net, Han Ping Chein with Ball, Vernon Explains What Makes a Good Trick, Jumping Jacks, The Tenkai Palm Switch, Vernon Explains How He Got the Name "Professor", The Tenkai Switch - The Pivot Move, Story Behind the Symphony of the Rings, Vernon Tells a Silhouette Story, Vernon Performs and explains the Symphony of the Rings, Counting the Rings, First Link, Spinning the Ring, Unlinking the Ring, Crash Link, Chain of Three, Linking Three & Unlinking Three, The Continuous Linking, The Falling Ring, The Interlocked Rings, The Figures, The Long Chain, Unlinking a Solid Ring, Unlinking All the Rings, The Coins and Champagne Glass, The Secret to a Good Coin Vanish, and much more. Running time: Approximately 114 minutes.

Volumes 5 & 6 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
Vernon Talks About Fred Kaps, Coins & Silk Routine, Coin Transfer, Chanin Classic, Palm Coin Productions, The Cups & Balls, Vernon Tells How He Got His Cups, Opening to the Cups & Balls, Jay Marshall's Bit with Cups, Explanation of Depth Illusion, Vernon's Story About the Cups & Balls at the Magic Castle, Advice On What To Do After Palming Something, Loading Sequence, Large Ball & Wand Vanish, Wand Spin, Ball Under Cup Vanish, Coins & Purse Swindle, Malini's Version, Purse Palm Vanish, Leipzig's Coin on Knee, History of Color Change, Erdnase's First Method with the Vernon Improvement, The Erdnase Pivot Color Change, The Malini Handling, Picking Off the Pip, Leipzig's Handling, Leipzig's Side Slip and Vernon's Variation, Handling the Sucker Gag, Steve Freeman's Tips on the Color Change, "Softy" Color Change, The No Palm Color Change, The Time Vernon Cheated the Cheats, The Greek Crimp, The Gambler's Peek, The Back Crimp, The Suit Peek, The Corner Crimp/Cutting to a Crimp, Story About Larry Grey, The Snap Crimp Story, The Snap Crimp, Mexican Joe Crimp, Best Way to Reverse a Card, The Breather Crimp, and much more. Running time: Approximately 119 minutes.

Volumes 7 & 8 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
An Unpublished Linking Ring Move, The Vernon No Key Linking, The Five-Card Mental Force, Some Thoughts on the Stop Trick, Taking Advantage of Good Breaks, The Trick That Cannot Be Explained, The Cutting Trick, How to Practice the Trick That Cannot Be Explained, Card Palming, The Hofzinser Bottom Palm, The Diagonal Palm Shift and the Vernon Improvement, The Hofzinser Bottom Palm Transfer, The Diagonal Palm Shift, The Hand Washing Move, The Gambling Palm, The Vernon Gambling Palm Transfer, Topping the Deck, The Erdnase Top Palm, Skinning the Hand, Vernon Color Change, The Tenkai Palm Color Change, The French Pass, Bottom Palms, Covering the Side Slip, Dramatizing Revelations, The Loewy Palm, Some Moves for Cards Up the Sleeve, The Vernon Card Switches, A New Top Palm, The Card to Jacket Pocket, The Palm Change, Story of the Mysterious Kid, Vernon Talks About Shiners, and much more. Running time: Approximately 117 minutes.

Volumes 9 & 10 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
The Berg Move, Trick That Fooled Houdini, Vernon tells a Horowitz Story, Boat Trick, Three Card Monte, Preparing the Cards, Bent Corner, Tips on the Hype Move, Sucker Ploy, The Torn Card, The Broad Worker's Story, The Double Flash, Removing the Bent Corner, Bobby Fischer Story, The Vernon Cone and Ball Routine, Basic Move for Cone & Ball, The Ball and Silk, Hand to Hand Ball Transfer, Vernon on the Dye Tube/Color Changing Silks, Loading the Silk, Palming the Tube, Start of Routine, Steal of the Tube, The Chopstick DL, The Overhand Shuffle Technique, The Pinky Count, The Greek Break, Bottom to Top Transfer, Vernon's Simple Double Peek Control, Triple and Multiple Peek Handling, The Fan Force, and much more. Running time: Approximately 115 minutes.

Volumes 11 & 12 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
The International Gambler's Code, The Zanzig Code, The Spread, The Miami Brothers Ploy, The Vernon Card Switch, The Gambler's Hole Card Switch, The Snatch, The Verbal Code, Teaching Method for Verbal Code, How to Memorize the Cards, Vernon Tells the Story of Benny, Vernon Short Card, Corner Short, Short Card Control, The Erdnase Bottom Deal, The Elliott Bottom Deal, The Artanis Bottom Deal, Gambling vs. Magic, The Second Deal, The Johnny Thompson Method, Vernon's Trick for Second Deal, The Vernon New Theory Second Deal, The Big Lie about the Strike Second, The Elliott Million Dollar Secret, Mexican Joe's Shift, The Side Shift, Covering the One-Handed Shift, The S.W.E. Shift, The Kennedy Center Deal, Bad Habits Center Deal, and much more. Running time: Approximately 114 minutes.

Volumes 13, 14 & 15 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
The Drunken Mitt, How to Tell Backs from Fronts by Feel Alone, Tips on the Overhand Shuffle, The Erdnase Full-Deck Control, The Vernon Full-Deck Control, The Charlier False Shuffle, The Push Through Shuffle, The Strip Out Shuffle, The Kid Royal Shuffle, The Up the Ladder False Cut, Three Card Monte, Beanie Wienie, Cards to Pocket, Three Shell Game, Time Machine, Cutting the Aces, Slow Motion Ace Assembly, The $2 Bill Tear, The Yeast Card, Card on Ceiling, Kiss Trick, Ring on Rope, Coins & Silk, Silver Passage, Roll-Over Aces, The Two Goblets, Symphony of the Rings, Why Vernon Changed his Name, How he Got the Name "Professor", Enjoyed Watching Gamblers, Talks About Erdnase, Vernon's Favorite Book: Erdnase, School Magic Show, No Use of the Word *** or Egg Bag, Great Weakness of Magician, Meeting Cliff Green, Producing a Card in the Shower, First Time Seeing Max Malini, Malini at the GM party, Malini Card Stab, Antique Table Story, Advice from Malini, Malini's Vanishing Tobacco, Malini's Opener, Malini at Buckingham Palace, and much more. Running time: Approximately 114 minutes.

Volumes 16 & 17 include stories, demonstrations and/or explanations to:
Cutting Silhouettes, The Harlequin Act, How Vernon Met Frances Rockefeller King, Magician Spies on Vernon, J. K. L. M., Dr. Daley's Notebook, The Book, "Our Magic", Cardini, The Frogman, Cardini's Talking Act, Cardini's Tails, Al Baker, The History of Silhouettes, Colorado Springs, World's Fair, Vernon Cuts a Silhouette, Twenty Dollar Gold Piece, King of Koins, Emil Jarrow, Jarrow Plays London, Closing of his Act, Warren Keane, Malini Block of Ice, Fred Keating Canary Story, Paul Rosini, Herbert Brooks, The Manner In Which Tricks are Presented, Larry Grey Follows Hobos, Lance Burton at the Body Shop, Garrick Spencer/Academy of Magic, Allen Kennedy Center Deal, Teaching John Scarne the Center Deal, Vernon Takes Ted to See Allen Kennedy, Mrs. Vernon Meets Mexican Joe, The Greek Gambler, The Hold-Up Story, Jack Benny Joke, Dr. Ross, Meeting Dan Cummings at Restaurant, Takes the Touch of a Billiard Player, Frank Tobey/Vernon Sees Faro Shuffle for the First Time, One Arm MacDonald - The Diamond Ring, $100 Ace Trick, Davis the Miracle Man, and much more. Running time: Approximately 114 minutes.

The idea behind these videos was to capture Dai Vernon live so future generations of magicians can experience his knowledge and thinking. More than 15 hours of footage. No magician should miss these videos. Sold as a set of eight. All DVDs can be played worldwide. Produced by L&L Publishing. Original release date: DVD: July 2003, VHS: 1982. (Purchased separately these DVDs sell for $34.95 each).
US $239.95

I have the first "video" and it's fascinating.

Are they good though? I've heard mixed reviews...

The pleasure is more in the listening to the Professor rather than in the learning of moves.

Dai Vernon is not really a good magic teacher, at least not on these tapes. However, there is sooo much more to learn from this master that these tapes/discs are simply a must!

Frank

It's the history that is so wonderful.

I would highly recommend this set for historical information and to experience the professor live!

This set is a MUST have for any serious magi. The Professor's reasoning and explanations on how various effects should be done is worth it's wait in gold.

Ok thanks!

Well although it seems dated in terms of the set, haristyles, fashion etc ( a very thickly-maned Mr. Ammar), the knowlege imparted is timeless. As other members have mentioned, the Professor's historical journey through magic and its stars (whom he seemed to be intimately-acquainted with) is well woth the price. Together with collector's routines from Gary Ouellet, and Ammar makes it even more value-packed.

All in all, a fascinating set that no magic buff should be without!

Before you buy the WHOLE set, I strongly suggest that you start by buying only 1 DVD.

Why???

Because as you will soon realize yourself, these tapes are very poor teaching ressources. They show but do not explain well (if at all).

So if yur main goal is to learn routines, your mney would be better spent elsewhere.

But if your want to see some cool sleights performed by the world's best, and are interested in hearing some stories then go ahead.


And to be brutally honest, Vernon gets on my nerves (not just his voice, but I find him obnoxious too)

My 2 cents

Ronnie Lemieux
Montreal
Canada

I have the complete set and could not be happier. Some of what has been said here is kind of true regarding whether or not explanations are provided. I have found that between the tapes and other sources I have been able to come up with any missing pieces that may have not been included or that were just glossed over. When I bought the DVD’s I watched all of them as if I were watching a documentary I did not have a deck of cards in my hand waiting to learn a move. I then sat down and watched them again with a note pad in hand taking close notes as to what I wanted to study further than what may have been on the tape. I am currently now watching the DVD’s again and attempting to study what has been provided on them from a historical standpoint. I will say this if someone really wanted to take the time you could dedicate a year or two to these DVD’s just studying them in finite detail. The value is in the teaching and history of what is provided. I personally enjoy the study of magic history as much as I enjoy learning a new move, so for me these DVD’s are worth there weight in gold. I almost wish that the producer would have charged double for them so that people would really understand the value of what is contained on them.

Highly recommended for the serious student of magic.

Cheers

I find it interesting that you would say that he is not that great of a teacher, but then you refer to him as a master. No disrespect but it just doesn't make sence to me.

Well I am not certain of his teaching style yet, but great performers do not always necessarily make great teachers, and vice versa. I would not mind having them just for reference, and magic history purposes. However I would want to learn a few technical aspects for the price as well, as opposed to just magic philosophy.

I also realize that these were made way back before any kind of real standard was set as far as what is quality teaching on a dvd. I would not expect them to necessarily be as good as some of todays dvd material. However I am sure that Vernon has a lot to offer on them.

Sad to read so many members slagging off the standards in Vernon Revelations. I think the Professor has earned the right to be 'obnoxious' as saturnin states in his post.

A personal attack on one of the truly greats thinly veiled as personal opinion is distressing...

I wonder what these members have done in their magical life to warrant being videotaped and preserved for future generations?

I personally had no trouble learning from these tapes back when they were first released. They are full of good magic, good stories, and just all around interesting. They are also one of the few places you can see Steve Freeman. I highly recommend these.

Dan

Please excuse my bad English. What I meant by "master" is that Vernon knew a lot about magic and if you want to learn something you should listen to him, even if he is not a good teacher. Many professors know a lot and are no good teachers

So another member who feels the need to slight the teaching abilities of the 'Professor' Dai Vernon. Funny how oldwilson feels he isn't a good teacher, but some contemporary greats like Ammar, Cervon etc pay tribute and homage to him as their teacher and mentor...

How any real lover of close-up magic would want to be without these tapes, is beyond me.

Any lover of "MAGIC" period!

Uli wrote:
"How any real lover of close-up magic would want to be without these tapes, is beyond me. "

It all depends on what your goal is, and at what stage in your magic life you are at the moment! (are you a beginner, an intermediate, and expert, a professional, an history buff....???)

If you want to learn ROUTINES, then you might find better explanations elsewhere and better spend your well-earned money, as this series is pretty expensive.

But I do agree that there are many excellent tidbits scattered on this series.

Ronnie Lemieux
Montreal
Canada