Good question. We don't need more of the same card tricks or re-named effcets. But there is more advanced card magic do be discovered.

I'm verrry cautious about adding anything. It has to KILL. I don't have this DVD so I can't say if it contains that.

Fellow Café Members,

Let me start off by saying that I am in no way affiliated with Michael or his products, but this DVD is really good.
Just like Bright Ideas this DVD is jammed packed with some really workable material that you can go out and use in the real world. Real commercial effects.
I havent seen the 2nd DVD yet, but after the first one, my favorite effects are Shrinkage and MST.
Let me say that this DVD is worth it, do yourself a favor and get this DVD, it wont hurt to have it in your collection, plus you can at least get 2 or more effects out of it to use in your daily lives.

Thanks

ALEX

Christopher I am glad you probably will not end up buying this, which is good, which means more magicians using this killer stuff, stay away from it chris

Ireland, I don't know... Do we need more rock songs...? Do we need more movies...? Cards hold infinite possibilites. Probably why they're so popular.

I love it when people who don't even have the dvd and thus don't know the material go on about how it appears not to have any killer material. Maybe if those people actually went out on the advice of some of the top guys in the business, Docc and Greg's endorcements are enough for me, and bought it they'd see that this DVD contains some of THE most commercial close up magic available in any one resource.

In my opinion his card to any number handling is worth the price of the set. Its a piece you will perform imediatly and get steller reactions too.

Ken
(A guy who HAS seen the full DVD)

Oh My LORD!

Seriously. If you think mentalism is less skillful than magic then you havent seen some of the greats working. The Amazing Kreskin, Bob Cassidy all of these people are insane workers.

The difference is, if a magician gets caught doing a sleight its a good joke, some fun and he goes on with his next trick. If a mentalist gets caught switching something or doing something fishy then he is busted completely, his premise and what he stands for is out of the window.

On another note. I shared with Matthew a way of presneting one of his effects as mentalism, he tried it and was over the moon to tell me that it HUGELY increased the impact of the effect.

Ken
The Mentalist

OK, I will. Thanks for warning me away from it.

Like others I have no affiliation to the people involved in this DVD - but it really is very good. Very rarely do I buy a DVD nowadays and actually end up doing stuff off it.

Christopher doesn't need new tricks as, from the look of his pic, is always taken phone enquires anyway

I just added a monkey to the act and he's looking for new effects. If he gets this DVD I'll let ya know.

Gotta go, the phone is ringing ( I hope it isn't for the monkey again ).

It was me ringing. Went to answer phone.

That was you? I couldn't understand you. You kept saying "this is my onion".

OK, I'm already flooded with card effect, I bought this anyway, and here are some remarks.

1) I liked the plot for "X-marks the spot" (Chicago Opener) - but nothing really new there, but it tried it out and it plays very well for the audience.

2) MST - I believe that effect alone is worth the price of the DVD - it's an excellent effect of a spectators signature moving from one card ´to another - and its so much more than that - it's magician in trouble - and very visual.

3) Shrinkage, 3D stick man etc. Same concept. but what a nice concept - this is going to play big and its going to be very fun to perform. Just look at the guys face when the card shrinks - and if that dull spectator reacts that way, then I'm sure that the average spectator will have a great reaction.

So far its the only effects I've had the time to look at, and if they set the standard for the rest of the DVD - then this is definately a good buy.

And NO, we probably don't need any new card effects. However, as a magician you also need to keep your self entertained and enthusiastic as well, and this DVD carries a few great ones that you probably will have a lot of fun with together with your spectators. So when you start loosing enthusiasm for your old effects, then give them a little pause, and bring some new inspiration to your act.

I'm pretty happy with what I've seen so far.

Just wanted to recommend this as well, it would definately suit intemediate card workers, the explantions are clear and the effects are strong.. I did find matthew a bit cheesy, but that doesn't detract from the effects on the dvd, which as stated above are performed in live situations, and not everyone who he performed for was welcoming... definately worth buying at the price.

Let me just add to my post above, that I really like Matthews in-the-hands version on anniversary waltz - that's a very nice and direct handling. I will use it tonight for a newly wed couple - so I'll give you an update when I'm back on Monday.

Just buy the DVD - it's workers material - easily suited to your own style/persona.

'

And heres my follow up - it played really really strong.

Just let you know the newly wed couple loved the anniversary waltz. I just made a slight change to the effect. After getting the second card signed I also control that card to the bottom of the deck - which allows me to spread the deck back sides up and say "so both of your cards are in here somewhere - it's now time to test your magic skills" thereby causually showing that all the cards have the back side up - without saying so. This also means that the magic of having the cards turn face up one at the time when the spectators handles the wand and say his/hers magic words becomes a strong effect in it self. They loved that part in it self - and thought that was the trick. Now after the cards both turned face up one at a time I told the newly wed couple "apparently your magical skills are very strong - but now its time to test your love for each other - how strong and durable it is". That really got their attention - well the end of the effect you know, and I can only say that the bride freaked out and said out loud "the cards are really stuck together,and they are not even double as thick as a single card" - she obviously believed they fused together - and that was brought over to the rest of the spectators by her actual words.

I think Matthew have changed this effect into a real practical working item by focusing on doing it stand up - and focusing on getting straight to the point/magic without to much by-play. Job well done - thanks Matthew.

I love the "Shrinkage" card effect. The only thing I couldn't find on the DVD was the performance of "Card to anywhere" I wanted to see him do the card to bottle performance. I was disappointed because that was one of the reasons I bought the DVD.

I see your point. I like the principle though. I tried it out yesterday, I just did it as a "card under table cloth" routine. It worked - the principle was acutally convincing - I rubbed the seemingly 5 cards into the table cloth and then the selection dissapeared - just to be found under the table cloth.

I'll try card to orange next time - but there I would prefer the card signed or a tearing a corner of as a receipt. But I'll do it this way to see if hte spectators buy into the principle.

In this case (I have watched just vol.2) I have to say YES! There simply wasnt any filler material on this dvd and pretty much all the material were killers. Nope, there really isn't anything very orginal on this dvd, but the variations of allready published materials are all very well justified. I consider myself to be a card nut and in recent times I have become extremely picky about giving positive review on any dvd, but this is one along with Iain Moran Covert magic that for some reason I liked very very much. It seems to me that Alakazam is making much better tapes lately than when compared to L&L 3 set tapes for instance. L&L tend to have way too much filler material or something that is allready published in 15 places on their tapes.

Highlights of this set for me was:

Card to mouth. Its not the basic folded card to mouth that isn't usable in real world restaurants in my opinion, but 3 times card appears between performers lips a la Cellini in very short period of time and the deck vanishes. I liked this a lot.

The version on Darwin Ortiz psychotronic card was rather interesting, althought I don't agree on every improvement, but this handling makes it very practical for walkaround. I might try this sometime

Also birthday card trick with card to wallet prediction/kicker was absolutely fantastic idea in my opinion. In short after small ambitious card routine magicians shows that he has prediction in his wallet that says "You will select ace of hearts". But not only that, the prediction is actually spectators signed ace of hearts. Very nice idea instead of just odd backed card to wallet. This will go to my A material for sure.

I didn't really care for the card to impossible location methods, but the theory for card to window as absolutely fantastic. No more I will have to gather 51 cards all over the floor after doing this. Again, just shows that this material has absolutely been used.

Also the card to any number is maybe obious to magicians, but for laymen this combo will absolutely kill and I am pretty sure I will use it at some improptu session at bar sometime.

that's allready 5 routines/ideas I will be using in some way or another.

As mentioned before I watch pretty much all card dvd`s that come to market these days and read A LOT and its very rare that I find anything I like worth watching or less even, worth using. If I find 5 things, then this dvd must be pretty darn good. Well, in my opinion at least the vol.2 is well worth my money.

J-M

Is Baggins "my onion" effect on there?

This is one of the best DVD sets I own. And I've got a lot of 'em. This is filled with great stuff. Mostly cards, But if that's your thing (Like it is mine)or you just want some great card material pick this up.

And, On a personal note and to answer a question that was asked a few posts ago, "Do we really need more card tricks?" I don't know about you but the answer for me is YES!! If you don't like cards...Don't do card tricks. Pretty simple.

Tim