A few years ago when Palms of Steel was released on video, I remember looking at the cover photo and thinking to myself; "This looks like some serious stuff!", and you know what? It was, and still is!

I would have never guessed that a few years later, I would not only meet Curtis and see him work close-up, but actually be present when Palms of Steel 2 was shot.
The IBM convention held in July 2002 was pretty much a disappointment magic wise, but during Curtis' video shoot at 3am, there was some real magic taking place, and once again, more serious stuff.

Curtis was nice enough to send a copy of that San Diego meeting, so I'll give you a peek at the finished product. Enjoy.

Palms of Steel 2/Fists of Fury by Curtis Kam
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The first thing you'll notice after inserting the disc is the menu system, which let's you go straight to the explanations, or see the performances. Very nice. If there are lay people in the room, have your remote in-hand. The reason being, once the performance of an effect is finished, the disc jumps right into the explanation, so be prepared. I noticed that unless you select the option Play entire video, you never actually see the nice introduction that does exist on the disc, but that is a moot point.

The overall artwork and packaging is nice and striking, with the box listing six effects. Curtis' material is listed first, with all but one routine appearing in the order listed. The disc also includes a couple items from Reed McClintock and Kainoa Harbottle (Kainoa also made an appearance on Palms of Steel ), who were special guests of Mr. Kam.

The material was filmed in several areas, some routines took place outside, one in the hotel lobby, and one in the studio. Curtis did his explanations in the studio, Reed and Kainoa did their's on location.

Here is a quick overview of the material itself:

Beijing Coins Across: This routine must be seen to be appreciated. Silver dollars appearing, vanishing, and changing into Chinese coins, and looking like real magic. This will take dedication and practice, but would be time well spent. Awsome.

Coercive Purse: Curtis originally designed this routine to be presented when you are working a tough crowd full of wise guys. Nothing is ever like it appears, and the finale of a jumbo coin inserts the last nail in the coffin! This does require a gaffed coin, but one that most all of you already own. Not that difficult, but will take work. Excellent!

The Goblet: Hands down, my absolute favorite on this particular offering. Curtis took the guts from Beijing Coins Across, added the interest and mis-direction of a chalice, and created a truly beautiful piece of magic. Fried me the first time I saw this. Killer stuff here.

Reed McClintock's International Dissolve: If you have never had the opportunity to see Reed perform live, here is your chance. Showcasing an effect from his successful Knuckle Busters series, Reed provides plenty of magic using nothing more than a few coins and a playing card. This will be a bit of a challenge to learn, but well worth the effort. Very cool.

Tiananmen Square: This is a very intricate variation on the now classic Inexhaustable Purse, but what a take it truly is. Chinese coins appearing one after another, all from a very tiny coin purse! This is a real showpiece, with an ending that has your close-up pad covered with coins, and the addition of a giant chinese coin as a finale.
Though you can use standard Chinese coins, the nice one's that Curtis uses are available thru MagicSmith. Again, as in the previous routines, this piece will take some work, but in the end you will reap the rewards. Very nice.

Kainoa Harbottle's Repeat Coins from Nostril: Kainoa is a talented young man who not only displays great skill handling coins (fluid coin rolls and a nice muscle pass), but presents a terrific piece of coin magic. He also does an indepth look at the Matobe Palm, a very useful sleight that until now, was only really explored in Richard Kaufman's 5 x 5 - Japan. I'm not sure that having coins fall out of my nose is for me, but for the right person presenting this in the right venue, could well make this a crowd pleaser. Worth a look.

In addition, Kainoa also performs a bit of magic combining the underused Over the top (Bobo) sleight, with the not so well known SpiderVanish. I use the Over the Top move myself, and can vouch for its overall effectiveness. This material is a nice bonus, and is sure to please.

I found the picture quality to be excellent, and the sound is generally good, though the outside shots (understandably) have some noise from passing vehicles and talking bystanders in the background.

As with the other MagicSmith dvd's I've seen (In the Trenches & Outside the Box ), the only real complaint I have is the use of only one camera. This makes for some swaying back and forth at times, and the addition of the performers head not being seen much. Again, a very moot point, but is very noticeable.

In conclusion, I wish to make a few comments about the material. This is not only good stuff, this is great stuff.
I can't recommend this disc enough! I'm serious here, I'm sure many of you have heard of Mr. Kam's reputation, and may be afraid to try this stuff out, but you will really be missing out if you elect to do so.

Curtis took great pains in explaining these items, and with the convenience of dvd, learning has never been easier. Even though only a single camera was used, a good over the shoulders angle was used, assuring the viewer a good look at all the work. I would venture to say that anyone making an honest and sincere effort will be doing this stuff in a short time themselves. Highly recommended!

My rating:

Available through MagicSmith or your favorite dealer.

Dealers - contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
Toll Free: 1-800-853-7403
Or visit Murphy's website:
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Suggested retail is $30.00

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