Hi Everyone,
Cris Johnson here with a new review.
Before I get into this week's review, a couple of housekkeeping notes and then a mini-rant...oh, heck, I'll do the rant first.:)
I had a day off this past monday and I saw a sign near my house advertising a magic show at our library. Since I'm in the beginning stages of planning an agency, I decided to go check the show out.
From a technical standpoint, the show was fine, but from a patter line standpoint, I won't even use the word 'script,' the show was awful ONLY because of the nasty..and I do mean NASTY...insult lines the guy used, directed at CHILDREN.
I tried finding the guy online and/or yellow pages as I wanted to VERY politely offer my thoughts. He was in his 60's, I'm in my 30's, so I can only imagine how it would've gone! Sadly, I couldn't find him anywhere.
Sad to say, this type of BAD performing is NOT unique in my experience. Therefore, I am changing next month's ezine. It was originally going to be about what Hollywood sequels can teach us about magic for repeat audiences. I'm still doing that article, but it's getting pushed back a month.
Instead, next month's main article will list some specific examples of this guy's insult lines without naming him by name), why they SUCK, my thoughts and speculation as to why magic has not advanced as much as it should from a scripting standpoint and more. I guarantee it will be a must read!
If you're not signed up, jump on the wagon now by sending me an email to: crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. Sign ups for "Cause & Effects, the Ezine" is FREE!!
The second announcement: my newest book is READY! It's called "Cause & Effects Volume 2: Comedy Magic Routines That Will Make You Money!" It has 7 routines right out of my current 2010 set lists. There's my routine for the Arm Chopper - bar none, the funniest Arm Chopper routine ever! There's much more and at $24.95, it's a STEAL. The Hocus Pocus Web Team is crammed with work, but Paul assures me it will be up soon, so check back often!
On to the review...
This week, I take on Entity by Peter Loughran. It's available for $399.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=6071
EFFECT: Objects move without being touched - no threads, you're completely not attached to the gimmick and you can do this even across the room!
WHAT YOU GET: You receive the main props, a CD-ROM of video programming instructions and some written pages of routine ideas and a small carrying case.
QUALITY OF PROPS: Peter makes great stuff and this is no exception. The electronic prop comes with a nice carrying case with room for the remote control and even some additional small props, if you desire. Plus, the electronics were built & designed by Sean Bogunia, so you know you're getting quality.
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION: Peter's instructional CDs are always of serviceable though not broadcast quality, but they're more than good enough. The written routines are decent, though this prop has so many possibilities that it's overwhelming. Right now, I use the prop in two of my shows - one for adults and one for elementary schools. Both age groups react VERY well.
AD COPY: Here's where some folks might have a problem. I'll admit, I've owned the prop for about two years and it's been a while since I read the ad copy...when I did today, I had the "uh-oh" reaction.
You see, I bought the prop initially for one very specific purpose in a very specific show. I talked to Peter on the phone and he really helped me make a good decision. For me, I use it for stage and parlor, in front of anywhere from 20-400 people.
If you're not experienced in performing parlor and stage, to me this means that unless you have an unruly audience, there's going to be a sort of 'barrier' between you and the audience. I mention 'unruly' because only the rudest of spectators will start poking around and grabbing things. Sure they may speak, but most seated shows do not encourage poking and prodding.
In the TV and film industry, people talk about the "invisible fourth wall," where psychologically people are just watching...At your next show, leave the stage and start walking toward people. Often, some people will be surprised! "Oh, the guy can move toward me!!"
What does all of this have to do with Entity's ad copy? In my opinion, a LOT. Peter talks about doing this close-up and table-hopping and how you are clean before and after the effect. I know the handling Peter is talking about, and in my opinion, most people would not want to use it. I'm not saying it won't work, just that I know how magicians think and I believe that at least 99% of the people who buy this with the idea of table-hopping in their head will not entertain the idea of using this in a table-hopping situation once they receive it.
Why? In a close-up situation, there is not a "4th wall" psychologically separateling people. I have done killer stage shows and then close-up afterwards where even the most polite corporate suits turn into Mr. Happy Hands, to quote Doc Dixon. It happens.
The handling for using Entity in a table-to-table such situation requires immense audience management skills. While you are clean before and after the effect using this odd handling, DURING the effect, if someone looks where they are not supposed to, you're screwed.
Compounding things is the clean-up: Right after the effect is over is when people are MOST likely to look where they can't and that's precisely where you must then secretly stash the device. I don't feel it's practical. Possible, yes, practical, no.
Next, Peter assures us that people can place the item down, watch it move, and then they can pick it up again. Here I respectfully disagree...because of the nature of the secret to the movement, most people will feel "something" intangible that will lead them to the secret. This is all despite the fact that there truly is nothing attached.
Now, all due respect to Peter as I LOOOVVEEE this effect..for stage. And parlor. In my opinion, his ad copy should have focused on the real strength of this effect. The first time I performed this for a paying client, I sat down in the audience with them and watched Entity do its thing on stage!
MY THOUGHTS ON THE EFFECT ITSELF: Continuing from the previous paragraph, this puppy shines from the stage or parlor. People can stare right at the item moving and they won't see anything...no threads, for real.
Entity can also move fairly large objects, depending on weight and performing conditions. It's pretty strong. Also, you can move things laying on their sides as well as upright. I started out using Entity to move a Styrofoam cup that was upright. After a while, I tried it sideways and now I always do it that way because after a lot of practice, I can get the cup to not only move sideways, but also twist & turn as it does so. It's REALLY neat!
The remote's range is quite good, meaning you can do this from across the stage. Very cool!
Also, the movement is something you can program for yourself, meaning you can have the object move...wait, move again, move all at once, etc. Variety is a good thing!
The only beef I have really with using this prop in my stage shows is the manner of securing the unit. Peter provides a way to place the unit secretly in place and then easily remove it again. This method for me at least only held it in place for a few seconds...and that was after I cleaned the heck out of my surface.
I switched to my own method: velcro! Now it works perfecty.
These minor short comings are not meant to convince you not to buy it. In fact, I highly recommend this product if you are a stage or parlor performer. It's reliable, looks great and is quiet.
MY RATING: I'm going to give this one of my "split reviews." As far as close-up. I would never use this. The unit is too big and the handling is too awkward for table hopping. I have no doubt Peter does it, as he created it, but for most of us, no way. Our expectations and comfort levels would probably prohibit us. Not to mention the amount of pocket space you'd use.:)
For stage or parlor, this is truly an AWESOME product.
With that, I only give this a 1 out of 10 for close-up and a rock-solid 9 for stage or parlor. I'd also strongly urge Peter to consider revamping his ad copy. But I still love it.:)
Questions? Comments? Review Requests? Email me at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Until next week...
Cris Johnson
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Airborne Wine & Glass is to be AVOIDED!
Howdy, loyal readers!
Cris Johnson here back with a summer-time fun magic review...and for those of you wondering why I give the majority of my reviews glowing praise, well, this week will be one for the ages!
First, some housekkeeping...
Once again, I am truly flattered by the continuing sign-ups for my free magic ezine, "Cause & Effects." Each month it's loaded with great content: one 'feature' article on performing, marketing or philosophy related to magic, a road story (the strange & true!) and other surprises each issue. Signups are free - shoot me an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Finally, I'm putting the finishing touches on "Cause & Effects Volume 2" which will be stuffed to the brim with more of my own presentations and handlings for different effects, including my laugh-out loud presentation for the classic Arm Chopper, Disecto or Guillotine. I recently counted up the laugh lines and there are 10 laugh lines in my original script BEFORE the prop is even introduced! It's taken me 10 years to fine-tune this baby and I'm setting it free!
Watch this blog for the release date. Maybe I'll even talk to Paul about putting together a special "pre-publication special."
On to this week's review...
This week, I'm tackling Visual Magic's Airborne Wine & Glass. It retails for $74.95 and is available from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link to the short-as-can-be ad copy. http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=8282
The ad copy, such as it is, is fascinating for reasons I'll get to a bit later. First, let's look at...
WHAT YOU GET: You recive the gimicked glass, the wine bottle with the 'airborn' gimmick installed and a one-page instruction sheet complete with blurry photo.:)
A SPECIAL NOTE: This is going to be a very negative review. Paul Gross has assured me many times that he wants me to be honest in my reviews - the whole reason he asked me to write this blog. I also want to point out that some people have questioned my reviews, saying that I'm positive in many of them. This is a fair question.
I'll briefly address this - thus far, the majority of my reviews have been for items I've purchased for myself. A lot of them are higher dollar items, so I ask a lot of questions. I know what the item can and more importantly cannot do. I think a lot of magic tricks get thrashed & trashed in reviews because people want the dream..they want the item to do things it was never meant to do...not all, but many. Therefore, I go into my reviews (and purchases) with a realistic idea of the item's limitations. My main source of income is performing on stage - I don't worry about what other magicians or my friends think, just my clients. I'm not judging, only explaining why I tend to give positive reviews...I've done the research before I buy most of my stuff.
Now, I'm only mentioning all of this because the product of this week's review is going to get thumped quite a bit and I do not want first time readers to read this week's entry and think that I'm this brutal all the time.
Finally, I have the utmost respect for the staff at Hocus Pocus and consider Paul & Ken in particular to be good friends. This review is my opinion only and I will not let it tarnish an otherwise stellar track record of carrying killer stuff.
MY BACKGROUND: I've loved the Airborn effect - the floating glass as water is poured into it from a bottle - ever since I saw Lance Burton do it on TV. Despite my love of the effect, I fought the urge to buy it until the heat had died down.:)
Once I did invest in a version, I got one that allowed users to quickly and easily install the main gimmick in virtually any bottle. For me, it worked like a charm and I used it successfully for 8 years. I finally decided to replace it about 18 months ago after it was discolored. (It still worked great, but the wear & tear meant the glass in particular looked beat-up.
My original version was no longer available. I tried a model for about $30 that was installed in a 7-up can. I couldn't get it to work consistently and after others I talked to expressed a similar experience, I moved on. I then found an $80 model which worked OK for about 20 shows. I was happy...until the poorly made hot-glued gimmick fell apart. Not good.
Then, about 2-3 months ago (forget when) I bought this version that I'm reviewing today and after several weeks of struggle, I tossed it in the trash.
The only reason I give this much background is to show you that when it comes to Airborne, I've been around the block with different versions and am not trying to learn this for the first time.
THE PROPS: First, the ad copy makes a big fuss over the fact that the floating glass is clear. When I received my glass, I was expecting to see something wonderous and new, but the fact is, this Airborne glass is built just like every other version out there, except in this case, the glass is clear. I don't know if the audience really cares if the glass is clear or not - when the Airborne effect is done properly, the audience freaks and my other versions have used frosted glasses or those plastic tumblers with the 'ridged' finish that obscures the inside. Again, I don't see the importance, but whatever.
Next, the bottle. The mechanism that is installed in the bottle, upon a cursury examination, looks to be well engineered - no cheap crappy hot glued garbage. This gimmick looks (to me at least) as though it was made specifically for this effect. I like that - i can't stand it when I buy a trick and the $.05 gimmick is clearly 'wooly nylon from Michaels fabric store wrapped around a playing card' but I pay $30 for a promised "customized gimmick."
So the gmmick looks like it was in fact custom...which makes the fact that it works very badly even more amazing. First, a note on water flow.
For the Airborne effect to work, the water flow out of the bottle must be even and constant, a stream that does what it needs: hide what it is that makes the glass float. So, one thing that a gimmick needs is proper air flow. Ever drink Juicy Juice or any of those sugar-laden fruit drinks out of those half gallon cans?
When you open the can, you probably grabbed the can opener and pierced the can, making two triangle-shaped openings in the can, with the two openings at opposite sides of the can. Why? For proper air flow - without the air flow, the liquid kind "blub blubs' out, in a constantly shifting stream that is hard as hell to keep confined to the cup you're pouring it in.
In regards to this Airborne's gimmick, there's no such additional opening for the air flow, so when the liquid comes out, it 'blub blubs' quite a bit. I could almost make it work, but for there are other things that fried me.
The secret something that makes the glass float in the air...you probably know what it is. In the interest of being coy, let's just say that the main support of said floating glass rhymes with "Dishing Mine." Got it? Good. All Airborne versions rely on this. there's no other way unless you sell your soul to some guy named Mr. Louis Cyfer (yeah, a Mickey Rourke movie reference...)
Anyway, this "Dishing Mine" is far too thick, so when you float the glass and go to detach it, you angle the mouth of the glass up and a weight is supposed to pull the...uh..."Dishing Mine" back into the bottle. The weight is not strong enough, so you're left with your "Dishing Mine" showing for all the world to see.
Now, I have to break in - I know these things take practice, but this cost $75 and after two months of fighting with it, it sucks. That original version I mentioned? It cost $35 and after a few days of practice, I was a master.
After a while (weeks of frustration) I suddenly got the bright idea to swipe the too-thick gimmick for one a little thinner. I then re-read the ad copy - the gimmick supposedly can be transferred to any other bottle.
Yeah, right.
The gimmck is mounted in the bottle VERY tightly and is seated down just below the neck of the bottle - I'm sure this was done to hide the gimmick (all well and good) but this meant to remove it I had to pry it out and after 30 minutes of careful prying, I still managed to mangle the heck out of the gimmick.
Despite the partial mangling, I was still able to reinstall it and still try new, thinner gimmcks and finally decided that life was too short.
THE END RESULT: This prop is absolute garbage in my opinion and as a result, I'm giving it my first (and hopefully only) 0 out of 10.
Next week's review will be much more positive...it's going to be Peter Loughran's Entity, which I've used for 2 years now and can offer some terrific insights.
Until next time, send any questions, comments or review requests to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
Cris Johnson here back with a summer-time fun magic review...and for those of you wondering why I give the majority of my reviews glowing praise, well, this week will be one for the ages!
First, some housekkeeping...
Once again, I am truly flattered by the continuing sign-ups for my free magic ezine, "Cause & Effects." Each month it's loaded with great content: one 'feature' article on performing, marketing or philosophy related to magic, a road story (the strange & true!) and other surprises each issue. Signups are free - shoot me an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Finally, I'm putting the finishing touches on "Cause & Effects Volume 2" which will be stuffed to the brim with more of my own presentations and handlings for different effects, including my laugh-out loud presentation for the classic Arm Chopper, Disecto or Guillotine. I recently counted up the laugh lines and there are 10 laugh lines in my original script BEFORE the prop is even introduced! It's taken me 10 years to fine-tune this baby and I'm setting it free!
Watch this blog for the release date. Maybe I'll even talk to Paul about putting together a special "pre-publication special."
On to this week's review...
This week, I'm tackling Visual Magic's Airborne Wine & Glass. It retails for $74.95 and is available from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link to the short-as-can-be ad copy. http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=8282
The ad copy, such as it is, is fascinating for reasons I'll get to a bit later. First, let's look at...
WHAT YOU GET: You recive the gimicked glass, the wine bottle with the 'airborn' gimmick installed and a one-page instruction sheet complete with blurry photo.:)
A SPECIAL NOTE: This is going to be a very negative review. Paul Gross has assured me many times that he wants me to be honest in my reviews - the whole reason he asked me to write this blog. I also want to point out that some people have questioned my reviews, saying that I'm positive in many of them. This is a fair question.
I'll briefly address this - thus far, the majority of my reviews have been for items I've purchased for myself. A lot of them are higher dollar items, so I ask a lot of questions. I know what the item can and more importantly cannot do. I think a lot of magic tricks get thrashed & trashed in reviews because people want the dream..they want the item to do things it was never meant to do...not all, but many. Therefore, I go into my reviews (and purchases) with a realistic idea of the item's limitations. My main source of income is performing on stage - I don't worry about what other magicians or my friends think, just my clients. I'm not judging, only explaining why I tend to give positive reviews...I've done the research before I buy most of my stuff.
Now, I'm only mentioning all of this because the product of this week's review is going to get thumped quite a bit and I do not want first time readers to read this week's entry and think that I'm this brutal all the time.
Finally, I have the utmost respect for the staff at Hocus Pocus and consider Paul & Ken in particular to be good friends. This review is my opinion only and I will not let it tarnish an otherwise stellar track record of carrying killer stuff.
MY BACKGROUND: I've loved the Airborn effect - the floating glass as water is poured into it from a bottle - ever since I saw Lance Burton do it on TV. Despite my love of the effect, I fought the urge to buy it until the heat had died down.:)
Once I did invest in a version, I got one that allowed users to quickly and easily install the main gimmick in virtually any bottle. For me, it worked like a charm and I used it successfully for 8 years. I finally decided to replace it about 18 months ago after it was discolored. (It still worked great, but the wear & tear meant the glass in particular looked beat-up.
My original version was no longer available. I tried a model for about $30 that was installed in a 7-up can. I couldn't get it to work consistently and after others I talked to expressed a similar experience, I moved on. I then found an $80 model which worked OK for about 20 shows. I was happy...until the poorly made hot-glued gimmick fell apart. Not good.
Then, about 2-3 months ago (forget when) I bought this version that I'm reviewing today and after several weeks of struggle, I tossed it in the trash.
The only reason I give this much background is to show you that when it comes to Airborne, I've been around the block with different versions and am not trying to learn this for the first time.
THE PROPS: First, the ad copy makes a big fuss over the fact that the floating glass is clear. When I received my glass, I was expecting to see something wonderous and new, but the fact is, this Airborne glass is built just like every other version out there, except in this case, the glass is clear. I don't know if the audience really cares if the glass is clear or not - when the Airborne effect is done properly, the audience freaks and my other versions have used frosted glasses or those plastic tumblers with the 'ridged' finish that obscures the inside. Again, I don't see the importance, but whatever.
Next, the bottle. The mechanism that is installed in the bottle, upon a cursury examination, looks to be well engineered - no cheap crappy hot glued garbage. This gimmick looks (to me at least) as though it was made specifically for this effect. I like that - i can't stand it when I buy a trick and the $.05 gimmick is clearly 'wooly nylon from Michaels fabric store wrapped around a playing card' but I pay $30 for a promised "customized gimmick."
So the gmmick looks like it was in fact custom...which makes the fact that it works very badly even more amazing. First, a note on water flow.
For the Airborne effect to work, the water flow out of the bottle must be even and constant, a stream that does what it needs: hide what it is that makes the glass float. So, one thing that a gimmick needs is proper air flow. Ever drink Juicy Juice or any of those sugar-laden fruit drinks out of those half gallon cans?
When you open the can, you probably grabbed the can opener and pierced the can, making two triangle-shaped openings in the can, with the two openings at opposite sides of the can. Why? For proper air flow - without the air flow, the liquid kind "blub blubs' out, in a constantly shifting stream that is hard as hell to keep confined to the cup you're pouring it in.
In regards to this Airborne's gimmick, there's no such additional opening for the air flow, so when the liquid comes out, it 'blub blubs' quite a bit. I could almost make it work, but for there are other things that fried me.
The secret something that makes the glass float in the air...you probably know what it is. In the interest of being coy, let's just say that the main support of said floating glass rhymes with "Dishing Mine." Got it? Good. All Airborne versions rely on this. there's no other way unless you sell your soul to some guy named Mr. Louis Cyfer (yeah, a Mickey Rourke movie reference...)
Anyway, this "Dishing Mine" is far too thick, so when you float the glass and go to detach it, you angle the mouth of the glass up and a weight is supposed to pull the...uh..."Dishing Mine" back into the bottle. The weight is not strong enough, so you're left with your "Dishing Mine" showing for all the world to see.
Now, I have to break in - I know these things take practice, but this cost $75 and after two months of fighting with it, it sucks. That original version I mentioned? It cost $35 and after a few days of practice, I was a master.
After a while (weeks of frustration) I suddenly got the bright idea to swipe the too-thick gimmick for one a little thinner. I then re-read the ad copy - the gimmick supposedly can be transferred to any other bottle.
Yeah, right.
The gimmck is mounted in the bottle VERY tightly and is seated down just below the neck of the bottle - I'm sure this was done to hide the gimmick (all well and good) but this meant to remove it I had to pry it out and after 30 minutes of careful prying, I still managed to mangle the heck out of the gimmick.
Despite the partial mangling, I was still able to reinstall it and still try new, thinner gimmcks and finally decided that life was too short.
THE END RESULT: This prop is absolute garbage in my opinion and as a result, I'm giving it my first (and hopefully only) 0 out of 10.
Next week's review will be much more positive...it's going to be Peter Loughran's Entity, which I've used for 2 years now and can offer some terrific insights.
Until next time, send any questions, comments or review requests to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Romhany's Multiplying Bottle Routine DVD
Howdy, Folks!
Cris Johnson here, with another fun-filled review and if you're not careful, you just might learn something...
I have no idea what that meant, but it sounded fun, at least.:)
Quick housekkeeping: Thank you to all of you who have purchased my Mother of All Predictions book. Many of you have told me that you've already added it to your act with spectacular results - news like that is gratifying! For the ultimate one-man, ungimmicked audio CD prediction in which you can mail it to a client weeks or MONTHS in advance and predict ANYTHING, check out the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Don't worry if you don't care for the presentation I describe - you can use this system to predict ANYTHING!
Also, I've already received some GREAT feedback on the latest issue of my FREE ezine, "Cause & Effects," and it just went out today! Sign up is FREE! Send an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. The next issue is going to be a lot of fun, as I reveal how the way movie sequels are often created can serve as a blueprint for crafting a magic show for repeat clients. This is going to be my best article yet!!
On to this week's review...Romhany's Multiplying Bottle Routine DVD. It's available from Hocus Pocus for $39.95. Here's the info link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=11913
EFFECT: As the magician listens to a mail-order audio CD to learn how to do a magic trick, things go crazy as bottles of alcohol switch places with glasses, multiply and generally create more havoc then the magician can handle.
BACKGROUND: I've been performing the Multiplying Bottles for 15 years. It's a killer effect with big visibility, an easy to understand plot, and no angle considerations...well almost none, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
I will admit that while I fell in love with the effect immediately, I didn't think it would "fool" anyone other than young children. I'm pleased to admit I'm dead wrong, as I often have adults coming up to me after a family show and telling me that the bottles was their favorite effect and they could not figure out where the bottles came from.
THAT will teach me to "think like a magician.":)
My first set was a set of bottles that cost $90 or so. My current set was around $300 from Harries Magic and, since they're getting banged up after 8 years, now I'm thinking of upgrading to those new Extreme MULTIPLYING BOTTLES by Keisuke Hanada They're GORGEOUS!
THE ROUTINE: As mentioned in the ad copy, this is a presentation for a 9-bottle set, though the end of the CD's spoken script is open and "loose" enough that you may be able to do this with a 12-bottle set.
The idea is that with the audio CD coming from a magic company, we, the performers, are being guided through our first performance of a brand new effect. (Only in magic would a presentation like this be accepted - LOL)
This is a really nice alternative to the Vanishing Bandana, pretty much the industry standard for the "play a tape and listen to it as we perform" plot in magic. I've never used the Banadana effect, though I think it's a riot. I turned away from it pretty much for the same reasons as Paul - eveyone's doing it and if you play the CD, there's not a lot you can do to 'make it your own.'
Thus, the classic multiplying bottle routine with an audio CD is a nice way to add an audio CD presentation to your act. It adds texture - audience volunteer effect, speaking solo effect, solo effect set to music and now this - you're creating variety in your act.
WHAT YOU GET: You get the audio CD with two tracks - one male (Paul's voice) and one female (not Paul's voice).
You also get a DVD with a live cruise ship performance by Paul and then a thorough run down of several multiplying bottle tips, such as the kind of table Paul recommends, tips for the kind of glasses or tumblers to use, bottle tips to increase the lifespan of the bottles' labels (I wish I would have thought of this when I first bought my Harries bottles) and tips for the tubes themselves, and this, I have to say, is good advice if you're dealing with audience above you. Many of us don't run into that very often, but it's still good to know.
MY THOUGHTS: First of all, the voices. I like Paul's voice. As he delivers the lines, it seems he was trying to deliver the audio CD lines with a certain snarkiness to them. It fits. The woman delivering the lines seemed to deliver them as though she was explaining the effect to a person who had just been kicked in the back of the head by a mule - she was very deliberate, as though she was talking to an idiot.
Personally I think both tracks work and the fac that each was delivered in a different manner shows you how much vocal tonality can impact the written words. This was a fun discovery in the product.
The vocal clarity is very good and the intro music to each track is hilariously cheesy - I actually started dancing to it, which really cracks my audiences up.
The script itself is funny. Not bust-out loud funny, but pretty funny. A few of the lines used are standard multiplying bottles lines from the famous Ken Brooke routine - good, but hardly original.
Paul does a great job of teaching the physical handling of the routine by running through it many times rom different angles. He's very thorough and cares about his products.
The biggest beef I had with this product is one of timing - it seems, to me at least after around 20 performances, that Paul left too long of a pause between each of the laugh lines. There would be a line, then a laugh from the audience...then what felt like several seconds before the next line. That means, for me at least, I was forced to 'mug' or 'vamp' to kill time til the next line.
It's not a BIG deal, but it's been noticeable to me.
Still the end judgement comes down to how it plays and the fact is that the routine does play well. I'll give this a solid 7 out of 10. It's a very well produced product, gets a good though not great response, and you'll have to probably 'mug' a bit between some of the lines, depending on your audience's response.
I like it and you proably will, too.
Until next week...
Questions? Comments? Requests? Email me at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Cris Johnson
Cris Johnson here, with another fun-filled review and if you're not careful, you just might learn something...
I have no idea what that meant, but it sounded fun, at least.:)
Quick housekkeeping: Thank you to all of you who have purchased my Mother of All Predictions book. Many of you have told me that you've already added it to your act with spectacular results - news like that is gratifying! For the ultimate one-man, ungimmicked audio CD prediction in which you can mail it to a client weeks or MONTHS in advance and predict ANYTHING, check out the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Don't worry if you don't care for the presentation I describe - you can use this system to predict ANYTHING!
Also, I've already received some GREAT feedback on the latest issue of my FREE ezine, "Cause & Effects," and it just went out today! Sign up is FREE! Send an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. The next issue is going to be a lot of fun, as I reveal how the way movie sequels are often created can serve as a blueprint for crafting a magic show for repeat clients. This is going to be my best article yet!!
On to this week's review...Romhany's Multiplying Bottle Routine DVD. It's available from Hocus Pocus for $39.95. Here's the info link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=11913
EFFECT: As the magician listens to a mail-order audio CD to learn how to do a magic trick, things go crazy as bottles of alcohol switch places with glasses, multiply and generally create more havoc then the magician can handle.
BACKGROUND: I've been performing the Multiplying Bottles for 15 years. It's a killer effect with big visibility, an easy to understand plot, and no angle considerations...well almost none, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
I will admit that while I fell in love with the effect immediately, I didn't think it would "fool" anyone other than young children. I'm pleased to admit I'm dead wrong, as I often have adults coming up to me after a family show and telling me that the bottles was their favorite effect and they could not figure out where the bottles came from.
THAT will teach me to "think like a magician.":)
My first set was a set of bottles that cost $90 or so. My current set was around $300 from Harries Magic and, since they're getting banged up after 8 years, now I'm thinking of upgrading to those new Extreme MULTIPLYING BOTTLES by Keisuke Hanada They're GORGEOUS!
THE ROUTINE: As mentioned in the ad copy, this is a presentation for a 9-bottle set, though the end of the CD's spoken script is open and "loose" enough that you may be able to do this with a 12-bottle set.
The idea is that with the audio CD coming from a magic company, we, the performers, are being guided through our first performance of a brand new effect. (Only in magic would a presentation like this be accepted - LOL)
This is a really nice alternative to the Vanishing Bandana, pretty much the industry standard for the "play a tape and listen to it as we perform" plot in magic. I've never used the Banadana effect, though I think it's a riot. I turned away from it pretty much for the same reasons as Paul - eveyone's doing it and if you play the CD, there's not a lot you can do to 'make it your own.'
Thus, the classic multiplying bottle routine with an audio CD is a nice way to add an audio CD presentation to your act. It adds texture - audience volunteer effect, speaking solo effect, solo effect set to music and now this - you're creating variety in your act.
WHAT YOU GET: You get the audio CD with two tracks - one male (Paul's voice) and one female (not Paul's voice).
You also get a DVD with a live cruise ship performance by Paul and then a thorough run down of several multiplying bottle tips, such as the kind of table Paul recommends, tips for the kind of glasses or tumblers to use, bottle tips to increase the lifespan of the bottles' labels (I wish I would have thought of this when I first bought my Harries bottles) and tips for the tubes themselves, and this, I have to say, is good advice if you're dealing with audience above you. Many of us don't run into that very often, but it's still good to know.
MY THOUGHTS: First of all, the voices. I like Paul's voice. As he delivers the lines, it seems he was trying to deliver the audio CD lines with a certain snarkiness to them. It fits. The woman delivering the lines seemed to deliver them as though she was explaining the effect to a person who had just been kicked in the back of the head by a mule - she was very deliberate, as though she was talking to an idiot.
Personally I think both tracks work and the fac that each was delivered in a different manner shows you how much vocal tonality can impact the written words. This was a fun discovery in the product.
The vocal clarity is very good and the intro music to each track is hilariously cheesy - I actually started dancing to it, which really cracks my audiences up.
The script itself is funny. Not bust-out loud funny, but pretty funny. A few of the lines used are standard multiplying bottles lines from the famous Ken Brooke routine - good, but hardly original.
Paul does a great job of teaching the physical handling of the routine by running through it many times rom different angles. He's very thorough and cares about his products.
The biggest beef I had with this product is one of timing - it seems, to me at least after around 20 performances, that Paul left too long of a pause between each of the laugh lines. There would be a line, then a laugh from the audience...then what felt like several seconds before the next line. That means, for me at least, I was forced to 'mug' or 'vamp' to kill time til the next line.
It's not a BIG deal, but it's been noticeable to me.
Still the end judgement comes down to how it plays and the fact is that the routine does play well. I'll give this a solid 7 out of 10. It's a very well produced product, gets a good though not great response, and you'll have to probably 'mug' a bit between some of the lines, depending on your audience's response.
I like it and you proably will, too.
Until next week...
Questions? Comments? Requests? Email me at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Cris Johnson
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thread by Wayne Houchin DVD
Howdy, loyal readers!
I'll get to this week's review in a moment, but first, I want to once again give everyone who has checked out my amazing "Mother of All Predictions" book a BIG thank you! The orders continue to come in, making this one of my best selling releases of all time. It's truly a 'worker.'
This principle allows you to mail an UNGIMMICKED audio CD to a client WEEKS or MONTHS in advance. On the day of the show, THEY open the envelope, remove the CD and play it for the audience, using ANY ungimmicked CD player! The method is bulletproof and I credit much of it to mentalist Lee Earle.
Check out the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Secondly, my next issue of "Cause & Effects" ezine is being prepared at this very moment. For all of you travelers out there, this issue will feature an EASY way to save money on hotels. It's something most hotels don't want you to know. I don't believe for a second I'm the only one who knows about this, but every magician or entertainer who travels I've told this to did NOT know this, so if you're not signed for "Cause & Effects," do it TODAY!
Signing up is FREE and can be done simply by shooting me an email to: crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Future issues of "Cause & Effects" have been planned out nearly 3 years in advance, so I ain't going anywhere any time soon!
Here's this week's review...it's Thread by Wayne Houchin. It's available for $29.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=10935
THE EFFECT: The performer swallows some sewing thread...and then pulls it out of his eye!
WHAT YOU GET: A very well produced DVD that outlines two different ways to do this along with a bonus explanation of how to do Wayne's handling of the classic Gypsy Thread.
MY INTIAL FEARS: First of all, any time someone tells me that so and so created an effect for Criss Angel, my defenses go up. I will state here and publicly that I can't STAND Criss Angel. It's NOT because of his magic either. (If you must know, I'm a certified hypnotist. On Mindfreak, Criss Angel did some things in his hypnosis episode that could have seriously injured people and served as a bad example to any fledgling hypnotists out there. End of rant.)
Therefore, when I received this DVD, I expected to hate it. The DVD case cover looked gross - Wayne pulling the thread through his eye with a pained expression.
I do love geek magic, having been inroduced to it at a young age by Harry Anderson's wonderful "Needle Thru Arm" presentation. To me, it's the right way to present geek: it's a glimpse into the performer as a real person, is funny, and had a reason for being. Plus, even though the illusion is so strong, Harry tells you that it's still not real.
My problem with all of the "Criss Angel clones" out there is so many of these folks, on their DVDs, present an effect as just something to freak out strangers on a street - no presentation, no script and no freakin' warning. It's ambush magic. Bad, bad, very bad.
That's what was going through my head when this DVD came. Now, to my thoughts...
PRESENTATION: The DVD starts and it's apparent it has incredible production values. Most of it is filmed in a wonderful looking theater that screams 'character.' Wayne introduces his concept for the effect, in essence saying that as his opening effect, it allows him to share some of his very personal motivations and thoughts to the audience.
From there, we see a clip of him doing Thread for a group of teens and they predictably, in best David Blaine fashion, freak out. It's a startling effect, no question about it.
Then we move to apparently how Wayne normally presents it in a stage situation. He is introduced, walks out and banters with the audience. He's well spoken, at ease, and has good stage presence. He actually does the Gypsy Thread first as a lead-in to the Thread effect and surprisingly, the two link together pretty well.
His presentation really does serve as way to get to know this guy as a real person and I'm completely charmed, laughing at his jokes, his responses, ad-libbed, to audience members, and his verbal set-up of Thread is terrific: he warns them something 'geeky' is coming, but he doesn't completely tell them what it is...only foreshadowing.
By the time the presentation is over, I see enough paralells in Wayne's work with my own and I immediately see where I can easly add this to one of my shows for high schoolers.
I'm hooked - how about the instruction?
INSTRUCTION: Wayne proves to be a skilled teacher, carefully walking you through the two methods of doing the effect. One is called the "Geek Method" and is the one that from a technical standpoint is actually the easier of the two. The second one is pure sleight of hand and is tougher from a rehearsal standpoint because it's a bit more involved.
He explains everything clearly, talks about the pros and cons of the sleight method versus the geek method, and happily for me, the camera angles go a great job of capturing all of the necessary work and details. Big thumbs up.
What I found so disarming about the DVD, though, is how honest and straightforward Wayne presents himself. He knows who he is and plays to his strength. He's not trying to be the 'dark and mysterious stranger' that so many of these street magic thugs seem to be trying to be. Wayne presents himself with a casualness, humor and a little...geeky. Pun definitely intended.
I found his interviews on issues of character and staging fun to soak in as well.
Oh, and his handling for the classic Gypsy Thread? Simply, easy and effective. I don't know if I will use it as a lead-in for Thread as he does, but it's a nice bonus.
At the end of the DVD, proper credit is given to the origins of the the key concept of Thread as well as additional resources for Gypsy Thread. It's not a complete list, but enough to get the viewer started. He knows his history and honors it.
PRODUCTION VALUES: As I've hinted, this is a first rate DVD. The action sometimes shifts to black and white footage and back to color, but it all works. It's all very artistic. I'm told Theory11 puts out great stuff. This is my first experience with one of their products, but I have a feeling it will not be the last.
MY THOUGHTS: I'm stunned beyond belief. I went into this expecting to hate it, but Wayne Houchin has put out a great DVD. In terms of rating, I'm going to give this a 9 out of 10. I'd go a full 10, but the geek method of doing this can cause discomfort for some users and one will probably not know til one tries it for themselves.
Wayne does a great job with this and it's been his opener for a decade. When I did a bit of research on this, I found so many users on other sites reviewing this just as I feared...stuff like "WOW! I got this today and did the trick a few times for my friends and freaked them out!"
They got it and performed it the same day? Exactly what I hate about this type of geek magic. I know it's not Wayne's fault if people do not properly prepare for an effect, but the fact is they do. To anyone reading this, I have a few tidbits of advice:
1. Practive ANYTHING magic-related until you can do it flawlessly.
2. Write a script or presentational hook, a reason for doing this. (No, "Hey this will freak you out" does not qualify in my book.)
3. Be aware of WHO you performing this for. I admit I'm adding this to my teen shows, but I have 15 years' experience and know what my audiences like. This is NOT something to do at little Johnny's 6th birthday party.
I usually don't give warnings like this in my column, but I've read a LOT of "reviews" on this, so I have seen many who gravitate to it.
Overall, great DVD. I'm excited to start working on this for myself.
Next week, another review, so check back soon!
Questions? Comments? Review requests? Send an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson, CH, C.M.NLP
I'll get to this week's review in a moment, but first, I want to once again give everyone who has checked out my amazing "Mother of All Predictions" book a BIG thank you! The orders continue to come in, making this one of my best selling releases of all time. It's truly a 'worker.'
This principle allows you to mail an UNGIMMICKED audio CD to a client WEEKS or MONTHS in advance. On the day of the show, THEY open the envelope, remove the CD and play it for the audience, using ANY ungimmicked CD player! The method is bulletproof and I credit much of it to mentalist Lee Earle.
Check out the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Secondly, my next issue of "Cause & Effects" ezine is being prepared at this very moment. For all of you travelers out there, this issue will feature an EASY way to save money on hotels. It's something most hotels don't want you to know. I don't believe for a second I'm the only one who knows about this, but every magician or entertainer who travels I've told this to did NOT know this, so if you're not signed for "Cause & Effects," do it TODAY!
Signing up is FREE and can be done simply by shooting me an email to: crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Future issues of "Cause & Effects" have been planned out nearly 3 years in advance, so I ain't going anywhere any time soon!
Here's this week's review...it's Thread by Wayne Houchin. It's available for $29.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=10935
THE EFFECT: The performer swallows some sewing thread...and then pulls it out of his eye!
WHAT YOU GET: A very well produced DVD that outlines two different ways to do this along with a bonus explanation of how to do Wayne's handling of the classic Gypsy Thread.
MY INTIAL FEARS: First of all, any time someone tells me that so and so created an effect for Criss Angel, my defenses go up. I will state here and publicly that I can't STAND Criss Angel. It's NOT because of his magic either. (If you must know, I'm a certified hypnotist. On Mindfreak, Criss Angel did some things in his hypnosis episode that could have seriously injured people and served as a bad example to any fledgling hypnotists out there. End of rant.)
Therefore, when I received this DVD, I expected to hate it. The DVD case cover looked gross - Wayne pulling the thread through his eye with a pained expression.
I do love geek magic, having been inroduced to it at a young age by Harry Anderson's wonderful "Needle Thru Arm" presentation. To me, it's the right way to present geek: it's a glimpse into the performer as a real person, is funny, and had a reason for being. Plus, even though the illusion is so strong, Harry tells you that it's still not real.
My problem with all of the "Criss Angel clones" out there is so many of these folks, on their DVDs, present an effect as just something to freak out strangers on a street - no presentation, no script and no freakin' warning. It's ambush magic. Bad, bad, very bad.
That's what was going through my head when this DVD came. Now, to my thoughts...
PRESENTATION: The DVD starts and it's apparent it has incredible production values. Most of it is filmed in a wonderful looking theater that screams 'character.' Wayne introduces his concept for the effect, in essence saying that as his opening effect, it allows him to share some of his very personal motivations and thoughts to the audience.
From there, we see a clip of him doing Thread for a group of teens and they predictably, in best David Blaine fashion, freak out. It's a startling effect, no question about it.
Then we move to apparently how Wayne normally presents it in a stage situation. He is introduced, walks out and banters with the audience. He's well spoken, at ease, and has good stage presence. He actually does the Gypsy Thread first as a lead-in to the Thread effect and surprisingly, the two link together pretty well.
His presentation really does serve as way to get to know this guy as a real person and I'm completely charmed, laughing at his jokes, his responses, ad-libbed, to audience members, and his verbal set-up of Thread is terrific: he warns them something 'geeky' is coming, but he doesn't completely tell them what it is...only foreshadowing.
By the time the presentation is over, I see enough paralells in Wayne's work with my own and I immediately see where I can easly add this to one of my shows for high schoolers.
I'm hooked - how about the instruction?
INSTRUCTION: Wayne proves to be a skilled teacher, carefully walking you through the two methods of doing the effect. One is called the "Geek Method" and is the one that from a technical standpoint is actually the easier of the two. The second one is pure sleight of hand and is tougher from a rehearsal standpoint because it's a bit more involved.
He explains everything clearly, talks about the pros and cons of the sleight method versus the geek method, and happily for me, the camera angles go a great job of capturing all of the necessary work and details. Big thumbs up.
What I found so disarming about the DVD, though, is how honest and straightforward Wayne presents himself. He knows who he is and plays to his strength. He's not trying to be the 'dark and mysterious stranger' that so many of these street magic thugs seem to be trying to be. Wayne presents himself with a casualness, humor and a little...geeky. Pun definitely intended.
I found his interviews on issues of character and staging fun to soak in as well.
Oh, and his handling for the classic Gypsy Thread? Simply, easy and effective. I don't know if I will use it as a lead-in for Thread as he does, but it's a nice bonus.
At the end of the DVD, proper credit is given to the origins of the the key concept of Thread as well as additional resources for Gypsy Thread. It's not a complete list, but enough to get the viewer started. He knows his history and honors it.
PRODUCTION VALUES: As I've hinted, this is a first rate DVD. The action sometimes shifts to black and white footage and back to color, but it all works. It's all very artistic. I'm told Theory11 puts out great stuff. This is my first experience with one of their products, but I have a feeling it will not be the last.
MY THOUGHTS: I'm stunned beyond belief. I went into this expecting to hate it, but Wayne Houchin has put out a great DVD. In terms of rating, I'm going to give this a 9 out of 10. I'd go a full 10, but the geek method of doing this can cause discomfort for some users and one will probably not know til one tries it for themselves.
Wayne does a great job with this and it's been his opener for a decade. When I did a bit of research on this, I found so many users on other sites reviewing this just as I feared...stuff like "WOW! I got this today and did the trick a few times for my friends and freaked them out!"
They got it and performed it the same day? Exactly what I hate about this type of geek magic. I know it's not Wayne's fault if people do not properly prepare for an effect, but the fact is they do. To anyone reading this, I have a few tidbits of advice:
1. Practive ANYTHING magic-related until you can do it flawlessly.
2. Write a script or presentational hook, a reason for doing this. (No, "Hey this will freak you out" does not qualify in my book.)
3. Be aware of WHO you performing this for. I admit I'm adding this to my teen shows, but I have 15 years' experience and know what my audiences like. This is NOT something to do at little Johnny's 6th birthday party.
I usually don't give warnings like this in my column, but I've read a LOT of "reviews" on this, so I have seen many who gravitate to it.
Overall, great DVD. I'm excited to start working on this for myself.
Next week, another review, so check back soon!
Questions? Comments? Review requests? Send an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson, CH, C.M.NLP
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Anthony Lindan’s Incredible Suit Jacket Escape DVD
Howdy, loyal readers! Cris Johnson here, back with another fun-filled review. Before this week’s product, a few housekeeping notes…
First of all, I want to thank my subscribers to “Cause & Effects,” my free monthly ezine. New subscribers are coming in all the time and I couldn’t be more delighted! Next month’s issue will feature an article on a sneaky way to save money on your hotels. I stumbled across this by accident and I’m happy to share it with you.
Secondly, I am actually considering doing something I’ve talked about for five years…starting an agency! Since I am primarily a school guy, I am on the road a TON, but I still concentrate mostly on the east coast. With that in mind, there’s a TON of the U.S. I don’t visit very often.
If you’re a professional U.S. magician, contact me at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. I’m just in the planning stages now, but I promise to be fair with your best interests in mind. My (proposed) agency will target different markets, so it doesn’t matter to me if you’re a birthday guy, a closeup gal or a corporate entertainer. These are exciting times and with my 15+ years of experience, I’m sure I can launch an agency to great heights!
On to this week’s review…
Today I’m reviewing Anthony Lindan’s Incredible Suit Jacket Escape DVD. It’s available for $59.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here’s the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13137
EFFECT: The performer, channeling Harry Houdini, embarks on a considerably LESS impressive outing: rather than escaping from a straight jacket, he’s going to escape from his own suit jacket. Two volunteers help handcuff the performer’s hands behind his back. A curtain is raised and lowered, showing the performer’s progress…or lack thereof. He eventually escapes, but the real emphasis is on sight gags and fun.
WHAT YOU GET: A very professionally produced DVD that covers the suit jacket escape in incredible detail.
MARKETS: Although I haven’t put this in my show yet, I’m working my butt off to get it ready for the fall. I have penciled this in to three of my different shows with a possibility of a fourth. I believe this will play equally well to kids, pre-teens and adults. It may play great for teens too, though I have no immediate plans to put it in my teen shows. I wouldn't do it for daycare shows, but elementary school age through adults and you're probably golden.
There are no off-color jokes or anything that would offend anyone, in my eyes.
DIFFICULTY: I hesitate to refer to any routine as "easy" but from a technical standpoint this is 'easy' to do. Any technical difficulty is contingent on what kind of quick release restraint you have. As I said, Anthony's recommendation for gimmicked shackles is the same choice I made. I know there was a Harry Anderson routine put out a few years ago in which Harry used gimmicked handcuffs, though I've no idea of how fast they release. I only mention this so you know there are options.
I should also mention that your quick release restraint needs to be something you can both get out of quickly and get back into just as fast, therefore the old Siberian Chain Escape would be a poor choice.
ANGLES: This is beautiful, because of the curtain, you’re completely covered as you make your escape and/or set up the various sight gags throughout the routine. Plus, it packs small and plays big, to borrow a tired phrase.
INSTRUCTION: Anthony does an incredible job describing in detail all of the nuances of the routine. In the hands of a lesser instructor, I can see this being described on one side of a piece of paper, but Anthony goes into detail…REAL detail, the kind of detail that shows he’s done this at least 1000 times. He addresses such issues as filling dead time while the spectators lock you up, ways to minimize that potential dead time, reducing the dead time as you introduce the curtain, and so much more.
Additionally, the equipment he recommends is top notch. I’ve already purchased the shackles he recommends and they are first rate. Really, any decent quick-release restraint would work, but I really like the shackles, as they’re big, designed to LAST and are oh-so-simple to use. The spirit curtain (or “curtain of death,” as Anthony calls it) is well thought out in terms of the recommended construction.
MY BACKGROUND: I’ve been considering a straight jacket escape for a LONG time. I have a friend whom I’ve known for 25 years and he does a standard straight jacket escape. He does it in a very stripped down, concise manner, similar to a lot of working pros, including Jeff McBride’s wife, Abbi Spinner McBride.
Frankly, I’ve always considered it boring as hell. To me, there’s no hook, no reason for the escape.
Copperfield did the only straight jacket escape I ever liked, because it had real drama – he dangled upside down from burning ropes! I was captivated. There was a reason for the escape: Get out or die!
Most of us don’t have the staging or ability to pull off true danger, so as soon as you’re locked in a straight jacket (and you’re just going to escape, with no consequences if you do not), you’re in an anti-climax position. If you get out when you say you will, no one is surprised. If you do not, well, you’re a tool… in your audiences’ eyes.
With all of that in mind, I swore I’d never do a straight jacket escape unless I could write a really good script. One that was dramatic or funny…or preferably both!
After struggling with the concept for years, I put the straight jacket escape idea on hold until Bill emailed me about the suit jacket escape, so I got my grubby hands on this before it was even available at Hocus Pocus.
Upon review, I immediately thought, “That’s the answer I’ve been looking for.” I love it because it’s delightfully absurd! The plot is silly, which I love. It involves volunteers throughout the routine, not just for the locking business. The comedy is what gives the journey, the road to the successful escape, a way to hook the audience. Really, no one cares if you can escape ANYTHING. You’ve got to engage them in some way, and laughter is a way to hook any audience into any routine.
I only point all of this out because if I, an ardent anti-straight jacket guy, can appreciate this routine, then anyone can.
MY THOUGHTS: First of all, the routine is very funny. That being said, Anthony has stripped this routine down to make it the most travel-friendly ‘big’ routine possible. By his own admission, he left a lot of possibilities out.
This is a great routine because if you do it exactly as Anthony does it, you’ve got a winner…but if you’re the least bit creative, you’re going to start going through this and come up with ways to really add bits of business, additional sight gags, props and more… and whatever else from your own personality. This is a good thing – no, correction, this is a great thing. As Anthony runs it, this is roughly a 5 minute routine. A 5 minute routine that I can drop right into my act for sixty bucks? That’s a steal, in my book.
However, because this routine and premise is so open to possibilities, I can see me easily stretching this to 10-12 minute routine and still leave the audience begging for more. This routine is a blank canvas…
I personally don’t mind a bit of setup, so with me, once this goes into my set list, I know I’m going to expand, change it, and truly nurture this until it’s my own. The possibilities are endless and I haven’t been this excited about a new product in a LONG time.
A 10 out of 10.
Next week, due to reader request, I’ll be reviewing another DVD, this one called “Thread.” Yup, it’s the one where Criss Angel swallows and then pulls thread out of his eye. Kinda brings me back to my old Bizarrist roots with Tony Andruzzi…
Until next week, send all questions, comments and additional review requests to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
First of all, I want to thank my subscribers to “Cause & Effects,” my free monthly ezine. New subscribers are coming in all the time and I couldn’t be more delighted! Next month’s issue will feature an article on a sneaky way to save money on your hotels. I stumbled across this by accident and I’m happy to share it with you.
Secondly, I am actually considering doing something I’ve talked about for five years…starting an agency! Since I am primarily a school guy, I am on the road a TON, but I still concentrate mostly on the east coast. With that in mind, there’s a TON of the U.S. I don’t visit very often.
If you’re a professional U.S. magician, contact me at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. I’m just in the planning stages now, but I promise to be fair with your best interests in mind. My (proposed) agency will target different markets, so it doesn’t matter to me if you’re a birthday guy, a closeup gal or a corporate entertainer. These are exciting times and with my 15+ years of experience, I’m sure I can launch an agency to great heights!
On to this week’s review…
Today I’m reviewing Anthony Lindan’s Incredible Suit Jacket Escape DVD. It’s available for $59.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here’s the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13137
EFFECT: The performer, channeling Harry Houdini, embarks on a considerably LESS impressive outing: rather than escaping from a straight jacket, he’s going to escape from his own suit jacket. Two volunteers help handcuff the performer’s hands behind his back. A curtain is raised and lowered, showing the performer’s progress…or lack thereof. He eventually escapes, but the real emphasis is on sight gags and fun.
WHAT YOU GET: A very professionally produced DVD that covers the suit jacket escape in incredible detail.
MARKETS: Although I haven’t put this in my show yet, I’m working my butt off to get it ready for the fall. I have penciled this in to three of my different shows with a possibility of a fourth. I believe this will play equally well to kids, pre-teens and adults. It may play great for teens too, though I have no immediate plans to put it in my teen shows. I wouldn't do it for daycare shows, but elementary school age through adults and you're probably golden.
There are no off-color jokes or anything that would offend anyone, in my eyes.
DIFFICULTY: I hesitate to refer to any routine as "easy" but from a technical standpoint this is 'easy' to do. Any technical difficulty is contingent on what kind of quick release restraint you have. As I said, Anthony's recommendation for gimmicked shackles is the same choice I made. I know there was a Harry Anderson routine put out a few years ago in which Harry used gimmicked handcuffs, though I've no idea of how fast they release. I only mention this so you know there are options.
I should also mention that your quick release restraint needs to be something you can both get out of quickly and get back into just as fast, therefore the old Siberian Chain Escape would be a poor choice.
ANGLES: This is beautiful, because of the curtain, you’re completely covered as you make your escape and/or set up the various sight gags throughout the routine. Plus, it packs small and plays big, to borrow a tired phrase.
INSTRUCTION: Anthony does an incredible job describing in detail all of the nuances of the routine. In the hands of a lesser instructor, I can see this being described on one side of a piece of paper, but Anthony goes into detail…REAL detail, the kind of detail that shows he’s done this at least 1000 times. He addresses such issues as filling dead time while the spectators lock you up, ways to minimize that potential dead time, reducing the dead time as you introduce the curtain, and so much more.
Additionally, the equipment he recommends is top notch. I’ve already purchased the shackles he recommends and they are first rate. Really, any decent quick-release restraint would work, but I really like the shackles, as they’re big, designed to LAST and are oh-so-simple to use. The spirit curtain (or “curtain of death,” as Anthony calls it) is well thought out in terms of the recommended construction.
MY BACKGROUND: I’ve been considering a straight jacket escape for a LONG time. I have a friend whom I’ve known for 25 years and he does a standard straight jacket escape. He does it in a very stripped down, concise manner, similar to a lot of working pros, including Jeff McBride’s wife, Abbi Spinner McBride.
Frankly, I’ve always considered it boring as hell. To me, there’s no hook, no reason for the escape.
Copperfield did the only straight jacket escape I ever liked, because it had real drama – he dangled upside down from burning ropes! I was captivated. There was a reason for the escape: Get out or die!
Most of us don’t have the staging or ability to pull off true danger, so as soon as you’re locked in a straight jacket (and you’re just going to escape, with no consequences if you do not), you’re in an anti-climax position. If you get out when you say you will, no one is surprised. If you do not, well, you’re a tool… in your audiences’ eyes.
With all of that in mind, I swore I’d never do a straight jacket escape unless I could write a really good script. One that was dramatic or funny…or preferably both!
After struggling with the concept for years, I put the straight jacket escape idea on hold until Bill emailed me about the suit jacket escape, so I got my grubby hands on this before it was even available at Hocus Pocus.
Upon review, I immediately thought, “That’s the answer I’ve been looking for.” I love it because it’s delightfully absurd! The plot is silly, which I love. It involves volunteers throughout the routine, not just for the locking business. The comedy is what gives the journey, the road to the successful escape, a way to hook the audience. Really, no one cares if you can escape ANYTHING. You’ve got to engage them in some way, and laughter is a way to hook any audience into any routine.
I only point all of this out because if I, an ardent anti-straight jacket guy, can appreciate this routine, then anyone can.
MY THOUGHTS: First of all, the routine is very funny. That being said, Anthony has stripped this routine down to make it the most travel-friendly ‘big’ routine possible. By his own admission, he left a lot of possibilities out.
This is a great routine because if you do it exactly as Anthony does it, you’ve got a winner…but if you’re the least bit creative, you’re going to start going through this and come up with ways to really add bits of business, additional sight gags, props and more… and whatever else from your own personality. This is a good thing – no, correction, this is a great thing. As Anthony runs it, this is roughly a 5 minute routine. A 5 minute routine that I can drop right into my act for sixty bucks? That’s a steal, in my book.
However, because this routine and premise is so open to possibilities, I can see me easily stretching this to 10-12 minute routine and still leave the audience begging for more. This routine is a blank canvas…
I personally don’t mind a bit of setup, so with me, once this goes into my set list, I know I’m going to expand, change it, and truly nurture this until it’s my own. The possibilities are endless and I haven’t been this excited about a new product in a LONG time.
A 10 out of 10.
Next week, due to reader request, I’ll be reviewing another DVD, this one called “Thread.” Yup, it’s the one where Criss Angel swallows and then pulls thread out of his eye. Kinda brings me back to my old Bizarrist roots with Tony Andruzzi…
Until next week, send all questions, comments and additional review requests to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Brad Manuel's Buckethead
Yo, what up, readers?
OK, that was SAD. Just wanted to change things up a bit....
Cris Johnson here with another review! A few housekeeping things...
First, my new audio CD prediction effect, The Mother of All Predictions, continues to sell like hotcakes! This uses an UNGIMMICKED CD player (any CD player on the planet) will work and you can predict ANYTHING. The ad mentions my own presentation, but really, you're only limited by your imagination. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
My ezine, "Cause & Effects" features an article examining David Copperfield's live show and just a few things magicians could take from it to improve their act. Sign up is FREE! Shoot me an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Today's review will be a bit of a departure for me as this is unabashedly a kids' effect. On to the review...
Today's review is Bad Manuel's Buckethead. It's available for $149.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link to the info: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=1816
EFFECT: Bring a child or adult spectator on stage to help you with your next trick. But before they are to help, they must expand their mind a bit. And you have just the way to do it. A bucket-like container with a flat oversized top hat is placed over their head. Next you insert a tube into the side of the bucket and attach an oversized bellows style pump. Now the fun begins. You begin to pump and squeeze the bellows, each time you do, the top hat begins to inflate atop the bucket. Your audience will die with laughter as the hat slowly becomes fully inflated. But wait! The best is yet to come! Open the front hatch of the bucket, and the spectator's actual head is seen inflated several times its normal size! They look just like a human cartoon!
WHAT YOU RECEIVE: The pump, the special bucket, the hat, written instructions.
QUALITY OF PROPS: The pump is very rugged and very heavy (more on that later) and very well made. the hat is made of good solid material and the bucket is made from your usual household bucket. The clear panel that allows the audience to see the volunteer's face is a bit on the flimsy side and while strong, does scratch somewhat easily. Fortunately, it comes with that white cover to facilitate the big reveal for the effect but it also serves to protect the clear panel. Don't throw other props into the bucket for transport to your gig and this effect will hold up over time.
MARKETS: This is obviously designed as a kids' effect, although when I was performing this regularly, my wife insisted I should try it in my adult shows! I never did, but the idea is there.
Here, in the 'markets' section, I do have to address a limitation of this effect. In my experience, after having performed this hundreds of times (I bought mine back in '03 or so...glad to see it's back) I have found that this will not play too well for very large audience of 400 or so.
I believe the issue is the clear panel. Because of the nature of the effect and illusion, visibility is hampered because of the said panel. I don't think I'm ruining the effect by saying that the "secret" to the kids' heads looking so large is exactly what you think it is. It's not a weakness, just an acknowledgement.
Anyway, because of the nature of the illusion, the visibility, for me, was poor the further back the audience sat.
With that in mind, I found this to be perfect for audiences of 100 or so or less. it kills for birthday shows, daycare shows, smaller family shows, etc.
ANGLES: There are no angle considerations, although if anyone is to the sides or in back, they won't see the humor of the effect.
MY THOUGHTS: As I said, I bought this several years ago and used it constantly for 4 years or so. If I hadn't insisted on transporting the pump and other heavy props, I'd still have it today. It was my own fault that the clear panel got scuffed up and not a reflection on the quality of the prop. DON'T transport things by using the bucket and it will last quite a few years.
Also, the clear panel is covered by the white panel that is inturn held on by velcro. If you leave the bucket in your car, the velcro on the white panel may come off if it gets too hot. that's a limitation of velcro and the "sticky" stuff and not a reflection on the quality of the prop. try not to let it sit in your car for days at a time.
Also, I do not recommend putting the bucket on anyone younger than 5 or 6 as they may become frightened. It's not a scary effect, but some kids are scared of their own shadows.
Is this effective? In my experience, it kills. It's certainly not a "fooler," as even the smallest child knows what's causing the illusion, but in this case, it's played strictly for laughs. This is a sight gag and nothing more, but do not let that sway you away from the effect. When I was using this, I constantly had both kids and adults telling me it was so funny and was their favorite parts of the show.
This effect is a lesson worthy of study: It does not matter what you do, as long as you entertain your audience.
If you're looking for something to make your audience laugh, I can think of nothing stronger. Based on my experience and having performed this hundreds of times, I give it a 10 out of 10.
I know this review may be shorter than what I normally write, but this is a much simpler effect and there is not as much "secret stuff" to dance around.
Until next week, send all questions, comments and gripes to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris
OK, that was SAD. Just wanted to change things up a bit....
Cris Johnson here with another review! A few housekeeping things...
First, my new audio CD prediction effect, The Mother of All Predictions, continues to sell like hotcakes! This uses an UNGIMMICKED CD player (any CD player on the planet) will work and you can predict ANYTHING. The ad mentions my own presentation, but really, you're only limited by your imagination. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
My ezine, "Cause & Effects" features an article examining David Copperfield's live show and just a few things magicians could take from it to improve their act. Sign up is FREE! Shoot me an email to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Today's review will be a bit of a departure for me as this is unabashedly a kids' effect. On to the review...
Today's review is Bad Manuel's Buckethead. It's available for $149.95 from Hocus Pocus. Here's the link to the info: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=1816
EFFECT: Bring a child or adult spectator on stage to help you with your next trick. But before they are to help, they must expand their mind a bit. And you have just the way to do it. A bucket-like container with a flat oversized top hat is placed over their head. Next you insert a tube into the side of the bucket and attach an oversized bellows style pump. Now the fun begins. You begin to pump and squeeze the bellows, each time you do, the top hat begins to inflate atop the bucket. Your audience will die with laughter as the hat slowly becomes fully inflated. But wait! The best is yet to come! Open the front hatch of the bucket, and the spectator's actual head is seen inflated several times its normal size! They look just like a human cartoon!
WHAT YOU RECEIVE: The pump, the special bucket, the hat, written instructions.
QUALITY OF PROPS: The pump is very rugged and very heavy (more on that later) and very well made. the hat is made of good solid material and the bucket is made from your usual household bucket. The clear panel that allows the audience to see the volunteer's face is a bit on the flimsy side and while strong, does scratch somewhat easily. Fortunately, it comes with that white cover to facilitate the big reveal for the effect but it also serves to protect the clear panel. Don't throw other props into the bucket for transport to your gig and this effect will hold up over time.
MARKETS: This is obviously designed as a kids' effect, although when I was performing this regularly, my wife insisted I should try it in my adult shows! I never did, but the idea is there.
Here, in the 'markets' section, I do have to address a limitation of this effect. In my experience, after having performed this hundreds of times (I bought mine back in '03 or so...glad to see it's back) I have found that this will not play too well for very large audience of 400 or so.
I believe the issue is the clear panel. Because of the nature of the effect and illusion, visibility is hampered because of the said panel. I don't think I'm ruining the effect by saying that the "secret" to the kids' heads looking so large is exactly what you think it is. It's not a weakness, just an acknowledgement.
Anyway, because of the nature of the illusion, the visibility, for me, was poor the further back the audience sat.
With that in mind, I found this to be perfect for audiences of 100 or so or less. it kills for birthday shows, daycare shows, smaller family shows, etc.
ANGLES: There are no angle considerations, although if anyone is to the sides or in back, they won't see the humor of the effect.
MY THOUGHTS: As I said, I bought this several years ago and used it constantly for 4 years or so. If I hadn't insisted on transporting the pump and other heavy props, I'd still have it today. It was my own fault that the clear panel got scuffed up and not a reflection on the quality of the prop. DON'T transport things by using the bucket and it will last quite a few years.
Also, the clear panel is covered by the white panel that is inturn held on by velcro. If you leave the bucket in your car, the velcro on the white panel may come off if it gets too hot. that's a limitation of velcro and the "sticky" stuff and not a reflection on the quality of the prop. try not to let it sit in your car for days at a time.
Also, I do not recommend putting the bucket on anyone younger than 5 or 6 as they may become frightened. It's not a scary effect, but some kids are scared of their own shadows.
Is this effective? In my experience, it kills. It's certainly not a "fooler," as even the smallest child knows what's causing the illusion, but in this case, it's played strictly for laughs. This is a sight gag and nothing more, but do not let that sway you away from the effect. When I was using this, I constantly had both kids and adults telling me it was so funny and was their favorite parts of the show.
This effect is a lesson worthy of study: It does not matter what you do, as long as you entertain your audience.
If you're looking for something to make your audience laugh, I can think of nothing stronger. Based on my experience and having performed this hundreds of times, I give it a 10 out of 10.
I know this review may be shorter than what I normally write, but this is a much simpler effect and there is not as much "secret stuff" to dance around.
Until next week, send all questions, comments and gripes to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
French Guillotine
Howdy, Loyal Readers!
Cris Johnson here, back with a new review earlier than normal this week. I've got an INSANE amount of driving / performing to do this week, so the earlier I can get my blog done, the better.:)
First, a few housekeeping notes...
My NEW product, "The Mother of All Predictions," continues to sell like hotcakes! Check out the ad copy here: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Secondly, the June issue of my ezine, "Cause & Effects," is ready to go and will be emailed tomorrow. If you aren't already on the list, shoot me an email: crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. This issue is all about what David Copperfield can teach any magician. Good stuff!
OK, onto this week's review...it's the French Guillotine, available from Hocus Pocus for $695. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=2614
EFFECT: Invite a spectator on stage and reveal the GUILLOTINE. This alone will garner lots of laughs! Lock their head into the stocks and bring out a small trash can and place it in front of their head (just in case). Finally, when you pull the release, the blade comes careening down (which will garner screams from the audience) and CRASH! The blade goes completely through the spectator's neck and comes out the bottom! What a visual! The spectator is then released from the stocks safe and completely unharmed!
WHAT YOU GET: The Guillotine, removeable 'feet,' written instructions and (apparently) a wooden carrying case.
BACKGROUND: I've been using this for about 7 years, having bought it the first year I went 'full time' and as such, there MAY be a few differences in mine compared to the new ones, based on the ad copy, but I'll get to that a little later.
QUALITY OF PROP: First of all, this thing looks absolutely lethal onstage. It's gorgeous, even up close. They really did a good job with the looks of the prop. Secondly, my unit has been through hundreds or thousands of performances and it continues to work like a dream. The action of the blade dropping, as the ad copy claims, is smooth as silk.
ANGLES: As long as someone's head (or more accurately, neck) is in the stock, you can do this surrounded, as there's nothing to see.
That's the good news...now onto to a few 'quibbles' I have...
AD COPY: The first thing wrong with the ad copy is that they claim the unit stands a full 7 feet high. Not true, It stands 6 foot, maybe 6 ' 2" at the most. I stand 5' 7" and the unit is roughly 6 inches or so (maybe less) taller than me, so no way is this 7 feet. Quite frankly, the prop is so attractive and looks so great on stage that I do think this is a very minor flaw in the ad copy.
Secondly, the ad copy states you can test the blade by letting it drop before putting someone's head/neck into it. Well, let me clearly state that unless there is something (whether it's a person's neck, a watermelon or a basketball) then you CANNOT drop the blade without revealing the 'secret' to your audience, so the ad copy is wrong on that count.
Finally, the ad copy states that the prop comes with a wooden carrying case - when I bought mine years ago, it did not come with such a case. Now, in all fairness, I honestly cannot remember whether the ad copy mentioned a case back then or not. I'm guessing it did not, because back in 2003 when I bought it, money was VERY tight and I read over any ad very carefully (as we all do) before deciding on such an investment.
I'm going to give the ad as well as the makers the benefit of the doubt and assume that the addition of the wooden case is a recent addition. BTW, this effect needs such a case. The finsh of the prop looks fantastic and having a case will certainly help keep things in tip-top shape. I wish I had gone to the trouble of getting a case, any case, years ago for my prop, as it's been scratched and scuffed a LOT over the years, but that's my fault. It still looks great from a mere 4 feet away.
PROS & CONS: First, the pros. OK, the best thing about this prop is the fact that it looks so deadly. I haul it out during my show under cover of a large dark cloth. I then slowly pull the cloth off and the audience gasps when they see the large blade.
Secondly, this thing is totally safe. Obscenely safe. There's no way possible this thing can hurt you. More on that later, but even if you were to slam the blade down onto yourself, it's not heavy enough or sharp to hurt you. You could turn a 5 year old loose with this thing and the only way he could hurt himself is if the prop toppled over on him. Totally safe.
Thirdly, despite being 6 feet tall, the prop folds in half, to around 3 feet in length, meaning it fits into any car. Also, while the ad copy claims 3 minutes to set up, I can do it in one minute. You unfold it, screw the feet on and stand it up. Easy.
Now the cons...
The fact that this is so safe is also its biggest downfall. In my way of presenting an arm chopper effect, I first use the prop to cut a carrot or some such food in half and then I get the person to place themselves in harm's way. Therein lies the problem with this effect...
You can NOT cut anything with this prop, making the 'buildup' a little tougher.
Now, I probably should have asked about this before I bought the thing, but once I got it, I fashioned a way to make use of it which I'll share: I do my side-splittingly funny armchopper routine with a small arm chopper (The routine will be released soon in a NEW book I'm releasing - cheap plug) and, claiming that the audience in the back couldn't see the arm chopper, I then bring from the back the 6 foot guillotine as a way to allow maximum visibility.
This plays great, and because I try not to focus on the negative, I'm giving the readers of this review a way to use this prop effectively even though it does not cut anything.
OVERALL REVIEW: Out of necessity, I took what was a sub-standard prop (only in functionality, in my view) and crafted a winning routine out of it. The fact that this prop is so incredibly safe is a major, major positive in my book. Still, to those out there who want a prop that cuts things, you simply can't with this. I'll give it a 6 out of 10. It looks fantastic, does what it was designed to do very well, is well-built, but ultimately has limitations to keep in mind.
Until next time, send all comments, questions, etc to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
Cris Johnson here, back with a new review earlier than normal this week. I've got an INSANE amount of driving / performing to do this week, so the earlier I can get my blog done, the better.:)
First, a few housekeeping notes...
My NEW product, "The Mother of All Predictions," continues to sell like hotcakes! Check out the ad copy here: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=13021
Secondly, the June issue of my ezine, "Cause & Effects," is ready to go and will be emailed tomorrow. If you aren't already on the list, shoot me an email: crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net. This issue is all about what David Copperfield can teach any magician. Good stuff!
OK, onto this week's review...it's the French Guillotine, available from Hocus Pocus for $695. Here's the link: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc/product_detail.cfm?item=2614
EFFECT: Invite a spectator on stage and reveal the GUILLOTINE. This alone will garner lots of laughs! Lock their head into the stocks and bring out a small trash can and place it in front of their head (just in case). Finally, when you pull the release, the blade comes careening down (which will garner screams from the audience) and CRASH! The blade goes completely through the spectator's neck and comes out the bottom! What a visual! The spectator is then released from the stocks safe and completely unharmed!
WHAT YOU GET: The Guillotine, removeable 'feet,' written instructions and (apparently) a wooden carrying case.
BACKGROUND: I've been using this for about 7 years, having bought it the first year I went 'full time' and as such, there MAY be a few differences in mine compared to the new ones, based on the ad copy, but I'll get to that a little later.
QUALITY OF PROP: First of all, this thing looks absolutely lethal onstage. It's gorgeous, even up close. They really did a good job with the looks of the prop. Secondly, my unit has been through hundreds or thousands of performances and it continues to work like a dream. The action of the blade dropping, as the ad copy claims, is smooth as silk.
ANGLES: As long as someone's head (or more accurately, neck) is in the stock, you can do this surrounded, as there's nothing to see.
That's the good news...now onto to a few 'quibbles' I have...
AD COPY: The first thing wrong with the ad copy is that they claim the unit stands a full 7 feet high. Not true, It stands 6 foot, maybe 6 ' 2" at the most. I stand 5' 7" and the unit is roughly 6 inches or so (maybe less) taller than me, so no way is this 7 feet. Quite frankly, the prop is so attractive and looks so great on stage that I do think this is a very minor flaw in the ad copy.
Secondly, the ad copy states you can test the blade by letting it drop before putting someone's head/neck into it. Well, let me clearly state that unless there is something (whether it's a person's neck, a watermelon or a basketball) then you CANNOT drop the blade without revealing the 'secret' to your audience, so the ad copy is wrong on that count.
Finally, the ad copy states that the prop comes with a wooden carrying case - when I bought mine years ago, it did not come with such a case. Now, in all fairness, I honestly cannot remember whether the ad copy mentioned a case back then or not. I'm guessing it did not, because back in 2003 when I bought it, money was VERY tight and I read over any ad very carefully (as we all do) before deciding on such an investment.
I'm going to give the ad as well as the makers the benefit of the doubt and assume that the addition of the wooden case is a recent addition. BTW, this effect needs such a case. The finsh of the prop looks fantastic and having a case will certainly help keep things in tip-top shape. I wish I had gone to the trouble of getting a case, any case, years ago for my prop, as it's been scratched and scuffed a LOT over the years, but that's my fault. It still looks great from a mere 4 feet away.
PROS & CONS: First, the pros. OK, the best thing about this prop is the fact that it looks so deadly. I haul it out during my show under cover of a large dark cloth. I then slowly pull the cloth off and the audience gasps when they see the large blade.
Secondly, this thing is totally safe. Obscenely safe. There's no way possible this thing can hurt you. More on that later, but even if you were to slam the blade down onto yourself, it's not heavy enough or sharp to hurt you. You could turn a 5 year old loose with this thing and the only way he could hurt himself is if the prop toppled over on him. Totally safe.
Thirdly, despite being 6 feet tall, the prop folds in half, to around 3 feet in length, meaning it fits into any car. Also, while the ad copy claims 3 minutes to set up, I can do it in one minute. You unfold it, screw the feet on and stand it up. Easy.
Now the cons...
The fact that this is so safe is also its biggest downfall. In my way of presenting an arm chopper effect, I first use the prop to cut a carrot or some such food in half and then I get the person to place themselves in harm's way. Therein lies the problem with this effect...
You can NOT cut anything with this prop, making the 'buildup' a little tougher.
Now, I probably should have asked about this before I bought the thing, but once I got it, I fashioned a way to make use of it which I'll share: I do my side-splittingly funny armchopper routine with a small arm chopper (The routine will be released soon in a NEW book I'm releasing - cheap plug) and, claiming that the audience in the back couldn't see the arm chopper, I then bring from the back the 6 foot guillotine as a way to allow maximum visibility.
This plays great, and because I try not to focus on the negative, I'm giving the readers of this review a way to use this prop effectively even though it does not cut anything.
OVERALL REVIEW: Out of necessity, I took what was a sub-standard prop (only in functionality, in my view) and crafted a winning routine out of it. The fact that this prop is so incredibly safe is a major, major positive in my book. Still, to those out there who want a prop that cuts things, you simply can't with this. I'll give it a 6 out of 10. It looks fantastic, does what it was designed to do very well, is well-built, but ultimately has limitations to keep in mind.
Until next time, send all comments, questions, etc to crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.
Best,
Cris Johnson
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