talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect
The blurb from the elusionist web site.

IMAGINE: The spectator selects two cards out of the deck-- there are no forces. With no funny moves, the cards are placed back in the center of the deck. The deck is then placed back into the box. The box is closed. Nothin' fancy. Yet.

With no false motions, the card box visibly opens itself and one card is seen to slowly, visibly rise up out of the deck.

Your hand grips the card gently, then pulls it out of the deck. The card is slowly turned over-- done. You've nailed card number one.

The cards are then held in your hands. The spectators eyes are fixed on your hands like a hawk. You bring the cards down to the table and begin to spread the cards slowly from right to left.

One card begins to slowly move out of the spread, towards the spectator -- while on the table. You've never seen anything like this. And your spectators haven't either-- it's downright eerie.

Cost
$24.95 from http://www.ellusionist.com/order/Box-Monster-Nathan-Kranzo.php although I was lucky & got a new copy from ebay for £10 which is a bit cheaper.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
1.

Review
This arrived on my mat today & I've just come straight onto the PC from watching the DVD. I have to say I really like this. At this point I haven't made up the gimmick but I can't for see any problems with it, its only a matter of watching the DVD, & following the instructions. Easy.

The DVD itself shows around 5 live performances off, this two (possibly three) phase effect. I've never come across Nathan Kranzo or his magic before but his teaching & performing are excellent.

Each aspect off the effect is broken down in stages & is easy to follow. There are no awkward sleights, in fact their are no sleights at all. You can do this with a borrowed deck & the gimmick itself is so easy to lug around you'll forget you have it.

Overall
I really like this. I haven't made up the gimmick or performed this yet but I was so impressed with the DVD I just had to get on here & spread the word.

This is visually excellent, can be done at any time with any deck & I'd thouroghly recommend it. If you can't get this on ebay its still a bargain at $25 which equals around £13. Go for it.

9/10

im very interested in this effect, although i have read alot of people complaining about the gimmick over on the Ellusionist forums, they are saying its hard to replicate the effect, i.e the amount the cards rise. let us know how you get on with yours.

also, if your interested in Kranzo, he has alot of good stuff out. Visual Vodoo is a great compilation of effects, quite heavily gimmicked, but his card stuff is very visual. worth checking out for sure

Very nice review. Here's my "mini review" on the gimmick if you do not mind me adding it (and if you do, feel free to pm me and I will take it off).


If you are an organized and patient person, this is for you.

You have to make the gimmick on your own, although the item needed to make it is provided. It takes a while to make, a long while; I spent an hour making it the first time, made it badly because I ended up rushing, and it stopped "working". I made it a second time, took about half an hour, a lot faster, but sadly, I lost it 2 days later somewhere in the couch; and once you know how the gimmick works, you will know that it is pointless to even look for it. This was about a week ago and I still have not made a new gimmick, but I am planning on making it again sometime this week because the effect is way too good to stop doing the trick just because of a pain in the *rse gimmick.

On a scale of 1-10 1 being the best and 10 being the worst (or shortest - longest amount mof time).



Time to make- 10 at first, but graduatly decreases.

Durability- Very good, you just need to know the "limits".

Easy to loose- Very easy; especially if you leave it "on" and forget about it for a while. Then when you go to perform a card routine, think you have it, and find out that you lost it somewhere between point (a) and point (b) it is really aching to find out you have to make a new one .



Overall though, this effect is too good to pass by.

No problem at all with you adding to the review David, every little helps, (hey good catchphrase, I should market that!)

I'm actually surprised at how long you have said it takes to make the gimmick, it doesn't seem that complex according to the DVD, think what I'll do is make the gimmick from Nathan thing used an as example so I get things right & then do it with the actual gimmick.

Not gonna get the chance to do this until at least after next weekend but will post here with my results.

they are saying its hard to replicate the effect, i.e the amount the cards rise

I imagine the problem is they just haven't sorted the gimmick correctly.

Thanks for the O.K. on the review. It does take forever though to make it the first time because you need to do the under over in the * for the * about 10-15 times before it stays together. Also, it is so * that it flys out from under your hands all the time, which is especially annoying if you get halfway done and have to start all over. I was plenty ready to burn the gimmick and then stick my head through a wall the first time I tried making it, the second time wasn't as bad, but still, quite annoying. Like I said though in my review of the gimmick, the more you make it, the faster you get at it, the same was with everything else; the more you practice, the better you will get. Also, the good thing is that it IS durable, and as long as you don't loose it like I did it will last you a really long time.

~David

Yea, this trick is completely awesome! Get it for sure! You'll kick yourself when you find out how its done, but isnt that the way it always is? I agree that the card doesn't rise enough, but it still gets great reactions and is so easy to perform. If you are thinking about buying a rising card deck, DONT! Get Box Monster. Its around the same prioce - if not cheaper, and it can be done with a borrowed deck! how cool is that?

I have to agree with David, this is the most frustrating thing I have tried in a long time. The gimmick is extremely tricky to make, and the first four I made did not work.

I have not given up though, as others have said the effect is very impressive. I have decided to leave it for a while and try again when my hair grows back

Mmm agreed, tried this, spent around 45 minutes trying to get the darn thing made & failed miserably. Will go back to it at some point, have to go back to it... Its a great trick & I've paid for it

Same here as with so many of you... I spent ages at first making the gimmick, tried it out, worked fine... lost it

Made a new one, tried it out, it broke

Made a new one, tried it out, it broke

Made a new one, tried it out, it broke

Made a new one, tried it out, worked beautifully!!!
Left it on, works great, get great reactions

Cheers!

Sounds great!
Is the gimmick that hard to make? Are the materials easily acessible ones?
I have had problems before with tricks that sound good but are a nightmare to make and look atrocious when finished.
This sounds like a winner. Can you spread the cards in a fan for the second one to rise out?

Is the gimmick that hard to make?

You need the skills & patiance of a watchmaker

Can you spread the cards in a fan for the second one to rise out?

Having not managed to get the gimmick made yet I can't really answer but on the demo video you spread the cards on the table/floor & the card rises as you take your hands away. I would imagine that it could be done as a fan in your hand but it looks visually great to not even be touching the cards & to have the card rise...

A special message to Nathan Kranzo if you should read this forum, sell the gimmick made in packs of 10 or so, I'd buy

I know how you feel! It's disheartening to buy an effect and then realise you need the skills of a craftsman or engineer to actually make the darn thing!
It would be benificial if you could buy either the instructions alone (if you are confident you can make it) or the instructions and gimmicks.
Andrew Mayne's 'Ghost Vision' has the right idea when he supplied a few to get you started before you start making your own.

Sounds great!
Is the gimmick that hard to make? Are the materials easily acessible ones?
I have had problems before with tricks that sound good but are a nightmare to make and look atrocious when finished.
This sounds like a winner. Can you spread the cards in a fan for the second one to rise out?

ok everyone is being a bit hard on it. it is really not that hard to make. though it does take patience.

I dont know if is because I tie fishing flies but i found the gimmick really easy to make and had a good half dozen made in a matter of minutes. There are no engineering skills or of those of watchmakers either. I was up and doing the trick before you could blink. It is such a great trick and the reaction to it is well worth the money. Full marks.

I dont know if is because I tie fishing flies but i found the gimmick really easy to make and had a good half dozen made in a matter of minutes.

Excellent, can I send you some of the stuff & get you to make me up 10 or so??? Will pay you, serious question?