Hey guys,
Here's the first glimpse of the next release from the Big Blind Media stable; the newest Magic Media company, headed up by the redoubtable Mr. Owen Packard.
BBM stormed onto the magic tuition scene in 2006, and now boasts a glut of very-highly quality titles, each headed-up by a different magical face, including The Trickery, The Cullfather, Strip With Jon Thompson, Covert Magic, Connected, 2wo Faced, CTW....and now...Fingers of Fury!
Fingers of Fury is a Two-Volume Set, featuring the effects of Alan Rorrison and, unlike some of the previous releases, comprises a hugely eclectic bag of close-up miracles.
This review relates to Volume One (review for Vol 2 can be found HERE ).
The Effect
FINGERS OF FURY, VOL. 1
Volume One contains no less than SEVEN, amazingly diverse, effects, all wrapped up in the presentational lovliness that is fast-becoming a trademark signature of BBM's titles:
1) DEEP IMPRESSION
A freely-chosen card is viciously-sliced directly into the magician's bare arm - no messing around, no long build-up (although there is a HUGE scope for building your own back-story to this amazing feat) - just have a card chosen, and visually plunge it directly into your naked, innocent arm-flesh, to a depth of several inches!!
I say: Stunning!! Simply one of the most unexpected card effects I've seen in a long, long while.
The detailed instructions, provided by both Rorrison and Owen P cover everything in a lovely, relaxed step-by-step fashion, even employing a differently-coloured card to explain the required moves in detail.
Although this requires the construction of a gaff, it's very VERY simple, and will take no more than 10 minutes, tops.
I'm almost certain I've seen Alan Rorrison dem this effect somewhere else on the 'net (I recognise that chunky watch of his!) - If this IS the case, you can be sure it would've cost the price of this entire DVD alone!
2) RELENTLESS
Our magician takes out his mobile phone, and takes a picture, in close-up, of the spectators palm. A coin, beloning to the spec is marked by them, and then the magician simply rubs this onto the on-screen photograph,....where it immediately melts through the screen, and becomes an actual part of the photograph! Mere seconds later, the phone is given a shake, and the marked coin falls through the screen, onto the table.
I say: A very nice, visual piece, which I plan on using myself.
However, it has to be said that some mobile phones are going to be more suitable for this than others, and there is a bit of business which is (as admitted on the DVD) only 90% certain.
As a bonus, this effect includes an alternative handling, using a chosen playing card, from which a corner is torn.
In this version, it's the pipped corner which is melted through the phone's screen, before being shaken back out, and shown to exactly match the torn card.
Oddly, this varient is actually so much stronger than the main coin version, and doesn't suffer from the potential small uncertainty of the coin version; I'd recommend this over the main effect, any day of the week!
3) 3 SHOT SLAMMER
A very nice, incredibly-slick coin & shot-glass routine, in which a coin penetrates a borrowed shot glass from underneath, is then 'thrown through' the bottom, and finally vanishes from the magician's hands totally...only to re-appear instantly under the tabled glass!
I say: This is a phenomenal imprompteau bar-friendly effect, which requires absolutely no prep work of any kind.
The explanation Owen and Alan provide on this effect is both incredibly thorough and very, very funny (watch for Owen's sly, subtle plugs...not!).
The effect is explained from various angles, and there is absolutely no feeling that anything's being rushed-through here. That said, the final phase is of significantly higher-difficulty than the first two, and is potentially somewhat angle-sensitive.
Irrespective of this, the final effect will be more than worth the extra effort involved, and everything ends up nice and clean.
4) EVOLUTION
The magician removes a few of his business cards, and sets about drawing a finely-crafted portrait of his spectator. Unfortunately, our man's skill in art is rather lacking, and so he settles for a stick-man, instead...
The spec signs the card, on the reverse side, and the card is waved through a lighter on candle-flame momentarily.
In full view, the magician rubs the poor little stick-dudes head, which promptly vanishes...only to re-appear in a completely different position on the card! The card is - of course - handed to the startled spec as a souvineer of an amazing decapitation.
I say: Yet another, very visual, piece, but one which does require an extra purchase of a fairly readily-available item (not too sure on price, but I wouldn't imagine any more than £5.00, and should last for hundreds of performances).
Instead of using a business card, it's also possible to perform the same effect with a bank note - good news for those of us who don't yet have business cards!
5) HELLS BEND
A very simple, clean coin-bend, using a borrowed coin. The coin is simply held at finger-tips, and blown on...at which point, it visibly droops. The bent coin can be freely handed to the spectator as a keepsake.
I say: This is a little more sleight-intensive than some of the other effects on the DVD, but should be relatively easy to master within a few hours (Sleight-Level 3-4/5).
6) LIGHTLESS LIGHTS
Invisible lights are plucked from the air by the magician, and dropped into his other empty hand. He then cups his hands together and multicoloured, twinkling lights are suddenly seen to appear from nowhere.
A similar effect can be produced, using a borrowed shot-glass, or transluscent lighter.
I say: Hmmm....not entirely sure about this one; Lightless Lights, to me, doesn't actually feel like a fully-developed effect, and comes across as more of a 'filler' item.
It's kinda' in the same vein as Ellusionist's Ultra Smoke, or Electric Touch; a utility effect, rather than a fully-developed routine.
That's not to say it wouldn't prove very effective as part of a larger effect, but further develolment is left purely in the hands of the viewer.
You also have to make an additional purchase of a somewhat specialised item, though you are given several starting points.
7) BROKEN HOME
Imagine: The magician asks for your keys. He slowly flicks through your key-ring, before finally stopping at a single key. Openly, he grasps the shaft, and snaps it cleanly-off, at finger-tips!
What's that? It's your front-door key? Oops! Not to worry, however...a simple rub of the broken parts, and your key is visually-restored - right in front of your eyes!
I say: Amazing! Absolutely bleedin' amazing!
Remember Sankey's leaving home (which sells for more than the price of this entire DVD)? This is even stronger!
There are some mid-level sleight's used (around level 2-3/5), and a little something extra to buy/prepare, as a one-off prep, but visual magic doesn't get any better than this!
Cost: £14.99 (per volume) direct from Big Blind Media
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)
1-4 - a whole gamut of effects, and everyone will find something immediately suited to their current skill-level.
Review
Following hot on the heels of their lastest release (Strip With jon Thompson), BBM are continuing to raise their own personal game, as each new release pushes their production style further and further.
Fingers of Fury absolutely does not disappoint, in this respect; the presentation and production values are now second-to-none, with Owen Packard now noticably far more relaxed, and beginning to inject significantly more doses of his own personality and sense of fun into his slick, polished babies.
Picture and sound quality are simply excellent (although the sound levels do vary between the Presentation and Explanation segments, and I found myself reaching for the volume control a couple of times, in order to prevent from being deafened by Mr. Rorrison!), and the shooting and editing are perfectly executed.
Unlike previous BBM releases, Fingers of Fury features a very wide variety of effects, and every close-up worker will find plenty to value within.
Rorrison is an excellent teacher (especially when prodded with Owen's "Going On A Bit" stick, to keep him concise - I kid you not!!), and I'd love to see more of his innovative thinking in future releases (oh - hang on - I've still got another full volume to review, haven't I?!)
The whole DVD was an absolute pleasure to watch, from start to finish, powerful, visual magic, great teaching, and some truly jaw-dropping, eye-watering visual comedy, breaking the whole thing up (imagine Alan happy-slapping a hoodie-version of himself, who frequently doubles for his own spectator...it's bizarre in the extreme, and very, very funny.
Oh, and during 'Evolution', watch Owen distract Alan to the point where he struggles to find the word, 'distain'....only for Owen to also fluff up on providing the solution, and coming out with 'corcern', instead - just like one of my book-tests!!
Overall
Something for everyone - like a huge, delicious lucky-bag of magic, but with none of the tat, and all at a price half of that asked for by far lesser productions.
Just get it!
9.5/10
Release Date: Mid August
He's some guy.
