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Complete Card Magic with Gerry Griffin Volume 1
K, so I received this DVD set a long time ago in a order of magic off eBay. It was just a bunch of DVDs and books for a real cheap price. So I didn’t pass it up.
So of the items were great, others were…. ehhh, this is one of the ehhh.


cost: $34.95


The Effect
Volume One: Beginner - 14 Easy to Learn Card Miracles

Jump-start your magical journey into Complete Card Magic with these fourteen introductory mysteries. Volume One offers a strong foundation for building your own card magic routines. Card expert and featured performer Gerry Griffin takes you step-by-step through some amazing mysteries.
The Betting Game - This fun effect fools them every time.
A Simple Card Revelation - Here's a little mystery with a big finish.
Eyes Are The Window to the Soul - Look into their eyes and find their card.
Pulse - Find a card while feeling their heartbeat.
21 Card Trick - A contemporary classic using three rows of seven.
CRUNCH!! - Find a chosen card using your sense of bite.
Up to Her Old Tricks - The gypsy queen helps you find the selected card.
I'm Having a Spell - Spell out a random card to find a spectator's card.
Lie Detector - If they lie about their card, truth is, you'll find it.
What is He Talking About? - Name the wrong card, but show you were right.
Cowboys and Indians - This story will become one of your favorites.
Into the Future - You predict the cards that they randomly deal.
Sisters - Two queens mysteriously find their sisters.
Do as I Do - Two decks are exchanged until you both select the same card.


Over all review:
Gerry seems to be a very mono type person. He’s just so boring, and his presentation, well to say the least lacks. He’s not a bad teacher, but not the greatest either. The DVD is full of unoriginal effects and crappy presentation. I really don’t recommend this DVD. IF you happen to get it free, it cant hurt. But don’t rely on it.
don’t get me wrong the effects are great, they just aren’t presented or taught extremely well on here. Almost fell asleep watching this DVD. Oh, and the music is just horrible.
Rating 3 out of 10.
1 point off for boringness.
3 point off for being unoriginal.
3 point off for crappy presentation.

My reviews of the effects: Rating 1 out of 10, Difficulty 1 out of 5

This DVD, most of the effects are based on one idea and basically the same method.

The Betting Game: Aye, it’s a great effect. I actually perform this one a lot. But I used to perform it even before getting this DVD. I much prefer the version taught in my books.
Rating 4 / Difficulty 1


Simple Card Revelation: I don’t really remember this one. But I will go back and watch it, to give you a full review.


Eyes are The window to the soul: Okay, can we get a more lame patter. The effect isn’t half bad, but the presentation is really rather lame and corny. That may be some ones style, but sure isn’t mine. Again the end effect isn’t anything new or special.
Rating 3/ Difficulty 1


Pulse: Another trick that originates in a book. The original is great, this one not so great. He didn’t even make it his own, which is a great magician would do. So I guess Gerry isn’t that great.
Rating 3 / Difficulty 1


21 Card trick: Of Course the classic 21 card trick. That “every” audience member knows and old people perform. So ya, nothing special here.
Rating 3 / Difficulty 1


Crunch: Old method, simple method, slightly different presentation. The key point of the presentation isn’t too bad. IT could be made better though.
Rating 5 / Difficulty 1


Up to Her Old Tricks:


I’m Having a Spell: Old method, old trick. Nothing new, nothing original, nothing special here.
Magic Makers at their Best. There are so many variations of this trick, you think they would be able to make their own.
Rating: 2 / Difficulty 2


Lie Detector: Are we seeing a pattern yet? Another effect that can be found in a book, yet its better from the book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a decent effect. Just not from Magic Makers.
Rating 2 / Difficulty 1


What is he Talking about: Rating 4 / Difficulty 2


Cowboys and Indians: Rating 3 / Difficulty 2


Into The Future: Rating 3 / Difficulty 2


Sisters: Rating 3 / Difficulty 2


Do as I do: The Classic effect, taken and used and taught almost exactly as if read from a book.
Mon voiced and taught. Just get a book.
Rating 5 / Difficulty 2


So what is the point I am making… GET A BOOK. Don’t waste your money on these. The only reason I could see you getting this, would be to see the effect and moves.
On top of that, it’s a Magic Makers product, full of their usual unoriginal effects.

I have to agree. I picked them up very cheaply from ebay too (Mmm perhaps they new something we didn't). I got sooo bored that I havent wtched them all yet, it was just too hard to get through them. THat was two years ago (ish), and they still take rpide of place at the bottom of my magic stash.
The only thing you can learn from this dvd (and the rest in the series) is how to be the most boring man in the world. And the effects are distinctly average too. Avoid at all costs.

I would agree with you guys when it comes to the first 3 or 4 dvds of this set however I have learnt many things from the last few dvds of this set.

Yes Mr. griffin isn't the most animated or exciting man in the world but I find his performance style quite amusing and what a relaxing voice he has.
The two dvds which go through the shuffles, sleights and flourishes are very informative and Gerry is an excellent teacher. It is very annoying the fact that the first couple of dvds have virtually no material for the intermediate magician but we must take in to consideration this is a set targeting the complete beginner and then take them through upto a good standard.
I know that even the expert and expert extreme dvds contains material that isn't that hard but I must say I use or have used many of the routines on them at some point or other.

Well I am still working on reviewing the others. Cant hurt.

Well you may find that vol 2 and 3 dont get much better I'm afraid.

Unless of course you dont know the first thing about cards but I have a sneaking suspicion you know your biddle from your mechanics

greedoniz wrote:Well you may find that vol 2 and 3 dont get much better I'm afraid.

Unless of course you dont know the first thing about cards but I have a sneaking suspicion you know your biddle from your mechanics

Ya I know, I have had these for a few years now. Just never got around to reviewing them. Then I saw a topic about people need to post more negative reviews.

If that is the case then I'd better get working on the Sankey Gemini pouch review

I slightly disagre, These dvd's were one of the first set of dvd's i bought when i was starting out with cards and i found the dvd's to be really good for me as a beginer, it gave me alot of cofidence in the handling of cards.

Thats because you got them as one of your frst items.

IF you had some books like Card College or RRTCM, or some other dvd set you would understand why they are so bad.

But the main point is that they are MAgic Fakers, unoriginal, badly taught, effects.

Please try not to fault Gerry. On these vidios, it was Magic Makers who edited the material, supplied the music and more than likely ignored the artist performing the routines. Ray Cosby has a boring personality on vedio but is quite talanted. Gerry came off the way he did because of MMs inability to make a good video. There is a saying about how a good magician can take a mediocre trick and make it a great trick but a mediocre magician will take a great trick and make it mediocre. What I'm saying here is, give up on MM but give Gerry a chance. He really a very talanted and knowledgeable magician.
Regards
Al

There is one trick, I can't remember which dvd its on, where he claims to be able to divine a card by biting it. At that point I turned the dvd off and never watched it again!

AndyRegs wrote:There is one trick, I can't remember which dvd its on, where he claims to be able to divine a card by biting it. At that point I turned the dvd off and never watched it again!

Crunch. First DVD.
I actually tried that once.