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The Effect

What they say:-

Many top pros consider the crazy man’s handcuffs to be the greatest commercial close-up effect of all time.

Well, they ain’t seen nothing yet! Now, you can perform it better then ever!

With special contributions from Michael Ammar, Dean Dill, Loren Michaels and other top pros, you will learn the routine step by step. From absolute basics for beginners to new, cutting edge techniques that you can easily learn to blow them away!

Also, learn how to visually link two real, borrowed wedding rings with a powerful new ways to make gimmick that will revolutionize your magic. Learn how to perform Linking Rubber Bands, Ring on Rubber Band, and the Linking Finger Rings like never before!

Plus two bonus routines: discover Nabil’s inside work on two rubber band classics: the Broken and Restored Rubber Band and the Jumping Rubber Band.

Cost

£17.99 at:

http://www.mikedanatasmagicstudio.co.uk/new/justin.htm

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)

There are various levels of difficulty depending on which method you want to have a go with but the ‘classic method’ is more of a level 2 and the rest is no more than a 3.

Review

I’ve loved performing CMHC and have always received reactions that have made all of the effort of learning this routine worthwhile. This DVD presented somewhat of a quandary in that part of me was thinking if it really matters if there are other ways of performing the effect, while the other part of me wanted to look at and consider other methods of performing. The inclusion of the linking wedding rings was the clincher.

Looking at the packaging I noted that there was over two hours of magic on the DVD which could make this a very good value purchase. The quality of the filming is very good as is Nabil's presentation and teaching.

The DVD begins with the teaching of the ‘classic’ technique and followed with some subtleties for performing the routine which were narrated in good technical detail before moving on to Michael Ammar’s ‘in the specs hands’ finale.

Next is the Dave Womach move which I personally loved. It’s a move that takes one of the bands only part way through the other, so that you have a half trapped and a half released band. I’ve tried this a few times and I find that it really adds to the effect when used with a false explanation. You then go onto release the band using the ‘classic’ move and it just looks awesome. For some reason it seems to baffle the specs even more when performed between the ‘classic and the Ammar move.

Next is the ‘No Pull’ method by Dean Dill which teaches the release by utilising the move at the end of the fingers without stretching the bands apart as in the ‘classic’ method. Again, this is a lovely little move that will allow you to repeat the effect by using a totally different technique that will have the closely watching specs looking elsewhere.

Next is Lauren Michaels Band-It and the performance and explanation footage is from an old lecture film at a magic society somewhere. What Lauren teaches is how to begin with the bands apart and then link them together. A sort of rewind version. Nabil then teaches two differing versions of this in the studio along with some up-to-date subtleties so if you haven’t picked it up from the archive footage then you have this section to fall back up with it’s usual high quality. There is also a teaching on how to get ‘in’ with one of the bands on the specs hands.

Next (yes, there's more ) is a live performances by Nabil that uses a third, fourth and then a fifth ( )and final version of the Band-It move which are then taught in the studio before the section ends with some of Nabil’s thoughts on the linking bands.

The DVD then moves onto the ‘Link’ routine with a brief history of the gimmick along with credits. The gimmick is then explained along with instructions on how to make it and fit in various different ways to suit different needs. It’s a fairly simple process but it does use items that you won’t have lying around in the house.

The linking bands using the gimmicked totally fooled me before I watched the explanation and the performance was filmed very close up. There are a number of subtleties taught for adding effect to this performance before moving onto the linking wedding rings.

Version one is taught using a Himber Ring whereas version two uses the gimmick. The subtleties discussed focus on the use of the gimmick although unlike the linking elastic bands I would have doubts about the illusion working close up with wedding rings but at a distance it looks very nice and not too dissimilar to linking Ninja Rings. However, there is a further version of using the gimmick and the Himber Ring with the gimmick simply doing some of the work for you.

Now things get VERY interesting! Next is a really beautiful routine that is specifically designed for changing a ring to use with Richard Sanders Interlaced routine and using either his Anyring hank, or a Devil’s Hank, while doing the linking rings using a Himber Ring. This may sound complicated but isn't and the effect is worth the price of this DVD alone. If you’re looking for ideas on ring vanishes, switches, steals etc. to use with Interlaced then look no further.

To end there is the Ring and Rubber Band link using the gimmick, and then the beautiful and visual broken and restored rubber band effect that you will definitely add to your CMHC routine that is sleight of hand without any gimmick before ending with the jumping rubber band which is also something that will be as fooling at CMHC itself.

Overall

This is a really nice jam packed DVD that has been produced with time and effort and it shows. Nabil's presentation and teaching is extremely good and if you perform CMHC then there will is content enough for evceryone that you will add.

The clincher has to be the ring section and in particular, the routine that is devised for use with Richard Sanders Interlaced. This makes this DVD one of the real bargains around at the moment and sets it apart from some of the specialised rubber band DVD's. This brings the DVD out of being a CUPS purchase and if you work with Interlaced as I know a number of you do, then this DVD is almost a necessity.

I'll add this spearately from the review to say thanks to Mike for bringing the DVD to my attention as it would have been easliy overlooked as a purchase.

This has to be the big benefit of visiting one of the declining numbers of magic shops around the country as opposed to buying online and even if you have to travel a reasonable distance to visit a shop, I am sure that those who make the effort will agree that it's worth it.

Having got to know Mike over the years he has come to know what interests me and what doesn't and he's usually spot on, and very often saves me from wasting my money which is unusual for a retailer

Thanks for the excellent and thorough review! I've never been one for rubber band magic but I have to say my interest has been piqued, and with DVDs like this to feed my CUPS.... Seems like superb value for money, too.

(By the way, Link is also reviewed here)

Oops - I missed the previous review so sorry for duplicating here and it appears that we both thought similar things about the content.