PK Ring Effects Volumes 1-4 - By Randi Rain

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PK Ring Effects Volumes 1-4 - By Randi Rain

Postby AnonymousZC » Jul 28th, '08, 22:55



The Effect
Taken from the dvd case.
Volume 1 - Bill Shift.
The Bill Shift is a great close-up effect that ou can perform just about any time and any where. You show a one dollar bill, fold it up, make a magical gesture, and the bill changes into a larger denomination of bill. The bill can then be handed out for examination. A very easy, clean, and pretty bill switch. + Bonus Effect.

Volume 2 - Repeal, Flat Cap in Bottle.
The Repeal is a 'Flat Cap in Bottle' routine. A close-up effect where you take a bottle, that you have been drinking from, and magically place the cap inside. The cap is flat and can not fit out the neck of the bottle. You can hand the bottle out for examination immediately so they can view the miracle for themselves. The set-up is simple, and can easily be done on the fly with the very bottle you are drinking from. + Bonus Effect.

Volume 3 - Jigger Not!
Jigger Not! Is a great modified chop cup routine. You use a mixing jigger to perform some really pretty moves. Such as, where the ball gets pushed through the jigger, and also where it gets sucked up from the bottom. Plus, an easy to do vanish where the ball gets thrown back under the jigger. + Bonus Effect.

Volume 4 - Flying Matches.
Flying Matches is a collection of match effects that you can do almost any time and any where. Probably the most easy, fun and complete PK ring effects there is. Full of transpositions and vanishes, these effects will most definately find their way into any match trick routine. + Bonus Effect.


Cost
£9.99 each or currently 4 for 3 at worldmagicshop.com
Though 4 for 3 is priced at £29.99 not £29.97 if that really matters.

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)

Between 1 and 2.


Review
Volume 1 - Bill Shift.
As you could tell by the name and the description, this is designed for american bills. On the website given above, it says "Can be performed with any currency"; which I am sure is true, but may require a change in routine. Living in England, I only have sterling notes. I have worked out a way to adapt these into the routine, but I feel that American bills would be easier. Its as clean as any 'Bill Shift' routine, but a bit of distraction will solve everything.
Bonus Effect.
A spin on the torn and restored effect. Works well and can be encorporated into card routines easy. I prefer this over the Bill Shift routine, and would more likely use it. Same as above, you can easily end up clean.

Volume 2 - Repeal, Flat Cap in Bottle.
When reading the description about being able to do this 'on the fly', I thought it was too good to be true ... and it was. If you know what you will be drinking, you can set half the trick up before you go out. But if you want to do it on the bottle you have been drinking from, then the rest of the setup will need to be done very sneakedly and I feel will be hard to be done in front of people. (Though I am sure I can be proved wrong by the better magicians out there.)
But I was able to adapt this into a routine where I could easily use this on a bottle I was drinking from, though still involves a little setup before going out.
Bonus Effect.
A simple effect of dropping the end of a shoelace into a cup and making the cup float. The shoelace can be replaced with many other items. Simple and effective. Yet again a great bonus effect to the dvd, and one that I will most likely use. Though without having a cup on me all the time, it will most likely used as a 'party piece'. Ends as clean as possible

Volume 3 - Jigger Not!
A great chop cup style routine. I will definitely be looking out for a similar mixer style cup to use for this routine. Unfortuantly I do not have a chop cup set (though I am sure I will at some point), but if I did I would love to try this routine with the three cups, as I am sure it can be adapted. It is exactly what it says in the description, nice and smooth with easy moves.
Bonus Effect.
An adaptation of a floating fork effect. The way it was done was not as good as it could be. I'm sure there are much easier and cleaner solutions to this effect. The video showed a poor performance, though I am sure you can make it look more realistic.

Volume 4 - Flying Matches.
Pretty good effect, though uses paper matches and not wooden ones. While watching the dvd I worked out a way to use wooden matches, but some of the effects I felt were best suited for paper matches. Gives a few different routines with a great finish. Some were so good I am now on the look out for paper matches.
Bonus Effect.
A simple appearence of an item. Not a great effect. I started using this effect before I watched the dvds, but brings in a new item I may not have thought of without watching it.

Overall
It seems more time was taken over the intro videos than on the explanations. Though they weren't rushed, but other than the floating matches effect, not much effects/routines were given. No live performances, or how you could set it up ready for a performance (which blew the idea of doing the "Flat Cap in Bottle" on the 'fly') were also given. So these dvds were just; how to do an effect, but unfortuantly very simple ones. I understand why now that there is no real preview video to these dvd, as you could work it out easy by watching a performance.
Overall; yes these are simple effects, but have given me many ideas for other effects. Also I have been able to adapt them into ways that are easier for me. As I have only recently purchased a PK ring, these were good starting blocks. But I feel are not really worth the money, even on the 3 for 4 offer. Thankfully I only paid £10 for all four dvds.


Note: This is my first review. So if you feel I have missed out something important, said something I shouldn't have or anything else, then please tell me so that I can improve my future reviews.

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AnonymousZC
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