talkmagic.co.uk

The Blurb

FINALLY REVEALED IN FULL AT LAST!

We highly suggest that you watch this DVD with a deck of cards in hand. You'll learn the moves easier and you'll be even more astonished when you see it in your own hands.

Our description cannot do this justice. If you have ever seen Kenton perform the routine with a deck that keeps changing into a trick deck, after it has been examined, and back again, then you are already rushing to the bottom of the page to order this DVD.

For those who have never seen this live, we'll do our best to give you a taste of what happens in this trademark, entirely mad, routine.

Kenton removes a deck from a card case marked TRICK DECK. He precedes to explain what this "special deck" does.

The deck is fanned faces outward. All the red cards are seen on the faces - red cards only. But when Kenton shows the backs of the cards - the backs are all of the BLACK CARDS. That's right - a double-faced deck shown openly in a wide fan - front and back.

But then... The deck is openly fanned to show ALL BACKS on BOTH SIDES. Not just one or two backs are seen. Many backs are visible on all sides, from the top to the bottom of the deck.

And then... All the black cards turn face up in the deck. A selected card is peeked at and after some byplay, Kenton names the card. Big deal? He "explains" that this is easy because after all the shuffles and mixes the deck is in perfect order - and it is. Then he has the spectator examine the deck.

IT'S A REAL, REGULAR DECK!

Did we mention this is all just "Phase One" of a four phase routine?

The deck is repeatedly shuffled by the performer, even by the spectator, yet the deck always separates into reds and black cards! It's "Oil and Water" with a FULL DECK. Kenton shows that the deck is "really one of those Svengali Decks" and shows how these decks work with his deck. Then... yep, you guessed it... the deck is immediately handed to a spectator who finds that the deck is a REAL DECK again.

From here, things just get wilder. The deck becomes "marked", turns colors, shrinks, goes blank, and becomes a different kind of Svengali Deck again with the spectator's card. AT ANY TIME the deck is handed to the spectator and shown to be a REAL DECK. Then, the deck vanishes!

There is also an amazing and ingenious "Lazy Man's Ambitious" routine by Kenton that includes a full deck Triumph, the signed card turning over repeatedly in the deck, jumping from pocket to the deck, etc.

NO DECK SWITCHES - EVER.

Important psychology and other concepts are dropped during the explanations that will blow your mind when you stop to really ponder them too.

Cost

Between $29 and $34 - can't find any UK guide prices at time of writing but got mine from Mike Danata for £22 post free

http://www.mikedanatasmagicstudio.co.uk

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)

difficulty varies between 2 and 4 depending on the part of the routine.

Review

Damn damn damn - CUPS got the better of me again!

I saw this advertised in the current edition of magic magazine and having read the blurb above I was caught hook line and sinker.

Anyway, having watched a couple of time now I really can't make my mind up whether I like it or not. It does use a real deck but the routine is 16 minutes long which is too long - the Bohemian Rhapsody of card magic but this one won't hit number one for nine weeks (twice).

There's some interesting moves here which willmean that everyone will get something from the DVD but it's a matter of whether it's worth the price. It might just scrape through for most people because of it's originality.

As it says on the box, if you don't want to use the whole routine then you can just use bits which again adds to the attraction as you can adapt it to suit - a sort of Fiber Optics for cards.

There's a lot of repetition and if you reduce this and leave out the lame ACR part then you might just have something that you could work with.

Overall

For a change, I'm on the fence with this one and it will need a few more plays and some more deck work before make my mind up.

For me, the disappointing bit is that the performance doesn't live up to the hype so I was already on the back foot when I got around to watching the explanation. This is mostly due to the length and the repetition.

I'm gonna be interested to hear anyone elses view who has bought this.

I think Iain has this; he'll probably be along shortly if he has.