Your View of Criss Angel

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Postby Mandrake » Sep 8th, '09, 14:46



Nikkolas wrote:It's not like he's some balding fat guy with a wig
What's wrong with being The Great Soprendo :D ?

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Postby Craig Browning » Sep 8th, '09, 18:40

I didn't catch that Fat & Bald line but I'll have you know that I'm far from being bald and I'm just simply fluffy, not fat. :twisted:

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Postby Mandrake » Sep 8th, '09, 20:25

Craig Browning wrote:I didn't catch that Fat & Bald line
The Great Soprendo was the alter ego of Geoffrey Durham, an overweight cod 'Spanish' magician with a daft wig and a silly laugh.
Image

Now he's moved on from that persona he looks like:
Image

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Criss

Postby ChuFu » Dec 21st, '09, 15:48

I don't want to speak in the negative about Criss I have no problem with him but a lot of the escape work is so far away from what can be done on stage it may be a let down to see him do anything less on stage.
He may be his own worst competition.
Today escapes are becoming a fad and that is dangerous to the young. They can get all this information on line in an instant but do not have the experience to go with it.
It is natural for the young to be like Criss but trying dangerous escapes has hurt or killed some and it will more. I have never seen so much interest and I am glad I am retired. There is a lot of flawed information around.
For instance, the Novac course in escape artistry. I knew John and helped him with information. The one thing he never asked me about was the upside down straightjacket escape from a burning rope. The method listed will kill some one. I don't know who gave Novac the information but it is some of the most dangerous information out there.
It says to put weight equal to your on a rope, set it on fire and run some test of how long it take to break and get an estimate.
The only way to do a stunt like that is perfect timing and there is no way to get it. I have tested many ropes and they can break as much as two minutes or more in difference. This is a killer in waiting.
Between all the over exposure of the art and kids just wandering in off the street the problems will be serious.
One young man posted on a site that he just ordered a straightjacked. He had no even got it yet but wanted to know how to do it underwater. And other people who I feel have little or no experience were giving him advice!

Norman Bigelow

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Chris Angel

Postby Jason Ladanye » Mar 29th, '10, 19:09

We magicians find Chris Angel a joke because we can follow what he's doing (or NOT doing) Most everything we see from him is things his crew has built for him, he just has to point at the climax. Like the "card inside glass door" effect, we all know the effort it took him to point at that door when the card appears!!

Also, ever seen this guy try to handle cards or coins. There is no finesse. His sleights are all choppy, and his palms/hold outs are obvious. A lot of us work so hard to perfect our skills, and we still have to watch this hack on TV trying to do a classic pass.... it's frustrating to watch!

I'm not done!!! finally the worst part i believe is his PRESENTATION. He talks like a pothead grade school drop out. Blaine does the same thing, rather than build a presentation, they both kinda just say... "okay okay... you watching? okay... and um...... NOW!!!!" lotsa thought and hard work went into that! --okay! I'm done with my rant... for now...

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Postby SamGurney » Mar 29th, '10, 19:21

Well, to be honest, I think it suits Blaine and that is his style- it is still a presentation. Blaine is a fine magician although I'm still not a huge fan, but I don't want to knock him. Although his wannabes are... irritating if I must refrain from expletives.
Criss Angel does annoy me, However. He doesn't have any presentation or character. He might as well be like- Here are some tricks I bought. I have no idea what got him on tv in the first place. It does annoy me when I see Jermay and Banachek to name a few in the background. Sureley there are better things they could spend their time doing. I suppose the counter argument is 'well it's what pleases the lay audience' but I'm not even sure if it does.
All that said, I can only commend him wholeheartedly for his appearance on phenomenon with uri geller and that other charlatan who he was about to fight with. Geller is a fine magician, but his ethics are worrying and deserve to be challenged, I think. So well done for that, but still-
mmmmmmmmmoindddfriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean, what's that all about?

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Re: Criss

Postby spooneythegoon » Mar 29th, '10, 20:34

ChuFu wrote:I don't want to speak in the negative about Criss I have no problem with him but a lot of the escape work is so far away from what can be done on stage it may be a let down to see him do anything less on stage.
He may be his own worst competition.
Today escapes are becoming a fad and that is dangerous to the young. They can get all this information on line in an instant but do not have the experience to go with it.
It is natural for the young to be like Criss but trying dangerous escapes has hurt or killed some and it will more. I have never seen so much interest and I am glad I am retired. There is a lot of flawed information around.
For instance, the Novac course in escape artistry. I knew John and helped him with information. The one thing he never asked me about was the upside down straightjacket escape from a burning rope. The method listed will kill some one. I don't know who gave Novac the information but it is some of the most dangerous information out there.
It says to put weight equal to your on a rope, set it on fire and run some test of how long it take to break and get an estimate.
The only way to do a stunt like that is perfect timing and there is no way to get it. I have tested many ropes and they can break as much as two minutes or more in difference. This is a killer in waiting.
Between all the over exposure of the art and kids just wandering in off the street the problems will be serious.
One young man posted on a site that he just ordered a straightjacked. He had no even got it yet but wanted to know how to do it underwater. And other people who I feel have little or no experience were giving him advice!

Norman Bigelow


That is scary.

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Postby SamGurney » Mar 29th, '10, 21:02

I couldn't agree more! I don't know that much about escapology, but by the sounds of it it is one of the most 'genuine' forms of magic and also one of... if not the.. no, certainly the most dangerous form of magic (along with bullet catch)

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Real?

Postby Gregory Eugene » Jan 23rd, '11, 07:28

I firmly believe that Chris Angel isn't really magic and therefor all magicians who use tricks should respect him and all magicians who are really magic can call him a joke.

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here's what

Postby Gregory Eugene » Jan 23rd, '11, 07:33

SamGurney wrote: I have no idea what got him on tv in the first place.


Look up Chris Angel, Metamorphosis.

He's still not someone I'd like to learn from personally but I'm being honest.

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Postby its_tim » Jan 23rd, '11, 07:46

I think for the general public he is more about entertainment than anything else. Its quite obvious that he uses stooges in his tricks and I would think that many people know it.
Even if the magic isnt that great some people still get entertainment value from it. (although there is better)

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Re: Real?

Postby jim ferguson » Jan 23rd, '11, 22:26

Gregory Eugene wrote:I firmly believe that Chris Angel isn't really magic and therefor all magicians who use tricks should respect him and all magicians who are really magic can call him a joke.
    What do you mean by magicians who use tricks and magicians who are really magic ?
jim

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Postby mark lewis » Jan 24th, '11, 00:58

I see that ChuFu is Norman Bigelow. Most of you won't realise who this is.
He is highly respected in the world of escapes and anything he says about it should be listened to and read carefully.

As for Criss Angel I am afraid it is not just magicians who don't like him. The negative reviews of his show from LAYMEN are quite dreadful not to mention the awful press he is getting.

I am afraid that I don't like him. He swears too much on stage and from what I have read insults members of the audience and embarrasses people with sexual innuendo. I cannot possibly approve since I have led a very sheltered life.

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Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby The_Outlaw » Jan 25th, '11, 08:00

Nikkolas wrote:To most average pople, Angel's stunts are amazing.
Yet to people on this and many other magic-related forums, he is a joke.

I just am wondering why this is? Is it because he's "mainstream"? Or are the quality of his stunts really just poor? I've heard all sorts of different views in my search before I posted this topic so I'm just looking for a straight answer on how good people think Criss' acts are and why you think as you do.


I'm no expert, I'm merely an 'intermediate level hobbyist magician' at best.

I personally prefer David Blaine's style over Criss Angel's, but I did recently purchase my 9 year old son the Criss Angel Platinum Magic Kit for Christmas for a mere $25.00 U.S. (A pretty 'decent bargain' i.m.h.o.)

It was and still is a big hit for both my son and I.
The cups and balls set 'alone' would probably have cost me around $15 to $20 U.S. most anyplace else.

Is he a 'joke' i.m.o?
I would personally have to say that anyone who can become both famous & successful at doing what they love to do is no 'joke', they are just 'lucky'. :wink:

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Postby ruben » Jan 26th, '11, 17:03

next question please.

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