Your View of Criss Angel

Chat about specific magicians and their shows, their careers and their place in the history of magic.

Moderators: nickj, Lady of Mystery, Mandrake, bananafish, support

UK's Online Magic Tricks and Jokes Shop offers kids and beginner magic tricks and jokes. Web Design for Magicians World-Of-Magic, Suppliers of quality Magic Worldwide A web site set up to sell my book, THE STRIPPER DECK, and future magical/mentalism titles. Sorcery Shop - Home of the ITR Best prices around!

Postby jim ferguson » Jan 26th, '11, 20:45



ruben wrote:next question please.
    Perhaps Im missing something here, but what was the point of that post ?


User avatar
jim ferguson
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1594
Joined: Sep 13th, '09, 19:30
Location: Isle of Arran (38:SH)

Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby Ant » Jan 26th, '11, 21:02

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.


As Craig says this has been covered extensively here.

I will just add that although I have only watched the first disc of MF Season 6 so cannot comment in it's entirety yet but the absence of Banachek and Jon Thompson is noticeable.

On the whole I still like Criss Angel, he is the casing point to me that technique and ability are not the same as showmanship and presentation. This is not to say he necessarily lacks this but there are definitely others technically more able than he.

Love him or hate him he is a successfully marketed showman. The quality of his magic will always be down to opinion and irrespective the opinion differences between laymen and magicians will always vary greatly.

Laypeople pay the bills at the end of the day not magicians so the whole (heavily discussed) subject is kind of moot.

"The most important thing is not to stop questioning."
User avatar
Ant
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1307
Joined: Jul 11th, '09, 21:09
Location: Hertford, UK (29:AH)

Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby Mandrake » Jan 26th, '11, 21:10

A_n_t wrote:Laypeople pay the bills at the end of the day not magicians so the whole (heavily discussed) subject is kind of moot.
Conversely, if we all thought he was the dog's danglies but the paying public didn't, he'd be busking on subways with a scruffy dog on a bit of string.

User avatar
Mandrake
'
 
Posts: 27494
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: UK (74:AH)

Postby ruben » Jan 27th, '11, 07:23

he should,stick to rock n roll.

ruben
Full Member
 
Posts: 55
Joined: Jan 10th, '08, 16:53

Postby mark lewis » Jan 27th, '11, 10:46

The point to be made is that it is LAYMEN who are criticising him and his show in Vegas. And they are doing so in vast droves. It makes sense when you think about it. His fan base are not the types who have enough money to go to Vegas and watch expensive live shows. I have seen people wandering about Vegas. They are fairly high class. They are not the type who are going to enjoy a scruffy, foul mouthed low class "entertainer"

He would do better to change his venue to the sort of places that would cater to the lower classes. I think he would do well in Blackpool.

mark lewis
Elite Member
 
Posts: 3875
Joined: Feb 26th, '05, 02:41

Postby Mandrake » Jan 27th, '11, 12:24

According to the recect edition of Magic magazine, the Vegas show has changed considerably since the first performance, a lot of the Cirque features have been removed and replaced by more Angel Magic Show stuff. The reviewer originally thought the show was awful but now says on balance it's far better, although he queried the wisdom of removing some of the original parts of the show.

User avatar
Mandrake
'
 
Posts: 27494
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: UK (74:AH)

Postby ruben » Jan 27th, '11, 16:48

Dear Mark,I haven't been posting much. As you can plainly see. Anyway,speaking for myself.

I send everyone a warm hello,I'm in Europe now not much further from the UK. Im from the states. I appreciate what is being said here. Yes friend, I to have in Vegas, I to am a pro and have been now for over 30yrs. My teacher wa a past pres. of sam and ibm a close friend to Harry Blackstone Sr. who baptised his son and my very good pal David Blackstone C.

I'm sorry but I stand to what I say, and not by a layman view point.
With respect Ruben.

ruben
Full Member
 
Posts: 55
Joined: Jan 10th, '08, 16:53

Postby Erwin » Jan 27th, '11, 19:05

I've only seen Criss Angel once. I watched an episode of his show where he floated from one rooftop to another, to the jaw-dropped agape amazement of onlookers below. Hmm. Unfortunately I am not 8. He's not for me.

User avatar
Erwin
Senior Member
 
Posts: 328
Joined: Jan 2nd, '11, 13:29

Postby fincsher » Jan 28th, '11, 12:03

Reverend Tristan wrote:I can tell you how he does them all, he uses an hidden monkey.


LOL... haha is that really it? Impossible.

fincsher
New User
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Jan 26th, '11, 13:33

Postby Ant » Jan 28th, '11, 20:03

Mandrake wrote:According to the recect edition of Magic magazine, the Vegas show has changed considerably since the first performance, a lot of the Cirque features have been removed and replaced by more Angel Magic Show stuff. The reviewer originally thought the show was awful but now says on balance it's far better, although he queried the wisdom of removing some of the original parts of the show.


I much preferred the original show, the problem was it never fulfilled either one of the audiences it was intended for.

The Cirque crowd generally did not "get" the Criss Angel thing and the magic crowd were disappointed as much of the magic performed was integrated so well in to the show it felt more like a theatre production than a genuine magic trick/illusion.

The new show is definitely more focused on illusions and the introduction of the new effects is definitely a sign of the direction it is headed however I think this is to it's detriment. The Criss Angel Cirque show was something truly unique. The beauty of CdS with some incredible illusions, now it will be just another Vegas magic show. :(

"The most important thing is not to stop questioning."
User avatar
Ant
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1307
Joined: Jul 11th, '09, 21:09
Location: Hertford, UK (29:AH)

Re:

Postby samfairweathermagic » Jan 28th, '12, 01:03

themagicwand wrote: But he is certainly not adverse to using camera tricks, stooges and clever editing on his TV show. Hope this helps.


i disagree when he walked on water he had stooges but thats about all i can say for sure

User avatar
samfairweathermagic
Preferred Member
 
Posts: 122
Joined: Dec 5th, '11, 04:40

Re: Re:

Postby Ant » Jan 28th, '12, 21:26

samfairweathermagic wrote:
themagicwand wrote: But he is certainly not adverse to using camera tricks, stooges and clever editing on his TV show. Hope this helps.


i disagree when he walked on water he had stooges but thats about all i can say for sure


May I suggest you look up the definition of "adverse". ;)

"The most important thing is not to stop questioning."
User avatar
Ant
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1307
Joined: Jul 11th, '09, 21:09
Location: Hertford, UK (29:AH)

Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby samfairweathermagic » Jan 29th, '12, 01:36

whoops lol

User avatar
samfairweathermagic
Preferred Member
 
Posts: 122
Joined: Dec 5th, '11, 04:40

Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby Discombobulator » Jan 29th, '12, 12:11

I dont thnk the above discussion should demerit Chris Angel's entry in the 'hall of fame'
He is a magician and his work has helped to popularise magic in the eyes of the masses.

There is a big problem with successful magicians such as Angel, and Blain.
Their next performance has to be better than their previous one.
if you make a card dissppear you then have to try with a box and then an elephant then the eiffel Tower and then....
You spend a few days in a box, then a block of ice, then ....
It seems like they have to get a bigger kick each time. They abandon their roots in their quest to acheive greatness. Their ego becomes bigger than their skill.

For a while I thought that Derren might be heading down that path, but he seems to have a grip and if anything he's returned to more traditional magic with his stage shows as well as branching out into documentaries and art.

I just hope that some new names like Dynamo dont follow Chris Angel's or David Blain's example.

¿ sɹoɹɹıɯ ʎq ǝuop ןןɐ sʇı
"who? no I dont know him", Derren Brown
"no idea who he is !", Kenton Knepper
"Is he a magician ?", Penn&Teller
Discombobulator
Senior Member
 
Posts: 678
Joined: Nov 15th, '05, 00:30
Location: Newcastle (58:AH)

Re: Your View of Criss Angel

Postby Weasel » Mar 21st, '12, 10:39

A lot of strong opinions! Personally I don't like him, but I think a lot of the comments on here are rooted from jealousy and bitterness. "He is famous, but not even as good as me at sleights!", well, too bad. He is just a man trying to get fame and attention, to an extent he has succeeded on his ego trip, but who cares? At the very worst he annoys a few magicians, at the best he has made magic more popular so why complain? Surely if he is so rubbish, it just means it is ridiculously easy to be a famous TV magician, so what's stopping you?

Weasel
Junior Member
 
Posts: 27
Joined: Mar 8th, '12, 16:02

PreviousNext

Return to Magicians' Hall of Fame

Dude That's Cool Magic Playing Cards for Magicians Manufacturer of modern & unique magic apparatus! Visit Magicbox for all the latest and best effects! Best prices around! Aeternum Servare Secreta MagicWorld Magic Shop for Magic Tricks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest