talkmagic.co.uk

Name:FOUND LINK/RHING THING - The FLRT Manuscript
Creator: Vincent Garibaldi Mendoza
Price:about $12.41 US
Available From: www.flipsideproductions.com
Type:Rubber band magic
Examinable:Yes Completely, Before and afterwards
Reset Time:Instantly

Effect:

FOUND LINK - How to, very cleanly, link one rubber band to another
THE RHING THING - How to link a finger ring to an elastic band, just as cleanly.

Review:

Very cleanly is an understatement, it's immaculate.

I've been having such a great time with this effect since I bought it and now I'm posting about it so that I can get a copy of the bonus effect that Vince is offering. If you know rubber band magic and you think you've seen pretty much all the moves. This manuscript is chock full of moves that no one has every published before and they're all practical. His Mendoza Move allows you to link just about anything to an ungimmicked elastic band.

Take a look on his website for the video demo and you'll see what I mean. The moves flow from one to the other, there's no figeting and it's very direct.

Strange. There's a further posting on this - apparently in total isolation - check out http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=25083#25083

It took awhile, but eventually I found where on the site details of the effect were (ok, so I am still half asleep!)

The video clip was very impressive, (although the sound didnt play that well - shame as it was a good choice of music).

So my only question. Is it really as you say 100% examinable before and afterwards? If that is true (and there is no switch) then I suspect I know what is happening, but you are right, That is a great effect. The next step up from Russ's Pinnacle even. Perhaps destined to become a Rubber Band classic...

really examinable? wow.

FLRT starts at the point in Pinnacle where you take the ring off so replaces the last phases - using it you can fairly/openly display the ring on the band freely.

Busted a bonus effect is also nice showing a band seemingly break...
Found Link is pretty much the same as FLRT but links two bands instead of band/ring.

If you don't know Pinnacle you will need to openly thread the ring onto the band - having said that - this means you can use other objects not doable using Pinnacle...

I have now had a good chance to play with this PDF quite extensively (a seven hour flight to Canada with some really cr*p films!!!), and so I thought I would share my findings with you.

Firstly I will say the documentation and illustrations are nothing short of fantastic. I would give it a 10/10 for sure. It could very easily be argued that elastic band magic is best taught on Video/DVD format, but with this PDF file I would have to say I wouldn’t have had it in any other format. Apart from anything else I wouldn’t have been able to take the DVD on the plane. In fact, I will go one step further and say that I wish that “The Pinnacle” (another favourite) had also had a well illustrated PDF booklet to go with it, as every now and again, I wouldn’t mind a reminder – without having to wait until I have access to a DVD player.

The photographs are numerous, clear and all very relevant to the accompanying text. Initially I would have thought the moves were going to be complicated, but I think it is a credit to Mr. Mendoza that they are made to be both clear, and after a while simple.

The Mendoza Move
The first thing taught is how to get in the basic position for all the effects described. This is known as the “Mendoza Move”, and really once you have walked through the diagrams a few (well ok 4 or 5) times, the fingers really do start remembering all by themselves, until you get into a point where you really don’t need to be looking at your hands at all.

This position you end up in is described as the cornerstone of the effect, and indeed it is. Without this position there are no effects, and I have to say that although I already knew about the position. This is by far the best method I have seen for achieving it so far.

LMOH “Look Ma, One Hand”
It has to be said, that holding the “position” with just one hand, is a very much a convincer, and we are given 3 methods of achieving it

The first two methods are easy enough. The third quite frankly ended up with far too many bands being pinged across the plane, so I thought it prudent to stop practicing it. Besides, the first two (IMO) seems just as efficient to me.

I do have to say one thing about the band though when it is in the LMOH position. Although it IS for sure a convincer in one respect, in another it is actually less convincing.

Confused? Well, I don’t want to give anything away, but because the bands can’t be stretched as far between the thumb and index finger of one hand, as they can between the fingers of two hands, it somehow seems a tadge less impressive. If performing in a darker room, such as a bar, then perhaps I would risk it, but otherwise, I feel I would probably omit that phase.

This could of course very easily be because I haven’t yet discovered the perfect bands for the effect. I currently am working through my bag of bands that I bought with Pinnacle, which although very good (especially for pinnacle and CMH) , would ideally be even thinner for this effect.

The other thing I will say at this point is that many bands were injured in the practicing of this effect…

Found Link
This is a very effective way of linking one band on to another.

Now I have to say that this wasn’t my favourite effect of those suggested, by any stretch (sorry) of the imagination. The reason being is that I already have a very nice effect were two bands very cleanly get linked and unlinked, and although this has a superior convincing hold of the two bands being “really” linked, I still prefer the method I already use. (Has it a name? I don’t know. I actually saw Michael Ammar do it on one of his general magic DVD’s. It’s the one where he actually uses two hair bands.)

The one nice thing about using the Mendoza move for this though is that I can appear to be doing the Ammar version, but end up showing the bands really linked. This is great for fooling other magicians who think they know what to expect.

The Rhing Thing
Now we are talking. This one effect made the whole download more than worthwhile for me. The very best thing about it is that it just plays so well after the first two phases of Pinnacle. First you put the ring on one strand. Then you put the ring on the second strand, and then you put it back on one strand but in such a way that you really can show the ring is genuinely linked.

Russ and Vince really need to get together on this a market both effects together…I strongly recommend you own both.

Of course the other nice thing about Rhing Thing, is that really anything with a ring works. Scissors and Cups given as two examples.

Fall and the Mendoza Off Move (MOM)
Well my favourite was the MOM, although there is nothing wrong with Fall. I think it is actually quite nice that Vince went to the effort of finding a nice way to remove the two linked objects. It just goes to show what a professional he is.


Bottom Line

Well, I would say this is a definite must if you like rubber band magic. I will add though that you do need to find the perfect band before showing it to anyone, and I am not yet convinced that I have found them…

I've just had a look at the demo video. The Mendoza move looks to be identical to the link I've been using for about twelve years. I thought it was mine, but then I found it in the second bound volume of Apocalypse...

I've taught it to a bunch of folk over the years, but I'm not about to go on a witchhunt! At one point it was going to be an update video for my BHMME CD.

I'll get in touch with Vince so there's no bad blood.

Take care, Ian

but then I found it in the second bound volume of Apocalypse...

Let us know how it pans out. It's always interesting to trace the genealogy of these things...

Well, I've had a look and I was a wee bit mistaken...the effect in Apocalypse was in fact the _first_ phase of my ring and band routine...so it's not the Mendoza move.

As for that setup; it's the third phase of my routine (which anyone who has seen me perform close up has seen - it's been my opener since 92) which was a developement of Kenner's linking bands from Out of Control (originally shown to me by Paul Wilson).

What people have been saying about muscle memory is correct - I do it without thinking (after 13 years!). It's lightening fast and satisfying to nail down!

I don't want people to think I'm kicking up a fuss here - it's obvious that Vince came up with this himself (or at least not from me). I just want to set the record straight so when I do put my handling out there I'm not accused of thieving his move.

The rest of the routine looks very nice, though.

Take care, Ian