I assumed that there would already be a review of this but I couldn't find one so here it goes:
The Effect
A classic 'spike' routine. You take four objects (in this case he uses plungers - hence the name of the DVD) since you are using plungers you remove the handles just leaving the plunging bit. A super sharp nail is then attached to the top. The plungers are covered with styro cups and mixed. The tension is raised and each cup is smashed down revealing the last cup that has the nail.
Cost (currently £9.99 at Alakazam - cheapest I could find)
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)
I'd go for 2. This is easy to do but if you get it wrong you WILL have a nail impailed on your hand!!!!!
Review
It's fair to say that I knew the method before I bought the DVD but I was interested to see Kockov's presentation. I have to say that his presentation is good (IMHO) and whilst unique, the method is also pretty safe. However, I will never do this routine. I may be a big fat coward but it's just toooooo darn dangerous. If you make a mistake (and I accept that due to the method this should be unlikely) you will end up with a nail through your hand. I'm not prepared to suffer this much risk for my art. I accept that some of you will be able to pull this off with amazing skill and accuracy. Good luck to you I say!! But I am not willing to take the risk, however small, that I may impail myself.
There is also a bonus section on the DVD where he does a Russian Roulette routine with blank firing guns. This is a good routine but again, EXTREMELY dangerous. In my opinion he explains the method well, but should have gone into more detail regards the specifics of the method (if you have the DVD you'll know what I mean). Again, as a peice of theatre I like it, but I'll never put it in my routine. He also doesn't say where you buy colt revolvers and blank firing ammunition - I have no idea????
Overall
If you like this sort of routine then you'll love it. Personally I don't like risk. I accept that the method is such that the risk is reduced to a very low level. However, there just 'seems' to me to be a possibility of it going wrong. As such, I won't be adding this routine to my act. But I have learnt a little from the method - though not much.
My main gripe about this DVD is that the two effects appear to be taken from an evenings act by Kockov. This one act appears to have been turned into two DVD's - 'Plunge of Death' and 'Dial-Abolical.' Each DVD contains other effects from the set but without explanations. If you have a basic grounding in mentalism you should know how they are all achieved. Basically, all of this stuff, IMO, should have been on one DVD. Knowing what I know now, I would have paid more for a compilation with all the explanations.
Plunge of Death - 6 out of 10. Based on my own personal worry of these sort of effects COUPLED with their methods.
Dial-Abolical - 9 out of 10. I know that there's another review of this on TM but I thought I'd add my own score. Buy this DVD, and suddenly, a world of possibilities will open up before you. You'll have methods to create impossible wonders! I can't recommend this highly enough.
K
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