The Devil's Picturebook - Derren Brown
Posted: May 15th, '03, 12:34
The Devil's Picturebook by Derren Brown
Price: $55.00 from the Derren Brown Website (www.derrenbrown.co.uk)
Format: NTSC Video
UPDATE - November '03 - it seems there are also some PAL versions of the video still for sale at the above website...
Difficulty: 5/5
(1=A cat could do it, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Description
Those of you familiar with Derren Brown will no doubt know him as the suave, sophisticated mentalist, who's mindgames and effects are not only astounding but also executed with the elegance and grace of a Siamese cat.
But what you may not know is that Derren Brown is also one of the most natural and gifted card magicians of the modern age, combined with a superb mind for misdirection. Having left this behind for a career in mentalism may seem like an odd move, but that's what he's done - and this video captures his performance, and also reveals the handlings.
Review
The video is quite long - practically 3 hours of pure magic shot almost entirely at Derren's home, with his close friend and fellow magician Peter Clifford. The quality of filming and editing is pretty good for the genre, and the overall style of the video is sort of a 'privileged' invitation into the very private world of Derren.
The general rhythm is good - there's a performance to guests, which for once uses what I would deem as being REAL people. This makes all the difference!
After the performance, we cut back to Derren and Peter, at which point Derren methodically explains the routine.
These explanations are not for the faint hearted! They are some of the most advanced techniques you'll see, and from the onset of the tape and Derren's 3 Card Routine - you'll see that each effect demands a lot of understanding and knowledge.
Drawing on techniques from Lennart Green, Mullica and Veronon to name a few, Derren mixes established routines with his own brand of magic, and the results are quite breathtaking.
The first half of the tape deals with a lot of sleight of hand, whilst the second half seems to concentrate more on the menalism - which is how most of us know him.
All the way through, you'll be transfixed - although, I would be surprised if you can watch the lot in one sitting without reaching for your cards and thinking 'I've got to try that!'. But stay tuned for the end credits - there's a brief break from the intense routines and explanations which will lighten up the mood!
Overall
When I first obtained this video, I really knew that something special was contained within. There was a weird sort of 'hairs on the neck' moment as I opened the envelope, and I could barely hold back from playing it.
One of my personal card heroes, Lennart Green, is said to have been a major influence on Brown, and I could not wait to see what was contained on this spool of half-inch magnetic tape.
I was not disappointed, and the cassette has pride of place in my collection, not only because it is REAL magic, but because I feel that it's rarity not only as a display of pure passion and genius, but because, sadly, it is also a rare item to own.
I've even backed it up to DVD in case I ever damage the original (Obsessive???)
This is as close to genuine magic (in every sense) as you'll get - even if you're a seasoned magician, there's things here that you just can't possibly explain - even after the revelations and explanations, the magic is not really the same without the excellent and passionate performance of Brown
Rating: Effect/item: 10/10, Quality of goods: 10/10, Value for money: 10/10
The bottom line?
In a review I read before purchasing on Magicweek's website, there was a lovely line which summed up my feelings, and I quote:
"Thank the Lord for video, or we might have no record of what Derren did when he was still 'just' a magician."
But don't take my word for it - just ask anyone who owns this, and they will all tell you the same.