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Monkey In The Middle by Bill Goldman

PostPosted: Feb 15th, '08, 09:54
by deanos123


The Effect

Monkey In The Middle by Bill Goldman
AVAILIBLE AT http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=704

Cost

$8.75 or from (UK) for around £4.50

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)

3, some basic card sleights are used.

Description:
A spectator freely selects a card from a completely normal (even borrowed) pack and signs their name across the face to eliminate the possibility of duplicates.

The spectator's selection is then returned to the pack. The magician sets the deck down and displays two cards from a different deck, which are freely shown then placed on top of the deck face-up.

He snaps his fingers and with absolutely no moves or funny business whatsoever, spreads the face-up cards. Sandwiched in between is one face-down card! When the spread is turned over, the sandwiched card is seen to be the spectator's signed selection!

Resets easily
Straightforward, visual effect
Ends with an ungimmicked deck ready for your next trick

Review

I first saw the video to this trick, and i thought wow! that is amazing. So i had to buy it, just to find out the secret. (i think you guys call this method of buying C.U.P.S) As usual when it arrived I felt stupid for not knowing how it was done in the first place (but isn't this always the case?) so simple, but overlooked! If you are a long time magician, you may very well know how this effect is done just by watching the video, but as a beginner i failed to recognise the simplicity of such an effect.

And if you are a beginner you must practice some sleights before hand, you can easily make this trick look rubbish! and non-convincing, thats why i won't be performing this one just yet as i want to parctice with it first. But once the sleights are out of the way thats it the effect in the end is strong. Having said that, even if your sleights aren't very good, if you have good enough patter and add a bit of entertainment to you show, as soon as you show their card between two cards (after seeing 2 cards go down seperatly on top) they will forget about before and just wonder how you did it anyway!

This trick is well worth the money and practice!

Overall

9/10


PostPosted: Feb 15th, '08, 11:40
by George Chan
CUPS as far as I know involves unnecessary purchases but you sound like you wanted the effect and are pleased with it so thats good. I think I know the method - well I know one that will work - and its a pretty good trick. Its well worth mastering the sleight because its one you can use all the time.


PostPosted: Feb 15th, '08, 12:34
by Replicant
MITM is a nice little sandwich effect using gaffed cards and certainly looks very clean. However, if you like sandwiched card effects and are interested in a version that uses normal, ungaffed cards, may I suggest Iain Moran's Monkey Business. A very nice trick that will also take practice to get smooth (what trick doesn't?) but well worth it. If I recall correctly, I received Monkey Business as a free video attachment from BBM when signing up for their newsletter. It's a gem. :D


PostPosted: Feb 15th, '08, 22:53
by deanos123
BBM, can you tell me where, what, who? I'll check it out, i'll also check out Monkey Business.

I should have put in my review that you can end clean, depending on how you go about the trick.


PostPosted: Feb 16th, '08, 00:30
by Replicant
http://www.bigblindmedia.com/

Join the mailing list. I think that's how I got Monkey Business, but if you get no joy just contact the guys there. They are very helpful.