talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv5VjbT9GdI

Cost

£20 from Magic Box

http://www.magicbox.uk.com/

Although I ordered early from Hong Kong via YouTube as it wasn't availablew in the UK at the time.

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 to 4 for a variety of reasons. Read on.......

Review

This is a potential reputation maker - if you have your own TV studio to work in

Reading the initial comments in another thread this trick gathered quite a few favourable comments based on what was seen in the video clip. The majority of the audience are watching on TV monitors for good reason.

This routine is not only angle sensitive but there are three dice in play so you need to be conscious of your hand positioning and be able to invisibly swap them out at close quarters which isn't easy, particularly for the less expereinced.

While I've not had a great deal of time to play around with this so far, there are a few things that are apparent. The spec or specs MUST be viewing the mirror from above at all times otherwise the secret will be revealed. They can view a few inches off the vertical but not much more.

My opinion is that this makes in impractical for close up working as there is potentially a lot that could go wrong. The only time that your hands are clean is when you end the routine so hope that no-one asks to see in the palm of your hands

The instructions are also un-conmprehensive and run to a third of a sheet of A4 so you'll probably find yourself watching the YouTube video over and over until you can work out what's happening and where.

The dice are cheap plastic and the trick would have been better value for money if some decent casino quality dice had been used. Sol Stone uses good quality dice in his radical dice routine which is a much better purchase if you want a workable dice routine.

Overall

Overall, this has to be one of the disappointments of the year so far. The video set high expectations which unfortunately aren't delivered.

It's a clever idea but that's about it. Far too angle sensitive and too many dice in play to be a realistic option for a close up worker.

Some may disagree but hopefully they'll tell us why.

ive not got it yet, but can see from your description, and the video how it works.

now, i personaly can't see the palming as being an issue since you are holding the mirror.

from the clip, it appears that you dont have all 3 in the hand at the same time.
so presumably the major issue, is going to be creating a logical reason for dipping into the pocket.
might i sugest that you add a small polishing cloth into the routine, which you use to wipe away finger prints.

this should give coverage.
the angle issue, could be a problem.

but, it's not the first effect to have this issue. the reality twister, for example only works propperly if your looking down.

as does Bongo's die thru mirror, which i was thinking of routining with this effect.

maybe by routining these two together, you could controll the angle.

sit the die on the mirror through the hole in the wallet forcing them to look down...then, open the wallet up, revealing the reflection.

Its an idea.

Thanks Dale

I've been playing around with this having watched the video a few more times rather than relying on the instructions and you're right, you don;t need to have the three dice in play throughout and only need to do a switch at the end.

I'll also admit that it's starting to grow on me a little more after a good play but the angle could still be an issue and needs you to be conscious of it.

Some road testing on some specs will ultimately be the tructh teller.

Perhaps the angle issues could be mitigated if both you and the spectator are standing? If you watch the video, the cameraman behind the girl looks like he is standing on a chair! I hope that does not prove to be the case when performing in real life. I can just see it now... "Would you mind standing on that chair? I've got something great to show you..."

Thanks for the review, dat. I'm still waiting for mine but will add my thoughts to this thread when I've had a play.

not got it, but how about using a little hand mirror instead? that way the spec has to stay still and hold it where you tell 'em to? that work?

thats what made me think about the bongo die thru.
that uses the little hand mirror

I just got this today. And was thinking after reading dats review why not just use the gimmicked die and the non gimmicked "mirror" die. No need for all the the switchies then just one

you wouldn't really want to show two dice though surely? as soon as you signal you have more than one die to a spec the game's over?

I remember seeing this idea yonks ago, I can't remember where it was but it's not a new idea. If I remember rightly, the dice was placed in a bowl, which gets rid of a lot of the angle issues.

I've not got this one so I don't know what you get with it, but personally I don't see the need for 3 dice, 2 should do. No need for it to be examined before hand, just hand it out after it's changed at the end.

I have a pair of the gimmicked die from long ago.

In a standing position (with the specs standing too), you can freely show what appears to be one all white die in your right hand and a colored die in the left.

I cup one in a fist and have the spec blow on it. Then lower my hand and open it to reveal the white die is now colored and then open my left hand to reveal the colored die is now white.

Now after the transportation is revealed, I casually toss one die into the hand with the other die and pocket them.

I've already taken the heat off the dice by showing 5 sides of each dice so casually, that the 6th side is not even an issue.

It's all done standing with my hands casually at about stomach level.

It's a pretty stunning visual transportation of 2 dice right in front of them.

It's important to make a point of showing "all the sides" before you do the bit.

Sometimes I just carry 1 die and show them this "old die" that has the color worn off it.

I tell someone to breath life back into the die by blowing on it.

I lower my hand and open it and there eyes pop out.

Forget the mirror, get two gimmicked dice and have some real walk around fun.

I'm still waiting for mine to arrive. Dat, if it wasn't for the fact that we ordered from the same eBay seller, I'd be a bit worried by now. As it is, it probably got delayed in the post; I'm hoping it hasn't been lost. To his credit, the seller has promised to send me another one if it doesn't arrive in the next five days. I hope it doesn't come to that, though; I always feel guilty about getting dealers to resend orders because I get the feeling they don't believe me. I hope it arrives soon.

I always feel guilty about getting dealers to resend orders because I get the feeling they don't believe me

Me too!

It may be a glitch in the post with easter and then the bank holiday. Fingers crossed.

I never did receive this. Asked for a refund, which I got, and then received a message from the seller calling me a liar and demanding that I pay him back. Some people, eh?

got this today, I must admit its grown on me already.

I don't see the angle issue as that much of a problem, I guess I'll just have to limit it to a few specs at a time.

The illusions great though. I'll report back when I try it out to see if it is practical up close.

I got Dice Illusion 2 yesterday.

It has a double sided mirror but other than that I don't know how it differs from the original.

The instructions are fine but I have made up my own handling (nearly).

The trick is ideal for walk around, it does have its angles but I don't think they will cause a major problem.

I will give it a try in action this weekend, but my wife who is a very good critic thought it was brilliant.

Before anyone says anything about perfroming it straight away I always do once I have the basics sorted, when I know its a worker (and I won't unless I get out there and perform it for real) I put more time into the routining etc.

Not bad value at £24.99 world magic shop have it in stock.