talkmagic.co.uk

[TheOldForum]

Name: The Devil's Picturebook, Derren Brown
Price:£38 (ish)from Derrenbrown.com
Type: Card Video

What the blurb says:
This tape contains all of Derren Brown's highly prized card routines which made his name synonymous with striking visual, original magic and unbelievably direct mindreading. For the first time he has released all of this material in one collection.
The viewer is taken from a selection of conjuring material, including a new look at some classic routines (such as Oil and Water, Card Under Box and Out of This world), through to 'perfect' mind reading with cards: different routines for divining and forcing thought of cards are performed and explained.
Derren's casual style hides some devilish techniques and superb artistry - sit back and get ready to change the way you do magic...

What I say:
It is all this and more. To look in more detail at some bits I will start with the card routines at the start of the tape, the first is a quarter hour or so long three card routine in which chosen cards change, vanish repetedly appear under the card box and in pockets etc. I doubt anyone would perform the whole routine in the same way, or even be able to as Derren's misdirection is incredible, however, there is a lot to learn in just this one routine, as nearly an hour is then spent explaining it! The revisited classic are also brilliant, the oil and water (in which interweaved black and red card keep seperating) for example is very simple and doesn't use any extra cards like some, but the triumph of this section is Derren's version of Out Of This World in which the spectator shuffles the cards (yes he actually does) and then on his own, without stopping deals the cards into two piles which turn out to be seperated perfectly into red and black. As I have described it is exactly how it plays, none of the usual stopping and changing piles he actually does it all in one go, and the very best bit of all is that it is EASY!!!!
There is a great arty type card effect (probably best in front of a woman) in which a chosen card visually disolves into a handfull of rose petals and then we move into the mentalism effects, the first of which, 'smoke' is a working of John Kennedy's (?) Mind Power deck which, for those of you own the deck all but removes the 'fishing' needed in the standard routine, then the chosen card is found lit in Derren's mouth (not rolled inside a cigarette, it is the cigarette!). Then there are the verbal forces of three cards and another card trick with imaginary cards which are the real mind reading tricks on the video, and I say real mind reading because it is true, whilst no psychic powers are needed you are reading the spectators mind.

So from this you can guess that I quite like this video (which is nearly three hours long by the way, 2hr 47min) and it will not come as much of a surprise when I give it a hearty 10/10 since it is incredible value for money, and as well as the routines you will undoubtedly pick up some interesting moves such as the velvet turnover, Derren's experimental replacement for the DL.
Get this it is good.

[TheOldForum]

I forgot to say that you should be reasonably comfortable with a pack of cards, and being able to do the classic pass will be useful, though not absolutly essential, for some effects.

[TheOldForum]

Great Review Nicholas!

So this video (I assume it is one) is all card based magic?

Being an avid fan of the Michael Ammar video's, do you know if this video is put together in the same way? (i.e in general the tricks are fairly easy to perform / He demo's it to some spectators first, then reveals afterwards the way each trick is done).

... Tony

[TheOldForum]

yeah, each one is shown to a couple of people and then explained in great detail to another magician, who's name has slipped my mind right now, with comments on other ways that you might achieve each effect, however, the effects are not all easy to perform and quite few of them use the classic pass or a dribble pass type thing.
Nick

[midge25]

is this still available?

[nickj]

I don't think so, Derren may still have some NTSC copies but the PAL ones sold out a couple of months ago. Your best bet may be to look for someone trying to sell their copy, but since it is so good that might be quite hard.
Check Derrenbrown.com to see if there are any NTSC copies left.
Nick

[midge25]

thanks for the web link nick

[jabba01]

Managed to get one of the NTSC copies as recomended above. Many thanks for the help, it is much appreciated by my if not by my wife!!!!!!!

[nickj]

glad to hear it, now, does your video player run NTSC?

[midge25]

some of the effects that you mention are in the pure effewct book , although i find it easier to actually see it demonstrated rather than reading it, might truy ebay

[seige]

If anyone has trouble with NTSC tapes, I can put the video onto DVD for you, if needs be (from your own tape, of course, not my own copy - that would be piracy!)

<<<THIS IS NOT A SALES ADVERT: I WILL ONLY DO THIS IF YOU SUPPLY THE ORIGINALS FIRST>>>

There won't be a charge, but if you feel a small donation towards P&P is fitting, then be my guest!

It's a shame that only NTSC are available now. The DPB is an excellent buy, and you will not be disappointed.

[david_pickup]

this is available as i have just recieved it

[alanclimb]

My only problem with these is the setting. In several parts of the vid he has trouble with tricks because of the table they are sitting at. It gives a nice warm intimate feel to the vid but at the expense of the flow in places.

Having said that they are still great, I would recommend them.

A//

[lozey]

I recomend this set fully. At the moment im working on the alternative 'out of this world' handling but id love to attempt some of the more complicated stuff in the future
Definatly 10/10

[PapaG]

I paid for the DVD a couple of weeks ago and it hasn't arrived yet. No reply to the email query either...

How long has anyone else who's bought the Picturebook dvd had to wait?