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Has anyone else seen David Copperfield's Laser Illusion? Sorry if this is old news, but I've just seen it for the first time and I can't believe my eyes!

Check it out here:

http://www.wimp.com/laser/

Does anyone else see a man severed in half freely walking around?!!!

I need to stop drinking. Or drink more. Not sure which yet.

Wow!

I'm sorry but there is definately something very very wrong with this guy!!

Captain Fantastic wrote:I'm sorry but there is definately something very very wrong with this guy!!

As in WAY out of the loop when it comes to current material?

This was on TV nearly two years ago. It's an exclusive of DCs but Mayne does have "lesser" versions for sell on his web site. http://www.weirdthings.com/index.htm

Gosh, that really has got its clever hat pressed firmly onto its head, hasn't it?

I would not consider myself to be a fan of large stage style illusions, nor a fan of Copperfield...............I must admit, that this one left me saying WOW!!!!!!! Absolutely stunning visual!

I can actually do a similiar trick. I go out at the weekend, have about 10 pints and, hey presto, I am legless! Only, I don't make millions of dollars from my version.

Oh well, back to the drawing board! Actually, what did they 'go back to' before the drawing board was invented...

Actually, I've seen this performance before, and all I can say is that it is a very good illusion. I've vary this using Mayne's Bisection. It is pretty convincing.

Excellent!

Stunning!

Do you know who actually created this illusion?

It wasnt copperfield, it was actually Steve Fearson. Pretty impressive I must say.

Edit: After watching it through a few times I think I have it figured out. I suppose I shouldnt mention much about it because of "exposure" (which I dont see how it would really apply here since this isnt a marketed effect, but I wont risk it), but anyways, all i can say is think about what you can see when the cloth is first in front of him, and how you could replicate it yourself (not that hard), and then think about what you are CERTAIN is actually him when he detatches and walks down the stairs. My theroy doesnt require mirrors also.

The method is rather easy, its the performance that sells it
I saw it about a month ago and made a little research, also came by the mayne approach (that is really not that impressive by its hole)
got myself the stuff I needed and built a torso version of this that I could do the "torso float over the curtain" that DK did in the show, a bit more extreme version of mayne's self cut, a cool "torso get stuck to a wall" thing that isn’t very good to do for a crowed (because of angle sensitivity) but looks amazing on video and some more wicked stuff , I believe that with the time and money I could make a full body version like DK performed with did. also i think this can go great with using mayne's Bisection, so you not only levitate your torso over the cloth, you also make your torso disapear a moment after.

Btw, without telling the secret, I can tell you that the method at least the one I came up with is totally not for 360 degrees, so I have no idea how DK did it on a round stage without getting caught (no matter how good the lighting was).

Much prefered when he laser cut the lovely Daisy Duke (Catherine Bach).

That is very cool, overtones of Bi-Section coming into play.

Love the jump editing for the closeups

Yet again though DC proves that he is just more a showman than a magician, shame that. But still, if you pulled that out of your bag of tricks at your next gig you would be instantly deified! Cracking!

Just as an after thought:

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1577408.html

It appears that David is working on some new and radical illusions for his next tour. Can't wait.....