I KNOW this is a very old thread but that doesn't mean it couldn't use a new review! This product is still around and new people enter this hobby every day that will wish to know about things before they buy’em… So for their sake, I wanted to add my opinion because there weren't that many and not too much detail about it either.
I owe it. Everyone's different but I personally was pretty disappointed in it~ I hate to give any negative review because I have respect for all the magicians who work hard to produce and sell their ideas (good or bad) but I just can’t help how I feel about this video... Some may agree, some may disagree, but here it is-
ITEM: Video/DVD of ‘Liquid Metal’ by Morgan Strebler
PRICE: $15 USD
EFFECT: (in my words)
'Liquid Metal' basically boils down to bending forks "mentally". He uses some Banachek methods but the routines are not like the average metal bending trick where the utensil is bent where the handle meets the head. Instead, the fork is disfigured with multiple bends (all the tines, the handle, and some twisting involved as well). A large majority of the routines involve spectator interaction. This is because instead of acting like you are bending the fork mentally, you have the spectator rub it or hold it and believe that they are the one that's bending it.
DIFFICULTY RATING: (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)
I'm going to give it a 4.5. "Why?" you ask(?) Well, the effects consist basically entirely of sleights. Also, even if you practiced it a LOT and mastered doing the sleights, I think that only people with experience in magic would be able to perform these tricks successfully because they have the various tools it takes to sell the effects. Not because bending forks takes talent, but it takes more than just a little bit of strength to make 'liquid metal' convincing... You'll need personality to sell the audience these effects... memorizing how to do the tricks isn't enough. Tools like knowing how to work the audience and keeping them excited while keeping yourself collected enough to pull off the moves with out being in any way obvious. You also need experience in misdirection for these tricks.... So, in short- I feel that in order to perform these the liquid metal tricks effectively, you would need to be good at pulling off many sleights while using misdirection and ALSO be good at selling the effect to your audience.
REVIEW:
Like I said before, I was extremely disappointed and I will not be practicing anything it taught or performing any of it for anyone ever. I got it hoping to learn how to do the trick where you hold a utensil and just by squeezing it or looking at it, it starts to melt and droop (like the matrix but holding it in the middle). With that particular disappointment aside, I was then disappointed in the tricks that were taught on the video... Coming from someone with NO experience or knowledge in any 'liquid metal' type effects, I feel that the 'secret' on how the tricks done are VERY obvious and would be too embarrassed to try them in front of anyone, in fear of them knowing and thinking I looked stupid, thought they were stupid, and be viewed as an amatuer. I can’t imagine how the people watching these routines would not figure out how it's being done because there's only one logical explanation. Usually (in good tricks and when possible), magicians try to oppose those 'explanations' and prove them wrong by doing things like pulling up sleeves or showing that there's nothing in their hands before AND after each trick... However in these effects, I feel like that suspicion is never eased because the whole routine moves so fast that it seems like it's kind of rushed on purpose in order to blur the sneaky things out (which it does, or else it wouldn’t fool some people that see it). For example, the utensil is seen, then handled a bunch while some talking and movement goes on, then all of the sudden without showing it clearly again, it's wiggled in the air (unable to be focused on) and then stopped to reveal a new bend. However, let me add that he DOES say that he goes around in las vegas and performs these routines live like 100's of times a night! So maybe it seems so much more obvious to me because I’m a very logical person and already know some of the tricks used in 'magic'? I don't know... But I don’t have the guts to find out.
Overall, I guess it's just too much ‘sneaky stuff’ and too many sleights&misdirection for my personal likings. Id feel like the chance of getting 'caught' isn't worth it. I prefer tricks that I don't have to worry about being questioned as much... The ones that I can have inspected before, only do very clean, slow, and clear-cut movements to cease all suspicions, then be inspected after. This leaves the audience with no suspicions and to me, not only more convincing, but more powerful and tells a better story when they talk to their friends. But don't get me wrong, these tricks have to have SOMETHING good behind them because he uses them a lot and seems to be successful. I just think that it would take very good character to make these effects convincing. I also think that these routines would be good for an audience that is drinking alcohol. I can’t help to wonder that if the reason why Morgan has such good response and no one figuring them out is because everyone in Las Vegas is p*ss drunk.. (lol) So, I don't have the confidence in this trick to sell it good, however that doesn’t mean you don't. If you are interested in this DVD, it’s not that expensive. Especially if you like effects like this and are an experienced magician that enjoys sleights, misdirection, audience interaction, and have a good performance persona....go for it! I don’t want to talk anyone out of getting the video, I just wanted to give my personal opinion. That’s not to say that you wont have better luck that me with this video and love it! =)
As for the first question asked about this effect (just to provide more answers and info):
1) Is it trully inpromtu or do you need to carry a "device" around?
NO ‘DEVICE’….JUST NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN FORKS (BRAND AND STORE RECOMMENDED IN THE VIDEO)
2) I've heard it hurts your fingers (are they right)?
AFTER A LOT OF PRACTICE, THEY GET SORE, NOT ‘HURT’ LIKE YOU CANT MOVE THEM AND NEED XRAYS
3) Are angles an issue?
FOR THE MOST PART NO… EXECPT FOR OME EFFECTS THAT ARE DONE FOR A MAIN SPECTATOR AND ONLY WORKS FOR THEM, THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE WATCHES AND SEES THEIR REACTION, THEY WONT REALLY UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OR WHAT THE SPECTATOR SAW AND REACTS TO BECAUSE IT ONLY WORKS FROM 1 POINT OF VEIW..
4) Can it be done with most small metal objects
THINK UTENSILS…AND FORKS
5) Can you melt plastic items
ANYONE CAN…IF THEY GET A BLOW TORCH AND PLASTIC FORKS.
6) How often can you do it in a performace to the same people
THEY ARE MORE LIKE ROUTINES, THAT CONTAIN MULTIPLE EFFECTS. YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO REPEAT THE ROUTINE BECAUSE A-THAT’S AGAINST THE ‘RULES’ OF MAGIC, AND B-IT WOULD BE BORING/REPETATIVE, LASTLY C-THAT’S WHAT YOU GET CAUGHT!
7) IS IT REALLY WORTH IT
I DON’T THINK SO… THAT MONEY COULD GET PUT TOWARDS A MUCH MORE MEMORABLE AND CLEAN TRICK OR GIMMICK.
I hope this information helps anyone if they are interested in buying this video…whether it be to motivate them into getting it because it’s their style, or to decide to pass and chose something that better suits them.
As for me, I'm going to keep looking for the trick that lead me to buy this video...
