talkmagic.co.uk

You can find it here http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=891
Also, I couldn't find it on the Review Index.

I have to say that this is a very interesting trick that seems to get great reactions. I bet if I did it in school it would blow them away. But before I blow my $30 bucks I want some inside information.

1) Is it trully inpromtu or do you need to carry a "device" around.
2) I've heard it hurts your fingers (are they right)
3) Are angles an issue
4) Can it be done with most smallt metal objects
5) Can you melt plastic items
6) How often can you do it in a performace to the same people
7) IS IT REALLY WORTH IT

I can't answer your questions as I'm not a metal bender myself but I can say that consistently Liquid Metal is being rated quite badly. Why not have a look at Gerry and Banachek's DVD instead - it's supposed to be the work on metal bending.

Kati

Disagree with Kati and there are a fair few posts on liquid metal. I can't vouch for other sites (who needs them when you have TM ) but I don't recall seeing any negatives here about Liquid Metal. There are some comparrisons between LM and Banachecks Psycho Silverware but I don't have that one.

To answer your questions - as someone who always performs this with reactions that always make it worthwhile. If it was c*** (not the best) I wouldn't continue with it!

1) no devices to carry around and only part is impromptu. You can't perform with all forks
2) doesn't hurt your fingers but one of the moves may make your palms sore until they get used to it.
3) Angles are NOT an issue. The teaching is excellent and tells you ALL that you need to know.
4) no - can only be done with forks - Asda smart price are the best
5) No
6) WITHOUT DOUBT

I performed this in a restaurant earlier this week and the place stood still. The waiter (Italian) freaked as did those close by. The business colleagues that I was with have seen it three times before and still cannot get close to figuring it out.

If my DVD collection was nicked - this would be the first one that I would replace.

Wow, thanks for the reply. This is encouraging.

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...

Thanks for the review lazykat! I've been thinking about getting this but might not bother now after reading your comments.

LazyKat420 wrote: 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).

It didn't teach you how to do that?

Don't worry - You can find the method for that at http://www.fork-you.com - but I suggest you start by learning some card tricks

I agree with taneous... this isn't really something you should treat as a trick. Osterlind has a bending effect in which the spoon visibly bends, like in the Matrix. But it's not for you.

taneous wrote:It didn't teach you how to do that?

This video did teach a version of it...but was VERY different than i was looking for. The technique was completely different and I dont like like liquid metal effects where you wave the metal in the air and noly show the aftermath.....I like the ones where the audience sees the actual bending take place. The kind of tricks in this video makes me scared because i cant help to think, "if I'm perfoming this infront of 100 people right now, ONE of those 200 eyes has to be looking in the wrong place at the wrong time and figure it out!
The best one I ever saw (it had be completely stumped), was when the spoon was observed and concluded 'solid' then clearly shown as a whole, straight spoon. They pinched it between their thumb and first finger tip, held it very still and stared. Soon, it began to melt and droop down until it was bent in half, then it was ready to be handed out for inspection RIGHT afterwards... If anyone knows of a GIMMICK that helps/is used in a trick similar to this, please let me know what it's called or where I can find it~
I know a similar version of this. You can hand the spoon out afterwards but at the beginning you either don't show the spoon right before the trick is done (instead you have to pinch it and then get everyone around the table's attention to watch) or you can choose to show the spoon right before, but then you have to do some very tricky sleights to tade off with a different spoon and a 'gimmick'. If someone could show me a good way to pull this off, I would absolutely die...but I don't know ANYONE locally who does magic to help.
Melting metal effects are especially hard sometimes because for every trick, the audience is always watching for the magician to put something or take something from this pockets. So some sleights can be hard beacuse when working with just a spoon or fork, you can't find any reasonable excuses to go in your pockets (like to get or sharpie or anynghi)

hmm - ok the best way to accomplish what you're looking to do is to get hold of Banachek's PK silverware and Guy Bavli's 'Bending minds, bending metal'. Also get hold of Building blocks by Luke Jermay. Osterlind has a new dvd and book on metal bending - it's apparently quite good, but I haven't got a copy yet. Work through that stuff and I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.
I think I understand what you're talking about. The name "Liquid Metal" sounds as if the cutlery visibly melts - and this certainly is not what you're getting. I think the main problem is that Morgan presents it as a magic trick.
I do my own routine where the cutlery visibly bends - almost like it's melting or made of rubber. I can do it surrounded and at any point the people can examine the cutlery - they can literally stop me in the middle and take it out of my hand - although that's not the point of the routine. I only use one ungimmicked fork - and pretty much most cutlery will do. Most of the routine I got from the sources I mentioned.

I must add though that I worked on it for over a year before I started performing. I think that doing this kind of thing effectively is all about how you present yourself - how you manage your audience, your body language, use of eye contact and the belief in what you're doing while you're doing it - in a sense you really are bending metal with the power of the mind.

also bear in mind that just one subtle bend can have the potential to be far more powerful than manically bent up tines and handles...

its all in the presentation, and the reason behind how/why you can do it...

if you want a gimmick version (that has to be switched out for examination) try autobend silverware...

I agree with those who say that this effect is ALL in the presentation. I personallyperform this and the reactions are well worth the effort. I've even had people run away because of their disbelief.

This is certainly one to study before taking it out into the wide world but it's well worth it in my opinion

taneous, thanks for the recommendations...im checking them out for sure(sounds more like what I enjoy)
I agree about him selling them as "tricks".. it can definitely give out the wrong idea (did to me)
The "rubber" silverware you talk of is exactly what I love! I cant believe you don't use a gimmick!? I really wish I could see one of your performances (fly to Maryland! lol) I've never seen a metal melting/bending performace that wasn't on the TV or online video. I always thought it was somehow editted so we couldnt see them switch spoons and stuff~

It seems that me and every person that posted afterwards has all mentioned the fact that the routines and effects shown in "Liquid Metal" is very very dependent on your ability to present it well. Because you can't just memorize the 'moves,' practice a few times, then go pull it off enough to blow minds;
I without a doubt only recommend this video for only the more experienced magicians and ones the have a lot of experience with audience interaction. It's seriously like 90% of the show. (another reason why i wouldnt be good at it bc i dont have much experience with groups more than 4-5!)
Misdirection plays a very important role in Morgan's effects as well...

Although this video just wasn't 'my thing', it inspired me to start researching more on the use and effects of misdirection. I NEVER realized how much difference it can make (not counting the movie Swordfish =X) I mean, he pulls off things that appear sooooo obvious to me that when i watch it, i think to myself "there's NO WAY id see this live and NOT notice what he just did!" However he blows 100's of minds a night performing in Las Vegas... I guess I'm trying to say that I took such a simple concept for granted for a long time of doing tricks. After watching this video and realizing how much of a powerful tool misdirection was, i've been on the hunt for a good DVD/video/book that discusses and analyzes tools to use and the different ways to work it (havent found one good enough to pay for yet tho). Without even knowing it, humans subconsiously pick up environmental cues and their eyes follow them involuntarily, whether they like it or not. Just by learning how to do casual little things like slight body gestures, eye movements, and certain voice flucuations, one can actually control the path that every person that's watching's eyes look from second to second to second.... I could learn to get away with almost anything.... I mean, i could make a plane disappear infront of 600 eyes using misdirection! lol, well... I'm not gonna go THAT far, but i will definitely have some major advantages after learning good uses of it.
'Liquid metal' is a really good example of how (with certain tricks), a performers acting skills, personality, and bodylanguage can make or break an entire performance.........

So better luck to anyone else who buys the video. You could be really good at tricks like this!
Meanwhile, Im gonna go read books on misdirection~ =P

When I was a kid I always wanted to learn magic - real magic. I then started studying magic and learnt that there was no real magic - only tricks - techniques that allowed you to do stuff that looked like real magic.
After studying and performing for a number of years I've learnt that that was wrong. There is in fact real magic - and it goes beyond technique.

I think that what you've discovered with your Liquid Metal experience is a valuable lesson. The tricks, routines and techniques are tools - tools to create something bigger. Just like the techniques a guitarist learns are only part of a bigger picture - they're tools to make music.
Performing real magic always needs to go beyond learning tricks - it's about who you are. That's what will seperate you from all the other wannabes buying the latest trick hoping that it will be a 'reputation maker' or whatever.

Yes - misdirection - or rather knowing how to direct the audiences attention is a very valuable tool. The most powerful tool for this is you - your personality and how you are perceived. It's one thing to get the audience to not see what you're doing - it's another thing for them to never suspect that you would do that, because of the way you come across.

The way I look at it is that when I'm caught up in a movie I don't think about the actors being actors, or the stunts etc. One of the reasons is that the actors are really living out their roles. When I perform it's the same. I try and forget about the mechanics of what I'm doing - it's behind the scenes, like my heart beating - I don't think about it - it just carries on beating so I can be a living human being. The same with the effects I do. When I perform I am doing real magic. The metal really bends, I actually read people's minds - i get shivers down my spine and I feel like I've stepped into a world where the impossible happens. Sure - there are a couple of techniques that allow the magic to happen - but these need to be second nature - subconcious - so that the real magus in me can come out and play..