talkmagic.co.uk

This is confusing... all this excitement, while I'm trying to decide whether or not to put my original Director's Cut up for sale. Somehow I just can't make it 'fit me', so to speak. And although the cards are nicely made, they're still clearly made for the effect. Somehow, bringing out a pack of movie poster cards feels a bit like bringing out a packet trick. They're going to serve one purpose and then go away again.

This isn't an attempt to put down the product - I fully appreciate the thinking that's gone into it. I just haven't found a way of introducing and using them in an organic manner that I don't need to explain or excuse.

Maybe I'll revisit Director's Cut and try to find a way to make it fit, but so far it has yet to make it into my working repertoire.

Pete

One thing, though - I don't get this pre-order thing. What's the point in pre-ordering? It's not like you get a discount. Unless they're going to increase the price when it is released in late April? I thought the whole point of pre-ordering stuff was that you got a small discount for doing so.

No, they're playing on the fear that it might sell out before you get your order in, and that you'll have to wait for a second run.

But, to be honest, if that many people are using it, I'd steer well clear and not follow such a colossal herd.

Pete

Thanks, Pete. To be honest, that reason has never even occurred to me. In this case, I don't think all this "pre-order now!" nonsense is necessary for a product like DCII. But what do I know about marketing? Zilch.

Word on the grapevine is that there are several new routines and effects with DCII as well as variations of existing ones adapted for use with these film posters. I'd guess the 'pre-order' thing is to gauge the interest before rolling the presses as DCI took them by surprise, I believe the International interest wasn't fully appreciated at the time.

pcwells wrote:...Somehow, bringing out a pack of movie poster cards feels a bit like bringing out a packet trick. They're going to serve one purpose and then go away again.

Mostly I do two or three effects with DC. If at a table, I will always do the main effect followed by the drawing dupe.

For a group, more often than not, after I do the original effect everyone is wanting a go and I will do the "clump of cards" effect with three or four people. I love doing it this way, it is fun and everyone gets involved. If doing this I don't reveal the whole film as in the original effect, but just aspects of the film. If they havent seen it - aspects of the poster.

Sometimes if there is only time for one effect then DC is perfect.

pcwells wrote:This isn't an attempt to put down the product

I never imagined it was - we are all entitled to our opinion and what works for some doesn't work for others. I respect your frankness.

pcwells wrote:I just haven't found a way of introducing and using them in an organic manner that I don't need to explain or excuse.

An interesting point and one I was asked a few times by people that bought DC.

If I do get asked as to the origin of the cards, I would say that they were giveaways at my local dvd shop whenever I took two or more dvds out in one go. I would go on to say that I have loads, and these are just a few from my collection.

However I have to honestly say I am never asked, and I have performed DC an awful lot. It is nice to have a backup plan in case I am asked for sure, but I certainly don't see a need to volunteer the information up front. You aren't the only person that expressed a concern though.

I should also mention that if using DC I seldomly do other effects with it, although recently I have been experimenting with a bit of coin bending as well.

I certainly don't see DC as a one off effect. I see it as a utility device for a plethora of effects. I have used DC for parlour perfomances on occasion and when I do this, then obviously I do other effects as well.

There's a great thread about DCII over at the Cafe, which includes a list of all the cards available. Type this into Google and it's the first result...

director's cut site:themagiccafe.com

(For some reason, links to the Cafe don't work).

Did I never post here the cards that would be available?

Amityville Horror (1979),
The Blair Witch Project (1999),
Childs’s Play (1988)
Dracula (1931)
Evil Dead (1981)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Grudge (2004)
Halloween (1978)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
The Lost Boys (1987)
The Mummy (1932)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
The Omen (1976)
Psycho (1960)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Shining (1980)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Underworld (2003)
Village of the ***ed (1960)
The Wolf man (1941)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Fly (1958)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Also - there will be an additional 4 horror films so at least there is a modicom of choice (although I have been using a deck of all 30 films as I couldn't bear to skip any)

Carrie (1976)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
The Ring (2002)

As well as that there will be an additional 4 mainstream films that can be used with the new set (I have several effects that utilise them), or can be used as alternatives to the original set. These are...

ET the Extra Terrestrial (1982)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Gone With the Wind (1939)
Titanic (1997)

and then there will be a double blank card, and a duplicate of the Dracula card...

Plus the manuscript that will have more than three times the number of effects described in the first booklet - although fom the feedback I get people have been coming up with their own great ideas...

My personal selections would have been:

Witchboard (1986)
Deep Red (1975)
Anthropophagus the Beast (1980),
Bad Taste (1987),
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (1972)
Zombie Creeping Flesh (1980)
God Told Me To (1976)
Evilspeak( 1981)
Flesh For Frankenstein (1973)
Tenebrae (1982)
Inseminoid (1981)
Martin (1977)
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978)
Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (1981)
Opera (1987)
Xtro (1983)
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001)
Planet of the vampires (1965)
Q: The Qinged Serpent (1982)
Squirm (1976)
Uncle Sam (1997)
Rabid (1977)
Videodrome (1983)
Let Me Die a Woman (1978)
The living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (1974)

But then it would really only play to a handful of horror movie geeks...

Interesting to see Halloween make another appearance in DCII. If you have DC and DCII, then you'll have two duplicates - Dracula and Halloween. Could come in handy.