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mark lewis wrote:As for the tricks described in Spare Joker's post I have no idea what they are since I never study tricks invented after 1954.

It can sometimes be quite difficult to determine when you are and are not being serious Rev. Lewis. I hope you are joking, because if not, this quote somewhat weakens your position in the debate. Do yourself a favour sometime, and try reading a book that was published in this century, you may be pleasantly surprised!

mark lewis wrote:And Darwin Ortiz himself did not particularly impress me when I saw him perform. I thought he should read his own book.

You're not the first to point this out, and I must admit to some extent, I agree.

Not at all, old chap. If you really look at tricks invented after 1954 you will usually find they are either old tricks rehashed or impractical monstrosities, that despite my exhortation that there is no such thing as a bad trick, should be ignored immediately because of all the wasted finger flinging and suchlike.

You need to cut out moves not try and find excuses to use them. Sometimes you have to use a sleight since it is the most direct way of acheiving the effect but you can have too much of a good thing and these new monstrosities that young magicians show me should be consigned to the dustbin along with the horrible teenagers that perpetrate them.

I've always wondered about this...why 1954?

Sounds to me like Mr. Lewis has been rather lazy and not bothered to keep up to date with his craft.

Yes you may only need a few moves to accomplish basic effects, but that makes you no better than any sod who has googled "card magic tricks".

Plus I watched your performance of that effect you did on some interview your "son" posted a couple of days ago. I found it cheesy and boring and not at all entertaining.

But before you start what I presume will be a wonderful retort full of hilarious statements, I agree with this:

Sometimes you have to use a sleight since it is the most direct way of acheiving the effect but you can have too much of a good thing and these new monstrosities that young magicians show me should be consigned to the dustbin

A lack of performance knowledge leads to this. Everything should look natural. And many of these things you are talking about do not. But many of them do.

mark lewis wrote:Not at all, old chap. If you really look at tricks invented after 1954 you will usually find they are either old tricks rehashed or impractical monstrosities, that despite my exhortation that there is no such thing as a bad trick, should be ignored immediately because of all the wasted finger flinging and suchlike.

With the greatest respect, that's a sweeping generalisation.

mark lewis wrote:...and these new monstrosities that young magicians show me should be consigned to the dustbin along with the horrible teenagers that perpetrate them.

On this we are in 100% agreement.

kartoffelngeist wrote:I've always wondered about this...why 1954?

Good question! Over to you, your Reverandship!