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BRAINSTORM: the creative card magic of John Gustaferro. Volume 1

Price: 29.90 US$

From Here: http://www.ellusionist.com/order/combos ... _magic.htm

Difficulty: I would say 3 across the board, although some may argue that
some of the tricks could be a 2. The exception being the ballet cut which is
definitely a 1, or at least it is for me with my flourish background.

I purchased this DVD based on a strong recommendation from another
magician, and I’m glad I did, this is a really great collection of tricks. As
some of you may or may not know I am not a rank beginner to magic but I’m
not great, yet I had no real problems with any of these tricks, I was
performing them all within 10 minutes. I would like to note though that he
expects you to know allot of things and he doesn’t really go into any depth on
the moves unless he thinks they are ones you may have not seen before, or do
not see frequently. He expects you to know false cuts, Hindu shuffles, half
pass, DL and TL, the Elmsley count and others. He also expects you to know
several different grips. He gives credit for every move. So if you don’t have
a strong grasp of the basics I would definitely find a good reference or you’ll
get lost fast.

The DVD is set up where you get to watch John perform all the tricks, and
then moves onto the explanations. The explanations follow the order of the
tricks which is nice so you don’t get the names mixed up. The explanation is
quite good, I only had to watch a trick a couple of times to get all the moves.
After that its simply practice. The camera angels are good, I never had to
guess what he was doing, and John explained things nicely.

Now onto the tricks, I will review each in the order shown on the back of the
DVD.

Ballet Cut: This is John’s personal false cut/control, which you will see him
use frequently during his performances. As a false cut I find it rather weak, it
just seems to obvious to me that you failed to cut the deck properly. In my
eyes its real potential is in a colour changing effect. I can’t really explain this
but John shows it to you so you will see what I mean. He says he never really
performs the Ballet Cut as a color change ( actually he does, in the trick Tidal
Wave aces ), but I think he should use it that way more often. I found it very
easy to learn and was doing it perfectly inside of 5 minutes.

Fairy Tale Frogs: John produces a green plastic wallet inside of which are
four cards with pictures of frogs on the front, and Blue backs. In the trick the
cards are shown to magically turn over, then turn into princes ( the four jacks
), turn back into the frogs, and then finally disappear completely by turning
into a toy frog.

This a strong effect that gets a great reaction from real people, not just the
L&L audience. Its final component, the vanishing of the cards and then being
replaced by the toy frog is not necessary, and neither is the wallet the cards
are stored in. It is not difficult at all, it will just require a little practice to be
smooth with. I do recall John saying that it can be repeated as long as you
don't “vanish the cards” it ends set up to do it again. Overall this trick would
be a 8/10

TROUBLESHOOTER: In this trick John tells how he has been having
trouble with this cards they have “crashed” on him several times, but he will
still attempt to do the trick. He has a spectator select a card, then he goes to
turn over the next card to show that the spectator could have chosen any card,
including...however he never gets to show the next card as it is a back. He
then goes through the deck showing that everywhere he cuts to shows backs.
He fans them, its all backs, apparently his deck has crashed. He tells how he
had this happen before and called “deck support” and he was asked if he
could reboot or add more ram. Well John tries to reboot and suddenly the top
card now has a face, in fact when shown the entire deck now has faces. Deck
support then goes on to ask if the spectator choose such and such a card,
which amazingly they did. Why does it matter which card the spec chose?
Because it is incompatible with the red deck John is using, the card is blue.
That's right the spec chose the only blue card in the red deck.

This trick is ok. It is stronger for showing that the person chose the only blue
card in the red deck rather than for the all backs part, it just get more
reaction. This trick is quite easy to learn and perform as well. I just think the
way he shows everything all backs is just not solid enough. Overall 6/10

Lost & Found: According to John this is his favorite trick on the DVD
because he says he uses an original idea to take the disappearing and
reappearing card trick to a whole new level.

Firstly John produces a plastic luggage tag and asks a spec to choose a card,
which represents their luggage on a trip to somewhere, the spec signs the
card. He then puts their signed card face down into the luggage tag. He then
finds two jacks and says that they are like the luggage porters, he then puts
one on top of the tag and one on the bottom. However he says that there is
problem and the airline lost her luggage, he then takes away the jacks and
shows the tag empty. He then says that her luggage actually got sent to
wherever, he then spreads the face down deck showing their signed card is
face up in the deck . He then takes it out and sandwiches it between the jacks
gives a shake and shows that their card has turned upside down, another
shake and it turns back. He then puts puts their card back into the deck, and
puts the jacks on the top and bottom of the empty luggage tag, which he then
gives to a spec to hold. He then “invisibly” takes their card from the deck and
puts it “invisibly” into the tag the spec is holding. People laugh until he
slowly pulls the signed card out of the tag the spec is holding.

This trick is great, I mean really great, people are flipping out, it just seems so
utterly impossible. However you really do need that luggage tag just a little
bigger than a playing card. You can’t really use anything else, although you
could try making something yourself. You will also want to practice this trick
allot. There are a couple places where the move has to be as smooth as butter
poured on silk or you will blow the whole thing. Trust me, you’ll see what I
mean. Overall 9/10

Colour Blind: I really like this trick, as it is different than most four aces
productions this one has a twist.

Alright everyone knows the drill do a cut get an ace, do another cut get
another ace, etc, etc. Except what if your third and four cut produce the same
aces as your first and second cut even though you have already found those
aces and put them on the table. People jump for the cards on the table, and
guess what, they are the other two aces.

Overall this trick is amazingly simple and yet gets a major reaction. So
simple you will be doing it in under 5 minutes and astonishing people, who
start off bored as soon as you say you will find the four aces since it seems
obvious but then flip out at the end. Overall 10/10

Palm Reader: In this trick you are going to use the four aces you just found
to help you divine a spectators chosen card.

A spectator chooses a card which is then put back into the deck. The four
aces are shown and then are waved over the spectators hand supposedly to
psychically pick up the suit of the specs card. It is found to be whichever suit,
say spades. So the ace of spades is placed in the spectators hand, the next
aced is touched to the ace in the specs hand and shown to have turned into a
ace of spades also. The next ace is then touched to the aces in the specs hand
and it too turns into an ace of spades. The last ace is then touched to the other
cards in the specs hand and it turns into a spade as well but not just any
spade its the specs chosen spade. After that the spec is asked to wave his
hand over the cards, they then turn into the other suits of the chosen cards,
and all the cards are lain on the table to show there is only four cards in play.

I like this effect as people never see that last part where the aces change
coming as the cards are in their hand the whole time. It totally blows them
away. Overall 9/10

Club Sandwich: First two spectators each choose a card, they are put back
into the deck together than the magician changes his mind and puts them in
different parts and shuffles the deck. He then takes the top and bottom card
which turn out to be.......the two jokers. He then says that the two jokers are
going to help him find the specs cards. He touches them to the deck spreads
them and shows a card, and yes its one of the specs. He then puts that card
onto the table in front of the spec. He then takes the two jokers and by
riffling the deck causes a card to jump out in between the jokers. Could it be
spec number twos card? Actually it is spec numbers ones again, spec number
one dives for their card, and it is spec number twos.

I really like this trick, fairly simple and a twist on simply finding two cards
lost in the deck. Overall 9/10

Double Monte: This trick uses the two jokers and the two cards just found.
John sandwiches one of the cards between the two jokers and does some
standard double monte. Where is it, in the middle, no, its at the bottom,
where is it, not the bottom the top..etc...etc. He then says he will use the other
specs card and drops the first one and sandwiches the other one. So where is
the second card, in the middle...no. The top....no. The bottom.....no. It is
actually in front of the other spectator, he is still using the same card.

I don’t really like this trick as everyone knows that with monte whereever
they think the card is, its never really there. To me that ruins the whole thing.
But for people who like 2/3 card monte add three points. Overall 5/10

No Jokers Allowed: In this trick John talks about how he was at a magic
competition and they had a big sign that said no jokers allowed. So he takes a
joker out of his pack. He then gets the spec to pick a card. One is chosen and
then put back into the deck. He then says that he will find her card. A cut
and BAM, another joker...hmmm something is wrong. All well no big deal
every pack has two jokers, so John discards it. He then says that he is going
to find her card no matter what so he picks a card from the deck rubs it on
his sleeve and gets...another joker which he places on the other two. He then
says he will riffle down the deck and whenever they say stop will be their
card. Of course there is another joker. He places it with the others and start
going through the deck and finding nothing but jokers. So he takes another
one and adds it to the pile, we now have 5 jokers. So he takes one and rubs in
on his sleeve and gets the specs cards. He then touches the other jokers to the
specs cards and one at a time turns them into the same card. He then says that
it could be possible he has 5 of the same card so he gives them another rub
and they turn into the four aces.

At first this trick bored me, I mean all the cards turning into jokers and then
turning them all into the specs card just seemed a little boring, but I perked
up when he turned all the jokers into aces, it was a great ending that floors
peoples. Overall 8/10.

Detour: This is simply an Ambitious Card routine done differently, with the
card always coming to the top, disappearing and then ending up is his wallet.
Its not bad and the specs seem to like it, but ACR don’t really excite me. Plus
you really could do this yourself easily. Overall 6/10

Tidal Wave Aces: A blue deck is shown and John says he will randomly
pick four cards and he does, then he shows that he managed to pick the aces.
He mentions how this trick takes lots of work cutting to the four aces so
when he was little and practicing he would turn them face down in the deck,
so it would be easy for him to find them. He then says that when he was
being tested by his teacher his teacher randomly places them into the deck,
which John does, and then shuffled the cards face up into face down, which
he also does. He then goes on to say that he still managed to find the four
aces, and he does, cutting to them one at a time and ordering up the deck.
According to him his teacher was astounded asking him how he did that,
wondering if he was cheating. “Actually” says John “I was cheating”. He
said that he marked all the aces so they would be easy to find. He puts the
blue aces back into the deck does a ballet cut and amazingly the deck
changes red, saying how easy it is to find a blue ace in a red deck. But that
doesn’t matter as he can hide that too. He fans through and shows the aces
which he rubs on his sleeve and they turn red.

A great trick finding the aces and changing the colour of the deck, fantastic.
That specs love it. It is challenging, and your not really clean at the end, but
overall 9/10.

In closing all I can say is buy this DVD.

Hey Flipback! Nice review. I did a review of these on here a while back, as well. It's nice to see others enjoyed this dvd.

While I agree on most points, I was surprised by your score for Double Monte. When used along with Club Sandwich, it's one of the most powerful routines I use.

Yes, the monte theme is well-known, but the transitions in this one play nicely. I also think the kicker ending is a great final punch to the overall effect. I wouldn't count this one out. Remember, just because WE know how the monte effect goes, doesn't mean all of your spectator's will. Give it a go, I guarantee your audiences will be floored.

Ok I have finally done Double Monte for real people and the reaction was mediocer at best. They all know that where they think the card is, is not where it really is, otherwise there would be no trick. The only thing they liked somewhat was the transposition at the end. However you will see that I really liked Club Sandwhich.

I'm sorry it didn't play well for you.

I think we might have different ideas of what a monte routine is supposed to be. If done properly, the spectator isn't supposed to think "it should be there, but I know it's not". The spec is supposed to be POSITIVE that the card is where they think. If the handling is smooth the spec will still be suspicious, but won't be able to catch on.

It may have been the particular spectator's you performed the effect for, but I have never had adverse reactions to any monte-style routines. Did you perform it along with Club Sandwich, or just by itself?

I know you didn't come right out and say this but your questioning my handling. Firstly do not worry I have no problems with that, that is always a valid question. However I never recived any comment on handling, and all the practice in front of trusted friends, that would tell me, and the mirror showed fine handling.

But it is obvious. If the card is always where they think it is then it will never be a trick. People know that it has to be somewhere else. I don't care how godlike your handling the people will know, no matter how much it seems like it's not, that the card is not where it appears to be. There is no way around it, otherwise your doing the most pointless visual exercise of find the card.

P.S. I did do it right after Club Sandwich, the people told me it cheapen my skill doing Double Monte after such a previosly great effect.

How can I question your handling, when I've never seen you perform the effect? I was simply stating my opinion of what the monte effect does. In some regards it's a sucker effect, but if presented properly, you can keep throwing people off.

I disagree that all spectators will know what is happening. Yes, some will catch on, but to claim they all would is somewhat naive.

If you don't like the effect, that's cool. Like anything else, it's not for everyone. However, in the future, don't put words in my mouth. I was speaking of theory, not your handling.

Also, Flipback - Have you had the chance to check out volume 2 in the series? Many of the effects are variations of the ones performed in Volume 1 (though still cool effects), with a few really nice effects tossed in.

Since you liked the first, I'd highly recommend it.

I'm sorry if my post offended you Dimitri, but thats what I got out of your post. So whether you wanted it to say that or not, that is the impression I got.

I know you may think my statement naive, but everyone I have ever performed a monte effect for, all know the card is not there. No one has ever really liked it. They all think it interesting to see that they card they would naturally pick has changed, but they still know it is not where it appears.

I wasn't offended.

I respect your opinion on the monte concept. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Plenty of other material for you to perform!

About the other post - have you checked out Volume 2?

No I have not yet had a chance to see volume 2. Christmas has really put a crimp in the ole bank account. But is is definitly on my list to get in the future.