I couldn't find this dvd reviewed on here after using the search function, so thought I would add in my 2 pence.
Anyhow...
The Effect
Card Stunts is Gregory Wilson's complete Close-up card act performed live from the Magic Castle. You'll learn how to do it all! The explanations are thorough, and the material is some of the best in the world. If you perform with a deck of cards, this is a must-have DVD.
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING - The card box magically and mysteriously jumps out of your pocket and back around the deck - TWICE!
PHOENIX SPLIT - Four aces magically appear at your fingertips one at a time -- with your sleeves rolled up!
RESET WITH A HOOK - A jacked-up, nitro-burning demonstration of derring-do that masterfully motivates why the four aces change place with the jacks. BOOMERANG CARD OF DEATH A playing card shoots from the middle of the deck, high into the air, reverses direction mid-flight and plunges back into the deck -- between two selected cards -- with only one hand!
BOXSPRING - One at a time, the four aces sneak our of a completely closed and ungimmicked card case.
JOKE IN THE BOX - Finally, 'Card Under Glass' without getting your cards wet. The bone dry (signed if you like) oker jumps from the deck and under the card box -- twice. Then, for the surprise finish, instead of under, it goes. . . inside the box! Gentlemen, start your Sharpies!
G FORCE - An unsuspecting spectator selects the same card three times in a row. You top things off with a transposition that leaves them in vertigo!
REVELATION IN SPADES - Find thirteen cards in a row - in perfect order!
Cost
£16.17 - Penguin Magic (sorry guys - butit is a blimmin' great dvd!)
Difficulty
(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)
it varies from about a 3 to a 5 I reckon - depending on the trick attempted
Review
Now this dvd, I love. It includes a live performance from Gregory Wilson at the magic castle, and it shows it with no breaks e.t.c at all - this just puts the icing on the cake with the dvd.
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING - This is a good trick. It does take some preperation, but it is well worth it. One of the best tricks I have seen personally, and it is used just as an opener. You don't end completely clean, but nobody suspects what the gimmick is - they are just too baffled at seeing the cards reappear in the case...twice...and then the case dissapear! You can easily end clean - screw the misdirection - gregory does it in front of them! ("now let me get rid of this...")
PHOENIX SPLIT - I like this trick. Well, the first part anyway. I'm not a big fan of the second part - to me it is a bit obvious - but that may just me from a magician's point of view. The laypeople like it, and I guess that is what counts. In the first part you are "playing blackjack". You have the ballerina hand (2 twos, put it together what do you get? two-two - a tutu! get it? a two-two = tutu? no - never mind then
*sigh*) You split the cards like you would in blackjack...but this time literally. You tyake the cards, one at a time, and turn them into four aces! You end up completely clean, and it is very easy to do! I do this bit all teh time.
The second part of the trick shows you with bare hands, and then making jacks appear from the same hand one at a time - with your hands being inspected inbetween each jack - and your sleeves rolled up. This trick can be done naked if you wanted! (thoughI wouldn't recpmend it
RESET WITH A HOOK - I love this trick - one of my favourites on the tape. And also, incidently, my entry (if i can get it filmed in time) for thismonths competition. Four aces and four jacks swap places with eachother. Only 8 cards are used. and for the finish, you lay them out, and they are perfect blackjack hands! Farely simple to do - the last change of the ace to the jack is farely difficult, though you can just swap it for a different colour change if you wish. I like this one.
BOOMERANG CARD OF DEATH - Now this is where we start getting excited. The best trick on the tape...yet also the hardest. He teaches this one OK, the first part when he teaches the boomerang itself isn't great, but the second part when he teaches how to get it to land inbetween two selected cards is done in greart detail. I haven't got thisone down yet - but I am working on it - nearly there people. I believe this to be one of the, if not "the" best trick I have ever seen which is impromtu. It is good enough that you can shoot a card out of the deck40 feet in front of you, but to get it to come back to you is great! let alone land in the deck between two selected cards! (and i am being serious - it is possible to get 40 feet...though very hard
) Expect to practice for this one - but it will definately be worth it!
BOXSPRING - My least favouriote on the dvd. I don't think much of this one. It is an ok trick - though you could probably figure it out - i have had a couple of lay people watch Greg do it and they figured it out. So it isn't terrible, but it is my least favourite.
JOKE IN THE BOX - My second favourite on the dvd. I love this one. There isn't much to say really. Greg teaches this wonderfully, and there isn't a bad thing to say. I have amazed people with this one. It is great! The ending when it is inside the box seconds after they looked at it is a killer. Brilliant!
G FORCE - I like this one. The ending is a killer. I can't really explain much with this one - but this is possibly my third favourite on the tape. The reactions from my audience is amazing when I do this one! I love it!
REVELATION IN SPADES - Very hard - yet pleasing on the same. Not impromtu...obviously...yet still worth the effort. Expect to practice a lot for this one. Greg teaches it very well - could have been better, but good enough. A nice finale performance.
Overall
Overall, I like this dvd. I wouldn't recomend it to beginners, but if you are an intermidiate or higher, and are looking for something new, then this is the dvd for you. All I have to do now is purchase Pyrotechnic Pasteboards - the next in this "series" of dvds.
Overall, good for intermidiate and above. Some tricks will take a lot of time and practice. And the boomerang xcard of death is the best on the dvd hands down. no questions asked.
Cheers for reading, and any questions, feel free to ask!
