I really wish DC could do some illusion-routines as before, a romantic story with some illusions... I think many people want to see those again.

I can never forget the routine he performed... using the song "One More Night".

I have most of his specials on tape (now burned to DVD), but I know I haven't seen any illusion performed to "One More Night." Could you please describe the illusion?

Thanks.

It's the illusion from the Grand Canyon special, and I also thought it was one of Copperfield's best story type illusions...

The illusion has a phone booth vanish, a stack of boxes production, and some really cool magic sequences with a magazine and park bench.

Jeremy

I can't recall which special it was from but the story went something like:

DC's character is leaving the stage door and he is surrounded by fans who are after his autograph. In the foreground is his "girlfriend" who is getting fed up being second-best and kept waiting.
DC's notices this, but she snubs him and storms off into a telephone Booth. (First illusion) from which she vanishes.
Several beautiful sliding bits of scenery later and DC is sat on a park bench next to someone reading a newspaper. He picks up a magazine from the bench and flicks through it showing it all different until he comes to a picture of his girlfriend. He then turns over the magazine and the cover of it also now has the same picture and upon flicking through the pages, they have all turn into the same picture of his girlfriend.
Next: The person next to him looks over the top of their newspaper and it is seen to be his girlfriend who gets up and walks away. DC follows and snatches the newspaper away and his girlfriend and has turned into an old angry woman who is very annoyed.
The sliding scenery happens again and to cut a long story short, DC does a stack of 3 boxes to get his girlfriend back.

All performed to the song "One More Night".

There are some great old ones like that: The one in the artists studio where DC and girl keep changing from young to old: Then there is the Absent Fathers one with the kid at the baseball game: Then the one with the little girl and her missing bird: The "Psycho" shower scene one: and many, many more.

Even when doing things like flying, it wasn't just, "oh, look! I can fly", it's a story all about never giving up on your dreams and one day, they will happen.

Seems nowadays he has gone back to, "here is a box, ain't I clever?"

That isn't what made DC famous and what set him apart from the others.
He now seems to be trying to be as bad as everyone else.

As for pulling stunts like "Tornado Of Fire" just to try and out-do Blaine - What on earth was he thinking?

Still, if DC doesn't wish to do that style of magic anymore, it leaves more room for people like me who always has a story or reason attached to my illusions.

:)

Shrubsole,

Wonder, wonderful comments... I really loved those specials back in the day. And I too, want to create a storyline for my illusions and manipulation acts.

DJ

Here is the list of DC Classics that I would like to see
on this Dream Tour....

1. Crystal Smoke Chamber
2. Headmover
3. Seeing Through a Woman
4. Pole Levitation
5. Lottery w/Car App. (from Current tour)
6. Origami
7. Death Saw
8. Brazillian Water Levitation
9. Passions Prisoner
10. The Fan
11. Laser
12. Snow

and of course
13. FLYING!

Man! What a Show that would be!!!

=Frank=

The one thing that people tend to forget is that using a story is the greatest misdirection that money CAN'T buy! If you have no story going on, any attempt at misdirection usually sticks out like a sore thumb - When using a story, the whole story is the misdirection for you to hide behind.

If you vanish from a box that is on a thin platform over the audience, all you are doing is vanishing from a box that is on a thin platform over the audience. All very clever, but just that and the audience will be looking very closely as to how you do it.

However, if you are using a box on a thin platform merely so that you can get someone transported halfway around the world to be with their Dad who they haven't seen for years; the whole vanish thing is secondary to the story! Less important: It's far more important that the Dad and son/daughter get reunited! (It's corny, it's cheesy, IT WORKS! - It's magic! It's what the audience want out of life: A distraction from reality to a magic world that is better than this one)

People wrapped up in a story are less likely to be concentrating on the actual trick - The best misdirection you can get. It's free and only requires imagination.

DC's magic was far better back when the box allowed the magic to happen and not be the magic.

:)

Shrubsole, thanks for the details! This must be in his TOP 5!
And I agree that DC changed to "isn't this box clever" type now.
Sad but true. I still like him.

Shrubsole,

Thanks so much for the detailed reply. I really appreciate it!

Jim

I love his current show!

Although I agree that anthrax and baby should be taken out and replaced by, lets say, heaven on 7th floor or his really nice flying.

It was done entirely from memory as I have misplaced my VCDs of "most" of the specials I have and my brain cells ain't as good as they used to be.

It's a shame that some of these set pieces have been forgotten whilst we have the "Statue Of Liberty Vanish" at every mention of David Copperfield.

As the people in England don't even know if he is alive or dead, the only thing he is remembered for is The Statue Of Liberty Vanish! (Sadly)

He has plans for a big show in 2008, that I just read about on http://www.magicweek.co.uk
Probably nothing before then though.
Nick

He has my attention.....

I can't wait.

Hmm, if it had not been written on April 1st, I would believe it...

Johnny

Mwahahahaha

Very true, Johnny. Haha.