This was definitly good enough to share here!

Jeff is always a magician, always the enthusiastic entertainer. In any one day, he might produce a small rose for a desk clerk; vanish a coin borrowed from a person he meets in a check-out line and then discover the coin in a wrapped chocolate bar, and a little later, read the minds of a group of college girls sitting next to him in a coffee shop. That same night he might be headlining a show in Las Vegas where music, lights and costumes provide an ambience for his mask-changing act and flawless sleight of hand. Then there is Jeff as the master teacher and organizer of the Magic and Mystery School, and Jeff as an initiator of the Burning Man Festival.

Jeff McBride- A Magickal Life was produced in Canada for a series on the lives of unusually creative persons. The DVD documents Jeff's rise from a boy magician to a headliner in Las Vegas while still in his 20s and then his search for real magic and possibly more meaning to his life. The viewers follow Jeff on this odyssey We meet his friends in magic and in life, and we see how he develops concepts, rituals and philosophies that grow into novel and successful ventures.

We also learn how Jeff and his colleague, Eugene Burger developed a Magic & Mystery School that not only has courses for magicians, but also specialized progrmas for non-magicians, such as those who are in the health care professions and interested in the power of magic.

The viewer gets to see the drumming and dancing rituals of the Burning Man ceremony held each year in the desert, within which participants seem to have emotional and possibly spiritual experiences. Whether this is your cup of tea or not, the footage is fascinating and provocative.

I thoroughly like the insights we gained when we learn about some of Jeff's early personality traits, as a cocky, aggressive and self-centered person who happily matures into an apparently considerate, even-tempered sage. Human flaws, missteps and idiosyncrasies make a report not only quite interesting , but also humanize the story.

If you want to get some fascinating insights in to the life of a unique and offbeat character who lives his life with enthusiasm and passion, kindness and respect for others, this is perfect for your library.

All in all I loved this documentary. Best of all for me was seeing short snippets of Jeff's card manipuations, the mask act, his water bowls, and Miser's Dream. It reminded me of how I felt when I first saw Harry Blackstone Sr. make a lighted light bulb first float in the air and then whoosh over our heads. This took my breath away. And so does the life, energy and art of Jeff McBride.

(excerpted from Barrie Richardson's review in MUM Magazine, April, 2008)

Thanks very much for sharing this with us!

Is this available on DVD? I did a search but didn't find anything.

-Brian

I believe you can get it here:

http://www.yourmagic.com/catalog/product......s_id=173