Somehow I have always loved the image of this trick. I think this ties back to the iconic image summoned up by the Indian Rope Trick...the part where the boy is severed and put into the basket...not the rope part.
It seems to be right up there with images of the floating lady and rabbit from hat, however it does have presentational issues. In my opinion, if the performer doesn't know what the heck the effect is...ie, a vanish, a torture, invulnerable, penetration, etc then the audience sure wont know what to think of it.

"Cheap" is hardly what makes magic good or bad with paying audiences. But props are only props. They are not the show. All pianos have 88 keys. That is not why the audience bought a ticket. They came for the show.

I've seen some very good shows using the sword basket. I have also seen many that looked like product demonstrations! If the prop is the show, apparently a magician is missing. They will sell the props to anyone.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

" you could do it surrounded and get a lot of flashy moves out of it. You get to wave swords (or torches) around..." - that's enough for me- I'm in!

Talk to MadJack here on the Café. He handles it very nicely.

Bob: THANK YOU!! That is exactly what I feelas well. It is not the prop that makes the magician. It is YOU and what YOU do with it. A sword basket can be very dull or could be a fantastic peice of magic. It is all in what you bring to it.

Kyle

Hey Kyle... I couldn't agree with the first part of your statement more! To qualify the second statement, I do want to know what makes the sword basket a fantastic piece of magic? I've done it for years and specialize in getting the most out of a prop, but I honestly don't think it has the makings of a "great" piece of magic. I understand that you have fun doing it and it gets a good reaction but specifically what makes it great?

I do think certain tricks can become great (or "fantastic") effects. Now keep in mind that for me, the "trick" is what we as magicians look at but the effect is what the audience perceives and for me is what is really important.

The linking rings with its multiple conflicting methods is a great classic. Ambitious card is a great effect. Now of course it takes a great performer to bring a great effect to life but it must have the potential to create that sense of wonder and amazement that short circuits the mind, confounds the senses and creates the rich sense of wonder that is hopefully the ultimate goal of great magic.

And Bob... being "Cheap" has nothing to do with an effect being good or bad. It was the reason I believe it to be "popular" with magicians. That's a totally different thing. Sadly all pianos don't have 88 keys... you can get cheaper ones with 66. I've seen one for computer use that has about 26. lol.. the relevance of the number of keys escapes me but then again, it's been a long day! I too, have seen good acts use a sword basket but again, that doesn't make it a great effect.

I love learning and growing but to date, I haven't had anyone explain why the sword basket has this potential of being great. Everyone that does it says it's good... I've just never had anyone satisfactorily explain a real reason behind it their feelings.

I do understand that it might be a relative issue. Maybe compared to a dove routine and the sympathetic silks it kills... but that alone isn't enough to elevate it from the vast oasis of mediocre magic that makes up a lot of acts.

I really am not out to offend anyone that does this effect... I did it myself but I didn't think it was great, I just thought I sold the heck out of it and it played ok but that wasn't enough to make it a truly great piece of magic.

I'm very willing to have my mind changed however!

2 great comedy presentations that get excellent audience responses are the version Denny Haney does and one by Rich Marotta. Both have excellent bits that make them uniquely theirs - and very funny.

Denny's I have seen live and on his stage show DVD (available at Denny & Lee's Magic). Rich Marotta's I saw live at the Magic Castle.

Lou

Thank you Lou and also to Ray: Great stuff here. Lou sort of said what I wanted to state as well. I think the notion is that sowrd basket does not have to always "amaze and astound". It can in the hands of a good performer like the Pendragons. It can also be just plain good entertainment. As Lou stated Denny Haney's Sword basket routine is just pure good entertainment.. It is a JOY to watch because he makes it his own. He does not just stand up there and say, "watch this cool thing." There is so much more to it then that.

Kyle

Lou and Kyle, both totally right with Denny and Rich. I might add Ed Alonzo's very clever routine. There were also some really interesting routines in the posts above!

Yes indeed. I think the problem is that too many magicians and illusionist lack creativity. Or they may have it and forget about it when it comes to presenting illusions on stage.

Kyle

One idea to elevate the effect of the sword basket to great, would be to stick more swords at more angles so everyone in the audience, like they do now, doesn't think the person inside could easily dodge five swords that don't even penetrate the middle of the basket. This probably will require a new method, but that's where the creativity comes in.

Posted: May 7, 2009 1:29pm
The Moretti swords in cardboard box does this.

Moretti's "The Box" Is a fantastic illusion.

GREAT effect! The subtelty of using what appears to be a plain cardboard box and the spectator pushing through swords wherever he wants makes this amazing. Then the climaxes just keep the end building and building. I worked with him, I think it was in China and to see it up close is even more amazing because he is a BIG guy and that box seems so tiny.

I worked with Stevens Magic when they did the video on this previously. Not only all of the above, but producing the ducks and chickens as well as the costume change at the end was great.

Bob Phillips

Ed Alonzo really did breath new life into this illusion and certainly made it his own