|
|
|
|||
| Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts 
|
Hello,
I recently saw a head chopper on ebay at a good price and ended up winning it. I have previously not bought one because although I like them I could never think of a good way of presenting it. Now I have one so I'm going to have to try. One of the things that put me off the chopper was that there is no twist at the end. The audience know you are going to apparently chop through volunteers head and that they'll be OK from pretty early on in the routine. Also I kind of find the pulling the blade back through the head after the initial plunge rather anticlimatic as well as all the undoing afterwards. Anyone find a way around these problems (or don't consider them problems)? |
|||||||||
Sam Sandler Inner circle 2487 Posts
|
After many many years of doing the head chopper I too thought I needed some changes and although I still work on ideas I got to tell you.
these are not problems 1)the audience knows - yea they also know your going to saw the girl in half or levitate some one or whatever before you do it as well so its a non issue. 2) the audience although knowing whats going to happen I can tell you that they are still freaking out and wondering can this guy mess this up. I recently had the little sister of the boy whom I had on stage and in the chopper right before I do the final move the girl stood up in the theatre of about 800 poeple and yelled out "don't you hurt my brother" it was so funny and so cute. 3)as with all magic its not so much the trick and whether the audience knows the basic plot its the routine its the journey you take them on to reach the final destination. my routine although has all the overused lines (for magicians that is) and nothing super special although I do put a few tweeks into it this routine always goes over very well. I have always gotton great comments after the show and many have been about the guilitine. not to mention a great kodak moment. one last thing you mentioned the blade being pulled back up after going thru the head I never thought about it but I don't see the problem I think maybe your over thinking this. I don't think any one in the audience is going "boy if he would not have pulled the blade back up well then I would believe it was real" I just don't think its an issue. in closing- now this is my opinion but I have always viewed the head chopper as more of a "fun piece" and not a magic trick although yes something magically happens this is not a watch me fool you kind of routine its a lets have some fun and make you wonder if I can pull this off. and the cheezy jokes I think is what makes it so funny. have fun with it and please be careful! sam
sam sandler- America's only full-time DEAF Illusionist
http://www.samsandler.com http://www.deafinitelymagic.com |
|||||||||
KeithP Regular user 171 Posts
|
Just my two cents...
The emotional release that you give your audience after the blade has been removed is controlled by your visual emotional reaction to the event. I would build up with comedy, build a little suspence, bring down looking apprehensive, and pull up and remove quickly maintaining the tension, and only show relief when you release your captive from the chopper. There is a booklet called "Chopper Capers" available. Some of the humor is a little dated, but anyone with good comedic timing can make it gold. http://dennymagic.com/products/comedy-ma......-hudson/ |
|||||||||
Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts
|
-Matt
|
|||||||||
M Sini Inner circle 1359 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-22 07:18, KeithP wrote: Agreed. Great stuff in that booklet! |
|||||||||
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts
|
I no longer do the head chopper as it violates my usual if it doesn't fit in the case it doesn't go into the show requirement.
however, when I did do the effect it went something like this. A card is selected by a volunteer form the audience. You now tell your audience that you are going to perform your version of the classic card in lemon trick. However when you went to the store they were out of lemons so you're going to have to improvise. You bring out a potato and hand it to the spectator to hold. You then vanish the selected playing card using your favorite method. All that is left to do is to cut the potato open to reveal the card inside. Bring out the chopper and use it cut the potato in half. Of course no card is discovered. You tell the audience you'll try again. But as you're looking for a second vegetable to use you realize that the audience is suspicious of your potato slicer and think there may be a card hidden in it somewhere. Under the ruse of having the spectator examine the device you place them into the chopper stocks. You tell the audience you didn't have a second potato. After the usual chopper gags the blade is plunged through the spectator's neck. When the blade is removed the selected playing card is seen stuck to the blade. so in effect the trick was really card in spectator. In my opinion this solved some of the typical flaws in the usual chopper routines. You had a reason to have the chopper. It was what you were going to use to cut the potato in half. You had motivation to get the spectator into the device. They were examining it and you didn't have a second potato to use. It also gave you a bit of a kicker ending after the blade was pushed through. the card stuck to the blade. All in all it was a fun routine and it generally went over pretty well.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
|
|||||||||
jimhlou Inner circle 3698 Posts
|
I do the chopper in my adult shows, and I can tell you you're concerned over nothing. When the "victim" gets locked in the stocks the cellphones come out and everyone is taking photos (even if they're not allowed to!). It's very exciting for the audience, and it's a very climatic moment when the blade comes down (even though everyone knows what's going to happen). The chopper is a fun routine that magicians do, and people accept it as that - don't bother to over think it.
Jim |
|||||||||
wizardpa Inner circle The New Orleans area 1011 Posts
|
I really love my head chopper illusion. I do think you're over thinking the trick. I say just come up with YOUR routine and just have fun with it.
I like to act like I'm surprised that it worked and the volunteer is unharmed. |
|||||||||
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts
|
I was amused that Payne used his in conjunction with a card trick. I thought I was perhaps unique in that regard, although I use a wrist chopper.
This was for my Halloween shows... I introduce it as a bit of magic called, "This Trick Sucks!" The audience is instructed to yell that catch phrase everytime I say, "I know what you're thinking..." I have spectator on stage select a card. I act as if the cards will be cut to the selection, and a large throwing knife is brought forth. Several comedy gags happen, and the audience is along for the ride yelling the catch phrase several times before the chopper is introduced as a method to cut the cards. I have a stooge help by instructing him to hold the cards in the hole. Instead he sticks his entire hand holding the cards through the hole. Naturally, I don't see it and WHACK! Hand drops... He screams in pain, and comes up with a bloody stump, and runs off stage yelling, "This trick sucks!". Hey wait... There is now a hand in the basket holding a single card. Is it the chosen card? No! Feigning failure (Gee that does suck...), the spectator is thanked and while sending him offstage, the chosen card is seen stuck to his back. The chopper is used as an incidental effect to a larger purpose.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
|
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-22 21:00, Michael Baker wrote: Fun routine. My Grant's Comedy Arm Chopper has been re-purposed as a Puppet Theater where I present Master Payne Theaters production of Marie Antoinette.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
|
|||||||||
|
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 01:11, Payne wrote: Great idea!! I built my chopper years ago, and although it operates like the French Arm Chopper, the blade is a solid plate (like a Zig Zag blade), instead of the usual narrow blade style. It doesn't exactly resemble a guillotine... probably more like a giant cigar cutter.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
|
magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts
|
Thank you for all your replies.
Quote:
On 2011-06-22 07:11, Sam Sandler wrote: Hi Sam, thanks for your help. Maybe they aren’t “problems” but just things that might be able to be improved on. With regards to your first point there are of course sawing effects and levitation effects where the audience know from the start what is going to happen but the ones that stick in my mind are the ones that have a twist at the end, two girls are cut in half and end up with each other’s legs on, Kevin James chopping the wrong person in half on AGT, Copperfield’s buzz-saw escape gone wrong etc. I agree with your third point that that a good routine in the lead up to the plunge will make the trick. However I still think an unexpected kicker at the end would be nice. Whenever I hear the simile “it’s not the destination it’s the ride”. I always think well the destination is quite important too, isn’t it? Or everybody would be buying deluxe first class plane tickets to crappy places. I agree with your 2nd point as well. Obviously this will still be an exciting effect despite no twist at the end and as Jim point out cameras will come out. Thanks to Matthew and Keith for the resources. I will be writing the whole routine myself without any of the old gags as I’ll be honing this routine on the comedy circuit where that kind of thing is frowned upon. But I think the book and that link will be a great springboard to get my mind thinking up my own gags. Sometimes I can slip a couple of old gags in if they’ve been changed enough to seem like something new (or even almost be something new). Cheers Payne and Michael for sharing your ideas. I like the idea of card in volunteer effect! Obviously I won’t be directly lifting your idea but it’s given me food for thought and has helped me to consider linking it in with other effects and ideas. |
|||||||||
|
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 10:33, magicgeorge wrote: Feel free to lift my idea. As I said I don't perform it anymore. But even if I did I'd have no problem with you doing your version of it. I can send you a complete write up of my Card in Potato routine if your interested. It great that you aren't accepting the status quo and questioning the performance and purpose of your props and routines. Never settle for mediocrity
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
|
|||||||||
|
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 10:48, Payne wrote: Precisely! In fact, think of another definition for chopper outside magic circles... in motorcycle slang, it basically means, customized! Don't just think outside the box. Get out of the box entirely and stand on top of it. You can see further! 
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
|
magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts
|
Excellent. If it turns into anything decent I'll try and get a vid of it.
|
|||||||||
|
Sam Sandler Inner circle 2487 Posts
|
George,
I understand your points and thought process here for this. I present mine as something I bought on the black market while in china. lots of fun with it. we do the bucket bit but as my assitant comes running out yelling NOOOOOOOO WAIT she (what looks to the audience) takes a huge tumble falling to the floor the bucket flies out and body parts come out of the bucket. she wears profesional knee pads and all. its so funny,. we did this at a magic convention and after the show so many magcians were coming up and telling her that its ok we all fall downn at some point! they thought she really slipped and fell. that made our night! as for having a twist maybe just actaully cut their head off. you can only do it once as you will be serving life in prison but sure makes for a surprise ending. Just kidding!! I am kind of tired today so that was a wussy attempt at a joke seriously I guess my thought it what kind of twist are you thinking I mean you put them in the guilatine and slam the blade down whats the twist what can you do there I mean that's what your supposed to do the suspense of will it work!? that's what the audience feels. of course you can do it where you have a switch maybe have your assitant capture you put on a robe and mask and then put you in the chopper and then you two have switched places. just thinking out loud good luck sam
sam sandler- America's only full-time DEAF Illusionist
http://www.samsandler.com http://www.deafinitelymagic.com |
|||||||||
|
Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts
|
Wiz Kid Qua-Fiki recently performed this with his Uncle Fred playing the role of the assistant who "cons" Qua-Fiki into showing him how he should put his head into the stocks and gets Qua-Fiki locked in and the blade passes harmlessly through his head... or so we are led to believe. When Qua-Fiki is let out, he complains about his head feeling loose, and suddenly it falls off into his hands. It's a perfect set-up for the head off illusion and catches everyone by surprise. He is helped off the stage by his uncle, who covers angles when Qua-Fiki's head keeps falling off and being put back and when Qua-Fiki next appears in the show, he has a collar of duct tape holding his head on.
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
|||||||||
|
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 15:52, Spellbinder wrote: Now why didn't I think of that??
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
|
magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 15:05, Sam Sandler wrote: Well I don't think having a twist at the end will detract from the suspense beforehand. The kind of twists I've been thinking are: Prompt the volunteer to shout "Artery" and squeeze a bulb that firse liquid out near the neck area. Step in front of thir head straight afterwards and pretend to catch it then have a fake head of some kind (even maybe a balloon with face on it?) Use a quick change t-shirt effect such as dressscode to appear suddenly covered in blood. None of them are as good as Spellbinders idea which is genius! I'm debating the pros and cons of using a stooge. I think something quite and unique and special could be created using a stooge (such as SBs idea) however there's a lot of comedy and room for ad-libbing with a punter and I don't always have to rely on someone else. Suppose I could try both. |
|||||||||
|
Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts
|
It's not really my idea, but Qua-Fiki's who put 2 and 2 together. Qua-Fiki is rigging his guillotine so he can set it off himself, which will enable him to use a semi-stooge from the audience who has been prompted to keep saying "Show me how" when Qua-Fiki asks him to kneel down, put his head in the stock, etc. Then he tells the semi-stooge (who is really just a cooperative volunteer) that he will lead the audience in a count down but to step back away from the guillotine so it won't "accidentally" go off as they practice, which of course it does. Because of the "head off" illusion, you have to be able to do the guillotine solo for this to work with just a helper from the audience. Qua-Fiki then has to go behind the backdrop long enough to disconnect the Head Off stuff and comes right back out still apparently wrapping his neck with duct tape. So far we don't think he needs any blood squirting around, but just uses the comic effect of his head slipping and sliding from side to side (which he has a natural ability to do since it is a common dance move these days). He is still taking final exams in school and so hasn't had the chance to try this new approach, but it seems like it would work.
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
|||||||||
| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Grand illusion » » Routining the head chopper (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
| Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 10:25 am 
| [ Top of Page ] |
|
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.06 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
|
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < 
|