Hello
What's about the 'Illusion'Murder INC.
Is it good ?? Are better ones out there ??

Markus

Markus,

Murder, Inc. is pretty nicely made for the price. It's mostly metal and has a nice paint job. The swords could be nicer, but it's an inexpensive prop.

I'm sure someone makes a better one out there but you'll probably pay more. I owned one for a while but never used it. I decided that I would build one if I got the desire to use it.

Paul Osborne has a nice plan for a head chest like this. It's called "Chest of Nefertari" and it's available as a separate plan or you can find it in "Illusion Systems - Book One - Begin to Build You Own Illusions."

Paul's version is more elaborate, with a base for the person to kneel on.

Thank you for your answer.
I looked by my plans and found the plan Chest of Nefertari. This is the plan you told me.

It looks realy nice, but I think you will have some transportation problems.I only have a combi and I don't think it will fit in there. So the Murder Inc. is easier to transport.

Other magicians who own this trick. Other statments ?

markus

Markus -
I have to tell you when I did my first show I didn't have much money and thought this was a great illusion for the price. I was pretty disappointed with it. It does break down for travel and packs fairly small, but be careful not to lose any of the pieces. Now the illusion itself isn't bad but I work in fairly large cabaret rooms and on stages and few people could actually see what was going on.
Also, I took time rehearsing this illusion and really using mime to make it look like I was thrusting the daggers into my assistants head ... only to have them slide right back out or move around as I went onto the next dagger. I have come up with an idea that solves this problem quite well and if anyone wants it please let me know.
I used it in a few of my shows and decided it's just not for me. I know some magicians have a lot of success with it but IMHO you can do better for the money.
If you are looking for an Illusion in the same price range, I would check out a sword basket (the cloth type). It travels really well and I have been able to make this Illusion play really big. I also only paid about $350 for it and it's been a great investment.
Hope this helps.
Cashetta

Yes but the problem for me is I want to have a illusion with a spectator not with a assistant because I havn't an assistant so far.
I think I will look for an other illusion maybe the chair suspension or the Super X.

Markus

I would not recommand to buy Murder Inc. if you want to choose a spectator. The Murder Inc. box is so small that I even got problem with the head of my assistant when I put the knife inside the box.

I would say that if you want to use a spectator, build a box that will be much more bigger than Murder Inc.

However I think that if you find the good partern that fit with your style, this illusion could be a great pack small illusion to add in your show. I've always got a great reaction with this one.

Good luck

Johnny

Regarding the daggers flopping around:

I love using Murder Inc. (MAG) and am selling it only due to my failing eyesight.
However, I found that if I gave each dagger a slight twist when inserting it sounded better and gave a more logical look.

Murder inc. is not your best bet for this type of prop. I'm sure you could probably build one yourself with plans from either Osborne or from Abbotts. This way you are not stuck with paying $300 dollars for a prop with those ridiculous flames all over it.

I have one. I think that the size of the box gives it away.

I own Murder Inc, I disagree with many of you. The Illusion is just fine as is, sure the swords are dull, but have you tried to polish them with buffing compound.

The illusion is built like the classic, I also built one from a 1960 popular science magazine. It is the same except for the front doors open on a hinge.

Have you tried to place rubber or sponge material around the hole to secure the knifes more and keep them from "talking". Lastly, have you taken the knife holder off the top and put it on at stand alone.

Finally, These type of illusions are not for inviting or useing a spectator from the audience. You will have no time to rehearse so it will not go well.

I believe the masked magician exposed this illusion on his special.

Get a "Disecto" if you want to us a spectator! Or an illusion made for using a member from the audience.

Bill

Use Murder Inc. off the rack??? OK so sometimes we have to buy clothes from Barney's.

First thing I did was replace the knives. Reground and dulled Arkansas toothpicks from Syzco.

Next - a rolling base with a catalevered stand/box holder replaces the cheasy (but light) music stand base. Add a variable height stool and you have a prop that an audience member can sit under and not straddle the stand.

If you do not want to redress -- take a look at Abbott's arrowhead for portability ...

GC

Murder Inc. is fabulous! Companies love to see there CEO's heads turned into pin coushins and then some. A good performer with a tight routine will draw away any of the minute flaws noted in the above posts. Also, for children, this is great for a teacher or principal. If a child goes home, puts and cardboard box on their siblings head and sticks kitchen knifes in it, the parents should be shot. Just my opinion. It's just a show! Relax!

I have always hesitated buying murder inc. because of the dangerous possibilities it might pose for my kid audiences. Instead, I recently invested in a similar illusion called Air Head. It uses balloons instead of daggers and seems to create a better illusion for filling the inside of the box.

If you want to stay on the dangerous side of things, you may want to consider a French Arm Chopper or Visible Sawing.

Kent

I owned it and sold it. In retrospect, it's about the most senseless trick I can think of. Besides being only marginally deceptive, the concept is rather flawed. Everyone KNOWS the head is still there, but must be hidden behind something, right? It doesn't take too large a leap to figure out exactly how it's hidden.

Save your money.

I also purchased one and quickly re-sold it.

I have one of these...just sitting in my magic room...collecting dust. I only use it for repeat performances.

The last time I used it in a show I pinched the persons nose with the swinging gimmicks...he let out a yelp!

johnny

I too own a Murder Inc. and feel as though you get what you pay for. It isn't a pricey prop and it isn't a spectacular routine. However, I will add that when I have used (which hasn't been for probablly two or three years) I do use an audience member with no rehersal. I just say move all the way back, handle the gimmick and then nudge them all the way forward. Works out fine and the person always isn't exactly sure what the audience saw. I have a nightmare story for this trick....I will tell you one thing I do HATE about the trick and would change before ever performing it again is the doors. They slide in a track and I hate it, they should be hinged. I was doing the trick and I guess one side of the front door wasn't in the track but rather behind it, and after I "handled" the gimmick. (My swords were mounted on a seperate table on the other side of the stage. While I was at the table the audience member moved and the front door fell right onto the stage. Not only did the door make a crashing sound the audience saw a box that seemed to be empty with a seam right through the middle. Weird? Yes. Never did try that trick again.

I have this, and don't like several aspects of the illusion. One, my gimmicks stick, the swords don't stay in and the stand provided gives the main part of the illusion very little support. It looks nice on the outside, but once I received it and used it for one show, I never used it again. Save your money and buy something you will be happy with. Magic is expensive and you want something you will be able to use for many years.

My experience with the Dagger Head Chest (Abbott's I believe) has been very positive, especially for the 3rd to 5th graders. A couple of points. I know that the one I used had the head completely enclosed whereby in some of the smaller ones (Flaming Torch thru Head, Daytona's) the head portrudes a bit from the rear which creates a huge angle problem. If you try to do this in a hot room or outside in summertime the assistant will practically suffocate.

I'm in the process (slowly) of building one which will use large novelty pencils similar to Arrowhead. May be difficult to use arrows in the current political climate.

Dear seasoned performers that have performed this effect in their show,

Have you been happy with the Mak Magic Head Dagger illusion?

Does it present convincingly to a corporate crowd seated in fron and slightly off to the sides?

When you open the box and show that the head has vanished, is their an audible gasp from the audience, or snickering and sighs of..."how fake!"?

Your candid response and insights into the pluses and minuses of this illusion will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jonathan