What were the best and worst DVD's/Videos of 2003?

My favourite was Finger Flicking the Movie. Not the most practical usable magic, but certainly a high quality, very entertaining, well thought out, exceptionally well edited and produced etc ... I don't think their style should be copied, but it has set a new standard in making magic teaching videos/DVD's

I'd like to give an honourable mention to the Brainstorm DVD Set by John Guastaferro. I liked a lot of the tricks on it although I felt some used the same method and just presented in a different way. If it was put out as 1 DVD which including a few alternative presentations in the explanations rather then 2 DVD's then I would have rated it even higher. Overall, some very practical tricks. I will be trying out Lost and Found very soon.

My worst DVD was 'Paul Daniels Inner Secrets'. I thought the quality of tricks taught were quite poor and didn't offer much new. It was well taught and produced though. I just expected more from it.
I was a bit disappointed with 'Generation X' by Brian Tudor. He is obviously very skilled at what he does, but it was so hard to learn the moves because of poor angles, no verbal description etc... I also found the tricks to be so fast that you couldn't really follow what was happening. To me, that wasn't magic.

jimesw
http://www.thehungersite.com

My best was definitely Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries Vol. 1. The Radar Deck and the Watch Routine are killer.

My worst would have to be the Michael Close video I bought. I don't remember which one it was but I didn't like it at all. It was his stand up material. Some of the effects were ok, but nothing that I would ever do. His "workers" just don't "work" for me.

For me, David's new set of dvds this year- Power, Premise and Participation were simply sensational. It was very high quality in terms of broadcast, presentation and effects shown. I find that a lot of the tricks are practical in the real world too which makes the set one of the top DVDs of the year.

BEST - De'vo's Cradle to Grave DVD!!! By far the best DVD I've ever owned! A piece of art. The music, teaching sessions, and mini movie are completely different than anything else I have ever seen. Not to mention the moves were just killer.

WORST - Hit the Road with Lee Asher
I gave this one away after Lee was stuffing Krispy Kremes in one part of the video and letting it all fall out. They were unprofessional and disgusting at times, video wasn't always clear, all the boring filler material,and the effects were just so/so to not so good.

I would give my vote to Tommy Wonder's DVD set Visions of Wonder as the BEST of 2003. Abosolutely incredible magic with extremely powerful presentations.

Maybe because seeing from your other posts you are more of a flourisher than a magician and the DVD isn't targeted towards flourishers? This was an excellent DVD and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I know lots of other magicians did as well. My favorites were the Tornado Production by Ashford Kneitel, the Spiral Sliced Color CHange (Vernon) and Punch Too (Wilson).

Umm... maybe also because the Buck Twins were part of the DVD? And they used and taught TG Murphy's deck flip w/o any prior permission? I know lots of handlordz people/De'vo fans are very touchy when the Buck Twins are raised...

For me it would have to be Best: 1)David Regal's set of DVDs and tied for second place 2)Finger Flickers and John Guastaferro. I have no worst since I liked everything that I got.

Mark

The worst: Lee Asher's Losing Control (CD Video)- a fine move, an adolescent presentation

The best: Osterlind Mind Mystery Set- tons of usable, time tested material

Second best: Mind2Mind by Marc Paul- wonderfuly produced collection of usable, performance tested, material

So Far,
The BEST: Tommy Wonders series.
The WORST: Jeff Sheridan Genius at Work series.

Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries, - 1,2,3 AND 4. Periode.

Quite a few have mentioned that 1 and 2 are very good, 3 and 4 kind of OK.

Well maybe, as to the effects in 3 & 4, even though I find quite a few stunners there.
However, what's very central with 3 and 4 AND 1&2, Richard gives you very valueable advises on handling, routining and presentation.
Who hasn't once in their life done a kind of bill in cigarette routine?
Check out Richard's routining on it. This turns an OK trick into something very special.
Check out points: WHERE did the bill vanish, WHERE did it appear - and WHEN.
If you have the dvd, you will understand what I try to point out, and agree to that such informations are of great value.
All four dvds are packed with informations like that.
Only a peformer like Richard Osterlind, who has created and refined by experience through a entire life, can teach you such things.

Sven

1.Tommy Wonder - Vision of Wonder
2. Shoot Ogawa Ninja Rings
3. Richard Osterlind -
4. Flicking Fingers

For me, the best was the Ninja rings DVD. But I havn't bought many new DVDs in the last year.

Best:
Bill Malone
Tommy Wonder
Scott Guinn
David Regal

Worst:
Anything by Expert Magic and the Paul Daniels rubbish.

Best : jay sankey's revoluntionary coin magic.

Best Trick Title of 2003: Paul Harris' "Meat Stick of Plenty" (From the Reality Twister book)

My Best Purchase:
Ninja Rings DVD
Terry Herbert's Childrens Magic DVD
Bill Malone DVDs

My Worst Purchase:
Pavel's Magic DVDs - not terrible, just okay. It's been a good year for me...I didn't buy any turkeys. Pavel's DVD was disappointing because I thought many of the effects were not practical. They were cleve though.

Ron

My best: Flicking Fingers's "The Movie"
My Worst: Jay Sankey's "45"

Best: Ammar's Card Miracles

The Best:
Lost Secrets of Brother John Hamman - 6 DVD, the quality of sound, and picture isn't the best, but the material handled by a master of the craft is superb.
You have about 100 effects, and 12 hour of a true viewing pleasure.

The Video of Secrets vol 1 & 2 - John Carney. On each of the dvd's, John has taken out material from his now out of print "The Book of Secrets", with 6 effects on each disc. Here you can view a modern master performing classic material, that takes magic to a new level.

In the Trenches - Paul Green. Material that is the bread and butter for Paul, comercial effects that really works in the field. He perform at the Magic Castle, in a bar surrounded by spaectators, and in the sudio. I purchased this dvd for one trick only, "2 Copper Silver", but discovered that it was a true goldmine of material. Much recomended

The Worst: Can't come up with anything in this category that I have.

I'd list Tommy Wonder's series as the best, though I hesitate to limit it to the best of 2003.

I deliberate and seek opinions before making purchases so I've avoided spending money on any total duds.