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MR Effecto Inner circle 2836 Posts |
What would be a good brand for the sword thru neck that wont break my wallet? Like less than $150.00
Any help would be great. I see a lot of them for less than a $100.00 but are they any good? Thanks. |
plink Special user 661 Posts |
I can't believe that an audience will accept on any level that you are actually putting a sword through an audience members neck. So, it is my experience that this should be played for comedy. "You are such a dynamic young man that I see you, at least, as the second Justin Bieber. Except for your voice, but that can be fixed." Even a cheapy sword can be slapped on your table with a loud crack proving that it is a genuine fake. I believe it was Terry Seabrook who chanced upon the handle coming off upon removal. I've been using a fairly cheap model for years and having lots of fun. Ten year old boys work well.
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george1953 Inner circle Mallorca (Spain) 5943 Posts |
I think even the expensive ones LOOK cheap and I think the audience don't really buy it anyway.
By failing to prepare, we are preparing to fail.
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Ron Vergilio Special user Murrieta, CA 835 Posts |
What they DO buy is the look on the volenteers face when the sword goes though. That is worth the price of admission. I've had a ton of fun with this one.
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MR Effecto Inner circle 2836 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 12, 2014, plink wrote: Comedy is what I was going to use it for. I do know a lot of people that came to me before and ask how did he do that. Funny. I have a hard time some people believe it as well but at the time they love it from what videos I have seen. |
Ron Vergilio Special user Murrieta, CA 835 Posts |
I'll let you in on what I do to get the big reaction from the helper. I have the sword in my right hand and I hold the stock with my left. The way I hold it is with my fingers curled around the stock so that they are inside, between the stock and their neck just off center to where the sword would enter. I put the sword into the stock so that it touches their neck and I say, "did you feel that?". They say yes so he and the auduence knows it does go to the neck. I remove the sword and re-enter it.
Now, when I thrust the sword through, I extend my first finger into his throat, not to hard but firmly, so he thinks it's the sword that caused the feeling. The look on their face is priceless and the audience sees his reaction. I do a little more byplay then remove the sword. Been having fun with this for years. |
MR Effecto Inner circle 2836 Posts |
Quote: I like alot. Thanks guys.
On Jul 13, 2014, Ron Vergilio wrote: |
Neznarf Inner circle NY then AZ now 1840 Posts |
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
This thread's title is comic by itself! Got me laughing.
Jim |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 12, 2014, plink wrote: Hi Plink! I knew Terry from his firt gig over here at IBM convention in Louisville KY in the 70s,when Jay Marshall set up a midnight show for Terry. Jay got a few of us --Pete Biro was one!--to "produce" Terry's "Working men's club act" to help Terry make a "quick 5 yards". We,"the committee" --Pete Biro weas one--sold tix at %5 to men who would enjoy Terry's uproariously funny "working men's club" act. As far as I know the handle coming off is Tom Ogden's bit. Tom and I go "way back" also.We're both old circus. Tom was with Charlie Boas's CIRCUS KIRK--and, that's a "few" years ago Dick
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Sealegs Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2596 Posts |
Plink wrote; "I can't believe that an audience will accept on any level that you are actually putting a sword through an audience members neck."
Could not the same sort of logic be applied to any illusion? Does anyone really believe we can make someone levitate? or be sawn into pieces, or have objects passed through them or… etc, etc… This is, to me, a strange starting position for a magician to take. It's as if any attempt to create the illusion of the magic has been given up on before it's even started. The idea of illusion/magic is to create a suspension of disbelief. This is not the same as making the audience believe what they are seeing is actually happening. At some level, when a person is divided into two (or ten) the audience knows it can't actually be happening. But this disbelief is, if the illusionist/magician does their job well, put on hold. Giving up on the idea that this suspension of disbelief cannot be achieved seems to me to be either a defeatist approach or an excuse for not putting in the work, or being able to be inventive enough, to create the suspension of disbelief. That, in essence, is a vital part of the art and the craft of performing illusions and magic. To throw this away seems to me to be abandoning the very thing we as magicians are assumed by our audiences to be trying to achieve for them. Of course the effectiveness of the props we use plays a part… and some versions of the sword through next will have strengths that others don't. Finding the best prop and getting the best from it is part of what goes into being a good performer. Ok, sermon over.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Many times the actual method for creating any theatre is suspect.
Many times the audience knows that there is a killer hiding behind a door and is screaming for the actor to "watch out" The effect on the audience therefore is wrapped in the drama or situation you create - even if the midis operandi is weak. No one really believes you are going to push a real sword through someone's neck or they would call the police. Sword through neck- a great trick.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
billappleton Inner circle Los Gatos, California 1154 Posts |
This is where placing the audience member into a "hypnotic trance" would be useful. Increases the suspension of disbelief, positions the act in a magical realm
I saw performer pushing audience hand down on broken bottle inside paper bag (shattered) and it made me uncomfortable, couple of other magicians had the same reaction... Thing like this need some cover or they become torturous or inappropriate |
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
Sword through neck is one of my signature pieces and has been a feature of my RenaissanceMediaeval act for thirty-five years. As hard as it might seem to believe I do get people coming up to me after my performances to ask "how did you do that?". But I am sure that most people have a theory as to how it is accomplished. After all there are only two plausible explanations.
But even if everyone in the audience knew exactly how it worked I'd still perform it. After all I get a solid Eight to Twelve minutes of entertainment out of my presentation. The secret, at least as far as I am concerned is to get the audience so involved and entertained by the routine that they don't care about the secret as the are having too much fun participating in the routine to worry about it. The secret is not in the prop but in selecting the right volunteer. You want that perfect blend of feistiness and fear. This provides you with a great symbiotic relationship between the volunteer and the performer. It is this chemistry that elevates it from a simple trick to a performance piece. Granted, one doesn't always get the perfect volunteer. But when one does it makes it all worthwhile. I look at this effect as a roller-coaster ride. Everyone knows that it will always come out OK in the end. But there is that chance of something going awry. I have a custom made stock built for me by Chance Wolf. It is a thing of beauty and one of two ever built. But I still use the classic Abbott's Style Sword. The design of which I've made minor modifications to that prevent the tape from wearing out so quickly. For this trick the props are secondary, use whatever model works. The presentation and interaction is what is vital in making this effect a piece of magic.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Yup! Once again--THE PERFORMER (AND PRESENTATION) IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PROP!
I bought an Abbott Disecto in 1946. I had seen it "demonstrated" (not, performed) in a carny sideshow. Even at that age (14) I realized that it would be the presentation and "me", not the prop, that would make it entertaining. After working Disecto about a dozen plus performances, I began to realize the potential that this prop had! I experimented with all of the sight gags that I had heard about. There was no internet then! --only the SPHINX, GENII, TOPS! I waatched every magician that I could, observing the premise, the presetation, the patter. After a year or so, I red lighted all the "bloody rags", the "basket" (to "catch" the hand, etc. I had realized that the basic prop, the "right" boy (I had learned early, that for me, a girl didn't "work"--I had had a girl almost faint!)and the presentation was the "thing". Over the years, I WORE OUT a couple of props! One of the first things that I had realized was that with the Disecto's method, I should "chop" SLOWLY. After all the build-up, I slowly cut the first carrot, paused, then when the blade was touching the kid's arm, I paused again, and with my right hand doing the necessary, my left hand would "pound" on my right hand to "force" the blade through! This got a big laugh, which covered me stage cueing the kid to "drop the carrot",which I had put in his fist! (another laugh) and, the last carrot was a quick cut. Immediately, I opened the "clamps", removed the boy's hand and with a line, we both styled and got a big mitt. I also had learned, perhaps the most important thing. The whole bit was in the build-up. Once the blade was through, it was all "falling action". To get applause, I had to get his hand out and style. That first Disecto had cost $15.00! It proved to be a very good investment. I realize that I haven't written anything about SWORD THRU NECK. I have seen some great presentations of it. My point for writing this is to back up Sea Legs, Jay Leslie, and Master Payne! The actual prop is secondary to the presentation!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Servante Inner circle 1330 Posts |
I've had mine forever. Bought it in the '70's. The old Abbott's sword blade began to show considerable wear a few years ago and I retired the equipment, but I might get back in the trunk and see if I can re-do the blade. Think I can find the proper material at the hardware store. The effect always got a great laugh and, of course, it's not so much magic as comedy magic. Audiences seem to admire it for its presumptions.
-Philip |
Quentin Inner circle 1020 Posts |
There's a great presentation for The Sword Thru Neck in 'Gene Gordon's Magical Legacy', (which is a book).
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
I once made the mistake of performing this with my wife's Service Dog. Many thought it was inhumane, cruel. etc -- fearful that kids might try it at kome on some pet.
So, even though they know it is a trick the impact is "real" -- and anything with "cold steel" a special innate fear. Comedy is essential because of this fear. On the plus side the experience has led me to use a dagger as a wand and a knife for C&R Rope effects. There is a "point" to this type of effect. My "Close Call" is an excellent lead in to a Mentalism effect, or as a sword effect with adults - or leading into the Sword thu Neck. {free for the asking to gusarimagic@comcast.net}
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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