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gandolf Loyal user Hillsborough,NC 236 Posts |
I received these last week from Penguin. I have only been able to run through Volume 1 thus far. Here is an "early" one viewing review.
Filmed entirely by Sankey and Sanders using hand held cameras, the DVD exhibits the usual herky-jerky video style found in Jay's more recent offerings. I will state right off, I detest this. It is sometimes like watching a bad home movie--the ones which give you headaches from the camera being run buy Uncle Mort while going through the DT's. That bi**h aside, lets move on to the actual effects... 1. Terra Unfirma: (Sankey) A card is shown face up on a deck. The cut out middle reverse side of a card is exhibited and stuck on the face of the shown card. The illusion is that of a card with a hole in it on the face of a deck. The cardboard "hole" then becomes a real hole you can put your finger through. The hole then returns to the stick on "hole". Nice illusion, simple to present. High "wow" factor. Easily added to any routine. 7/10 2. Hardcore Packet (Sanders) Richard's handling of Derek Dingle's four kings to four ace routine. Four kings are shown, they then turn face down one at a time. When they are turned face up again, they have turned into four aces. Nice handling of a cool trick. Richard also shows a cool way of introducing the kings, using a slip cut on the first two and a nice two-handed revelation for the second. One of my favorite routines on the DVD, it won’t fry professionals, but laymen will be astounded. 9/10 Interlude--Richard and Jay get "crazy" discussing the Vernet head cap tip. Either they were extremely FUBAR'ed or really tired. Sophomoric, and adds nothing to the DVD. 3. Litmus Paper (Sanders) A selected card turns blank. Then turns into a black and white image of the selected card, then turns into the actual selected card. Unique thinking on this trick. I like the handling and the thought process behind it. I think it would be fun to do. 7/10 4. On Impulse (Sankey) The magician deals out cards into a pile until the spectator says stop. This happens three more times. As the piles are turned over at the end, they reveal the four aces. Not one of my favorites. I dislike counting out packet tricks to start with, and this one's handling has a move in the middle, which would make no sense to me if I were a spectator. A quick trick, which did not impress me very much. 4/10 5. Midas Touch (Sanders) The one from the promo. One coin is split to make four. My favorite routine on the DVD, and I don't work with coins much. I will practice and try and add this to my stable of tricks. Obviously requires sleight of hand ability with coins, but is attainable with practice. An ingenious move makes it work. 10/10 6. Imposters (Sankey) A card is freely selected and signed. It is then placed Jay's pocket. An indifferent card is shown and explained to be a mimic. The indifferent card then turns into the selected card (mimics it). The mimic card is tabled, and another indifferent card is shown. It too mimics the selected card and is then tabled. The two tabled mimic cards are turned over and are the original indifferent cards. Jay pulls the signed selection out of his pocket. Nice story to go with this trick, but is did not do a great deal for me. I'm not sure if it was how Jay handled it, but something to me screamed, "that's a move". It just seemed an awkward way to do the illusion. (Note: this is just a personal bias I have on how Jay does one of his moves. It has never seemed natural to me. I will video this trick with my way of accomplishing the move and see how it looks, I may like it better then. 5/10 with a possibility of moving up. 7. Impossible Stop trick (Sanders) A card is freely selected. The deck is shuffled then dealt out one at a time. The spectator says stop at any time he chooses. All the cards are turned over; revealing the card the spectator stopped at is the selected card. Excellent "quick trick". Richard says he has been performing it for fifteen years, and this is its first release to the community. The trick does just what it says. The spectator picks a card, the cards are dealt, and when he says stop, it is his card. 8/10 Another pointless interlude---Richard doing a passable Kevin Costner impression. 8. Shuffle by Choice (Sanders) A self working variation of a Frank Garcia trick where the spectator cuts the deck, selects a pile, deals the cards out into four piles. The top cards are turned up to reveal the four aces. Another "deal the cards into four piles" trick. Once again not my favorite tricks. This one has some merit, as the magician never touches the deck. The magic happens entirely in the spectator’s hands. 5/10 Pointless interlude of Sankey "being crazy" and doing his patented "flight of ideas". 9. Power Lunch (Sankey) The spectator initials the bottom half of a business card. The card is tabled. Jay signs the top half of another card. He then pulls the initials off of his card, and shows it to be blank. He then takes the tabled business card and "slaps" his initials on to the spectator’s card. The business card is then shown to have both sets of initials on it. Nice effect using business cards (providing a great souvenir--and advertising!). Not something I'd use as I am no longer a professional, but I appreciate the though going into the handling. 6/10 10. Mix Master (Sankey) A version of Triumph with a great story and a great kicker at the end (color changing deck). One of my favorite card routines on this DVD. Easy to set up, a fun story to go along with the illusion. Possibly a stunner for the layman this gets a 9/10 11. Moving Day (Sanders) A small tear placed on one end of a bill travels to the opposite end of the bill. Not one of the stronger tricks here. Essentially a different handling of the standard Koslowski b*** s*****. This is fine to do if you get bored with the original. I don't think it is as impressive though. 4/10 There you have it. Sorry if some of the descriptions are a little vague. I don't want to tip anything. I rate towards the high end. If an effect is OK/average, it gets a 5. If it is something which I like or impresses me it gets a higher rating. If it totally floors me, it gets a 10. Out of the eleven effects presented, I want to work on four. Does that mean this is a poor deal? No, but it is certainly not the strongest DVD I have seen. Part of this may be my bias against Jay. I really enjoy his effects, but just don't like his "off the wall" presentation style. I don't find it funny or entertaining (guess I'm getting old); and, as mentioned before, I wish he would go out and buy a tripod to stabilize his videos! I actually liked Sanders' illusions better. If you have any further questions, I'd be happy to entertain them as long as they don't require exposure. Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post. |
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Caleb Wiles Inner circle Indianapolis, IN 1132 Posts |
Thanks for your thoughtful review. I really appreciate it when people take the time to help everyone else out by giving a well thought out, honest review.
Check out my Main Event project (DVD or Download).
"Magicians, stop what you're doing right now and pick this up!" - John Guastaferro "Caleb Wiles is the real deal!" - David Williamson "...my very highest recommendation." - John Carey |
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niva Inner circle Malta (Europe) 2970 Posts |
Yes. Thanks a lot gandolf.
Yours,
Ivan |
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kihei kid Inner circle Dog House 1039 Posts |
Nice review gandolf, looking foward to #2.
Thanks Kid
In loving memory of Hughie Thomasson 1952-2007.
You brought something beautiful to this world, you touched my heart, my soul and my life. You will be greatly missed. Until we meet again “my old friend”. |
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Tiki Loyal user Northwest Arkansas, USA 247 Posts |
Gandolf, thanks for the great review. I do not have this dvd, but am blown away by Sanders' Midas Touch. In your review, you state that Midas Touch requires sleight of hand but is attainable with practice. Is a gaffed coin required? How would you rate the degree of difficulty of this trick, if possible? I'm not looking for exposure, just trying to gauge whether this dvd is for me. Thanks in advance.
Tiki |
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M Pitcher Elite user Around the block 432 Posts |
That's a great review, thanks Gandolf!
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gandolf Loyal user Hillsborough,NC 236 Posts |
Tiki,
I can't reveal too much, without tipping, but if you can do basic palms you will be able to do this effect with minimal practice. The "move" is not difficult, but will require some work, though nothing outrageous. |
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
I think I'll pass on these. Sounds like a hodge podge of so so material.
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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mysterious_guy New user 98 Posts |
Great review - thanks. Although like MagicChris, I think I'll pass - too much of a mixture of good and bad material.
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Xiqual Inner circle Upper left quadrant 4935 Posts |
Great review Gandolf!
Your honesty baout not really liking Sankey's humor helps a lot. I personally think Sankey is a scream, but that's what makes the world go around. Sanders is brilliant though. I have his book "Close-up Assasin," and it is killer! Five of the eleven tricks in the book I do all the time. If I worked strolling, I would probably be doing 9 of 11. My wallet is set up to do Trick Photography II and it is a real worker, as is Richie's little stickman. Anyway, Thanks again, James
Still with the Chinese circus
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Jared Inner circle Rhode Island, USA 1579 Posts |
Speaking on behalf of the masses, thanks Gandolf for posting such a complete review. I wasn't sure what to expect when considering this purchase, but your review certainly helped.
- Jared |
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
Gandolf, thanks so much for taking the time for us!!
I'm passing on these. Sounds like Sankey crap. Effects no one will ever use in an annoying teaching format.
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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CLJ Loyal user Singapore 281 Posts |
Sanders seems to have the better material in this DVD set. Richard Sanders is awesome. Jay Sankey's material sounds like the usual stuff that he always does.
I might get this but just for RS. Jay is annoying and his material is always the same.
"Watch this, you ready now? Watch this, watch, watch, watch, watch now, watch closely, watch this, you watching now? Watch, watch..." - David Blaine
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zombieboy Special user Connecticut, USA 889 Posts |
The thing with Sankey is that you either love him or hate him. Either you share his sense of humor, as I do, or you do not. His tricks when performed by anyone else are decidedly mediocre, but I think it is his wacky and offbeat presentations that make it entertaining. That is, if you are into that sort of thing. Just a thought before you go bashing him because of differing senses of humor.
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LBP MAGIC Veteran user 374 Posts |
I have to agree with gandolf. Watching the latest Sankey DVD's is like watching a bad home video. I did not get a lot out of this dvd. I loved the best of Jay Sankey vol 1-3. He needs to go back to performing his effects for layman on the DVD's. His new DVD's are not entertaining.
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Rob Johnston Inner circle Utah 2060 Posts |
I personally cannot stand Sankey or his style...but here is the question.
Sankey is known for "ripping off" other people's effects and renaming them for his own use, and making money off them. Is this the case with this DVD? Or is it somewhat original?
"Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable." - Margot Fonteyn
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therntier Special user 681 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-06-01 13:40, Astinus wrote: I don't think Sankey has this reputation at all. If anything, the worst I have heard him accused of is remarketing some of his own tricks, which is his right. And as long as people are still going to purchase his DVDs, I don't blame him. |
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mike stevenson Loyal user 276 Posts |
Astinus, I've heard the same thing about Sankey ripping off other people's work. I heard he was selling the method to Radio Sum Total on ebay, but claimed it was his as instaed of having numbers written on paper, they were written on playing cards. WOW! Big improvement.
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niva Inner circle Malta (Europe) 2970 Posts |
What are you guys talking about?????
mike, I think you are referring to a personon ebay who uses Sankey picture to market effects. This has already been discussed on the Café. It's not Jay Sankey. Please inform yourselves before stating things you are not sure of.
Yours,
Ivan |
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toberman Loyal user 223 Posts |
Sankey has never had the reputation of ripping off other people's work.
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