The show should be worth watching however you feel about the content.It is moving further and further away from Derren's initial series where it was ambiguous if not vague about him being real or not. I personally thought this was Derren's finest phase. I do feel mentalism suffers from being semi exposed as being trickery. I thought that was the case in Seance when he revealed near the begining he was using "just Mediums tricks". I personally don't believe Derren's intention of educating the public I believe his intentions are are to further his carreer.

In my opinion what really is sad is the magic dealers who put adds up promising Derren like effects with links to their sites right next to the article in THE SUN tabloid on line version!

It seems like whenever there is a buck to be made selling out is the name of the game. Now in popular news papers (admitedly online version). But I predict the more high profile Derren becomes the tackier image of mentalism becomes. They will be selling little dolls of Derren for next years Xmas..

Shrink

I personally do not buy into the Iq testing standard.
I do not believe the abality to work out matimatical problems or shapes is anything to do wut intelligence as a computer can do it or even a calculator and they are not sentient, memory doesn't mean anything either as it is simply stored data, skills are nt it either as you can train a cat to acomplish tasks.
The IQ systim simply tests how much like a computer you are and we know computers cannot make rational judgements even programmed one's.
I believe in different kinds of intelligence. If we were to go by logic surely people would not drink or smoke as to do so does not make sence from a logic point of view.
As for Derren, he is a wonderful entertainer who has learned his area well,he has performed his experiments and went on to arrive and answers in that area.

The reason I take the stance on IQ is due to my personally knowing soem very smart people who are disabled in different way, from Autistic to dyslic to physical ones like diabeties which can limit one's performance abalitys.
Certain auitistics could distroy most of those rated on the IQ systim with their memorys, Dyslexics can be extremely inventive, and those with physically disabled are restricted in what they can accomplish by their own bodys. If it were not For professor stephen hawlkings speaking computer no one would know the capabality of his mind.

Sorry for the mild rant, I just always feel I should stand up for those who are often misjudged due to misunderstadnings of their condition.

H.W

Chill out, you people kill me, I have many friends in the UK who have expressed their confusion with DB, he doesn't do anything miraculous on a live stage, in fact a number of 'Pros' have mentioned to me that his most impossible material just so happens to be on TV.. Strange that?.. I have also read the full reviews of his stage shows and it would seem without the versatile world of being in front of the TV camera DB does exactly the same material as any other pro on stage..

So the question is..... is DB a genius? I don't think so but maybe the production company is for exploiting TV to gain a hyped reputation which cannot be replicated on stage by the very same person..

You guys do realise that when Superman flies on the screen he is actually held up with wires..

Dark Thought, while I understand what you say, Derrens released material is quite good and his performance pre TV, I thought was excellent also.

What ever the case, he was the one picked for TV and from what I'm told, channel four spent some time looking for some one with a bit of an edge. That's as much as I know on the matter.

H.W

Just curious ... are one (or more) of the posters here actually Derren Brown or part of his crew (PR, etc)?

Honest question ... no harm or insult intended.

Strange? I don't think so. Wouldn't you take advantage of the television media to produce stronger effects? It would be strange not to.



If you mean "same material" as in drawing duplications, book tests, etc. then I suppose you're partly correct. Certainly the first half of his show is classic mentalism. However, he makes the effects very unique with his character. As for the second half of his show, well it's not supposed to be talked about, but I can tell you this; there were countless gasps and sounds of awe from the audience. Especially one woman shaking when leaving the stage after a certain moment. In my opinion it was very orginal.

I think it would be better for you to comment after you've seen him perform.

You appear to be responding to posts that aren't actually there, mate. We'll call them "ghost posts" - the imagined ramblings of wandering DB sycophants that only you can see... I've heard that Clorazepam is pretty good for kerbing hallucinations.

However, to address your main point - or rather the point made by your friends - his stage show *is* different to his TV show. But stage is an entirely different medium. Beating people at rock, scissors, paper doesn't work as well on stage as it does in a "street magic" format, somehow... You'll find that his TV work isn't all that super-original either - it has the same roots as the stuff you probably do when you're entertaining the old folks at the local whist drive - but his presentation makes it worth watching. There's certainly very little on there that would appear to require too much additional "production" - a la Blaine, for example. Maybe your friends haven't read 13 Steps properly.



Well, actually, I think you'll find that's green-screen processing.

LOL

Yes Derrens show is vastly different from his television shows, but then again did you realy think it would be the same. I mean come one! I find it very amusing to see aas many have mentioned that so many people who realy should no better still get caught in his speil. Derren is an excellent performer, you cannot possibly deny this, and yes he does use television to his advantage, SO WHAT! In his shoes you would too. I went to his show with a small group of lay people 2 of whom had never seen him before. They were all amazed and intriqued by his show. I beleive several of them even said he was better than he was on TV. No one said 'Well it was ok, but...it wasn't realy the same as when he was on the telly was it.' The two who hadn't seen him were equally amazed and became instant fans who now watch his shows whenver aired, they too don't mention that they were disapoointied with his stage show having now seen the TV program. That is because only WE Fellow performers would notice such things We should all go back and read 13 steps on presentational skills and the aim of our performances.

Hi!

is there any way to get this tv-special here in austria?
there is no way to see channel 4
is channel 4 free, or pay tv.
is there a way to see the show on the net?

thx for help,

mario

If you superglue together all of your coat hangers and construct a massive arial you may have some luck...

I'm really looking forward to the tv show this evening. Its about time someone illustrates how people can be made to believe in mumbo jumbo. I was disgusted several months ago when a program on the BBC was aired which was a documentary looking at psychics. These guys gather at huge conventions, filled with 1000 people who are recently bereaved, sick etc. They then go on to do basic mentalism effects and cold reading, getting people to break down and cry, believe in all sorts of crap, and then sell their self-help books to them. At no point in this documentary did they mention that these 'psychics' were full of it and manipulating and exploiting vulnerable people. Three cheers to Derren.

Quote:
________________________________________________

Dark Thought 13 wrote:
Was exposed as a "fake"

__________________________________________________

Is it really possible for a Magician, illusionist or a mentalist, to actually make a tank disappear, saw their body in half or read your mind? These beautiful skills are designed to entertain and amaze an audience.
Unfortunately, I am not blessed with these skills, but my love affairs with all things magical, enrich my life. Thousands of people share the same opinion.
But please, lets be honest: are you yourself, NOT IN the business of "fake".
(no offence intended)

Muddy: I imagine Derren is far too busy to be posting on a magic forum. I am just an ordinary woman who enjoys Derren's work.
I'm not a mind reader, but I get the feeling you won't believe me though.

Nobody's too busy to read public discussions about their own work...

George W. Bush?

Started reading the thread. Got bored. Too many magicians and mentalists repeatedly hitting each other over the head.

Derren Brown is a wonderful entertainer and a very intelligent and insightful guy. I am hugely looking forward to seeing "Messiah" tonight - it promises to be a real treat, and will perhaps make us think seriously about a number of key aspects of human behaviour.

Will someone PLEASE take pity on us poor Colonists here in the US and after the show give a DETAILED report...not necassarily a Review of opinion...just a report as to what went down.

Thanks from the Colonies

Doug

No - sorry, we won't do that. Not unless you convert first.

My tv card is busted or I could have recorded it onto HD. Sorry!

The above is simply not true.
Just for the record.

Will he be remembered 2000 yrs from now?Doubt it.
Andre