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 Mix N' Mingle Audio [1:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Right now I have “Mix N’ Mingle” on the chopping block.

This two disk DVD set boasts fifteen tried and true card effects used by Shaun McCree
in his professional table-hopping career. Shaun specifically designed his material to withstand the harshest angles, have little resetting, and entertain a wide variety of audiences.

Some of the ideas on here got me laughing right along with the audience – one in particular, out of no where, a large playing card ‘appears’ in a fan of regular sized cards, and Shaun uses it to ‘help’ someone find a selected card.

Personally, I find it hard to get excited about card magic DVDs, but if you are looking for new card material that WILL work in restaurants, this is definitely something to check out.

I give Mix N’ Mingle three and a half stars out of five.

Mix N’ Mingle retails for $69.99

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 Derek Merdinyan reviews Dominatricks [1:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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We’ll be checking out Tyler Wilson’s book “Dominatricks”.

Among its contents, this book contains Tyler’s version of Roy Walton’s ‘Card Warp’ – on steroids, an ambitious card routine that relies on post-it notes for the magic to happen, and a coin in bottle routine wherein the final product can be given away, carried in a pocket, and if need be, eaten!

Tyler’s writing style is very clear and entertaining. Lots of the explanations are framed amongst a flirtatious performance (presentation) with a female spectator. The bits of humor written in everywhere you look almost make me think Paul Harris was the final editor…

Left-handed magicians are going to love this book – not because Tyler is left handed and wrote the book as such, it isn’t. However, the book does come with a quality made performance CD detailing the various sleights Tyler has included in this book. So what is there that will make the southpaws happy? The CD also contains an electronic copy of the book – rewritten for left-handed magicians!

Dominatricks retails for $40 and includes the performance CD.

I give ‘Dominatricks’ four and a half stars out of five.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

From iTricks Reviews – thanks for listening!

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 Derek Merdinyan reviews Zoom, Bounce and Fly [1:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Before me on the chopping block right now is “Jeff McBride’s Zoom, Bounce, and Fly”

For years, Jeff’s been holding his techniques for spinning and shooting cards a dear secret – and at long last, here they are!

On this DVD, Jeff covers all aspects of card throwing – everything from card preparation to the history of the art, and something not so obvious, safety.

Like +95% of card manipulation, the stuff on this DVD is going to take months – if not many years to master. Jeff even states that he has to feel ‘confident’ before throwing in certain moves to his famous card act.

Of all the ‘secrets’ Jeff releases, the greatest one is his ‘Mcgrip-Tip’. Without blatantly saying what this is, the provided ‘Tip’ doubled the height of my Long Distance Spinner, the first time I tried it on.

The main thing is that the material here is what you’ve probably been waiting for years – unfortunately, this DVD doesn’t feel like the original ‘Art of Card Manipulation’ series. The explanations are done much quicker and Jeff doesn’t always repeat the moves like in his original manipulation tapes.

That said, I’m crossing my fingers that Jeff re-films his highly successful ‘Art of Card Manipulation’ set. Perhaps on the future, when people are forgetting what DVDs are, Jeff will surprise the world with a beautifully re-mastered 5 DVD set. Yes, I said 5 DVDs, reorganize the original material: one DVD for flourishes, one for single card productions, one for fan manipulation, one for card shooting, and one for all the new stuff that’s come about since the original taping.

I am giving ‘Zoom, Bounce, and Fly’ four and a quarter stars out of five.

If you are a magic dealer interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 No Chance Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Before me I have Inner Mind Productions’ “No Chance”. The package comes with a carefully laid out DVD with a handful of routines that you just ‘can’t loose’. As for the included dice, three are special ‘No-Chance’ dice, three are regular matching dice which – if needed, can be switched for examination.

As always, Peter Nardi and Marc Spelmann are a riot on camera and their conversational style of instruction is simple, clear, and dare I say, mildly entertaining.

Of course people are always demanding more, and I would liked to have seen a few more ideas placed here, something that went beyond variations of a smash and stab effect, or a bank night routine. There are lots of other ideas out there that can be done with these dice, and it’s going to be fun discovering their potential down the line.

This is pure speculation, but for the bizzarists, maybe you could flood Peter and Marc with emails asking for ancient looking (bone?) ‘No-Chance’ dice.

I am giving No Chance four stars out of five.

No Chance retails for $50

If you are a magic dealer interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 Melting Point reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I have something very exciting – it’s the Cesaral “Melting Point Reloaded” DVD.

This truly amazing. People throw that word around a lot – I promise to use words of praise if a product deserves it – this one does.

The DVD covers 13 new ways to use the simple gimmick. Everything is as simple and beautiful as the original ‘Melting Point’. If you are a cups and balls performer – this is a must, vanishes, penetrations, and loads are sinfully easy. If you are a coin worker, there are beautiful changes and penetrations a plenty. If you find yourself performing in ‘odd’ situations, there’s even a matrix routine using thumbtacks – you perform this on the seat of a chair or on a carpeted floor (because the tacks are stuck in the surface material).

If you don’t own the original Cesaral Melting Point but you get this DVD, you’ll definitely go back and buy the original.

I’ll say it again, the stuff here is (expletive deleted) amazing!

I am giving this amazing DVD four and a half stars out of five.

The Cesaral Melting Point Reloaded DVD retails for $35

If you are a magic dealer interested in purchasing this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 852 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 Derek Merdinyan reviews Unexpected [2:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Today we’ll be talking about ‘Unexpected’ the two disk DVD set of impromptu mentalism from Inner Mind Productions.

The material in here is excellent – and if you aren’t a mentalist, don’t use that as your excuse to pass this by. Most seasoned mentalists will have some of these routines in their current repertoire, but the versions presented here were redesigned specifically for impromptu performances.

A lot of the effects require several business cards (or bank notes) and a marker – and usually require a moment or two in private (the bathroom) to prepare for the trick.

Most magicians have learned to take the claim of ‘impromptu’ magic with a grain of salt – purists go by the ‘naked on a beach’ definition, while others believe that as long as the objects are borrowed, it’s impromptu magic. This DVD gets its feet wet in both ponds.

Instruction is done in a conversational style between Peter Nardi and Marc Spelmann. These two minds have not only collaborated to create some strong magic, but also work very well together on camera.

The material on these DVDs was designed specifically for ‘unexpected’ performances – so despite the fact that these routines have some power behind them, they were not meant to replace your current working reperitoire. The best strategy is to master 2 or 3 of these routines so you can slay your audience, especially when it’s unexpected.

I give “Unexpected” four and a half stars out of five for providing exceptional real world material that can be performed anytime, anywhere.

This DVD set retails for $65 dollars and is available at most magic dealers.

Dealers can purchase these products directly from Murphy’s Magic Supplies, Inc. – (916)853-9292 www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Derek Merdinyan reviews Coin Thru Box [1:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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At the moment, I have Jesse Feinberg’s ‘Coin Thru Box’ on the chopping block.

The effect is exactly as the title suggests – a coin is placed under a new deck’s protective cellophane seal and proceeds to melt through the box.

I have real mixed feelings about this effect, while it has the potential to be incorproated into a larger effect, I feel that the original premise lacks justification. Luckily, Jesse (briefly) covers how to incorporate this effect so that the coin apparently locates a selection (or two) in the deck.

The package comes with enough ‘stuff’ to make up to 10 gimmicks. However, there’s a good chance that you’ll only be able to get 5 gimmicked ‘sets’, depending on how you open new decks. If you run out, the ‘stuff’ is easy to find, lots of dealers are carrying this now and it’s relatively inexpensive.

Part of the ad copy reads, quote, “the box is not gaffed!” end quote. Eh, maybe. There is something there that has to be removed before the box can be examined – and if you perform this with a candy/cigarette box, it’s going to be really hard to secretly remove the ‘special something’.

At twenty dollars, Feinberg might have overvalued this effect. Yes, the ‘stuff’ and gimmicks you make are about as good as you can get them, but $20 for the idea and ‘extras’ – valued around a buck fifty for the amount supplied – is a little outrageous.

I am giving ‘Card Thru Box’ two and a half stars out of five.

Dealers can purchase these products directly from Murphy’s Magic Supplies, Inc – (916)853-9292 www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 Derek Merdinyan reviews Bubble Gum Magic [2:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Right now I have two DVDs on the chopping block, “Bubble Gum Magic” Volumes 1 and 2.

Before reviewing these DVDs, I thought I was in for something special, something
different – but less than 20 minutes in to Vol. 1, I was struggling to keep focus. A large portion of each DVD was spent showing how to prepare each effect – and there’s a TON of preparation. Most of the effects require a good 5-10+ minutes of preparation - often good for just one performance. Most of the effects didn’t require any explanation seeing as most crafty magicians should be able to figure out how to open, gaff, and close a pack of gum; and present it in a supposedly untampered nature.

The effects were performed out in the real world (in a candy shop) and got very few got any reactions – maybe it was the people, but maybe not. I think the material in here is best suited for walk-around performers that work in family restaurants.

Fortunately, each DVD has one notable effect that on it’s own merits value. Volume One contains an ‘impromptu’ version of Andy Leviss’ “Sticky Situation” – it requires a bit of in the hands pre-positioning and 3 pieces of gum, but when the effect is over, you can give the gum away (if anyone’s willing to take it…) Volume Two contains an effect where a few pieces of gum (up to 2) are removed from a pack of Eclipse gum and given to several spectators – and moments later, the pieces return, sealed within the plastic and foil seal.

Each DVD is fairly priced at $15 a volume.

Dealers can purchase these products directly from Murphy’s Magic Supplies, Inc – (916)853-9292 www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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