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 X Marks the Spot - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Is this the ‘Triumph’ routine of all Triumph routines? No. We’ll always be working on it.

But this is still pretty damn good.

The ad copy says this effect is perfect for restaurants and walkarounds… Except this effect requires a few minutes to reset… Just something to consider. Despite that little detail, if you can work in the resets, this effect will play great in all the close up performing arenas.

There’s a good chunk of magic packed into this gimmicked deck of cards and it could be that one special effect you’ve been looking for to close out your set.

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.comX

Card Magic, Close Up, DVD | View Comments

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 Spookey - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Lots of possibilities to expand out and make up your own routines. It’s like opening a new gimmicked coin set and seeing what you can do with it. Sankey provides you not only with some basic routines, but also gives you the tools to modify, expand, and even create your own routines from scratch.

The list of moves, links, unlinks, and switches is quite thorough and some of them are pretty darn clever (i.e. the spin convincer).

The included props are actually of pretty good quality and even the gimmicked ‘key’ key is still pretty tough and shouldn’t bend or break if you’re carrying this around in your pocket or out performing it.

As far as difficulty levels go, it’s up to you how technical you want to get, but a moderate level of general slight proficiency will be needed for most moves (i.e. the shuttle pass).

I would encourage coin workers to consider taking a look at this product and see what sorts of routines they can come up with their already polished coin slights and see how they translate over to keys.

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

Close Up, DVD, Effect | View Comments

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 Witness - Reviewed by Bizzaro [1:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Many of the effects released by the Theory 11 website have had slick production value. This one is no different. Lee Asher’s Witness (Originally known as the double entendre Deuce Bag) takes the card in hand plot and adds a layer of subterfuge that, according to them, kicks it up a notch.

The effect consists of having a card selected and then a folded plastic ziploc-ish bag removed from your pocket. Inside the bag is a joker that you show and then place between the spectators hands. Magically it changes to their card inside the plastic bag and the crowd goes wild (If we are to believe the spontaneous ness of the magic of DVD editing.)

Now while you can accomplish this same effect without the bag with a signed card, this effect still has the impact of “Magic in their hands”, which we all know is the most powerful kind of magic. The effect plays heavily upon your conviction of its performance and realizing that you are performing an exercise in simplicity. The effect is straightforward and the DVD takes you thru every nuance of the performance with tips and touches that come ONLY with performing an effect for WAY too damn long.

So if you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket and an empty space on your DVD shelf, pick this up before the surgeon general deems it hazardous for your health.

If you are interested in picking up this product, you can check out www.Theory11.com.

Beginner, Card Magic, Close Up, DVD, Worker Material | View Comments

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 iVanish - Reviewed by Bizzaro [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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There has been a strange trend in coin magic in the last many years that involve some very right angle thinking in accomplishing the vanish of flat round metal money. The ivanish is no exception.

On this video you get three methods for vanishing a coin. Ah but wait, there’s more!! You place the coin into your eye (Like an opaque monocle) and then appear to rub/shove/press the coin into your eye. From there you can carry on or remove it from your eye in a few interesting ways.

One such uses the old “Fork in the eye” gag, if you want to go to extremes. For your more subtle effect you can appear to put it in one eye and press it across your face to the other one, and then remove it. Personally I would never perform this, (And I can’t tell you why because it would expose the method), but it is good to see and know in case the need ever arose to vanish a coin into the orbit of your skull.

In today’s world of magic geared for the street and kids with more skill than personality, this might be right for you. I’d say just wait for the download to show up on the torrent sites, but that would be un-ethical. Instead convince your friend to buy it and then borrow it from them, as we don’t exactly have dollar theaters for magic videos now do we?

Close Up, Coin, DVD | View Comments

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 Unbalance - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I was debating whether to review this effect or not, but after contemplating the amount of work it took to gimmick the toothpick for this effect, I decided it was worth a go.

My reasons for considering not reviewing this product was simply that the effect felt too basic. You balance a toothpick over the extreme edge of card case and it stays up; members of your audience can try but won’t succeed. The toothpick can be examined quite thoroughly, but I’d be afraid of some @$%)! breaking it; as described, the card case can’t be examined (when opened), but a creative person could think of a way to hide the small amount of work done on the insides.

With a preconceived presentation in mind to make the effect worth performing (you’re pretty open), I could see some folks using this one.

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.

Beginner, Close Up, Effect | View Comments

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 Time and Space - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Time and Space is one of those routines that tries to pull together multiple effects into one continued sequence… only, in this rare instance, everything works together quite nicely. Time and Space is accompanied with a great presentation that ties everything together and makes this a good worker candidate.

The final give away at the end of the effect is pretty cool, unfortunately, the refills are going to make this an expensive card trick to perform for walkaround (+ $1/ performance).

If you like the effect description and think you can swing the performance cost of this effect, then go ahead and check this one out and see what you think.

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.

Card Magic, Close Up, Effect, Standup/Stage | View Comments

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 Safety Hole Lite - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Safety Hole Lite is a reworked version of the original Safety Hole effect. The idea was to make the effect as simple to perform as possible; I don’t think it can get much easier than this.

You are supplied with a special gimmicked packet-trick type ‘wallet’ that aides in the performance of the effect. As it is, you can’t just stick this card into your wallet and perform the effect, pretending that you just pulled out any one of your credit cards.

The original Safety Hole has been greatly reduced to one hole sliding stage (two if you reverse the action). This one is really for beginners; I think the working pros are going to stick with the original version of this effect.

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.

Beginner, Close Up, Effect | View Comments

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 Ice From Water - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Ice From Water has a lot of potential behind it – it’s begging for some awesome mystical/bizzarist presentation to make it a knockout. On it’s own, the effect is simple and easy as heck to perform (you just reach into the water and pull out ice, nothing’s concealed in or on your hands or arms).

The product comes with enough supplies to produce thousands of ice cubes (I’d estimate) – and since they are reusable, refills probably won’t be necessary. Preparation is really simple – to quote the infomercial superstar, Ron Popeil, “Just set it, and forget it!”

One final bit to digest – the ice cubes that are produced should not be consumed, but a method for passing out the ice cubes for examination is discussed in the instructions.

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.

Bizarre, Close Up, Effect, Standup/Stage | View Comments

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 Hemispheres Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Right off the bat, I have to say this DVD is long; there’s a lot of content on this single DVD and, assuming most of the effects are good (most are), that equals a great value for you.

I seriously couldn’t get over the amount of content put on this one DVD. There are some really clever effects here that I can see people using. Jay’s got some new ideas/moves here that have the potential to become classics like his full view switch.

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.

Close Up, DVD, Mentalism | View Comments

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 Business Card Cardiograph - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Flat out awesome. If you are a close up worker, you need to get this.

The idea is exactly the same as Martin Lewis’ famous Cardiographic – only now, you have the ability to carry the finale around in your pocket. Construction of the gimmick is relatively simple and designed specifically for workers and repeat performances.

Brian Curry takes you through the entire process, from construction and designing your business cards to the straight forward and easy to perform Cardiograph routine; and to make things even easier, included on the DVD are several pages of PDF templates and graphics to help you design the appropriate business cards for performing this workhorse of a routine.

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.

Card Magic, DVD, Restaurant, Visual, Worker Material | View Comments

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 Ultra Monte - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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If you’re looking for a three card monte routine, Daryl’s latest offering is definitely something to check out.

You get the entire package just as you’d want it: custom printed cards by the USPCC; clear, easy to follow, over the shoulder video instructions; and an end product that rocks. Daryl has taken the classic Skinner Monte and streamlined the mechanics like the new MacBook Air.

And for $10, this deal is seriously hard to beat.

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.

Beginner, Card Magic, Close Up, Effect | View Comments

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 Spellz Season 1 - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I was pleasantly surprised by this series. While the episodes are fairly short, Jay did a nice job of putting together a magic-centric television show for kids that doesn’t carry the overly babyish tones of most mainstream children’s programs.

The series does a nice job of incorporating lessons on misdirection, practice, magic history, and a bounty of simple, easy to learn magic tricks.

I can’t see many folks (hard core magicians at least) picking up this DVD set for the sake of watching the show, but consider this: Spellz is packed with simple magic effects that you can teach to kids. I’ve noticed plenty of forum threads asking for simple effects that are good for teaching beginning practitioners of this art – I feel this is a worthy selling point.

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.

Bizarre, DVD | View Comments

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 Influence U2 - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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The second effect in the ‘Influence U’ series is finally here and really kicks things up a notch.

Like the original Influence U effect, Influence U2 comes with everything you need, including: all the props, a bonus ‘Demon Deck’ (not required for the effect but can be used), and a great presentation. Workings of the effect are relatively simple and quite clever.

Unlike the original I.U. which was designed as an impromptu effect, this one is aimed more for more traditional performances (although this one can be performed nearly impromptu).

NOTE: This review is for the North American/Canadian version of the effect. At the time of this writing, the International Edition has yet to be released.

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.

Card Magic, Close Up, Effect, Impromptu, Mentalism, Standup/Stage, Worker Material | View Comments

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 Heiny 500 - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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“$*#&!,” is what I think I said the first time I saw this performed. Heiny 500 takes advantage of the original bill changing gimmick but manages to make the effect look insanely better. I used the Hundy 500 effect for quite a while and was astonished with its visual impact; Heiny 500 brought that feeling back and kicked it up a notch.

This one is a worker baby (albeit an expensive one to make up). Overall instruction gets you through the process of construction and basic performance.

It’s amazing to see how alternative handlings to a classic gimmick can do so much for an effect.

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.

Close Up, DVD, Money, Restaurant, Street Magic, Visual, Worker Material | View Comments

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 1 Deck 14 Tricks 24 Hours Reviewed - by Derek Merdinyan [1:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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The premise behind this two disk DVD set was to teach 14 simple but powerful card tricks that could be mastered and ready to perform within 24 hours.

In general, I’d like to say these guys succeeded in their challenge, however, as noted on the DVD, most experienced magicians will probably view this DVD as a ‘reminder’ of older effects that may have been dismissed or overlooked due to their simplicity. Matthew Dowden does offer added tips and his sincere claims that these effects do get powerful reactions despite their lack of knuckle busting moves.

Bottom line:
I think beginning magicians will make good use of this DVD

AND

Experienced magicians will pick up/remember old effects that they can use in ‘emergency situations’ when they are out and about or if they need some quick filler material.

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.

Beginner, Card Magic, DVD, Impromptu, Worker Material | View Comments