Halloween Tricks and a Treat

If you want some magic to liven-up your Halloween celebration, here are a some spooky tricks and more.

Sean Fields' "Saw" is an impressive bit of geek magic that looks as if you’re sawing a piece of thread into your neck. You visibly saw a length of thread into your throat by moving your hands back and forth, and the spectators see the thread embed itself under your skin. Pull the thread and the spectators see it lifting the skin and tearing away. Ewww...

If you’ve ever seen or performed Shinko's "Classic Arm Twist," you know the amazing reactions that it gets from spectators. Now, Joe Russell presents a new version, "Disjointed," which is just as easy to perform, if not easier, and takes the effect in a new direction.

Chosen cards reveal themselves in an eery glowing light, and messages, personal dates and serial numbers mysteriously appear. Illuminated UV ink and light form the basis of Ellusionist's "The Scorpion Pro UV Kit," a series of props, instruction and impressive effects. Brad Christian and his team have compiled a system that offers some intriguing possibilities.

The seance is a magic classic. In a seance, the magician is tied-up or bound in some way that constrains his or her movements, and then spiritual “manifestations” and strange events occur. To perform the effect, Cannon’s Great Escapes offers its superb "Seance Handcuffs" that work well and rely on a clever and almost undetectable gimmick.

Just in time for Halloween and on DVD, Criss Angel's special from 2005, "Mindfreak-Halloween Special," offers a couple of never-before-seen effects and "uncut" versions of others that ran during MindFreak’s first season.