The Envelope Please
Another effect with emotional commitment, in “Money-Pulation,” a spectator hides money in one of 10 envelopes. Despite the fact that the spectator mixes the envelopes on the table and the magician doesn’t touch the envelopes, he knows which envelope contains the money.“Switcher” is more of a description of a strong method than routine, but Goldenberg offers a good presentation where he presents a series of random letters on a piece of paper that can be interpreted in different ways to create different words. It’s much like finding words in the game “Boggle.” At some point, a spectator is asked to create a word from the letters on the page and the magician has correctly predicted the outcome. The method is direct, easy and inexpensive.
Serial Contact
Another money effect, in “Serial Contact,” the performer borrows a bill and has the spectator read off and record the serial number. A prediction that has been in plain view from the beginning correctly states the serial number on the bill. I have to wonder if this one is too good and leads spectators to an easy method, which would probably be wrong. Another factor, there’s a certain amount of necessary clean-up that is not offered during the followup discussion. This is perhaps the only routine that has some gaps in its explanation.An experiment in telekinesis, in Animated Magnet, the magician draws a magnet on a business card or a piece of paper. The piece of paper then acts as magnet and causes the pen (a non-magnetic object) to move. This effect is based on a well known magic method.
Twisted Cubes
In “Coinci-Cube,” two Rubik Cubes are mixed by the performer and a spectator. At the end, the cubes are shown to be identical with all of the colors in the same place. This one is a tad esoteric, but it’s good.I saw right through the method of “Graphology” and wonder if lay spectators will as well, but I like the premise. A spectator writes a few names on a piece of paper based on descriptions given by the performer (“someone you like, “someone you hate”...etc). The performer does not see the spectator write down the names. At the trick’s conclusion, the performer can identify which name is associated with which description and offers a cold reading based on handwriting (graphology), The introduction of handwriting analysis adds a strong and involving theme.
At $120, This is an expensive DVD set. But it does offer strong routines with solid methods and lots of ideas and insight from a couple of pros.
-Wayne N. Kawamoto
MSRP: (US) $120
Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
