DVD Review: Captured by James Clark

When I recently reviewed the movie Shutter, I laughed out loud (LOL) during the preview screening, to the chagrin of my fellow reviewers.

You see, there's a crucial plot point. Whatever the movie's characters see in a Polaroid picture is real because there's no negative and the picture can't be altered.

Of course, there's a well known magic trick that uses a Polaroid camera, which was the source of my amusement.

In Captured, a spectator selects a card and then you take a picture of him or her with a Polaroid camera. As the spectator holds the instant film it slowly develops, and in the final picture, the spectator not only sees his or her image but an impression of the selected card.

You can give the photograph to the spectator as a souvenir. This is high-impact magic with lots of possibilities.

Captured is a great trick, but the Polaroid company has announced that it is discontinuing instant film, which will affect your ability to perform it. By the way, don't confuse this DVD with Lonnie Chevrie's excellent title of the same name (click here to read our review).

The DVD offers thorough instructions that discuss preparation, materials, working with photos and performing the trick. Be prepared to invest about fifty dollars for materials, including the camera and some film.

Once you purchase the necessary materials, the trick is not difficult to setup and perform. Interestingly, the DVD doesn't discuss Polaroid's plans for the near future.

In fact, Polaroid has announced that it is going to stop manufacturing instant film and the last of its inventory should be available into 2009.

So you've got a year, maybe, to perform this trick before the technology and the effect, as we know it, is gone forever.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $34.95

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Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.