DVD Review: International Collection by Jay Sankey

Jay Sankey's latest "International Collection" features 14 strong close-up effects with coins, cards, twist ties, straws and more. As far as I know, most of these have been explained on his earlier videos.

He offers some great material here and there are a couple that I learned from his earlier videos and already use in my strolling sets. What's unusual about this DVD is that Sankey, in an uncharacteristic way, doesn’t talk.

Sankey has chosen to not only perform each effect without talking, he also explains each one without uttering a word. I don’t know if he was trying to simply do something different, was taking on a dare or had some contractual obligation to not explain this previously released material. The ads state that Sankey was trying to create a DVD for those who don’t speak English, which may an untapped market for him.

You can learn the effects from Sankey’s miming, however, a downside, you won’t learn the names of the moves that you are learning, nor will you even learn the names of the effects. At least the video could have displayed a subtitle that indicates the name of a move and effect. This is a gross oversight.

As described below, each effect is annoyingly referred to by a number.

In “1" (“T-Bone”), it looks as if one is about to perform classic “Card Warp,” but it’s an easy and visual torn and restored card effect. Instead of tearing a card into quarters, as in most card tears, you rip it into halves and then restore it. A second torn and restored effect, “10" (“Heat Therapy”), restores a torn card with an unusual application of a well known color change.

In “2" (“Circumference”), a small piece of circular paper is transformed into a ping pong ball and then turned back into a piece of paper. I thoroughly like “3" (Hotlink) where two hearts are drawn on the back of a signed card and through the magic of a color change, visually link together. This is a great effect for an anniversary and you can hand out the card as souvenir.

The DVD comes with two coins across effects. In “4" (“Slow Motion Coins Across”), coins are placed into the left hand and end up in the right pants pocket. This one, which relies on a pop-up move and other sleights, is good.

I like “9" (“Mr. Clean Coins Across”) and used to perform this one a lot. It’s Sankey’s routine that relies on such moves as the “Tenkai pinch” and “pointy transfer.” This one is great and relies on no gimmicks, but you do have to watch the angles. Another great segment is “7" (“The Merlin Sequence”), a quick vanish of a coin that allows you to display your hands seemingly empty and then reproduce the coin.

Mixing high-level sleight-of-hand with mentalism, actually it’s more of a gambling move adapted to magic called the “Wichita Switch,” is “5" (“Three Times Lucky”). A spectator mixes up the deck and the magician runs through the deck and removes three cards as “predictions.” The spectator cuts the deck in to three sections and the magician removes the top cards of each pile to reveal the matching card to his predictions.

In “6" (“Burden of Proof”), a twist-tie mysteriously links onto a finger that the magician is wearing. As the name implies, “11" (”Cut and Restrawed)” involves a drinking straw that has been cut while in its packaging. Afterwards, the straw is restored to its full length and handed out for examination.

I thoroughly like lucky “13" (“Power Lunch”) that involves business cards. The magician’s and spectator’s initials are drawn on two different business cards and they jump to the same card. This one has lots of possibilities. “14" (“Traveling Expenses”) is Sankey’s application of the Kozlowski bill switch, four holes are punched in a dollar bill and then they move around. I use this one all of the time in my restaurant and strolling work. The remaining effects involves a variation on “Cannibals” and a card “sandwich” routine.

Sankey’s “International Collection” features some strong close-up materials and it’s refreshing to see lots of effects that use objects other than playing cards. There’s great material here.

However, explanations are always stronger when you can listen to the performer. (Sankey is great at explaining his thoughts and techniques, witness the recent “Paperclip” DVD). And those who own Sankey’s earlier videos will be familiar with most of the effects here.

Despite the great material, this one is a mixed bag.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $30

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