DVD Review: Decks, Lies and Videotape-Brent Braun

Brent Braun’s first rate DVD, “Decks, Lies and Videotape,” offers four excellent effects: three involving cards and one a ball, and several techniques for controlling selected cards.

The triumph, transposition and torn & restored card effects are all first rate and the ball effect is stunning but has limited use. I liked the card control techniques that could easily be applied to “select a card” and “ambitious card” effects. This DVD is for those with a good foundation in card sleight of hand.

“Torched & Restored” is Braun’s handling of the torn and restored card effect that was previously released on its own in 2001. A spectator freely selects and signs a card and the magician cleanly tears it into four pieces. The magician removes a lighter and lights the card. The card is momentarily seen on fire and then instantly and visually, the card is restored. Afterwards, the card can be examined and there are signs of any tears.

This one is strong and unlike most torn and restored card effects, is relatively easy to learn and perform. It’s not a knuckle-buster as are many of the versions with their complicated palms and switches. I thoroughly like this one and it’s my favorite of the versions that I know of. Another great torn & restored card effect is Geof Williams’ “Just a Bit More Ultimate than John Mendoza's Ultimate Torn & Restored Card” (Miracles for Mortals Vol. 1). Although William’s approach, while good, takes more setup.

“Kick Back Transpo” is Braun’s version of Ryan Swigert’s “Kickback.” It’s a fantastic card transposition effect where in the course of a few moments, two chosen cards switch places in visual and flashy ways. You’ll need a table top to perform this one as well as an extra playing card in your deck, but it’s definitely worth learning and performing.

Braun offers two excellent “triumph” style card effects where a deck that’s shuffled with half of the cards face-up and the other half face-down somehow rights itself with all of the cards in the same direction. The exception are four-of-kind, which includes the selected card, that face the opposite direction.

Braun’s approach to the triumph card plot has the advantage of not being too difficult to perform and as in John Bannon’s “play it straight Triumph,” Braun can show the cards interlaced face-up and face-down after the shuffle-a convincer that fortifies the effect. I’ve been intrigued with a triumph by Larry Jennings for some time (“New Outstanding Triumph”-“Up in Smoke”), but I like this one better.

“Ball thru Glass” is an absolutely astounding effect where a ball passes through glass. There are no handkerchiefs or other gimmicks. The magician covers the ball with his hands and it appears to go right through the glass. Braun performs the effect on a glass display case in a magic shop. And this one can be performed on a glass table, but there are lots of limitations.

The trick has to be setup ahead of time-you won’t be able to set this one with spectators watching. Also, lighting is crucial. While you won’t have to setup special lighting to make this one work, it won’t work in all situations. As a result, this one has no application for walk-around, but is best used in a somewhat controlled environment where the lighting is correct and you can set-up out of range of spectators.