Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: My Sacrifice by Creed
Joined by Dario Capuozzo Review:
One DVD and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
A piece by piece torn and restored card.
Method
This is actually, as far as I know, a new and unique method. This method allows you to stick three of the four pieces together with no duplicates and no extra stuff. When you go for the fourth piece that's when things change a little. This part is not as clean as the rest of the restoration; not even close. This part requires you to go to your pocket to "get a lighter" and then light the "four" pieces causing them to fuse together. For the signed version, there's extra "unclean" stuff. You do have to prepare the card in advance, and due to the nature of the method, in order to repeat, you'll need a whole bunch of duplicate cards all prepared in advance. The prep is easy and only takes 2 or 3 minutes per card.
The method involved for the signed version is nowhere near as practical as the non-signed version, and a very important part of the handling is very fidgety. It requires you to fiddle around in your pocket a bit too long for someone who is simply "putting the torn pieces in his pocket."
Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is tough to call. In order to give an accurate assessment, we'll have to address it from a few different angles. First, let's look at the first three single pieces. Those three pieces "stick" together with no sticky stuff, threads, magnets, no extra pieces, etc., just like the ad copy claims. However, you can't end there. First, you're not done with the restoration, and second, things aren't examinable yet.
Once you've done the three single pieces, you have to go to your pocket for a lighter. The problem is that, first, they cut this out in the ad trailer, and second, it's nowhere near as clean looking as the rest of the pieces looked. Further, even in the performance and explanation on the DVD, where they didn't cut, things just don't look as clean.
Even further, with the signed version, there is "sticky" stuff involved. And in both versions, there technically are "extra pieces" involved. In both versions, there are more than 4 pieces involved to pull off the effect. The only case where there are "no extra pieces" (as claimed in the video trailer), is when sticking the first three pieces together. They really are the originally torn pieces, and they really do stick back together with nothing else extra. They're not examinable in that position, but they are stuck together quite firmly.
Next, we deal with the claim that it instantly resets. That's mostly true. Just keep in mind that each card you tear up is done. You'll have to have another one already prepared in advance to do the effect again. Further, it'll have to be the same exact card (i.e., all Kings of Spades or whatever) if the effect is truly to be called "instantly reset."
Finally, we look at "perform surrounded." This is only true for the first three pieces. Placing the fourth corner on cannot be done surrounded. Also, if you're doing the signed version, the tearing procedure cannot be done surrounded.
Product Quality
The DVD production quality is decent. However, some of the shots are a bit too far away and hard to see. Although, for the most part, I think you can see everything you need to. The instructions, however, are given as text overlays on the screen and no speaking. This is always an issue because it's hard to focus on the performer's hands while trying to read the text, and vice versa.
Final Thoughts
The three pieces being stuck together is brilliant in method, thought, handling and practicality. It's very clever and requires no sticky stuff, magnets, etc., and it can be done surrounded. If this were all you were getting, then the ad copy would be 100% accurate. Also, I think with a little effort, it might be doable to come up with a way to modify the card to allow the fourth corner to be stuck as cleanly as the rest.
As brilliant as the piece by piece portion of the effect is, when it comes to the fourth piece, things are not quite as clean. Don't even bother with the signed method. It's nowhere near as practical as the unsigned method. It might be good for a special performance, but it's just not as clean. Solving the "fourth corner problem" has challenged the greatest among us, and after watching this DVD, I'd say it's still challenging us.
That said, this method for placing the fourth piece isn't horrible. It's doable. My biggest complaint about it is that it violates most of the claims in the ad copy/video. It uses extra pieces. It cannot be done surrounded. It's hard to give this its final rating because the first three pieces are a breakthrough in this genre and 100% live up to the ad copy. Yet, the fourth piece is a step back and does not live up to the ad copy.
This may be the kind of thing where you could add this piece by piece of the first three to your own existing T&R effects.
Final Verdict:
3 Stars with a Stone Status of gem (with a little 'g' - most of the gem belongs to the first three pieces).
2 Comments
Hey Jeff,
I just wanted to *maybe* help you clarify the issue with the “instant reset” – I would consider that statement 50% true and 50% untrue. On one hand if you do not give away the restored, unsigned card, you can use it again and that makes the instant reset half true. The whole business of having to have a stack of prepared cards for subsequent performances makes it, I think, the untrue half of the statement.
My interpretation of the definition of the term “instant reset” is that something is perpetually ready to reuse again without adding anything to it (like a fresh card) or having to prepare part of it again. I hope this adds clarity and not confusion to your statement about this!
As for the “perform surrounded” statement, if you simply manage angles, both versions can be done surrounded – after plenty of practice and rehearsal I have used this in a few shows already, fully surrounded with no issue.
Anyway, I agree with the rest of your assessment and with the fact that it is a great method – if only that fourth piece was more open!
J
@Dr. J – Correct. The extra card in your pocket is used over and over again. It’s the stack of prepared Kings that I was referring to which made me question the “instant reset.” As for the the “surrounded” claim, you said that if you watch your angles, you can do it surrounded. The very definition of surrounded means you don’t have to watch your angles. Whatever angle you have to watch is an angle where the spectator cannot be standing and thus you cannot be surrounded.
Of course, I was mostly referring to the signed version when I mentioned the fact that it cannot be done surrounded.
Thanks, as always, for the post.
Jeffro