Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Dream On by Brooke White

Thru Review

One DVD, 40 minutes, one trick, $35 bucks and one Thru Review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Thru Review: Effect

Your phone or other rectangular shaped object (e.g., playing card, credit card, dollar bill, etc.) penetrates through a borrowed dollar bill.

Thru Review: Method

Whatever object is being passed through the bill is gimmicked. It's a super simple gimmick that will take you just a moment to make. The only exception is the phone version. This one will require a little bit more time, but it's still the same exact idea. The only reason it will take you some more time is because you'll need to make a trip to your local office center.

You make the gimmicked thing and add it to the credit card, playing card, phone, etc. Just keep in mind that the gimmick for the credit card cannot be used for the playing card gimmick, etc. Each object has its own special gimmick. Further, if you use a credit card, you'll actually need two identical credit cards. To be clear, whatever object is going to pass through the dollar bill requires you to have two of that object (with the exception of the phone). Obviously the playing card version would be the easiest to do. Also, keep in mind that a playing card version is not taught on the DVD, however, once you see how simple it is to make the gimmick, making one for a playing card is a no-brainer.

The method is very easy to perform once you make the gimmick. It's nearly self working and is easy for all skill levels. The method is legitimate, and totally doable. The non-phone methods are such that you can leave the gimmick in place and just have it (the credit card or whatever "penetrating" object) in your wallet ready to go any time. The phone gimmick, however, renders the phone un-usable when the gimmick is in place, so you'll have to apply the gimmick right before the performance. Applying the gimmick only takes a couple of seconds.

Thru Review: Ad Copy Integrity

The ad copy is a little bit misleading. Let's look at each offense one at a time. First, the written copy makes these two claims.

  1. You then can hand everything out for examination if you would like to do it
  2. EVERYTHING CAN BE BORROWED IF YOU WISH

Claim number 1 is true. However, it requires you to steal away the gimmick first. On the credit card version, that's super easy. On the dollar bill version (i.e., bill passing through another bill), that's a lot more difficult. In fact, it's difficult enough that I'd say it's not a practical thing to do. Removing the phone gimmick will be easier or harder depending on the size of your phone and the material that your gimmick is made from β€” you're given a couple of different suggestions on what to make the gimmick out of. In my opinion, there is no need for the phone to be examined afterward, which I why I think their statement that it can be examined "if you would like" is a fair statement.

Claim number 2, is simply not true. They say that "everything" can be borrowed. Let's break this down. In all of the versions of the effect, there are two things involved. There is a dollar bill (of any denomination) that some object passes through. Then there is the object passing through the bill. The bill that stuff passes through can always be borrowed, no problem. It's the stuff that is passing through the bill where it becomes a problem. Here are some of the things that can be passed through the bill. Next to each item is a note about whether it could be borrowed or not.

  • Business Card - You cannot borrow their business card unless you have a gimmick premade that matches their business card. You may be able to use a generic white gimmick that matches most business card stock.
  • Playing Card - You could have a gimmick ready as long as it matches the borrowed card. You can added it on the fly.
  • Credit Card - Unless you have a copy of their credit card, you cannot do this with a borrowed credit card
  • Another Dollar Bill - This, theoretically, could be borrowed, but adding the gimmick to the bill (and transporting the gimmick separately from a bill) can be very tricky.
  • Phone - You'll have to be carrying around a gimmick that matches their phone exactly. If you wanted to create and carry around a couple of gimmicks that match the 2 or 3 most common phones, then this might be an option.

The video trailer claims that you start and end clean. I guess that's all relative. Define "start." You can't do the trick until the gimmick is loaded onto the phone (or whatever object will be penetrating the dollar bill). You can hand out the phone and the bill. Then upon getting the phone back, add the gimmick and proceed with the routine. However, that's not exactly "starting" clean when you are holding out a gimmick. It's also not exactly "ending" clean when you are holding out a gimmick.

Lastly, the video trailer claims that it will work on any phone. This is also true, but that does not mean that you can just walk up to anyone and borrow any phone and do this. What it means is that any phone can be easily gimmicked to work for this trick.

Thru Review: Product Quality

The teaching on the DVD and the overall production quality were both terrible. The footage does not fill the whole screen. The lighting was awful. The camera angles and distance were poor. The audio was weak. The "teaching" segments were not very thorough, and in many cases, Maurice Kim (the "instructor") would merely explain how to do something rather than actually show it. The camera was often not pointed at his hands when he was showing something. This (i.e., poor production) seems to be a pattern with Mystique Factory.

The good news is that the concept is so simple that you'll need very little instructions to do this, so you will learn everything you need to know to perform this effect.

Thru Review - Magic Reviewed

Thru Review: Final Thoughts

There are a lot of "if's" with this project, but I think, in the end, that it's still a good product. First, the effect really looks EXACTLY like the ad trailer portrays it. Second, the method is stupid simple, and it will only take a few minutes to construct the gimmick. It's all easy, doable and a totally legitimate method. In my opinion, having the "penetrating" object examined before or after the effect is not needed at all. If I did this effect, I wouldn't bother having it examined.

However, if you want to have it examined, there is an option for that. If you don't mind that it's probably best to supply your own "penetrating" object, and you can overlook the terrible production quality, and you like the effect, then you'll be happy. This is something that can be carried with you everywhere you go (especially if you use a credit card version). You'll just need to borrow a bill.

Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars with a Stone Status of gem.

Available at your Favorite Magic Dealer. Dealer's seeΒ Murphy's MagicΒ for details.

8 Comments

  • Stephen Peters says:

    HA! “Who’s got duplicate llamas? Nobody!” I love it.

  • Bawb says:

    Alpaca gum?

  • Rich Russell says:

    Great review! I too love the lines about the llamas.

    Just wanted to throw in a suggestion about your “almost-there” routine idea. If you wanted to use a Blockbuster card, Hollywood Video card (or a similarly defunct business): “Once upon a time, if you owned stock in Blockbuster, you were completely in the money! And just like that–oof!–you were out.”

    As always, great stuff. Look forward to every review.

  • Geoff says:

    Jeff, is this your last review? I cannot access any others since 2nd March HELP

    • Jeff Stone says:

      @Geoff – Fear not brother. More are coming soon. πŸ™‚

      Also, you spelled your name wrong. Oh yeah . . . I went there. :0)

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