Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Quicksand Jesus By Skid Row
First of all . . . $30.00 for this crappy quality of DVD is enough for me to tell you not to buy it. The lighting is horrendous. The sound is 'OK' at best, and the pixelation/quality of the video is a slight step above a web cam.
Forget about the effect for a moment. When paying this kind of money (especially for a 1 trick DVD with no props) I would expect much better production quality than this.
So what's the effect?
Basically Chris Piercy has come up with a way to make a balloon appear empty when it is not. This requires you to own a certain piece of jewelry that is NOT included with the routine.
Next we are shown three effects, the title effect Pierced, Popped Back To The Future, and Popped To Lunch.
They are each variations of one another. The effects all look something like this:
- Show a folded up playing (or business) card
- Claim it's a prediction
- Blow up a balloon in a very awkward way (due to the gimmick)
- Magically penetrate the folded prediction into the balloon in a very sloppy way
- Set the balloon on the table
- Go through a convoluted selection (and signed card) procedure and 'presentation.'
- Pop the balloon to reveal the signed card was there all along
Having said all that, I think the idea has some merit. I just think that Piercy's performances don't show that potential.
Every step of the way, the awkwardness of the handling of the balloon when blowing up to the end once it's popped, it was absolutely clear to me the method. Granted I'm a magician and I know about those secret pieces of jewelry that the lay person does not know about.
However, they will clearly see that something in the handling just looks fishy. Additionally, there are too many extra props you need to carry around for an effect that can be accomplished with much simpler methods and less convoluted procedures.
In addition to the three effects, you are 'taught' a handful of moves:
- Double Lift
- A couple of forces
- Hindu Shuffle
- Mercury Card Fold
These are given a little bit of attention, but not enough attention that someone unfamiliar with the moves is going to be taught enough to perform the moves properly.
And finally, in the Tips & Ideas section you're shown a few ideas on how to ditch an extra card that is part of the routines as well as a couple of 'other' 'ideas.'
The other ideas were merely talked through and not really shown at all. He even went so far as asking us to imagine that a normal playing card had a blank back on it because he didn't take the time to make sure he had one on the set.
The ditch ideas were again, just walked/talked through mostly with the moves (if they were shown at all) happening out of the frame.
Final Thoughts
If it didn't feel like they just showed up to a 'studio' totally unprepared and filmed this thing on a whim . . .
If the production quality wasn't so 1980's home movies . . .
If the handling wasn't so contrived . . .
If a gimmick were included . . .
If the price were less . . .
. . . then I might be able to recommend this, but even then, I doubt it.
I bumped the rating from a half star to a one star because the idea has potential.
Final Verdict:
1 Star with a Stone Status of Rubble