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Michael "Six" Muldoon: 6 by Six Review

One DVD, six effects and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Effect/Method

Take a look at the ad copy for the description of the effects. You're getting six effects that can be done with any deck and no extra stuff/gimmicks, etc. Some effects require a minimal stack. Others can be done with a completely borrowed and shuffled deck. Some are sleight-of-hand-ish, while others are totally self working.

Included is a very clever and deceptive card switch that is totally invisible. This has a ton of potential all its own. The Triumph effect has one of the most deceptive shuffling procedures I've ever seen. You will be convinced that the cards really are fairly shuffled face up into face down, and there are no weird moves/displays/etc. Another effect, Fool Me Once has a very clever and deceptive method for knowing what card a spectator selected.

All of the methods are very much within the grasp of just about any performer, and they are extremely simple for the most part. Most importantly, there are no pipe dreams here. These are real and legitimate methods that work.

Ad Copy Integrity

The ad copy is weird. Some of it is written as if it were translated from another language and a few things were lost in translation. Other things are totally accurate, and other things still are totally wrong.

The descriptions of the effects are accurate, and undersell them if anything. However, the ad copy claims that there are two bonus effects. Nope. If they exist, they're well hidden. The back of the DVD also claims that "As a bonus we have included a [sic] unreleased 35 minute download of an ingenious, yet, simple way to switch a card and two routines utilizing it." Nope. There is no download on the DVD that I could find.

I thought maybe they were referring to the switch taught in one of the alternate handling ideas for New Found Blood. However, the entire section including the performance and all three handling ideas was only 22 minutes. Plus it didn't focus on the switch. It just covered it in a brief moment. Further, it only showed one effect that utilized it.

So I don't think that's what they were referring to. Thus, I'm not sure if the switch on this supposed 35 minute download is the same one in New Found Blood or a different one. On the website ad copy, the statement is a little different: "PLUS two bonus routines and a [sic] incredibly simple yet deceptive move to switch a card that has not been released any where [sic], ever! It is finally shared here in a special section with over 35 - minutes of in depth detail, recorded in full HD." Nope.

It would appear that they realized that the DVD cover was wrong, so they changed the online ad copy and removed any references to a download. There was no "special" section that I could find. There was a section called "extras," however, that just contained commercials for other System 6 products.

So my next step was to watch the video trailer to see if there were any clues there. In the video trailer he mentions the switch called Roku which IS the name of the one he discusses in New Found Blood. After he mentions it in the trailer, they cut to an effect that has nothing to do with Roku. The section that mentions/teaches the switch on the DVD is about 2 minutes, if that. So I'm just not sure where this mythical 35 minute segment on the "two bonus routines and a [sic] incredibly simple yet deceptive move to switch a card" is found.

Product Quality

The DVD is produced very well. Lighting, audio, video, menu, etc. were all good. The teaching was very good, but a bit long-winded, monotonous and even boring at times. It actually made me physically jittery watching some of it. He would just ramble on and on and on without taking a breath saying things that were clearly just nervous "I don't know what to say next" lines. At the end of each trick he would ramble on not knowing when to wrap it up.

Oftentimes he would repeat himself over and over. In fact, on No Stopping Me Now, he explained the entire thing quite well. Then as soon as he was done, he completely explained the whole thing again. Due to the nature of the effect/method the explanation can be a bit dry to watch. Watching it twice was painful. I got the jitters again.

I know this all sounds harsh and like I'm picking on  Michael Muldoon, but I assure, I am not. I just point this out bluntly so that you know what you're in for. It is, however, worth sitting through the jitters to learn these effects. There are some great concepts and ideas taught here that are worth learning and that are original and unique.

Final Thoughts

Here's my friendly reminder to not pick up on Michael Muldoon's somewhat pushy performance style. He comes across as very impatient with his spectators, and says/does things that makes them feel bad. I'll give the same advice that I seem to be giving a lot around here. 1) Don't pick up on his bad performance manners. 2) Michael, my brother, if you're reading, please take this as an outsider's perspective on your performance. I think you're a clever and smart and nice guy, but you may not be aware of how you're coming across as a performer. Hopefully this helps, not hurts.

If you're looking for unique and innovative card effects and concepts and ideas and you don't mind sitting through some jitter-inducing instructions, I think you'll be very happy with this product. Of course, there is the issue of the ad copy which is why we end up with . . .

Final Verdict:
4 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.