Random I-Tunes Song of the Moment: Follow Your Heart By Triumph
Imagine this. You're reading a very technical coin book; it's relatively well written with a cubic butt-load of photographic images to demonstrate everything. Then imagine that suddenly those pictures start moving; they're animated; they're videos. That's essentially what this DVD is.
I really like this format. It took me a bit to get used to it, but once I created or made the connection that it was essentially an animated book, it made a lot sense and became a bit easier to watch. It truly does combine the best of both worlds (DVDs and books), so if you're a book guy or a video guy, you'll appreciate this project from that perspective. Basically each move is shown with video footage and text on the screen. Additionally when an angle or move needs more focus, the image pauses and let's you take a longer look at it. It's taught with no talking whatsoever. It's a very clever method but may take a bit of getting used to.
The DVD starts off with an artsy 'movie' of Tristan MORY wandering a relatively deserted highway somewhere on planet Earth. He assuages his apathy with coin moves, coin sleights and the occasional coin trick/routine. It was a little tough to watch the 'movie,' but the magic was stunning and mostly original.
The effects with star ratings and commentary is below (1 star is worst; 5 is best)
Matrix 450 (3 stars)
- This is a pretty quick and visual matrix, but nothing revolutionary. However, the coins travel very, very quickly to one spot . . . it's very fast and clever.
Metal Eclipse (2 stars)
- Ok, when you see this vanish, you'll likely be fooled. But when you see the reproduction, not so much. Oh, and if your audience isn't blind in one eye they'll see where the coin went unless they stand at a very specific angle.
Frap Change (4.5 stars)
- This looks impossible. There is a coin on the table. You slap it with your finger tips and it suddenly becomes another coin. Beautiful, and will likely take you months to master.
Empty Hand (3 stars)
- Showing both sides of your hand while concealing a coin. It's another one of those deals where the audience will know where the coin is, but they just won't see.
Matrix Evaporation (4 stars)
- You'll definitely be taken by surprise on this one. I don't want to ruin the surprise for you, so you'll have to take my word for it. The only drawback . . . you have to prepare your coins, but not too much prep.
Chemical Flower (5 stars)
- Cigarette Origami? Borrow a cigarette. Place it in your closed fist. When you reopen your fist, the cigarette has completely reshaped itself into a flower. So cool, and so easy.
Equinox (2 stars)
- Another one of these crazy, the-spectator-must-not-look-two-inches-to-the-right deals, but the correct angle and this is a very beautiful one handed coin vanish you can do naked.
Hyper production (2 stars)
- Using the Metal Eclipse vanish, you produce four coins . . . angly.
Hell (???)
- I'm not really sure how to rate this. It's an old (before MORY was born) idea. A couple of folds and a couple of cuts with a pair of scissors and the pieces of the playing card form the word 'Hell' and the remaining piece unfolds to become a cross/crucifix.
Impact (1.5 stars)
- All this trick does is make the Metal Eclipse coin's hiding place a little bit more obvious.
Resurrection (2 stars)
- See Equinox above . . . it's another variation on that.
Spanked Matrix (3.5 stars)
- This one will likely fool you when you watch it. It is one of the cleanest vanishes of three coins I've ever seen. However, it is angle-sensitive. Not as bad as some of the other stuff on here, but still . . .
Average all of the effects and you get about 3 stars. This DVD is a little weird, but has some really good stuff on it. Even some of the angly stuff is really good if you've got your audience in the right position. If it weren't $40 bucks, I'd give it 3.5 stars. But at that price with the amount of not-so-practical stuff, I can't give it more than 3 stars.
Final Verdict:
3 stars with a Stone Status of Gem overall.