Comments for Alan's Magic and Mentalism Blog

Comment on Seance – The Daisey Mae Story by mastermentalism

mastermentalism — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:53:46 +0000

I have attended numerous shows but have never gone to a prep before. What I wouldn’t give to visit one of these rehearsals. I think you are right, its always good to do some form of prior preparation before an actual audience before meeting your fans. This is a great though to share with my fans on http://mastermentalism.com

Comment on TED Talks with David Blaine by magic | David Blaine Street Magic Part 2

magic | David Blaine Street Magic Part 2 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:30:30 +0000

[...] } David Blaine Street Magic Part 2 The most funny videos on Youtube The most funny videos on YoutubeDavid Blaine on TED TalksDavid Blaine Street Magic Part 2 The most funny videos on Youtube The most funny videos on [...]

Comment on Thinking About Magic by Thinking About Magic | Easy Magic Tricks that You Can Do

Thinking About Magic | Easy Magic Tricks that You Can Do — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:24:58 +0000

[...] Thinking About Magic from Alan’s Magic and Mentalism Blogby Alan [...]

Comment on Thinking About Magic by Today’s Links | Alan Jones

Today’s Links | Alan Jones — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:42:27 +0000

[...] Thinking About Magic What value magic when all around we see the rise of self-engradising know it all’s who can talk about HOW things are done but lack the discipline and artistry to DO and PERFORM then magic they debase? [...]

Comment on Penn & Teller Fool Us 28th August by Today’s Links | Alan Jones

Today’s Links | Alan Jones — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:35:14 +0000

[...] Penn & Teller Fool Us 28th August I’m not sure if I have missed any of these shows, but as the summer passes into a memory I find that the last show was nearly a month ago. I guess being so busy myself does mean that my TV watching has been limited – hey ho, at least I’ve been luck enough to [...] [...]

Comment on Summer Update by Today’s Links | Alan Jones

Today’s Links | Alan Jones — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:33:24 +0000

[...] Summer Update The shows at Lands End have been going really well and the illusion sequence (BeJazzled) with the cube-zag and dynamite illusion finish seems to have been enjoyed by all. As I may have mentioned the ‘illusion thng’ is a bit of a departure from the ‘norm’ for me as I consider myself to be more of a mentalist and bizarre magician than a ‘straight magical dude’. [...]

Comment on Penn & Teller Fool Us 9th July 2011 by Alan

Alan — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 09:10:07 +0000

Interesting comment -

I must admit I was in two minds about publishing it as what you were saying was what I was trying to allude to as a possibility…. (blocking)….

However I think your comment about the show’s premise is a valid one.

If what we think happened did happen then it is difficult to see how P&T missed it – I do think that the significance of the ‘moment’ would have been missed by the audience however (that is if we are right and as Richard said what he said about authorship of the note it certainly suggests this) – I mean the ‘prediction chest’ effect has been used widely and features as a finale in numerous shows (DB used it in his Mind Reader show) – so your comment viz:

“I suppose that if you don’t want to expose methods that require using the camera to cheat you can delete this post while the show continues to expose methods that could be used in real performing situations as they often do”

I feel is not totally accurate – it needn’t have been a camera trick per se and this method/approach is used in live situations.

Think of “The Dream Blackboard”, which I think is a Stienmyer creation that requires a similar method, and indeed the value of this kind of ‘blocking’ to virtually any illusion show.

The key thing I guess is whether the audience give any significance to a particular action or stage movement. As said I suspect they didn’t in this case BUT like you I am suprised that P&T let it pass without comment…

We will be able to see if we were right however because one dealer will be selling the DVD of Richards routine (PN at AZM) – enough code here to confuse the non-magicians?

I do like to protect some ‘secrets’…

Cheers for reading – and I hope you don’t mind the little edit of your comment. I wonder if you have the same ‘intuition’ as me re Nick Einhorns effect this week?

Regards

Alan

Comment on Penn & Teller Fool Us 9th July 2011 by mentalism101

mentalism101 — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:41:57 +0000

I was very disappointed in the Richard Bellars routine but way more disappointed in Penn and Teller themselves. I can understand how a television viewer could be fooled because of the camera work on the Bellars trick.
But there is no way that this fooled the audience that was there or especially Penn and Teller themselves. This means that the premise of the show is a sham. …… (NOTE : I’ve taken the liberty of removing this sentence to avoid a direct exposure of method …. with all respect to the author of the comment ) …… thus he didn’t write the prediction and he never went in his pocket.

Of course, with the camera work that was used, he could have just raised his foot and inserted the prediction and the TV audience wouldn’t have seen it.

I suppose that if you don’t want to expose methods that require using the camera to cheat you can delete this post while the show continues to expose methods that could be used in real performing situations as they often do.

Comment on Johnny Depp in Magic Movie??? by Today’s Links | Alan Jones

Today’s Links | Alan Jones — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:43:25 +0000

[...] Johnny Depp in Magic Movie??? I really hope this bit of gossip is correct…. A quality story with a quality actor… just need a good screenwriter and director! Depp is reportedly at the top of Warner Bros.’ wish list to play the lead character in ‘Carter Beats the Devil, as real-life 1920s magician Charles Carter in a fictional caper involving [...] [...]

Comment on Derren Brown – Svengali by JohnGolding

JohnGolding — Sun, 29 May 2011 14:26:57 +0000

I agree with you Alan. A superb show – my first experience of seeing Derren live. I marvelled at his pace and energy and the way that the whole show linked together seamlessly.