Science Studies Moment of Astonishment - Magic News #195

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From: Charlie's Magic - http://charliesmagic.com
Magic News #195 October 10, 2005

Reviews:
Extreme Rubber Band Magic DVD
Joshua Jay Close Up Up Close Volume 1

But first, the news...

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SCIENCE DISCOVERS ASTONISHMENT
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Psychologists and magicians seriously study the "Moment of
Astonishment"

Check out this article on psychologists measuring actual
brain reactions while people watch magicians! Mainstream
Science is starting to catch up to Paul Harris in the 1980s!

Copy and paste the following link into your browser:
http://CharliesMagic.com/rd_astonishment_article.htm

If any of our readers are involved in this study, we'd
all be happy to hear more details!

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if real life supported control-Z?"
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NEW MOVIES CHARLIE IS IN...
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THE COMING
TERROR IN THE TROPICS
THE DEATH OF POE

THE COMING is the second film from our own production
company, Belgravia Pictures. It's best described as "The X-
Files Meet Jesus". There will be a web site soon with the
preview trailer. In the meantime, there's a teaser graphic
for you at...
http://charliesmagic.com/movies.htm

TERROR IN THE TROPICS had its premiere this past August at
the Fanex Classic Film Festival. It's a tribute to the
1940's Poverty Row studios Monogram and PRC. This is the
one where I have a dialogue with Boris Karloff! This happens
courtesy of public domain film clips of the era.

It was featured at this year's Festival Of Fantastic Films
in Manchester, England. Based on audience reports, everyone
loved the film!

There is an offer for national DVD release. See the poster
at:
http://charliesmagic.com/movies.htm

In THE DEATH OF POE, I play Cornelius Ryan, the owner of a
Baltimore tavern who hosts the gravely ill Edgar Allan Poe.
This film is in post-production, due to be finished by the
end of the year.

Conrad Brooks (Plan 9 From Outer Space) also has a
role...I'm so only two degrees from Bela Lugosi and Ed Wood
now!

Poster graphic at:
http://charliesmagic.com/movies.htm

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'FRED ASTAIRE WITH CARDS'
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Cy Kellar, 77, legendary Baltimore club magician passed
away.

His regular lectures were high points of the past
twenty years for me. He could throw monte like
nobody's business.

We spoke whenever a major card book came out. He often
bought them here. He was a true gentleman with a flair for
the informal aside.

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REVIEW - EXTREME RUBBER BAND MAGIC DVD
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I was excited to see this one, which gives you not one
but SIX short acts just using rubber bands. Wow! A wealth
of material to add to the one rubber band effect I do (and
everyone else does).

As I watched it seemed like all six acts were basically
the same! There's a broken/restored band effect in almost
every act, also a linking/unlinking band and some kind of
penetration as well as a jumping band effects. Spiced up
with a vanish and maybe a reappearance and a classic non-
band effect done with bands, true, but basically they all
seemed to be the same act!

The most radically different effect was the "Fast And
Loose" game done with rubber bands, but who in their right
mind would do this? Packs small and plays microscopic.
Carry a chain for crying out loud!

Sure the methods differ from act to act and you could use
different methods when you are asked by your spectators to
repeat an effect. But, overall, my expectations of the
range of material was too high. So I was disappointed.
Bawl...

That said, Joe is still the author (with Stephen Minch)
of Elastrix and has much to teach anyone about rubber band
effects on this DVD.

You should definitely learn the most clean and visual
break/restore and link/unlinks. And there are some VERY
clean visual versions. The reason this DVD is worth the $$
is that you will definitely use one or two effects from it
right away and end up using them pretty much forever, even
when you're old and having body function accidents.

Joe doesn't mention it, but it's also fun to shoot rubber
bands at styrofoam cups and knock them over and also at
people when they aren't looking. I also happen to use them
to hold a ratty looking pill box with coins together for
"realism". There are plenty of excuses to do a introduce
them and do a quick band effect before something else.

But I digress. this DVD shows you lots of methods for
four or five effects. I give it a 7 out of 10 for usefulness
only because the props are so easy to keep around and
introduce and I also do the "Handcuffs" (not on this DVD)
when I remember to carry 2 matching bands. This gives me a
better motive to remember to carry the matching bands.

List Price is $35, stretch your budget and paypal me just
$29.95 plus $2 shipping worldwide.

Copy and paste the following link into your browser:
http://charliesmagic.com/2005/071205/Rubber_Band_Magic_DVD.htm

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REVIEW - JOSHUA JAY UP CLOSE VOLUME 1
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I've only had time to view Volume 1 so far.
I hope to catch Volume 2 for next week. The third volume
is all cards so I'll wait until I'm excited about watching another
all cards video. Maybe if I get ill or something...

JJ is the tricks editor for MAGIC Magazine. He does a
GREAT job. This first volume of his DVD set features his
stand-up (some would say "parlor") act which also plays well
at tableside. He obviously planned it that way.

He has some fine thinking and routining in this act
which has obviously been honed over the years. Now I think
he's only in his early 20s and recently had to drop some
lines that worked when he was a precocious teenager but
fell flat when an adult spoke them.

I was dubious about the value of learning from a relative
newcomer but he has spent much more time than I have the
past few years thinking about and doing magic.

He shares the evolution of both the technical magic and
the presentation of his act effectively and entertainingly.

In the best part, he uses a TV remote control to tie
together and motivate some classic card effects.

In the worst part, he uses a sleight called the Discreet
Displacement (he thinks it's original) to perform a
Collectors that happens so fast there's almost no magic! In
the explanation part, he uses the sleight to much greater
effect in other applications (as a force, as a control, as a
change). I could have done without that "showpiece".

The rest of the act is very good and entertaining and
explained well. The L&L audience 2005 is out in force.
Plenty of semi-formal tartage and cleavage.
I'll give it an 8 out of 10.

Retail is $35. If I see $29.95 from you Up Close plus
$2 postage worldwide, I'll send you one.

Copy and paste the following link into your browser:
http://www.charliesmagic.com/2005/100605/joshuajay1-3.html

More reviews next week. Thanks for reading!

Charlie

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