Magic Roadshow

Houdini’s Last Trick – Peter Eggink – A Review
Gimmicks and Online Instructions
Review by Rick Carruth

This is the Ad Copy:

From your wallet you remove a picture of the Great “Houdini” – everyone is familiar with the fact that Harry Houdini was the world’s greatest escapologist and still is a huge inspiration to every magician in the world.

You begin to tell the story that you’ve shot this “instant” picture from an actual picture of the iconic magician, during your visit at the “Houdini Museum”: Analog pictures are known for their ability to capture energy and other spiritual phenomena.

You are introducing your spectator to “Houdini’s famous card trick”: You explain that Houdini would have a spectator think of any card and then magically revealed the chosen card in his breast pocket of his jacket.

Here is where the experiment starts… the spectator holds the picture in between her hands to “connect” with the master magician’s energy (or the picture can be set aside so no one is able to touch it again).

Next, ask your spectator to memorize any card from the deck.

As if Houdini’s spirit actually came through, your spectator feels a strange sensation…when you ask your spectator to open her hands and take a close look at the picture again, eerily and magically their chosen card has now appeared and is revealed inside Houdini’s breast pocket in the photograph!

In the end the photo may be fully examined.Houdini’s Last Trick comes complete with the ready to go gimmick, photograph and online instructions.

This is really a beautiful, brand new rendition of Peter’s ingenious “Ghost-Tag” which was a blockbuster release 15 years ago.

“Houdini’s Last Trick” opens up for a great patter and emotionally involves your spectators throughout the routine with an nostalgic, spiritual feel to it.

You will LOVE this.
Special engineered gimmick!
Self working!
EERY and MAGICAL card revelation!
Fits inside your phone case or wallet!
Always ready to go!

My Thoughts:

I have a soft spot for effects that appear truly magical. Sometimes one needs a bit of science to pull that off. Houdini’s Last Trick has the gimmick and the story to add something very unique to your routine.

First, although magician’s say anything can be performed for a large audience with proper presentation, I would recommend this effect for close-up and walk around. It’s great for restaurant work too. The gimmicks are fairly small, and the visual is even smaller, and perform best in small groups.

As described in the ad copy, the performer tells a story of Houdini and a photograph the performer took at the Houdini Museum. He relays a story of an effect supposedly made famous by Houdini, where Houdini ask a spectator to name a card… and then pulls that card from his jacket pocket.

The performer introduces the photo and a deck of cards. The ad copy implies the spectator has a free choice of any card in the deck. Actually, the spectator has a free choice where he/she cuts the deck.. or something similar that allows the spectator to find a specific card.

After a card is selected, the spectator holds the photo in his hands, and after a few seconds sees his chosen card slowly appear in Houdini’s breast pocket. It’s definitely magical and will stun your spectator.

I don’t think it’s a big secret that the power of thermal technology is at work here. Holding the card in the hand causes the card to appear. It’s been used in other effects to one degree or another, and I think this is one of the very best uses I’ve seen. I think the idea of using the Houdini photo is smart thinking and will resonate with the audience.

I’m going to show my age here.. I had to use a magnifying glass to see the identity of the card in Houdini’s pocket. Like the markings on some marked decks.. some of us have a little trouble reading small print. Having two pictures, one gaffed and one not, lets me show the ungaffed picture beforehand and lets the spectator examine it with the magnifying glass to their hearts content.

Personally.. I give the spectator a deck of cards, direct them to a cross cut force, and I remove the top half for them after the cut. While they are looking at the top card of the ‘bottom’ half.. I apply a small piece of two sided tape to the top of the packet in my hand. I drop it on top of the half on the table and ask them to drop their card on top of the entire deck. I get them to cut the deck a couple of times. Now, I ask them to hold the deck at eye level and look at the side of the deck. I ask them to give the deck a little squeeze and estimate the thickness. (..about a inch ). I ask them to cut it another time of two and bring it to eye level again and give it another squeeze. I try to convince them the deck looks slightly thinner, maybe by just a card or two. I get them to turn the deck face up, spread it, and find their card. They can’t. I haven’t touched the deck. After a little patter, I get the spectator to take the magnifying glass once more and examine the Houdini picture. There’s his card … in Houdini’s pocket. This adds a vanish, in the spectator’s hands, to an already strong trick…

The photos are quality, the teaching is thorough, and you should get many performances from the gimmicks. Again, I like to see technology used in magic. It adds a little something rarely seen by the spectator. I recommend this for Roadshow readers.

$39.95 From Murphy’s Magic and all their associates…
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=67674

Appearing Business Cards (Celebrity Pack) by Sam Gherman – A Review

This is the Ad Copy….

Imagine the following. Show an envelope to the audience, and announce that you have a prediction written inside. You hand a business card to a spectator. Tell them to imagine that a celebrity’s name is printed on the card, and that you’ll send them that name with your mind. When they have a name in their mind, they let you know. The card is placed in your hand, and it never leaves the sight of the audience. Volunteers are invited to examine the blank card – they will find nothing printed on it (the card is NOT switched – there is absolutely nothing written on it). Yet, the spectator accurately receives the celebrity’s name, announces it, and when the prediction envelope is opened, the names match!

This is but one use of these amazing cards. Your imagination will come up with other effects that will astound your audience.

This 36-card pack comes with 3 x of the following 12 cards:
Brad Pitt
Michael Jackson
Tom Hanks
Frank Sinatra
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ben Affleck
Tom Cruise
Beyoncé
Marilyn Monroe
Julia Roberts
Madonna
Bill Gates
How does this work? There’s an amazing secret that you’ll find out when purchasing this set. These cards do the work for you.

They are printed on 100# (270 GSM) eggshell white cover stock.

NOTE: This effect is designed to work for indoor performances only, and you will need to purchase an inexpensive item.

“A great product and perfect for workers.” -Paul Romhany, *Reviews Vanish Magazine”

My Thoughts:

This is NOT your typical ‘trick’. This is perhaps more of a method and a prop. Regardless… I like it. I like sudden magic. I like magic that actually LOOKS like magic. With Appearing Business Cards you get a stack of 36 business cards on heavy stock that are imprinted with the names of twelve celebrities. You can see the twelve names in the ad copy. They also make sets titled Prediction Pack, sort of like a magic 8 Ball; City Pack, with the names of twelve different Cities around the world; and ESP Pack, which includes Zener Cards.

The thing about Appearing Business Cards (ABC) is.. you create your own magic. Yes, there are a couple of brief effects included on the eight minute instructional video, but ABC frees you to use your noggin’ for something other than a hat rack. I’m not sure if other reviewers disclose the ‘secret’ behind ABC.. but I will.. as I feel it’s necessary. I wouldn’t try to sell you a prop and not tell you what the prop is for.. and how it works. Knowing how it works is paramount to knowing if you can use it in your act.

ABC is imprinted with twelve different names. When you open the pack you will see all twelve names on different cards. The ink is thermal in nature and disappears with Heat. Sort of the opposite of what you would expect.. but similar to Frixon Pens. To operate properly, you need a heat source of some sort. A small hand warmer is recommended. The instructions show a hand warmer placed in a wallet, along with the cards, and everything is ready to go upon removal of a card. You can purchase hand warmers similar to cigarette lighters on Amazon, or the single use hand warmers for about .50 cents each that last for a number of hours. Experimentation will show you how long you have after the card is removed from the warmth before it becomes visible. Holding the card in the hands slows the process.. and placing it on a metal surface increases the reveal time.

There are so many possibilities. A good friend uses a small flippable tablet imprinted with the names of all the celebrities that has every other page short-cut to allow a name to be forced. You can use your imagination and create the perfect scenario for you and your routine. Spectators love watching a name appear from nowhere.. particularly if it’s a name they think is their totally free choice.

The instructional video isn’t top-of-the-line, but it serves the purpose. It could have been an audio file considering there is really nothing to show.

Yes, the cards can be used over and over. You should get many uses from a single pack. The only no-no is.. you can’t leave the cards in sunlight. It does something weird to the ink.

For fifteen bucks.. I recommend Appearing Business Cards. All you need is a small investment in a heat source and ample imagination.

$15.00 From Murphy’s Magic and their Associates…
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=63807

Review by Rick Carruth for the Magic Roadshow..

AIRPLANE MODE by George Iglesias & Twister Magic

Here’s the Ad Copy for Airplane Mode:

George Iglesias does it again! A great not only trick but, a full powerful routine! Packed with lots of mentalism, comedy gags and entertainment! A total sold out at Blackpool Magic Convention 2020!

“A First Class Act”
– David Copperfield

Design to amaze, Airplane Mode by George Iglesias is a new and great multi-phase mentalism routine involving real life props and a travel experience! A modern act that combines many mentalism plots that will fit perfect in your shows from small to big scenarios!

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for us?

Effect:

A spectator is invited to participate in an amazing experience in which he will travel using his imagination. First of all, the magician mentions an item you find inside of an airplane that we always see, but we never read, and we should, we are talking about the emergency card. This is always located in front of our seats and we are too lazy to read it, but it can save our life in case of an emergency. This information is very important, therefore the magician hand out a real emergency card and invites the spectator to open it and actually read it, while the spectator does so, the magician addresses the audience to say that a destination will now be secretly chosen by the spectator. The magician now displays many boarding passes with different tourist destinations, boarding groups and seat numbers. The viewer selects one completely at random and the journey begins.

The announcement of the pilot ready to take off is heard, the spectator is asked to buckle up and enjoy the flight. The magician asks the spectator to close his eyes to, relax and get some sleep, but a second later he asks him to open them again (There is a baby in the back-seat crying) so to relax he now shows him a list of different drinks available at the flight, he will now choose one.

The magician now shows a tray with a bag and invites the spectator to say out loud the drink he has chosen (example: whiskey). When the magician lifts the paper bag, he has failed because there is only one orange box juice there. Now the magician continues and ask him to take the airplane magazine that has all the movies available inflight and to please secretly choose one. Now he asks him to focus on the film, the main actor, the soundtrack and other details, magically the magician begins to read the spectator’s mind revealing one by one all the things he is thinking. Then the magician guesses the exact number of the airplane seat where he is on, his boarding group and finally the destination of the flight, city and country he is traveling to. At the end magician finishes with a question.

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for us?

At the beginning the magician handed over an emergency card and asked the spectator to read it, but did the spectator really read it? Now when the emergency card is opened you can see in the drawings of the entire printed card everything that has just happened, all the “free choices” of the spectator are printed on the card and even better to be more sure, now the magician opens the card and it becomes a giant poster that reveals everything that just happened in the routine!

But wait, there is more, now the magician asks the spectator again which drink he had originally chosen, the spectator will say whiskey and now the magician to the spectator’s great surprise, will lift the orange juice box that turns out to be just a giant shell to show that inside there was a whiskey glass since the beginning of the act.

Maybe our destiny is already written, don’t you think?

Includes:
1 Special airplane emergency card
1 Special set of 30 boarding passes
1 Airplane movie magazine
1 Airplane drinks list
1 Orange juice box (for a kicker ending)
1 Instructional online video
Easy to do! Pack very flat, plays very big!

My Thoughts:

Well.. I couldn’t have asked for a more complete ad copy. Rarely does ad copy spell out the effect so meticulously. Almost everything you need to know.. aside from my opinion, is included.

I suppose what’s on the mind of some of you is… how true is the ad copy? I can honestly say it is totally true. There isn’t an iota of exaggeration.. almost. When they say it’s “..easy to do”, they say so in a physical sense. In a literal sense, this is easily a ten minute routine.. more if you are a conversationalist. Learning all the components IS easy. But, you still have to put it all together. That will take a little practice on your part. There is scripting involved, and timing, and getting everything to come together in a harmonious way. This isn’t a problem.. as George spells out, carefully, everything you need to do and say. But, if you think you’re going to perform ten minutes of strong magic ‘on the fly’.. think again.

I’m not trying to scare anyone. I’m just saying you need to go over everything a number of times to get the flow of AIRPLANE MODE down pat. Please don’t get in the middle of this very strong routine and lose your train of thought because you watched the video twice and think you know it all. This is true of ALL magic. But, because Airplane Mode is one continuous routine, you don’t have the luxury of getting all jazzy. Just learn the steps in order, (easy enough) plan your patter, and slay your audience.
Video: The training video is online. It runs about 38 minutes of solid instructions. George has a very good mastery of English and you’ll have NO problem understanding his instructions. Not only that.. but he’s a downright likeable guy. The video itself is top quality and very easy on the eye. This is the first video I’ve reviewed from Twister Magic, and I’m already a fan.

Props: For seventy bucks, you expect first class props. That’s precisely what you’ll get. Everything is made to last.. and to be visually appealing to the audience. The booklets, boarding passes, movie guide and drink list are all heavy duty laminated plastic.. designed to look good during your performance and to travel well from show to show. Credit is due for their realism.

Methodology: George has taken some of the standards of magic and combined them into a routine that works. A couple of ‘classic’ methods you’re most likely already familiar with are employed to do some of the heavy work. There’s nothing to learn as far as sleights are concerned. There IS a little ‘handling’ involved.. positioning of this and that.. but simple, simple. Again, everything is explained in detail to enable even a total beginner to succeed.

Impact: Honestly, I was concerned when I first opened everything I was going to learn a very ABC effect with minimal impact. Not that Airplane Mode looked cheap.. it’s just that it reminded me of other high dollar effects that were all glitter and no guts. My act depends on the power of the mind.. and not paranormal positioning. The ending of Airplane Mode surprised even me.. and fits perfectly with my style. Without giving too much away, after the spectator makes a number of choices he/she can be shown where ALL their choices were either predicted or influenced in advance. Fits me like a glove..

Overall: I highly recommend AIRPLANE MODE to my friends and readers. If you are a seasoned mentalist, or new to mentalism, this is a great effect for your routine. I believe you are considerably better off investing in one strong effect than investing in several lesser effects. This is a multiple phase routine that plays like several effects.. but ties everything together in the end with a climatic reveal. Save your pennies and buy Airplane Mode. Everything you need is included.. aside from a paper bag and a drink glass with an appropriately colored beverage. (Generally, a half glass of iced tea will suffice.. as you only need something that can pass for whiskey).
I cannot recommend Airplane Mode for Zoom performances. There may be a way to pull it off, but you’re going to lose something in the process. Giving the spectator the airplane emergency card and having them both open it and read it is an integral part of the effect.. and it would be hard to achieve via Zoom. Now, if you send your Zoom attendee’s a participation package.. you might have yourself one nice little performance. Because of the various props involved, you need a little table of some sort.. so performing it during walk-around or strolling is not feasible. This is the ideal effect for a parlor or home show. You could also perform Airplane Mode in a smaller theater sitting. You want your audience to be able to see the realistic props. It adds greatly to the overall effect.

Bottom Line: Don’t overthink it.. just Buy It… You’re welcome!

$70.00 Thanks to Murphy’s Magic for providing a review copy. Available from Murphy’s Magic and there wide assortment of associated dealers.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68112

Reviewed by Rick Carruth for The Magic Roadshow…

I AM ARRR – The Other Brothers and Abstract Effects – A Review

(Gimmicks and Online Instructions)

I am ARRR.. available to the public on Nov.14th. Here is the Ad Copy…

From the creative minds of The Other Brothers comes an effect that is five years in the making – one of the very first concepts ever developed by the imaginative duo. Produced by Abstract Effects, “I AM ARRR” is a unique and surprising pendulum which provides you an opportunity to perform incredible mentalism with a shocking reveal!

For years, pendulums have been used by mentalists and psychics to create real magic, but now there is one that will not only allow you to tap into the power of the pendulum, but with this clever secret the spectator can actually find their own selected card. If that’s not powerful enough, the pendulum will reveal their selection in its shadow!

The Other Brothers teach you a mentalism effect using the materials provided in “I AM ARRR” that will send shivers through your spectators and it all ends with a reveal like none other.

“I AM ARR” is perfect for intimate, small group settings and can be done impromptu as it is a simple, yet powerful tool. Prove once and for all to your friends and families that magic is real with “I AM ARRR!”

“Killer. Insane method and so CLEAN. Love this”

-Justin Flom

“It’s absolutely brilliant! Both the premise and the method”

– Shimshi

My thoughts:

No equivoque no switches..  25 min  the move  pendulum has card built in…

Two of my favorite magicians, the Other Brothers, are among the most creative thinkers in all of magic.. and that’s not just my opinion. Sales is indicative of success, and the Other Brothers sales have been through the roof for several years. TAKEN, SNAPPED, BARE MINI, BARE, CONTRA, HANDS DOWN, VERY FAIR.. among other great effects, have kept the Other Brothers at the very top of every list of best sellers. On November 14th, of the illustrious 2020, they will release I AM ARRR.. that’s ARRR like words from a grizzled sea captain or a pirate of old.

As you probably gathered from the ad copy.. this is a selection of a chosen card, using a pendulum with a kick. I think you could best describe this as a combination of effects many of us have used through the years… but certainly not using the methods seen in I AM ARRR. I have the highest regard for original thinking, and that’s why I’m going to recommend this effect to all my friends and readers.

Great effects work best one of two ways: You either have a set of instructions that are so well formed you are compelled to perform the effect exactly as taught. All the work has been tackled beforehand.. and all you have to do is shine. Unfortunately, if every good magician takes on the same effect.. it gets old.. fast. And then you have effects like I AM ARRR, which give you a general location to start.. and finish.. and let the individual skills of the performer turn the effect into something quite special.. and quite original. I can see many different magicians performing this many different ways. The pendulum aspect gives this a supernatural underpinning .. and I know how magicians and mentalists love to run with anything psychic.

A card is ‘almost’ freely selected by a spectator. Only the magician knows the truth. A deck is divided into two halves. This is not an ordinary deck. It is a gimmicked deck provided with the effect. The dividing can be performed a number of ways, and a couple of ways are taught on the 25 minute online instructional video. One way is for the free wheeler.. and another for the slightly more squeamish. The beginner is respected, and nothing beyond the beginner level is ‘necessary’. The Brothers teach what they call ‘the Move’ for magicians who are slightly more confident as an added convincer dividing the deck. Then, a pendulum is introduced, and the SPECTATOR is allowed to do the dirty work of eliminating stacks of cards using the swing of the pendulum until only a couple of cards are left. Finally, one card is left… and it is the selected card. Finally, one last little deal with the pendulum reveals the chosen card was predetermined before the effect began. It’s a real kicker.. can’t say much more..

There are a number of ways to achieve the outcome. You will have the freedom to customize the handling to suit your skill level. I like that.. as I know not all magicians are comfortable handling cards. Regardless of your skill level, you CAN perform I AM ARRR.

There are NO magnets, NO equivoque, NO switches, NO sleights.. although one ‘sleight’ is taught as one of the possible handling methods. If you can perform a waterfall.. you can perform this sleight. Again, it’s not necessary.

I can see the pendulum being used for other effects as well. It is gimmicked.. but not gimmicked in a mechanical way. As all magicians/mentalists know.. hand-held pendulums can appear to oscillate on their own, without any perceived conscious

control. This illusion, named after Chevreul, is a result of IDEOMOTOR MOVEMENT.

While this phenomenon was initially assumed to have a supernatural basis, it has been accepted for over 150 years that the movements are self-generated.

“The ideomotor phenomenon is a psychological phenomenon wherein a subject makes motions unconsciously. Also called ideomotor response (or ideomotor reflex) and abbreviated to IMR, it is a concept in hypnosis and psychological research.[2] It is derived from the terms “ideo” (idea, or mental representation) and “motor” (muscular action). The phrase is most commonly used in reference to the process whereby a thought or mental image brings about a seemingly “reflexive” or automatic muscular reaction, often of minuscule degree, and potentially outside of the awareness of the subject.”  ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_phenomenon )

We magicians KNOW how these pendulums work. A little psychology, a few suggestions, a tad of encouragement.. and you’re looking at a minor miracle. This is one of those effects that WILL leave an indomitable impression on your spectator.

Perfect for small groups and anywhere you have room to lay a deck. Probably not ideal for a hall full of folks.. but well suited for parlor, walk around and restaurant work.. Everything you need is provided. No DIY, thank goodness, and priced very fairly for the reactions you’re bound to get…

$30.00       Available at Murphy’s Magic and their fellow dealers.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=68037