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Haunted Key Deluxe – A Review

Haunted Key Deluxe – A Review

Haunted Key Deluxe – by Murphy’s Magic – A Review
Gimmicks and Online Instruction

This is the Ad Copy:

Description:
Murphy’s Magic is proud to present the Haunted Key Deluxe! 

Effect:
Imagine placing an old Key on the palm of your hand and without any strings, wires,magnets, electronics, etc. the key starts to move on its own!!! Turning 180 degrees right in the palm of your hand!! A seriously spooky and mystifying effect that can be handed out at any time for complete inspection. You need NO body-hook-ups, NO extra gimmicks and there are NO lighting issues.

The problem with most haunted keys is that they don’t look old or “Haunted”… The Haunted Key Deluxe looks and feels the part.

BONUS!
Also, included is a full tutorial on bonus effects that can be performed with the Haunted Key Deluxe. With some of these effects you may need extra items to perform with.

The Haunted Key Deluxe fits right into your pocket and can be performed in many different environments, making this one of the most versatile gimmicks you can have on you.
Aged Patina
Perfectly Balanced
Large Size
Multi-Effect Tutorial
Fits in Pocket
Take Anywhere

My Thoughts:

The Haunted Key is a classic.. and this is a review of the classic. Seeing as how Halloween is right around the corner, I thought this would be appropriate. I think most of you understand -how- the HK (haunted key) works. There are no electronics, strings, pulls or magnets. It works totally via the power of telekinesis… sort of. Well, saying it APPEARS to work with telekinesis might be more appropriate.

You lay an old-fashioned skeleton key on the palm of your hand.. and with the proper amount of mental power and finesse.. the key slowly begins to turn. It will roll over a full 180 degrees with zero apparent physical help from the magi.

Just for the record.. the three parts of a skeleton key are:
Bow
The bow is the “handle” of the key. Often, antique keys will have a circular shape or design to them.

Barrel
The barrel is the longest part of the key; it’s the component that connects the bow to the bit.

Bit
Bit and teeth go hand and hand. The bit of a key is the teeth at the end, which are inserted into the lock.

Generally, you place the key across the palm of your hand, with the Bit facing you. As you focus your concentration on the key, you’ll see the bit start to move. Slowly, the bit, (and the rest of the key of course..) will begin to turn, and the bit will go from facing you to facing away from you.

How does the key turn? It’s called the ‘ideomotor effect’. If you aren’t sure the meaning.. google it. Let’s just say it’s self-powered. It works, and it REALLY looks good with a little bit of practice.

Murphy’s Magic ‘Haunted Key Deluxe’ is the perfect key for this effect. It is a large key.. which makes it extend the full width of your palm.. and then some.

It is aged properly.. to look like a really old, really spooky accessory.

It is balanced better than any other haunted key I’ve ever used.. and that’s very important.. as you’ll see.

And it drops neatly in your pocket.. to use at a moments notice.

You’re also provided all the instructions you’ll need to get the most use out of your key.

You can’t beat the bang for you bucks. This is so little to spend on something that will bring you such satisfaction as a performer. This isn’t just a Halloween effect. You’ll use this throughout the year, although Halloween gives you a great reason to perform it..

I highly recommend the Haunted Key Deluxe… it’s one of my very favorite bits of magic and mystery.

$14.95 .. From Murphy’s Magic & their Associates

https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=64377

Review by Rick Carruth for Murphy’s Magic & The Magic Roadshow

ORBIT by Mark Parker & Jonathan Fox – A Review

ORBIT by Mark Parker & Jonathan Fox – A Review

ORBIT by Mark Parker & Jonathan Fox – A Review

This is the Ad Copy:

This is exactly the type of magic effect that peaked your interest and served as the gateway to the art. Why? It’s super visual, super fun and pulls people in like a magnet. Even better it’s EASY to perform allowing you to focus on the most important aspect of any effect – the performance! It also has the advantage of quick reward – which makes it perfect for street magic, strolling. It gets right to the point.

Imagine making – Mobile phones, glasses, dishes, wine glasses, credit cards, CD’s any suitable object float between your hands! Orbit is a revolutionary levitation device!

-Super Visual
-Easy to do
-One size fits all
-No threads or magnets
-Completely self-contained
-Robust and heavy duty (THIS IS NOT A TT)
-No set-up, the gimmick is always ready
-Comes with special gimmick ready to go

Please note angle considerations during performance.
Every detail is covered in a step by step online instructional video. Nothing is left out.Now go out there and blow your spectators away!
Idea for Orbit by Illusion Designer Mark Parker brought to life by Jonathan Fox and Global Magic Shop..

My Thoughts:

ORBIT is a levitation gimmick device. You can ‘levitate’ almost anything with weight.. from cell phones to packs of playing cards to glasses of wine. Thankfully, Orbit does NOT employ threads or magnets, and can be brought in and out of play with almost a moment’s notice..

There was a time twenty years ago when I performed my ‘magic’ in a public setting.. for anyone who would watch. One of my favorite devices was a suction cup attached to a thumb tip. I would attach it to a cola can and casually wait until I thought someone was watching. The can would suddenly ‘get away from me’.. and I’d try to reel it back in, indiscreetly, as if I hoped no one saw my misfortune. I’ve had literally dozens upon dozens of folks walk up to me, perplexed, and want to know how my cola can ‘appeared’ to take flight.

I loved it…

Well.. it’s been long enough that it was time for someone to bring this cool little device back for a new generation. Illusion Designer Mark Parker and Jonathan Fox with Global Magic Shop have done so.. and I’m glad.

I’m not going to tell you this is a thumb tip, because, in the traditional sense, it’s not. But it does go on the thumb.

Orbit works on the same principle as the original device. Fortunately, Orbit is adjustable to fit different size thumbs, and comes with shims to make it customizable. It is NOT latex or soft plastic.. but a very hard plastic to last a very long time. It also features ball bearings between the connection points, joining the thumb holder to the suction cup. This is a very important feature, as it allows for hand movements far outside the boundary’s of the original.

Jonathan Fox goes into considerable detail in the almost 50-minute tutorial, teaching how to properly handle the gimmick to get the proper balance and appearance to make your performance ‘magical’.

Special sections are included for attaching to playing card boxes, cell phones and wine glasses. Quick note: To attach to a card box, you need a box with the cellophane wrapper.

ORBIT comes with a heavy-duty gimmick holder for easy retrieval and ditching. The holder has a clip to attach to your pocket or belt. The holder is also close-able to simplify carrying the gimmick.

The last two sections of the tutorial include a section on maintenance and a bonus section on early prototypes and the thought processes that went into designing the new version.

Jonathan doesn’t call ORBIT a stand-alone effect, but an enhancement device to add an additional level of sophistication to your performance. Knowing me.. I’m just a step away from 2002 all over again.

There isn’t a real skill level. Even a beginner, if you watch the instructions and pay attention to your positioning, will be able to perform in short order. Obviously, you cannot perform surrounded. So a little audience management will be necessary.

As I mentioned.. the tutorial is approx. 50 minutes and you can watch it online or download it to your desktop. The quality is good, the sound is good, and you’ll have zero problems with the video.

The performance visuals are something special, and ORBIT is definitely a device you need to give serious consideration to purchasing. If the price seems a tad steep, it’s not. It’s built to last. And once you’re comfortable with the handling, you’ll be glad you listened to me. You’ll find yourself using ORBIT over and over… I promise.

I recommend it…

$39.95 .. From Murphy’s Magic and their Associates..

https://murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=71843

Review by Rick Carruth for Murphy’s Magic & The Magic Roadshow

The Vault – The Ogawa Opener by Shoot Ogawa – A Review

The Vault – The Ogawa Opener by Shoot Ogawa – A Review

The Vault – The Ogawa Opener by Shoot Ogawa A Review
Video Download

The Ad Copy:

Magic Moment With Shoot Ogawa

Ogawa Opener: One of Shoot’s professional routines that he uses to this day. Magician freely shuffles a deck of cards and then asks the spectator to tell him when to stop as he riffles through the deck with his finger. The magician honestly stops at the spectator’s chosen location and then splits the deck into two different piles. The magician then magically reveals

four aces in the blink of an eye. This is pure eye candy and a self working effect with little sleight of hand required. This is a great opener into any card routine and one that any magician would use for the rest of their lives from the living room to the board room. It will elevate your magic overnight.

WHO IS SHOOT OGAWA

SHOOT OGAWA was born in Tokyo, Japan, where he discovered his love for magic at the age of 10. By the time he was 17, he had traveled to the United States and won the First Place award for Stage Magic at the St. Louis Magic Jubilee.

Since that time, Shoot has performed on television in all 7 continents; won the Magic Castle’s ‘Close-Up Magician of the Year’ twice, making him the youngest person ever to win that title; named the most popular Japanese entertainer in America; awarded the Magic Castle’s ‘Parlour Magician of the Year’ two times; and awarded the Magic Castle’s ‘Stage Magician of the Year’ twice.

Shoot Ogawa performs all over the world every year and audiences delight in his flawless presentation of  magic.

My Thoughts:

This is a very quick magic trick. It is a four Ace production that occurs immediately after a spectator selects a location in a thumb-riffled deck. I have seen all kinds of Ace productions, some I can perform, and some I can’t. Thanks to Shoot.. this is one I can add to the ‘can perform’ list!

No lie… you can perform this after about ten minutes of practice. Nothing gets an audience’s attention quite like an Ace production.. and I’m sure that’s why someone of Shoot’s status would open his routine with this flourish.

Rather than offer a long-winded description.. I encourage you to click the link and watch a real-time performance of The Ogawa Opener. Watching will give you a precise idea of what you’re getting for ten bucks. Again, I appreciate performers who charge a modest fee for a one-off effect. This is so affordable that, if you enjoy Ace productions, you can’t afford NOT to buy it.

Production wise.. everything is typical Murphy’s Magic quality. I can’t say I’ve ever bought a Murphy’s product that was poorly produced. The video and sound are both quite adequate. No, they didn’t go overboard for a ten dollar effect.. but I wouldn’t expect them to do so. You will have NO problem learning and understanding The Ogawa Opener.

The tutorial is approx. 16 minutes in length, and begins with a singular performance. Shoot then goes into detail to teach the specifics. Immediately after, he is joined by three participants, who are taught the handling in real time.. and you can see just how long it takes to actually learn. Everything is followed by an eight minute cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny and Ala Bahma. I kid you not…

Again, watch the video and see if this is something you would like to add to your repertoire. If so.. buy it now. It’s an instant download, and you can be performing this is fifteen minutes. No gaffs. No alterations. No real sleights.. although there IS a flourish used to produce one of the cards. (This is where the ten minutes of practice comes in..) Regardless of your skill level, you CAN do this.!

$10.00 .. From Murphy’s Magic and their Associates.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=70613

Reviewed by Rick Carruth for Murphy’s Magic and The Magic Roadshow.