True Review

[sebbyeq]

fellows...i think you guys are being abit harsh on the criticism for TA. you have to give PH credit and at least have some respect for other people's work, and they have been in the game(magic), longer than u guys have been.

If u want to talk experience, i myself have been performing magic professionally for 10 years now, and i received my TA set 2 weeks ago, and i got to tell u, i have been performing the effects from the dvds for friends and clients, and the reactions i get are really amazing, better than when i do my usual routint(ambitious, 2 card monte, etc..)

it all falls back to the performer and how you want your audience to c the effects. All Paul did was to come up with amazing ideas, and his way off handling it, and it is up to you as the performer to work out your own handling off it, and perform it, then when you really dont like the effect, then its your call.

everyone has an opinion, so have I.

LONG LIVE PH.

 

[Morgan B]

Sebbyeq, thanks for posting - I just wanted to clarify something.

It is not that "everyone has opinions", it is that we obviously have very different standards. I wrote in my last review that these effects are aimed towards people that want to do stuff for friends. However, I am a working magician - an educated and high end working magician. Now, if you are doing many of these effects in a working situation, then I would ask you to read my reviews and think of the legitamacy of my thoughts - rather than saying I am being "too harsh".

I do respect Paul Harris for his magic - which is why I made the investment - we are not talking 20 bucks for a DVD - we are talking an investment of nearly $500.00, once delivery and taxes are out of the way.

So - if these effects meet your standards of deceptions, and you feel you got something out of them - wonderful - I personally got a few effects, but not as much as I hoped for from 9 DVD's. I felt the interviews really added a demension of thought that was nice - however, many of the effects are not polished yet, for the seasoned performer.

Will they fool people - sure - but do many of them look like awkward moves to accomplish your "tricks" - yes. If the setting is friends around a table, campfire, or whatever - then many of these things are great - however, for a restaurant worker or walk around show, there is not as much on these that I A) didn't do from the A of A books or B) felt was practical for that environment.

If you have been performing professionally for 10 years, and don't see how some of my critiques are legit - then I would LOVE to see you perform, so I can see exactly what I am missing out on.

Again - I never said the magic sucked - but I did come approach this from an investment point of view - and I don't want to spend the rest of my life doing magic for strangers on the streets - I would rather make money for my service of entertainment - as ANYONE can get free work, but getting paid consistently is a measure of your value.

Moreover, I don't know if I would look so deep into REACTION as a measure of how good these effects are, as that is only one approach. PH talks about catching them off gaurd, and doing things organically - but I consider this the "Borat" effect - people don't expect this experence so you ellicit an reaction...because their expectations were at the level of NONE - but if they DO expect something, and you can still make them react, at least you knew they had expectations, in which you surpassed. Think about it.

Please read my reviews, and think about your own magic - as there is always room for improvement in magic...I think the DVD's are okay - but I will be selling them, as they don't meet my standards.

Glad they meet yours - as I hope they meet everyones - but I always felt you can judge a performer on what they choose NOT to do, and why - and what they choose TO do and why - and from your words, although short, I know what I need to know about your "10 years of experience". Not trying to be rude, but I think I put effort into my thinking, and my goal was not to make money, but to be honest about the effects. You have had your set for 2 weeks - I have had mine for 2 months.

Thanks for adding your bit - but I think you are not familiar with all the effects yet, and if you are...and think you got your moneys worth, I am happy for you - I think I could have bought the Tarbell course...TWICE and gotten much more out of it. AGAIN, this is not to say the DVD's are bad, or that PH hasn't put out a good product - I just don't think it was aimed at magic performers, but guys that do magic for friends and clients on the side of their day jobs.
Thanks for sharing your opinion.

 

[Randy]

I was thinking about Dunns Deal and it I think you could rework the effect just a tad for all the cards to be in perfect red/black order. All you would have to do is tweak the handling just a tiny bit.

 

[praetoritevong]

As far as I'm concerned, Dunn's Deal is a dud. It's a ripoff of another OotW effect - by that I mean, the method to it is EXACTLY the same, except not as well thought out; it just uses a different presentation. It could be so much more, it really is a shocker in my book though. By itself, and ignoring the entire magical lexicon, 8/10, as a piece of magic, 4/10

 

[Randy]

As far as I'm concerned, Dunn's Deal is a dud. It's a ripoff of another OotW effect - by that I mean, the method to it is EXACTLY the same, except not as well thought out; it just uses a different presentation. It could be so much more, it really is a shocker in my book though. By itself, and ignoring the entire magical lexicon, 8/10, as a piece of magic, 4/10

I was sitting here watching House and thinking about Dunns Deal and I pretty much tweaked the effect so instead of having those "wrong cards" you get the deck set up for the regular version of Out of this World. Also if they get suspicious, you can give the deck whatever false shuffle you want, and then have them cut deck and complete the cut and you're still set up perfectly for the routine.

Or could simply already have it set up and just do a simple deck switch.

 

[praetoritevong]

I don't mind the wrong cards, in my routine they're a strength in themselves. I just plain don't like it, comparatively, it's just unavoidably **** >.>

 

[Randy]

Well yeah. I think the idea of being able to do the set up in front of them and making it "impromptu" is good. Just that I am pretty sure anybody who sees you do the set up, can pretty much look back on it and figure it out. If you do a deck switch after doing some non card trick and then bring out the set up deck. Then it looks like a miracle. Plus it's not hard to right OoTW in small print on the box.

 

[dannyg728]

are there only 2 wrong cards? and if so can they be setup to be 2 chosen cards selected at the beginning of the trick possibly??
i dont have the set yet, i just thought it would be a good reason to have 2 wrong cards

-Danny

 

[Morgan B]

It varies Danny - it depends on the audiences choices - it could be 2..3...5. Anyhow - even if it were always 2, I am not sure it would be good effect structure to throw in selections to make up for handling flaws.

 

[Randy]

I don't know if this true, but doesn't also setting it up in front of them kind of defeat the purpose of the effect? I always believed that Out of This World is something where they SHOULDN'T know or see you set it up at all. Otherwise it ruins the effect. Which is I why said that using a simple deck switch with it would do it wonders.

 

[praetoritevong]

It kinda depends on the presentation, though. I could see someone mentioning it if their presentation depended on influencing their spectators psychologically.

 

[Toby]

Wow, I got behind, big time... I got job...
I will write the reviews later, so I will just put my thoughts about Dun's Deal. I don't have a problem with presentation, because it can be altered in any way you wish. You don't have to do that last part, where cards can end up mixed up. My biggest problem is the setup, which takes forever. Don't get me wrong, I can do the "move" really well, but there is always a chance of flashing. And I don't think that "Blur your vision and try to memorize the patter of the colors" is a good enough excuse for such a long setup...

I will still perform with a set up deck, because I did it lots of times, and not once did anybody said "but wait, I didn't mixed the cards."

 

[Morgan B]

I won't be reviewing Disc 9 - at the focus is on a gimmick that is only available with the set.

However, now that I am done the set - I would like to offer it for sale. Please PM me if you are interested in a severe discount.

Thanks for reading.