I broke a promise I made to myself. I once said “I will never spend a penny on D+M material” and I just did. Why? Well when reading the reviews on the Mystique DVD I felt that maybe there really was something there, that I would not let my personal opinions on the performer keep me away from potentially good stuff. So I downloaded the Mystique and here are my honest and unbiased 
opinions.
The video production is top-notch. Most of the tricks are performed in front of obviously overreacting audience and the editing manages to hide basically all the secret actions that need to be performed
My favourite effect “angle zero” was exactly what I figured out the second I saw the performance for the first time. However it is a great effect and I can see it get huge reactions from lay people. Bear in mind that the version Daniel teaches is different from the performance. The most important part, the selection process, is different. Of course if you know your card magic you will know what DM did in the performance. But I feel it is unfair to exclude such an essential part of the trick and replace it with an inferior method.
Through out this DVD Daniel relies on the use of Gamblers Cop. Now, every wise person will tell you that Gamblers Cop is a move designed/meant to be used at the table. Only then is the concealment of the card complete. In stand up, walk around situation it can be used momentarily e.g. to load a card to the pocket. Daniel uses this sleight as means of holding out cards way too long.
Now, the misdirection might be good but you are still left with hidden card protruding halfway from your hand for way too long!! Daniel is probably experienced and bold enough to do this but to me this is card magic without finesse and very off-putting.
Another favorite of mine is sandwich effect “Half Vanish”. It is also obvious in method to any magician but it looks cool. However, the construction of the trick requires palming in worst possible moment. Daniel argues about misdirection working in the favor of this trick, but he is just plain wrong about it. This might be the reason why the trick is not done for the live audience (?).
There is a interesting and clever, but a bit unnatural handling of the shapeshifter change. This one is visual but it does not improve the original in any way. Pick up, and holding position of the card is very strange but the change looks good anyways.
Apart from the above mentioned tricks, little has made an impression on me. Daniel performs his magic with personality of a stone and there is that moody arrogant aura around him that is supposed to make him mysterious….
The pricing of the DVD is reasonable but there really is very little to learn for a student of card magic. Both the magic and psychology used here lack finesse and I am left cold. There is so much better magic waiting for you out there….
opinions.The video production is top-notch. Most of the tricks are performed in front of obviously overreacting audience and the editing manages to hide basically all the secret actions that need to be performed
My favourite effect “angle zero” was exactly what I figured out the second I saw the performance for the first time. However it is a great effect and I can see it get huge reactions from lay people. Bear in mind that the version Daniel teaches is different from the performance. The most important part, the selection process, is different. Of course if you know your card magic you will know what DM did in the performance. But I feel it is unfair to exclude such an essential part of the trick and replace it with an inferior method.
Through out this DVD Daniel relies on the use of Gamblers Cop. Now, every wise person will tell you that Gamblers Cop is a move designed/meant to be used at the table. Only then is the concealment of the card complete. In stand up, walk around situation it can be used momentarily e.g. to load a card to the pocket. Daniel uses this sleight as means of holding out cards way too long.
Now, the misdirection might be good but you are still left with hidden card protruding halfway from your hand for way too long!! Daniel is probably experienced and bold enough to do this but to me this is card magic without finesse and very off-putting.
Another favorite of mine is sandwich effect “Half Vanish”. It is also obvious in method to any magician but it looks cool. However, the construction of the trick requires palming in worst possible moment. Daniel argues about misdirection working in the favor of this trick, but he is just plain wrong about it. This might be the reason why the trick is not done for the live audience (?).
There is a interesting and clever, but a bit unnatural handling of the shapeshifter change. This one is visual but it does not improve the original in any way. Pick up, and holding position of the card is very strange but the change looks good anyways.
Apart from the above mentioned tricks, little has made an impression on me. Daniel performs his magic with personality of a stone and there is that moody arrogant aura around him that is supposed to make him mysterious….
The pricing of the DVD is reasonable but there really is very little to learn for a student of card magic. Both the magic and psychology used here lack finesse and I am left cold. There is so much better magic waiting for you out there….
