Hey I was just wondering when and where was the last time/place you saw real magic or just a really good magical performance. I just watched David Copperfield's "Voyeur" on his 2001 TV special and it just made me stop and enjoy the magic he brings to the stage and how he uses that throughout his performances. I just wanted to know when was the last time you got shivers down your spine due to an amazing performance/trick.
When was the last time you saw real magic?
- Thread starter CIassic
- Start date
Derren Brown's show Apocalypse was one of the most astonishing pieces of TV I've seen in a long time. I think Derren's pushed the concept of magic on TV to a point well beyond what's been done before. He's still using the deceptive techniques of magic, but rather than settling for standard effects like, "making a helicopter appear" or "revealing the card you're thinking of", his effects are more like "making someone change the way they approach life".
The last thing I saw that really got me was probably Svengali by Derren Brown.
To add on to that, I think the only magical performers I can think of are Derren Brown, Ricky Jay and Teller. The vast majority of those who perform magic are just up there showing off. It's clearly just a display of skill, no mystery. Or their attempts at making it meaningful come across as cheesy and annoying (to me).
To add on to that, I think the only magical performers I can think of are Derren Brown, Ricky Jay and Teller. The vast majority of those who perform magic are just up there showing off. It's clearly just a display of skill, no mystery. Or their attempts at making it meaningful come across as cheesy and annoying (to me).
Seconded! The ability to express meaning is what separates the technically competent performer from the powerful artist. It seems that a lot of people learn a trick then try and impose meaning onto it, as opposed to thinking of something they actually want to express and then thinking how best to convey that using magic. The best and most succinct way I've heard this idea put is by Harry Anderson in his Penguin lecture where he discusses "instantiation". I think any magician who wants to imbue their performances with genuine meaning needs to absorb this lesson.
I have met many people that do magic both renown and not, but I've only met a small handful of real magicians over the years; people that have mesmerized me.
John Calvert
Norm Nielson
Shimada
Channing Pollock
Johnny Thompson
Martin Nash
That's pretty much it and I've not seen any of them work in many a long year. There is however one young man that I've encountered in recent years who probably belongs on that list -- Jason Latimer.
John Calvert
Norm Nielson
Shimada
Channing Pollock
Johnny Thompson
Martin Nash
That's pretty much it and I've not seen any of them work in many a long year. There is however one young man that I've encountered in recent years who probably belongs on that list -- Jason Latimer.
Old footage of Fred Kaps, Tommy Wonder and Cardini.
Live: Juan Tamariz. Seeing him on film or TV is one thing, seeing him live was completely different. He`s my hero.
Live: Juan Tamariz. Seeing him on film or TV is one thing, seeing him live was completely different. He`s my hero.
Man, everytime Calen Morelli posts something I am just blown away. That kid is going to go down in history I'm tellin' ya.