Newsgroups: alt.magic,alt.answers,news.answers Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hookup!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!amiserv!vpnet!mike From: mike@vpnet.chi.il.us (Mike Kamlet) Subject: alt.magic FAQ part 3/4 Message-ID: Followup-To: alt.magic Sender: mike@vpnet.chi.il.us (michael kamlet) Supersedes: Reply-To: mike@vpnet.chi.il.us Organization: Vpnet - Your FREE link to the Internet! (708)833-8126 References: Date: Sun, 27 Feb 1994 21:27:22 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Lines: 447 Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu alt.magic:3703 alt.answers:1967 news.answers:15720 Archive-name: magic-faq/part3 Last-modified: Feb. 20, 1994 Frequently asked questions in alt.magic/part3 (of 4) Last modified: Feb. 20, 1994 Please send suggested corrections and additions to: mike@vpnet.chi.il.us Topics: Part 3 VI. OTHER MAGIC REFERENCES VI-A. MAGAZINES VI-B. VIDEOS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. OTHER MAGIC REFERENCES ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI-A. MAGAZINES ON MAGIC The following list of magic magazines is from contributions from the following people: barnett@grymoire.crd.ge.com (Bruce Barnett) nielsen@eecs.umich.edu (Paul Nielsen) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- General Magic ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Genii PO Box 36068 Los Angeles, CA 90036 $30 a year for 12 issues. Color cover, 80 pages an issue. The largest circulation of any magazine. Everyone should get this just for the ads, as most items are advertized here. Some columns are useless. I currently enjoy "The Giorgio Letters" which describes how the Erdnase book is a lot of bull. I also enjoy the T. A. Waters book reviews and Harkey's column. ------- MAGIC - an Independent Magazine for Magicians. Circulation Department 13337 E. South St. #310 Cerritos, CA 90701 (310) 860-1508 (phone/fax) $30 a year/ 12 issues. Similar to Genii (actually - they are competitors) Color cover and color inside. Columns by Paul Gertner (performance tips), Richard Kaufman (editor of the magic section), and reviews by Mike Weber. In my (st922964@pip.cc.brandeis) opinion, is certainly the BEST magic magazine out there. It is where I learn about 90% of my magic news and features very interesting articles by the likes of Stan Allen and Michael Caveney. ----- Goodliffe's Abracadabra Published weekly. $88.50 for 52 issues 20 pages each issue. (Send $2.00 in cash for sample issue ) Goodliffe Publications 150 New Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 2LG. England ----- Magigram 12 issues for $35 Supreme Magic Company Supreme House, Bideford, Devon EX39 2AN England ----- Precursor: A Magazine of Innovation unikorn magic 2215 Mytle St. Erie, PA 16502 Edited by Bill Miesel 3 issues a year $16 in US. Canada, Mexico, $19 elsewhere Similar to Ibidem. Mostly new/experimental card work. ------- The Trapdoor Steven L. Beam Trapdoor Productions 407 Carrington Drive Knightdale, NC 27545 (919) 266-7900 5 issues a year $30 USA, $42.50 Overseas Excellent artwork and Humor, Closeup ------- The Minotaur P.O. Box 470025 Broadview Hts. Oh 44147 $18/year (I think 4-5 issues) This is Dan Harlan's magazine and its suppose to be one of the best close up magazines. Not much card stuff. Dan's has a great mind (I should probably get a subscription-- Mike Kamlet) ------------------ The Servante P.O. Box 1714, Sta "M" Calgary Alberta Canada T2P 2L7 $20 for 4 issues Unknown quality - read about the magazine in an ad. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- New Age, Bizarre Magic, Mentalism, Occult, Tarot, Crystals, etc ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Magick (Edited by Bascom Jones) 7107 Weldon Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93308 $25 for 26 issues. 4-6 pages per issue. (Every other week a bonus insert in included.) This magazine specializes in mentalism. ------- Snake-Oil Almanack P. O. Box 465 Monroe, MI 48161-0465 4 issues @ $20. An issue is two books 4" by 5 1/2", ~20-30 pages each book. The presentation is in one, and the method is in the other. Published quarterly, hopefully. Specializes in Bizarre, New Age, Occult presentations. ------- Krypts Quarterly Crier c/o David Zver 89 West Broad St. Bethehem, PA 18018 4 issues for $20. An issue is 16 pages of 8 1/2 by 11. Specializes in Bizarre, New Age, Occult presentations. ------- The New Invocation (Edited by Docc Hilford) PO Box 17163 Phoenix, AZ 85011 $20 for 12 issues (12 pages, 8 1/2" by 11") Published irregularly. Specializes in Bizarre, New Age, Occult presentations. ------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Magazine for Collectors ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Aphelion Thomas A. Sawyer 521 S. Lyon St., No. 105 Santa Ana, CA 92701 $30 ----------------- Magic Collector's Bulletin George Daily's Magacana for Collectors 3778 Cayuga Lane York, PA 17402 (717) 757-3098 $4 for current issue ----------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Magic Clubs ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Linking Ring (monthly magazine) International Brotherhood of Magicians PO Box 192090 St. Lousis MO 63119-9998 Tele: (314) 351-7677 Fax: (314) 353-4771 ---- M. U. M. (monthly magazine) Richard Blowers, National Administrator P.O. Box 510260 St. Louis, MO 63151 (314) 846-5659 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Interests ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Rubber Chicken Chronicles Comedy and Christian Newsletter Send $2 for sample issue P. O. Box 505 Sweetwater, TN 37874 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI-B. VIDEOS ON MAGIC The following is a list of video tapes on magic. The intent is to list tapes which instruct rather than tapes of magic performances. If you are interested in the later, Jeff Isozaki (jti01@duts.ccc.amdahl.com) posts a monthly list of "Magic in Movies" indicating movies, actors, and scenes in which magic appears. Contributors: Sleight of Hans cragaisi@isis.cs.du.edu (Chris) georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark) gumby@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (David B. Gumminger) halw@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Hal Work) jti01@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Jeff Isozaki) msibbern@nyx.cs.du.edu (Michael Sibbernsen) nielsen@eecs.umich.edu (Paul Nielsen) nigel@ietech.demon.co.uk ("Nigel G. Backhurst") Advanced Card Work - all of the Tannen's Stars of Magic-Paul Harris series. Paul is good, funny, and weird. The tapes are extremely well done, and the selection of magic is commercial (i.e. not just finger flinging to impress other magicians, its finger flinging to impress _everybody_!) Definitely not for beginners! Animation and Levitation - Kevin James' Floating Rose This tape is phenomenal! You might never do the floating rose, but you learn everything you need to do levitiation and animation (close up and stage). It is difficult, but Kevin takes you step by step and leaves nothing out. Basic Card and Coin Sleights - Brad Burt series Brad is the best teacher of effects around. He has beginners' tapes on cards, coins, flourishes and sponge balls. They are self-produced so they are more reasonably priced than Tannen tapes. Brad "guarantees" you can learn the stuff from the tapes. I don't know if that means refunding the price of the tape if you can't, but it seems worth a try. For more info, call (619) 571-4749, Fax: (619) 571-7943. From Jay Malone (malone@crash.cts.com) I know Brad and I have four of his videos (both coin videos, the sponge and the chop cup). Brad has been teaching many years and was, until he opened his shop, an active performer. He studies each effect that he sells and I feel that his "rating system" is fair. I've never been disapointed in my dealings with him. Basic Card Slights - Bill Tarr 90min tape packed with, as Bill Tarr says, "everything you need to know to be a dynamite card magician." The video has fairly poor production quality, and the backdrop is quite confusing. This aside, the instruction is excellent; Bill Tarr is a very good teacher. The topics include: The Slip Shuffle, Jog Shuffle, Hindu Shuffle, Slip Cut, False Triple Cut, Double Cut Classic Pass, Invisible Pass, Say When Pass, Classic Force, Riffle Force, Top- Palm, Double Lift, Top Change, Glide, Buckle, Elmsley Count, Card Weaving, and Key Cards. It includes good bits of card business and a few good card tricks. Recommend to any beginning magician as a good way to start with almost all basic card slights. Also pretty good for those more experienced that need to work on old skills. Brad Burt Video Tapes - Brad Burt series Are excellent for instructional purposes. They are not fancy studio productions but are easy to follow. One includes the Zarrow shuffle and appears excellent. The tapes are advertised in Genii from Brad Burt's Magic Shop in San Diego. Card Manipulation and Flourishes "Card Flourishes" - Lou Lancaster "The Major Card Flourishes" - Brad Burt "Fedko - Card Illusions" - John Fedko "Card and Ball Manipulation" - Peki "Steven's Vol 3" - Shimada Chop Cup, The - Brad Burt Everything to do the Chop cup, complete with the double large load endings standing up and surrounded. Eugene Goes Bizarre - Eugene Burger - STEVEN'S VOL 4" I'm very impressed with Burger's Videos. The number of tricks is pretty low but the production values are the highest I've seen in any of the 8 videos I own. I do a modified version of his "Retribution" (aka the burned card) and just left people with jaws on the floor. His Gypsy thread routine in "..Bizzare" is REALLY nice. I have several of his books and attended a small seminar that he gave in St. Paul last year. A thoroughly enjoyable person, he really puts a lot of work into his routines, books and videos. Gambling Protection Series - Steve Forte Mail order from RGE - 414 Santa Clara Av; Oakland, CA 94610 Phone: (510)465-6452; Fax:(510)652-4330 Mail: RGE is a publisher and distributor of gambling related literature, software and videos. (Visa and MC only for phone orders) Tape #1: EXCELLENT examples of the pass. These videos are NOT DESIGNED FOR MAGICIANS OR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. They target pro gamblers and expose gambling sleights from many angles and in slow motion, etc. Forte's execution of the two handed pass is flawless. Steve makes a living doing "cheating at gambling" demos, writing, etc. HE USED TO BE A FULL TIME CASINO DEALER. He also discusses stacking decks, etc. A great video. Greatest Hits - Randy Wakeman C&S Enterprises - 1116 Brookview - Brentwood, TN USA 37027 90 minutes. 13 effects all taught. All Card routines. Great quality, post production editing by pro magician (Jim Suprise). Three good routines are Overclock, Card under glass, and Spectator on stage. I have included Spectator on stage in my own performance it is a great ace cutting effect. Harry Loryane Linking Ring "Fine Selections, fine quality, fine teaching tape" David Harkey Lecture - David Harkey Top notch! His routines are simple, visual, and strong. It requires some good misdirection, but its not overly finger flinging. Here are some of the routines he performed: 1- He takes out a clean purse filled with black balloons. He blows one up and pulls off the round part. It becomes a billiard ball. 2- He took a glass marble (it's like, man, a new age crystal, you know) and softened it with a lighter. He then held it to his lips and blew into it. It expanded from his mouth like a balloon and you realize it's a test tube. He fills the tube with sugar from a packet, and then turns the tube into an hour glass - filled with sugar. He uses this hour glass to turn time back to the beginning, where the tube becomes a marble and the sugar is back in the unopened packet. (PERFORMANCE ONLY) 3- "No Return" - A safety pin is placed in a business card, and the hole is dragged around. (steel pin = $12) 4- A bill and pencil are borrowed. the pencil penetrates the middle of the bill, which remains untorn. 5- Four coins are visibly produced and appear at the ends of his fingers as he touched the table. 6- A ring penetrates his ring finger visibly. A spectator can place her hand on his and FEEL the ring travel up and thru his finger. 7- 4 coins travel into a glass - You can visibly see the coins arrive in the glass. Most (all) of the material is in his book. His lecture consists of 10 items. His book has 60 items. All of the material is similar in style/strength. He is very innovative. His routines have been used to win awards. He spent "10 years of his life" working on this book and it shows. He is a nice guy and quite funny. He is easy to talk to and not egotistical. He has a knack of ribbing people in the audience w/out insulting them. This is a rare talent. Strongly recommend the lecture and the book. Illusion Video, The A cheaply made, cheaply bought video teaching you how to make and perform some standard stage illusions. Included are producing an assistant, a dove production and vanish, various producing tubes and boxes, and the flying carpet levitation (you could use an audience member for this one without tipping the method). Impossibilia - The John Bannon Video. It demonstrates and explains 13 tricks, and it runs 90 minutes. It's excellent. Linking Rings - Here is a partial list of tapes with instructions on the linking rings: 1) Fedko - John Fedko has a series of 6 tapes numbered 1 thru 6. One of the tapes has linking rings as well as other platform effects. I believe the linking rings are on the "Classic Magic" volume. 2) Marc DeSousa - "Prize Winning Magic" 3) Richard Ross - Stevens' "Greater Magic" series The most beautiful version of rings I have ever seen. I watched it many times and was always impressed. He's great. Negotiating Higher Performance Fees audio tape - Michael Ammar Recommended regarding fees earned by magicians. On the Pass - Richard Kaufman I just bought the video "On the Pass" by Richard Kaufman last weekend. It is a good presentation of the classic pass, riffle pass and Herrmann pass along with several variations and tricks based on them. He first demonstrates the pass as the spectator would see it. Then carefully shows finger positions and moves very slowly. This is shown from the performer's point of view. Then he speeds things up. Awesome! My first time through the tape, I just sat there with my mouth hanging open. Do I ever have a lot of practicing to do. One comment he makes near the end of the 40 minute video is, "Practice the classic pass 100 times a day for a year and you'll really have something special." Penn and Teller - 1: Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends, The video version of their book of the same name. The Tricks are different than those in the book. You actually use portions of the video to play the pranks. Hilarious. 2: Penn and Teller Go Public: A 30 minute video which I believe was originally a PBS special. They do some of their classic bits like the handstab and Teller's Straight-jacket escape. A mini-concert if you will. 3: Penn and Teller Get Killed: An actual movie about Penn and Teller. Penn and Teller guest star on a talk show. Penn mentions how exciting he thinks life would be if someone were trying to kill him. You guessed it. Someone takes him seriously!! Some good magic and lots of humor. Restaurant Magic Business - Charles Green Tape that is VERY helpful for the restaurant performer. Routine Closeup - John Mendoza's C&S Enterprises - 1116 Brookview - Brentwood, TN USA 37027 1 hr 40 min tape. Mendoza performs 10 effects and teaches 6 of them. Great quality, post production editing by pro magician (Jim Suprise). Particularly well explained are Mendoza's Cups and Balls and Dice Stacking. The Dice stacking are done in slow motion with a clear glass. Phil Willmarth in Linking Ring said, ".. it is far and away the finest instructional video I have ever seen" Simply Magic - Bill Thompson - from The House of Secrets, 12 Caunce Street, Blackpool tel 0253 20902 Thumb Tips - Patrick Page - from the Trik-A-Tape Company, 45-47 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5RS tel 71 253 9693 Having watched perhaps a dozen instructional VHS tapes on magic, this one has to be my favorite. It gives an incredible amount of detail for the endless variety of tricks you can do using a thumb tip. I see beginners frequently posting inquiries about how to get started in magic. Buying a copy of this tape is my advice. Topit Secrets - Patrick Page - from the Trik-A-Tape Company, 45-47 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5RS tel 71 253 9693 Zarrow Shuffle, The - Brad Burt This man has to be one of the best teachers I've ever seen. Here, he teaches both the Zarrow and Faro shuffles as well as tricks. The Zarrow is the best looking table false shuffle I've ever seen. Unless you are specifically looking for it, you can't tell the difference between a Zarrow shuffle and a tabled riffle shuffle - even then you might not do it. \\ // \\// /00\ \> | | | | \____/ -- Mike Kamlet mike@vpnet.chi.il.us