David Blaine: How Does He Do That?

[Swifty]

^ Fascinating listen. Penn is always a brilliantly intelligent person.

I remember reading somewhere that he (Penn) once rescued/bought a monkey that had been raised for medical experimentation that had previously been taught to smoke .. he used to buy packs of cigarettes for it and kept it at his home .. he's an interesting bloke .. I'd like FT to lay off the Crowley for a while and do more articles on Penn.

 

[Coastaljames]

.. he's an interesting bloke

Most definitely mate. Very interesting. I'm not always sold on his peculiarly-American brand of extreme-libertarian politics or staunch opposition to religion but I don't need to be. I like the cut of his jib and he's always worth listening to. Bloody good stage magician too...Teller even better but a great team.

 

[escargot]

I remember reading somewhere that he (Penn) once rescued/bought a monkey that had been raised for medical experimentation that had previously been taught to smoke .. he used to buy packs of cigarettes for it and kept it at his home .. he's an interesting bloke .. I'd like FT to lay off the Crowley for a while and do more articles on Penn.

He bought the monkey cigarettes, really? I hope he saw sense and sent it to a sanctuary.

I do like Penn although TV 'magic' generally leaves me cold. Techy likes it but I tell him it's all TV tricks and special effects, not good old honest, personally deceptive sleight of hand. David Blaine draws particular scorn, with his carefully-edited segments of screaming reactions.

 

[Ermintruder]

but I tell him it's all TV tricks and special effects

Yes, over-produced and synthetic, like the vast majority of everything you'll ever watch watch from any mainstream source.

I'm aware that Derren's "no stooges or camera tricks" statement may have become somewhat-diluted over recent years (hoping to be contradicted on that point) but, that particular operating maxim is extremely unusual, nowadays.

I detect that Dynamo banks on his edgy streetness to act as a permanent (and substantially-effective) counterpoint to anyone that awakens from the spell of "TV? Well, that proves it must be real".

And the likes of Copperfield....he's so kitsch, it wouldn't surprise me if he's subjected to a full frame-capture greenscreen composite even just when he goes to the loo....

 

[Coastaljames]

I'm aware that Derren's "no stooges or camera tricks" statement may have become somewhat-diluted over recent years (hoping to be contradicted on that point) but, that particular operating maxim is extremely unusual, nowadays.

Good post. It's interesting to hear Penn talking about the difference between a "trick", I think that's how he describes it, and a "stunt". I was disappointed that Brown pretty much admitted that his Russian Roulette thing was...as stunt.

Dynamo

Big on stooges and camera-tricks it seems. Not that worth watching for me.

 

[GNC]

On iPlayer at the moment is an episode of The Good Old Days that ends with Rolf Dinardi doing his "fill the stage with flowers" trick. It's amazing not so much for the technique, more for the sheer volume of it. Sadly there isn't a good version on YouTube, or I'd link to it. Anyway, do that trick, Mr Blaine, and then I'm interested.

 

[Swifty]

David Blaine spoof pt4

 

[Ermintruder]

an episode of The Good Old Days that ends with Rolf Dinardi doing his "fill the stage with flowers" trick

I saw this recently rebroadcast via BBC4 (the show also had an odd segment done by the late, great Les Dawson). Agreed, Dinardi relies upon sheer numerical superiority- fantastical flower-power.

But where the hell do they all come from? That big lidded box, but exactly how?

David Blaine spoof pt4

The farce is strong with this one.....super-silly shtick-sync. Unless maybe....he is The One, and he's just playing with us. Lulling us into a false sense of humour....mmm, no.

 

[Vardoger]

Superstitious people think the new magicians are for real, controlled by demons.

 

[escargot]

Superstitious people think the new magicians are for real, controlled by demons.

You mean Americans believe this? Brits just think they're show-offs in silly jackets.

 

[Coastaljames]

But where the hell do they all come from? That big lidded box, but exactly how?

The box is much bigger than we perceive and the flowers can be compressed much smaller than we can perceive.

Presumably Good trick.

 

[Coastaljames]

But where the hell do they all come from? That big lidded box, but exactly how?

The box is much bigger than we perceive and the flowers can be compressed much smaller than we can perceive.

Presumably

Sadly there isn't a good version on YouTube, or I'd link to it.

Starts about 1:35. Not great but gives the idea.

...do that trick, Mr Blaine, and then I'm interested.

In fairness mate- you or I could do it if we had the same props as him. After all- it's not magic Impossible to deny that it's skilfully done but it's a prop-based trick. Anyone one who buys the prop and practices it can pull it off.

Some worthwhile stuff here - http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=780143

 

[Ermintruder]

The box is much bigger than we perceive and the flowers can be compressed much smaller than we can perceive.

Not exactly. We can see precisely how big it *appears* to be, whilst he repeatedly picks it up....so as to show us it's demonstrable incapacity. And it's on an open-legged table. Some distance away from the curtains....

Yes, the 'flowers' are compressed. But that stage-full is equivalent to (say) 10 box-loads.

And the flowerpots can't squash (although they can nest within each-other).

So inside the box must be....a magician's top hat. Simple, really...

 

[Coastaljames]

But that stage-full is equivalent to (say) 10 box-loads.

But it's not

And the flowerpots can't squash

But they can


That's how he does it and that's the skilful bit.

 

[Mythopoeika]

I think the flowers are made from a combination of springy, compressible materials - foam, tissue paper, card etc.
The pots may be made from foam painted up.

 

[Frideswide]

I think they are all dehydrated and the first thing he does is spit in the box!

 

[Coastaljames]

I think they are all dehydrated and the first thing he does is spit in the box!

Or widdle in it

I think the flowers are made from a combination of springy, compressible materials - foam, tissue paper, card etc.

Undoubtedly. Chinese have been doing this with magic flower tricks for hundreds of years.

The pots may be made from foam painted up.

Maybe. Or I don't think, if you look closely, that they come out of the box. *Edit* Just looked again at 02:20 - you can see the pot clearly doesn't come out of the box.

 

[Swifty]

'Magic' on a budget

 

[Ringo]

Maybe. Or I don't think, if you look closely, that they come out of the box. *Edit* Just looked again at 02:20 - you can see the pot clearly doesn't come out of the box.

Everything comes out of the box.

 

[Coastaljames]

Everything comes out of the box.

That might be the case, it might not. I think it's not, you think it is. Neither of us know

 

[Swifty]

Vic and Bob from Yorkshire with Dynamo ..

 

[Ringo]

I'm aware that Derren's "no stooges or camera tricks" statement may have become somewhat-diluted over recent years (hoping to be contradicted on that point) but, that particular operating maxim is extremely unusual, nowadays.

Derren doesn't use stooges or actors in his live shows. I, and he, don't need to as what you see on stage can be achieved through other nefarious means. That's the whole point. If it is done properly then the only "solution" that the audience can come up with is "stooge". There are mentalists/magicians who use stooges and they argue that it is just another "method of deception" but I don't agree. I'd rather do it the other way.

Many major names in magic and mentalism used/use stooges. You'd be surprised by how many famous names are on that list.

That might be the case, it might not. I think it's not, you think it is. Neither of us know

You misunderstood me as I do know. Everything comes OUT of the box but not everything is IN the box.

 

[henry]

i saw derren browns show off the cuff a couple of years ago in the smoke, it was well done and if you thought hard and paid close attention to the sequencing you could unpick how most of it was done ... one particular part seemed to involve an audience plant though, the newspaper headline part ...

 

[Ringo]

i saw derren browns show off the cuff a couple of years ago in the smoke, it was well done and if you thought hard and paid close attention to the sequencing you could unpick how most of it was done ... one particular part seemed to involve an audience plant though, the newspaper headline part ...

I'm not about to expose his methods and I do know how he did that but again, no plant or stooge there. That routine is a very old one, dressed up very well it still amazes.

 

[escargot]

i saw derren browns show off the cuff a couple of years ago in the smoke, it was well done and if you thought hard and paid close attention to the sequencing you could unpick how most of it was done ... one particular part seemed to involve an audience plant though, the newspaper headline part ...

We saw Brown a few years back. He asked that people didn't spoil it for later audiences by blabbing so I don't want to say too much (as even though he'll do a different show there might still be similar elements) but arriving late as we did spoilt one of the effects for us.

 

[henry]

sounds like the same show ... miracle i think it was called ...

 

[Swifty]

Some impressive card trickery slight of hand ...

 

[Ringo]

Shin's slight of hand is great but alot of what he does is also mechanical in nature - believe it or not.

 

[Swifty]

Shin's slight of hand is great but alot of what he does is also mechanical in nature - believe it or not.

I thought the part when he put his hand in his shirt was a bit dodgy .. she's obviously a plant and there would have been two identical cards to begin with ... or no ?

 

[maximus otter]

...two identical cards to begin with ... or no ?

maximus otter