I am a huge fan of the movies (and of its expanded universe consisting of numerous novels, comic books, etc.) and looking forward to its 30th anniversary next year.

I was wondering if anyone has the same interest and have bridged it with their love of magic? Has anyone come up with any Magic Tricks (particulary card effects with or without gaffed cards) using characters from the Star Wars theme?? If so, post a brief description (patter and methods) here if you will??

I bought an effect from 1978 by Nick Trost, simply called Star Wars Card Trick.

The effect is the popular story of "The Hero saves the Princess from the Villain". It consists of 4 pre-printed/gaffed cards: Darth Vader/Blue card back, Blank/Blue card back, Princess Leia/Blue card back and C-3PO/R2-D2. The cards are Bridge-sized and Aviator card backs, which were the popular card backs and size during that decade. I wish it would be re-released onto poker-sized Bicycle cards... I doubt it though.

Here is website showing these cards:

http://www.transparentrecords.com/starwarscards/us31.htm


May The Force Be With You ….

Jim Gerrish has a routine based on Star Wars, called Star Warts.

It can be found here:
http://www.magicnook.com/kidmagic/kidshow.htm

and it's only $3 - bargain (although it doesn't use cards!)

Best regards...and may the warts be with you.
Mike

Thanks Party Magician, but not too much of my style.

Maybe someone will be able utilize it.

Keep up with the looking and posting the Star Wars themes everyone.

I don't want to be negative. The Star Wars idea is a good foundation for a story.

And you can probably do what you want to with such a theme; however, there is one thing you must be careful of, and that is commercial use of trademarked characters.

It's an area of Intellectual Property law that most people know very little about.

I'll post something about it in my column.

That is true Bill. But incorporating ideas of "The Force" and "The Dark Side" are probably safe, since they are such a ingrained part of pop culture.

By the way, I am a huge Star Wars fan. And am a huge fan of the post "Jedi" novels, the Timothy Zahn books being my favorite.

I am aware of that also, Bill. However, I am not out to market the effect and make a profit or advertise the characters anymore than some 8 year old boy wants a Star Wars Birthday party. Just really wondering if any magicians have a Star Wars patter to any tricks (whether card tricks or other effects).

And Big Daddy-- Glad there are some other magicians out their with similiar interests. . . Yes-- Grand Admiral Thrawn Rules Too bad they never made those movies from that trilogy.............. Yet ;-)

Since you are as familiar with the Star Wars Expanded Universe... You KNOW there are great possibilities using other well-known characters and story plots to extend to magical patter and effects.

In my book, there is a trick called 'star card trick', where 4 stars vanish from each card and appear on the spectators card, which has been in their hand the entire time.
Its very easy to make up, and all you have to do is change the stars over for star wars stickers.
Woolworth's / 'toys r us' sell small stickers of the characters from star wars. Buy a set of them and you can make one up quite quickly.

For a demo of the trick see the video link on my website:
http://www.magicmystery.co.uk/book.htm

Then, if you have the mask. Get a Yoda mask and put that on. Then put a bobby fett mask on over that, then put a Darth Vader helmet on over that. You can have a lot of fun taking of helmets, only to find another one underneath.

How about light-saber through coat?

'use the force' and make a spoon bend, or turn a key over (haunted key)

Luke loses a hand, so do the hand chopper and have a fake hand that flies out into the audience. (Don't forget the tomato ketchup - the kids love that)!

Bring out a ray gun, which fires water. Spray it at the kids, then vanish it.

If you have any large production boxes, you can make the ships appear.

If you have a bunch of figures, put them in a change bag, and have the spectator select one (the forced toy), and have it match your prediction.

If you want a game to play, get 6 tin cans, and print out Darth vader's face on your computer. Stick the face across the 6 cans so that it makes just one image. Then have the kids throw bean-bags at Darth Vader to try and knock him over.
You however have 3 filled cans, and 3 empty cans.
When the filled cans are at the bottom of the stack, its impossible to knock over. But when the light cans are at the bottom, its easy to knock over. You can play with this if you want, so that you don't have to give away any prices (so tell the kids they can win an xbox if they knock the cans over, but never will!)
But essentially, its a game where the kids try and throw stuff at Darth Vader (so put the fine china away).

Another game I play, is to get 20 cake boards (small square cardboard sheets), and glue a picture of famous star wars characters onto the front of them. Two of each.
Place them all face down on the floor, and its the old memory game. They have to find the pairs by turning over two of them, and trying to find the matching pair. They have to remember where each one is placed, and the child with the most pairs wins the opportunity to leave the dungeon... sorry - the party.
Again, just print out the pictures on your computer, and glue them on.

Steve

Thanks ku7uk3-- Those are simple, but creative ideas to bridge magic and Star Wars together. I appreciate your input.

I tried looking at your site that you directed me in the above post, but I was unable to locate the area you were referring about STAR CARD TRICK.... Can you direct me a bit more?? I connect via Dialup and loading/buffering takes an awful long time for me. If you actually say which one to look at... It'll be worth the wait to load/buffer.

Thanks again.

The video demo is hosted on google video. I'm not sure how that plays on dial-up, but here is the direct link:

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doci......25964654

the explantaion can be found in my ebook 'cool magician', which is availble to buy from the site.

ku7uk

Thanks ku7uk... I finally saw it!!!

Yes-- There could be a way to use that trick with Star Wars or any other theme.

I like your other tricks also. You have that innovative mind... Keep it going!!!!!

Salby,
Yes Thrawn rules! Have you read Outbound Flight yet? What a great glimpse into the mind and motivation of a great character.
Actually, the themes in Outbound Flight could be used as a solid spring board for routine ideas. Fear of unknown power, power corrupting, ignorance leading to fear, the greatest ambitions gone wrong, so many more...

Hey Big Daddy.... I'm indulging myself now into the realm of OUTBOUND FLIGHT and liking it.

I wish there was an easier way to put pictures of certain characters on playing cards, instead of having them sent away and spending $$$ to get them done professionally.

I mean, is there a way to buy "Bicycle" cardback sheets (8 1/2 x 11", etc.) and print both sides up from the computer printer and just cut them out??

Howdy.

If you had an effect you were hoping to do permanently, would you be willing to spend a little?

How much is an effect worth to you?

You may want to get some scans of the pics you wish to use on disc, nd take them to a rubber stamp maker.

Then it's just a simple matter of stamping your images onto easily-available blank-faced cards.

Not only that, but I'm sure you can find some better looking images then the ones you were originally provided with.

I've done this in the past with a few different effects, and it is worth it, as you can easily make replacement cards in a few moments.

Just 2 cents from a fellow Star Wars fan as well.

Cheers,
J.Warrens

Any ideas with the recently released USA Postage Stamps?? There are 15 different Star Wars characters and spaceships. Maybe sticking them to blank cards??

How about Star Wars patter lines using a "Color Monte" Routine?? "Wild Card" Routine?? Any other routines from Emerson & West effects that can be utilized to a Star Wars story?? What are your ideas of routines/patter??

These Star Wars Stamps have potential.... I know it.

I think mindreading and PK are the most obvious manifestations of "the force".

Use the force, I sense things moving and levitation before their eyes.
<Pink five rocks>
kay

Just thought it might be cool to do "card stab" with a light saber (one of the toys you get from a toy store.)

Just brainstorming!!!

Just thought it might be cool to do "card stab" with a light saber (one of the toys you get from a toy store.)

Just brainstorming!!!

Salby - any further ideas?
I am trying to come up with a trick/routine that is built on the premise of turning an audience member to the dark side... See more in the We Dare You forum, and PM me.

I have an original effect that I've created, that uses psychology and suggestion to emulate the "force choke". It's actually pretty awesome. Extremly easy to do. Darth Vader has nothin on me.