Midnight in the Dark Museum

By Jim Magus (and his ghoulish brigade of dark mystic artists)

A tribute to the genius of Doug Higley’s creation, the Dark Museum, and other sinister objects, artifacts, relics…and…things.

2007. Softcover. 156 pages. I have #13/100 of the run (what a great number to have!)
(Disclaimer: I have two effects within this tome, so I shall not review them except to say I wish I caught more spelling mistakes (at least I am not alone))… and Jim Magus was kind enough to accept them into this fantastic book of the bizarre. Considering they were my first two creations ever for publication… I did my best. However, I will go on to describe the rest of the book and its copious contents of calamity…)

The book is well bound and softcover – I hope someday if this gets sold out and becomes a collector’s item that it will come out HC with colour photos…. However, this book is really inexpensive for what you get within. The text font is easy to read and the effects are organized well.

Overall, as others have said, you get the genius of Magus but also a bunch of fellow Café and outside bizarrists who have all kindly come forth to dream up amazing techniques and presentations for Doug Higley’s works.

By the way, if you don’t have a clue who Doug is, what a dark museum ensemble is, or the best place to get a set of shrunken heads, mer-creatures and the like… please go see:

http://grindshow.com/

One of the good things about the café is getting to meet amazing people like Doug (at least e-wise) and share ideas.

These props (if you went and looked at the link) are dying to be used in so many ways by the adept storyteller of nightmares… and lo and behold, Jim has collected tales of terror that run from the sometimes horrible humour to the bone marrow freezing dread effects.

The foreword from Todd Robbins basically reminds us that Jim and Doug are giants – pay attention and learn! I say he is right!

Jim then goes into the history of the Dark Museum, some presentation considerations, and quickly outlining the vast spectrum of effects that can be done with these pieces of dark art.

The first section describes effects one can use with 1 Higley item at a time. The second section describes the use of the Dark Museum proper, the third involves ideas for atypical objects not often found in the classic Dark Museum, then as a special treat, KOTAH has a nice section to round out the book on some great stories and effects to really amazing Higley creations. Then you actually get a bio of Jim Magus and Doug Higley.

As you may have read in other reviews – it is true – you really DON’T need Higley’s pieces to do most if not all of the effects in the book. You could find or create your own items and adapt the material. HOWEVER, IF YOU BOUGHT THE BOOK AND DON’T OWN A HIGLEY ITEM AND DON’T THINK YOU WILL AFTER YOU GET THIS BOOK – YOU ARE BEYOND HOPE – BEYOND LIFE ITSELF – YOU SHALL SWIRL AWAY IN THE MISTS OF OBLIVION… maybe.

Now then, the effects (unless mentioned, all are Jim’s wonderful pieces):

CHAPTER I: SINGULAR (all effects involve 1 Higley item)

Digital. A variation of an effect from Strange Ceremonies but with Magus style and savvy. A pendulum made of a bony skeletal finger can detect the arcane. Use some business cards and leave the specs with a reminder of the occult. It makes me want to carry around Nephren-Ka’s finger of doom all the time (that is what I call my Higley finger)….

Vincent’s Ear. Yeah, that Vincent – that ear. The effect is excellent in proving you own VG’s ear – and Jim has peppered the script with a ton of puns… but also, as master performer, points out that such use of humour isn’t for everyone. To use as written, you need a comedy horror context! However, it is simple to make the presentation as dark as you want. Aside: VG has a nice creepy painting of a skeleton smoking – and other wonderful dark things about his life can be woven in.

The Curse of the Tarot. This is by Ed Loveland. This again uses an ear – but of Abdul Alhazred!!!! For those who know me, this automatically makes me give this effect 1000 tentacles up! (Ia! Cthulhu!)…. A prophecy of doom for ol’ Abdul is shown to repeat in the present. There is a bit of a shock ender which I won’t say here – but I think you need to be careful to present that extra kicker in a way that doesn’t come across as reducing the first effect which is killer (sorry to be mysterious, but its like Jim Callahan’s ending of his video – it may work or not – but it may be too jarring, which actually might be good if you want to lighten the mood up after a strong effect – or it can freak the right person out. I am sure in the hands of Mr. Loveland it freaks people out! This one is a true minitheatrical piece to pull off IMHO).

An Ear to Remember. By the sorcerous Shane. This effect is one of my favourites in the book. I doubt I would ever perform it as an impromptu effect - just because I want to keep my day job and it isn't my usual part of my impromptu style character... I can see modifying this for a theatrical act so that I do not get chased out of town on a rail... or the villagers running after me with torches. This reminds me of that Docc effect which so strong you should think twice about performing it. However, if you are the type that likes to freak people out in a massive quick to the point magical mind blast... this is it. It figures this is from Shane - I love his effects. The other great thing about this effect is that it is quick, to the point, minimal patter - just a very creepy punch to the gut. Do this for kids? Maybe... all I can say is I can't even describe the effect because it is so good and I don't want to give away the method and you should REALLY BUY THIS BOOK to get this gem.


Gris Gris Gumbo. The severed finger of Marie Levou. It will come to life to foretell your fortune! If you make the props Jim has – heck, the person will be freaked before you even do anything!!!! I love this. There is also a nice mental game about ML’s ring and you got her finger… but read and see…

The Shy Guy. By Ed Solomon. Yes, DeNomolos is in this book too! With a nice twisted Shrunken Head effect. As always, Solomon provides a wonderful tale to bring the story (and head!) to life.

Head Trip. Remote viewing through the eyes of a shrunken head. Nuff said! No – wait – great story too of the performer being plagued by the visions from the head! (If you haven’t decided to get the book yet, maybe you are a shrunken head).

Tsantsachometry. That one is mine so I shall skip.

Toe-st. Yes indeed- the gruesome Higley toe comes out at last! I forgot to mention that Jim has made a ton of in-joke references to many bizarrists, mentalists and storytellers throughout the book (here we have Papa Punx – but Andruzzi, Cameron etc all get mentioned in other effects- catch them all and maybe you will win a rotting corpse!)…. This toe of a dead Hougon has a heck of a lot of power.

Footprints in the snow. By brother KOTAH. This one uses the Bigfoot toe – and involves one of my favourite beasties – the Yeti! (As a Nigel Kneale fan, how could I not be (who is Nigel Kneale??? Go look)))…. Like his other works (and I own his book and loved his parades in TLR) – a great story conjures up the vastness of the icy mountains where the Abominable lives. I like the idea that is suggested about adding some snow – based on some other effects later – you could also make the toe freezing cold! By the way, in case you keep noticing I don’t often mention what the effect is – I find that the presentation with the objects themselves are so powerful, the effect really is an augmenter to the whole thing a lot of the time! Here the method is so simple you can spend 99.9% of your energies in theatrical presentation!

Tremors. Yay! Here comes the Monkey’s Paw! Using the backdrop of WW Jacob’s classic tale, you get a nice boo! Moment! Plus, you get to enlighten people on a classic of literature.

Three Wishes. A whimsical use of the Monkey’s paw – where no one dies horribly and there is no terrible ironic ending. Not my cup of tea – i.e. you could use this for a light presentation .The paw actually does grant wishes!

The Paw Points. Shane provides a nice moral presentation of cruelty and exploitation of animals with the monkey’s paw pointing to the evil of man. The effect is enhanced by the reality of the evil discussed in the presentation. You still don’t have a Monkey’s Paw? Higley paws are all unnatural – no animals hurt in making them – so if you still haven’t gotten one- buy one and help save the planet!!!!

Curious Giorgio Strikes Again. Tony Eye is quite a guy. This is a very clever presentation because it actually can be played light or dark, depending on how you want to spin the tale. However, this might be one of the only effects I can see could be done for kids without totally freaking them out with a Monkey's Paw. Good story - classic effect - wonderful prize in the box at the end . Who knows what other treasure’s curious Giorgio’s paw can help locate???

Conjuration of the Claw. Mine so I’ll skip it (it is the only effect in the book that deals with the legend of the Chupacabra- when I got my claw, I knew I had to give tribute to Doug by creating a freaky routine. I hope you like it).

Blood on Satan’s Claw. You can use either paw or claw of this as it will be used to represent a demonic creature’s body part. This is one of those effects my wife won’t let me practice at home since it involves demon summoning – gone wrong- the performer losing control of the entity, being strangulated and a lot of blood…. I like this one a lot since it is highly theatrical (and am biased since I have a similar routine this has helped me think more on involving a Tindalosian Hound )… c’mon BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW!!! (and a good old salute to a shlock movie with the same title!!!)… how can you resist???

The Dorian Hand of Glory by Michael Fraughton. I had read this before since I happily own a copy of the Dark Waltz… and if you are buying bizarre magic books – you should get that one too as it deals with theory as much as presentations… in any case, this is a good powerful framing story for introducing the Hand of Glory, which a Higley Dead Man’s Hand can easily be converted to. Hands of Glory are just wonderful things to gaze at! This one uses a classic method for showing how the hand can find treasure – but the story is so great you could toss in other things related to ghosts and vengeance from beyond the grave.

Return of the Hand of Glory. JM’s follow-up to the above story! This time the dreaded hand also opens a lock through magic! You can see how these effects can all be combined…

My Encounter with the Hand of Glory by Bill Feinning. This one has the evil hand again – but involves its ability to “suspend time” – with numerous effects showing its influence over the 4th dimension. I really love the metronome freezing and other time manipulations – did I mention I’m working on a Tindalosian act? This one really got me thinking of a whole bunch of things – it is a very cool act as opposed to just one effect – a minishow. Plus, a great story to hold everything together. There are takes on classic effects that show how they can be given fresh life. Plus, you got that evil looking Hand of Glory to help rivet attention to as you do the magical methods! Bravo!!! (The Hounds salute you, Bill!)

So, then we get to chapter II. I just wanted to say before pushing on that many of the above effects are great ways to introduce a Higley then have it around for more effects – but also, many of the effects described can be strung together into a coherent entire act. I really was impressed on how all the effects are different but so related that I say those Higley items are truly magic in their inspiration for creativity output!!!!

CHAPTER II: THE SETS (i.e. the original Dark Museum 3 pieces – Ear, toe, Monkey’s Paw) and additional special sets (e.g. 3 No Evil shrunken head set!!!)….

Born under a Bad Sign. Ye old Timber effect raised to horrific heights with the hideous story of evil done to a slave and his vengeance on the evil plantation owner.

Sinister Happenings in the Dark Museum. Jim Magus has taken one of my favourite dealer items – the Homicide Series “SINISTER” book and combined it with the museum pieces – trophies from a serial killer. Just like chocolate and peanut butter – it is terrific!!!! There is also something to this effect that reminds me of the clever methods of Berglas (the engraved name of a killer)… beats my way of having an offstage assistant with a dremel tool

Mind what you Say. Another KOTAH delight! This is another Shrunken Head effect – where you get to describe recipes for long pork and how to make a shrunken head in grisly detail – with a nice classic effect as a way to end the tale. Yummy!

Dark Mojo. Want to give someone a heart attack? This one might do it if you follow the instructions…. Take one mojo bag…. Empty contents… put things back in with a proper recipe… dump out slithering slavering deadly thing onto spectator…or just be nice and have rotten shrunken heads roll onto them instead (if you are feeling charitable)… just make sure you got a good lawyer in case you make someone’s hair turn white. (Keep a mongoose in you back pocket just in case)… whoa Jim… I would love to hear how spec’s reacted to this one!!!


The Dark Secret of Arkham Museum by Clifford the Red. Arkham? FULL POINT! (Ia! Cthulhu!)… a tribute to the Miskatonic combined with the original Dark Museum free will effect with a nice added touch of an old arcane book holding the predictions of what the spectators will do. I see also Clifford has found the treasures of the HPL Historical Society – where you can get a CD full of mock documents from the 1920s. (Plus you should all order their Call of Cthulhu film – its great) – as a writer for Chaosium’s Cthulhu line a while back, I say… IA!!! Cthulhu Fhtagn!!!!

The Stark Museum by Dean Montalbano. Yes indeed – Stark is here too! Here you have a creepy prediction of a chosen Higley item, undead rapping pieces of flesh and other séance effects that ends in a flash for fright. Classic spellbinding Stark. By the way, Dean’s suggestions for many other effects in the book are all brilliant!

Voice of the Museum by Chris Handa. This nightmare effect involves any 3 Higleys but Chris here uses the Head, Paw and Shaman Bones. The plot follows a Free Will flavour but has the additional genius touch of using a drum to help determine things – and engaging as many senses of the specs as you can is always a super+ for effect impact. And a rattle drum with the proper look goes like bread on butter with Shrunken heads and the like!

Test of Kings by Evil Dan. The Dark Museum with another wonderful mentalism principle. A great tale of why one would choose to put the items in different places and read the prediction i.e. the Test of Kings. Plus cigars and cognac… ah, I wish everyone who contributed to this book could gather in a nice 19th century like club and tell tales of high adventure like this!!!

Fah Tish Selim by the Brilliant Baba Gede Nibo. Did you get the book Vo Du Magick yet??? If you haven’t – it sux to be you. Baba is a great creator of stories and effects that feel authentic and mystic. In fact, reading his book got me all fired up to finally start writing my own effects up too as, it is hard to describe, reading his effects make you want to share. Like this one- the story of the performer’s final initiation into the mysteries of Obeah – with the serpent’s abode “HISSSSS”… and the methods are devious… and again, a nice flashy finish that feels not like corny magic but that you have participated in a ritual of deeper meaning. (Hey Baba, where is my card??!???)….

Earganism by Mystician. A reason to dig up that Arlen Studios gimmick I tossed in my dusty drawer. Mysty gives a nice quick creepy reason to use it again! A boo! Effect. This uses the fEARS set of 3 shrivelled ears.

Souven-Ears. Another fEARS effect. Frozen ears and fiery exploding ears… talk about having your ears burning (OK there are so many puns JM tosses in I had to say that in tribute)… one mystic ear has all the power of a dead sorcerer – and this effect will prove it!

Three Little Piggies – using the pirate toe set. The classic Dark Museum effect done with panache and the special chosen toe ends up mysteriously all bloody from the ancient pains of the past… nice cool effect.

Veve. The 3 no evil shrunken head set (how can you NOT love that name). Creepazoid deluxe. A prediction of a shrunken head with the spectator getting a mystical mark indicating he/she will be the next victim of the head shrinking Shuar tribe…plus JM tips the wonderful Stygian Depths artifacts – and lo and behold, he has a picture of the same one I have (the Vermiis Mysteriis (Ia..)).. as a wonderful book it is and involves showing the prophecy. (I had my book made up to do a book test  - now I got another reason to order a Necronomicon!!!)….

CHAPTER III: MORE

Ritual of Fire. A spectator chooses a Dark Museum item which turns out to grant the power of protection from fire. For you pyromaniacs out there, a great segue for other fiery effects. I was thinking this could also be modified to work with Maven’s ELEMENTAL effect in PRISM… everyone always chooses fire 

A Dark Obsession. A nice dark dark DARK obituary prediction using a classic time piece method and multiple outs. I also love this effect because of the joke of 667 being the neighbour of the beast… I used to live in a house numbered 667 and that was my line too!!! The guy who lived in 666 really was a beast, by the way. This is another good opener for why you own the Dark Museum objects in the first place.

A Dark Compulsion. Will the spectator choose the cursed item that might lead to madness and death – just like the former owner of the pieces and the current insane performer? BUT OF COURSE!!!!! Hee hahahahahahah!!! Nasty. Do it on someone you don’t like.

Dead Men Tell No Tales by the Seadawg (a fellow Canadian!). A wonderful pirate tale of voodoo priestesses, swindling captains, betting of souls, and of course- treasure! This is a great presentation for using the Kismet principle of Leslie Melville (used with his permission). Plus, you get to play with 5 shrunken heads! Yep! 5!!!

Dark Choice (a lot of dark things in chapter III)… an adaptation of an Alain Nu concept and a nice reveal of a predicted chosen dark object.

Dark Sense-Sations. One of these boxed items has an insane sensational history… and yep, the spec chose it!!! Some great story seeds for many of the dark museum objects and yet another variation for doing the dark deeds!

Phickle Finger. A BOO! Effect with a living finger surprising the spectators in the midst of a bunch of dead(?) body parts. This is nostalgic for me from Dunninger’s Pharaoh’s finger write-up from years ago… (and I have a similar effect (if Midnight in the Dark Museum II ever comes out) I’d love to share similar to this effect – based on that crazy Tenyo effect where the dead finger turns paper to real money – for a price… this is why I ordered the finger of Nephren-Ka from Doug – glad to see I think a tinge like Master Magus !)

Calling Doctor Death. The spec gets to cell phone call a dead voodoo priest buried in his grave. The cell phone of the corpse has a message on it that always predicts what object the spec was compelled to choose from the Dark Museum. Isn’t that Twilight Zone, or what???

BONUS: KOTAH IN HIGLEY LAND
All the following are story elements by KOTAH for introducing different amazing Higley art pieces beyond the normal (??) Dark Museum pieces.

The Curiosity. An introduction tale for a Higley mer-creature. A great story with suggestions of how to incorporate magic moments to heighten the tension.

Stranger Things. What a nice gross story and a way to present a Higley Atomic Death Worm. I think I will have to get one of those (after Rascar and Hob, right Doug???)….

Always Something. Materializing a nightmare from the imagination. Very nice!

Twisted Messengers. Ancient dead things stirring to life – mummified menace. You got my vote for this one too!

FINALLY
Who get bios on who Doug Higley and Jim Magus are. I wonder if Jim sells haunted houses?


OK – this has been a very long review and if anyone made it this far, you must be completely insane and thus you must now realize this book is a true gem. There is so much packed into it - from storytelling, mentalism, bizarre magic, theatrical hooks, and just enjoying the read itself – plus you can combine any combination of them for all sorts of acts. Plus you don’t even need to have the Dark Museum – but then you would be a true dolt not to get some Higley goodies after you read this book.

I again thank Jim Magus for letting me join the fun of this fantastic collaboration! It was truly an honour. To Doug, if it wasn’t for your artistic vision and dark mind, none of this would be possible. I am happy I stumbled into this dark corner of the Twilight Zone!

Ia! Jim, Doug and Cthulhu! Ia!

Wow! What a great review! Thanks!

Thank's Doc, you're quite a guy too. Excellent review!

Spektor! I need to get that book now!

No, I'm not a bizarrist as you sometimes seem to imply but I love so much to read bizarre stories that your review of this book is making me salivate!

Deny all you want Paolo - you are ONE OF US ... and by the way Jim mentions to readers look up your CODEX effect as a genius marking system for one of his effects- so you gotta get this book!

A beautiful and accurate review it was...Bravo Dr. Spektor!

Thank you for such kind words Doc...and maybe I ought to read this thing huh? But I'm still reading the one I wrote.

(I can't let on that I read Jim's book you see 'cause then I'd have to thank everybody individually and it would be worse than the Academy Awards acceptance I wrote for the movie I never got to make (yet)...by just reading my book (over and over) I only have to thank me.)


One of these days when it doesn't sound like a sales pitch, I'll do my thank yous.

For now a big TYVM for Dr. Spector...Bruce you's is a gem.

Great Review, thanks for your comments and likewise I enjoyed your contributions as well. I enjoyed everyone's contribution(s), I am simply in awe of all of you. I didn't know you had written for HPLHS, bravo! And yes, Call of Cthulhu is a brilliant piece of film-making - a brand new 1920's silent horror film. It's fantastic. I enjoy Lovecraft because it is good ol' psychological horror, not the silly slasher and gore stuff we have today. It is so creepy and "wink, wink" cultish (like obscure Python references) that it makes for some rich stuff to draw upon. When people see my alumni license plate frame they ask me questions like "Is Miskatonic University in the Midwest?" Hehehehehe, no it's in Massachusetts.

And then, after you read the book... Order a bunch of stuff from Doug... I know I did.

Yeah! What the farg anyway? Order line is open 24/7.

All the contributors did really great stuff...all! really in awe of every single contribution as well as how Jim put it all together as if what I do is relevant. Hey...I just make stuff.

My biggest surprise though and a great personal delight was what Kotah did with the Zibits at the end of the book. Gets the "Neato Groovy Peachy Keen Excalmation Of Exhaulted Off The Wall Excellence" Award.

Doc,
Just got this after purchasing 3 No Evil. Wow!
This is such a positive, creative and entertaining collective work of Biz's best.
Love your contributions especially Tsantsachometry. I relate to your stlye of
magick of "mizarrist" combining beautiful suggestion technique, bizarre story and classic mentalist skills. I agree and shout loudly in unison,who say's Corinda is dead?

Aaron Martin

I waited a year before ordering this. I wish I had not waited so long.
It is a great book and a wonderful tribute to Higley.
Doug Higley is certainly a master.
Thanks Jim.
Thanks Doug.

Peace,
Parson