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acchessor Elite user Nebraska 402 Posts |
John Bannon “Impossibilia” Video Review
Hello there! Today I am reviewing John Bannon’s Impossibilia video produced by A-1 Video. I won this VHS on an auction on eBay, but it is also currently produced as a DVD and available in magic stores. I first came to know Bannon through “Dear Mr. Fantasy” (which I also have reviewed) and enjoy the practicality, simplicity, and amazing qualities of his magic. The video gives a great glance into how Bannon thinks and features material that, as Mike Maxwell states in the beginning, you will do. Material from both Impossibilia and Smoke and Mirrors is provided with a few effects that are separately marketed. I’ve heard that this video is boring to some, but I believe that the material was entertainingly and thoroughly done. The performances are great (with many cheesy jokes thrown in that cracked me up) and the explanations give you everything you need to succeed. The material ranges from self-working to several sleights needed, but John explains all of the sleights needed. The quality and camera work is well-done. With that, let’s get to the effects: Shriek of the Mutilated The magician takes out a package of cigarette paper and takes out a piece. The paper is ripped into four pieces and rolled into a small ball. The magi then brings out a needle and pushes the ball onto the end of it. Then, a lighter is introduced, held up to the ball, and WHOOSH!! A flame erupts, but the ball is still seen on the needle. Unrolling the paper, it is seen that the previously torn sheet is completely restored. This effect is a great attention getter with the flame and is pretty impossible. However, I don’t smoke and don’t have the necessary “items” to perform this, but it still is a great effect. Stranger’s Gallery The magi takes out three predictions from a blue-backed deck of cards, and the spectator selects a card, say the 9 of Diamonds. The magi then shows that the predictions all match the selected card. However, since there can’t be four of the same cards in the same deck, the three predictions completely change to three different backs from different decks. The original blue deck is then shown to match none of the cards since it has changed to a red deck! This was the first of several in this video to completely stun me. The mechanics are relatively simple but convince the spectator that all of the cards were originally blue. The individual changes of the cards are also awesome and are extremely convincing.There are some gaffs that are needed, but if you have three different card backs, you can make them at home using a known method. I can’t wait to find the different card backs to try this out! Also a separately marketed effect that contains the required gaffs. Play it Straight (Triumph The spectator selects a card from the deck, and the magi proceeds to shuffle the deck face-up/face-down triumph style, showing clearly at each shuffle that the cards indeed face different ways. “Wouldn’t it be great if I could find your card in this mixed up deck?” the magi asks, but then he realizes that the spectator didn’t put her card back into the deck. Seeing that there might be a chance to still find out what the card is, the magi asks the spectator for the suit of her card, which is hearts, and, with a snap, he spreads the deck to show that the only cards face-up are the hearts in sequential order with one missing card, which is the selection! This is another stunner where I saw it the first time and went crazy over it. There is a small setup, but there are no sleights in this self-working version. The shuffle sequence is convincing, and I think you’ll love this too. Vacuum Packed The magi brings out a small glass bottle with two aspirin (since this is so shocking the spectator will need them) and a burnt out match. He explains that the match, which was lit when it was placed in the glass, creates a vacuum seal (that’s right, this trick sucks!). A quarter is borrowed from the spectator and is slammed right into the bottle! The bottle is opened and the match and aspirin poured out, but the coin is too large for the opening. The magi brings out a pair of tweezers and visually pulls out the coin from the bottle and returns it to the spectator! Everything can be examined. This is a great treat for the eyes and a great CIB option that’s self-contained in the bottle. It does require a special coin which I don’t have, so I’ll have to wait with this for a while. One is the Onliest The magi borrows a quarter and has it signed by the spectator. He then goes into a one-coin routine (can be any routine, but the one Bannon teaches is great). At the end of the routine, the coin changes into a giant coin (and there “couldn’t be a switch” since “your initials” is written on the back of the coin). A bag is seen on the table, and cleanly with empty hands, the magi removes several different items from the bag (nest of boxes style). At the end, the signed quarter is found! A great routine, in the one-coin routine that Bannon teaches (several vanishes and the sort) and the impossible location finish. The objects used for the nest of boxes can be personalized for your use or comedic jokes. Overall a great routine. Shock Treatment Before the trick begins, the magi places a card into his pocket, dubbing it the “card of mystery”. One spectator chooses a card, and another spectator thinks of a card of a different color than the first spectator’s. The selected card is lost into the deck, and the magician has the second spectator deal cards onto the table equal to twice the value of his thought-of-card. When the magi reveals the card dealt to, it is the first selected card! The magi asks what card the second spectator thought of and then reaches into his pocket to show that the card in his pocket was the thought-of-card! A great way to have a thought-of card end up in your pocket. The downside of this effect is a half-deck stack, but besides that and another sleight, it’s practically self-working. Heart of the City The magician shows a sealed envelope on the table and does not touch it again until the end of the effect. He takes out three predictions from the deck, and the spectator chooses a card and signs it. The magician then gives the spectator several intuition tests and has the spectator choose another card from the deck (let’s say it’s the queen of spades). The magi responds that the spectator’s intuition must be amazing since the three prediction cards are the other three queens. The magi then takes it one step further and opens up the envelope to reveal one card inside. When the card is flipped over, it’s the spectator’s original signed card! This is a great effect in its construction and climax. The envelope is completely ungimmicked, and, if you wish, you could place the card in a container, card box, nest of boxes, or anything else that fits your fancy or you could to a simple “mystery card” presentation with the card on the table the entire time. The presentation John gives of “intuition tests” also works very well. Directed Verdict IV The spectator cuts four packets from the deck, and the top card of each packet is an ace! I first encountered this effect as Final Verdict in “Dear Mr. Fantasy” which has a different way of handling the final ace. I actually like this version better as there’s less fidgeting by the magician. A great and easy cutting-the-aces. The Birnman Revelation A four ace production that I’m not really that excited about. Shanghai Surprise A magi introduces a half dollar, vanishes it, and makes it reappear. He then makes it change places with a coin from London to an English penny. He then produces the half dollar back, and then the two coins change into two Chinese coins. This requires the Chinese coins and another special coin that I don’t have. Good visual effect though. Revolutionary Penetration A Chinese coin and a string are introduced. The string is threaded through the coin and placed in a spectator’s hand. With a pull, the string magically penetrates through the coin! A good and simple effect. I don’t have a Chinese coin, but a washer or something else of the sort could probably work. Photo Logic The spectator selects a card from the deck. The magi introduces a bag of red slips of paper and takes out a piece. He shows both sides and has the spectator sign one side of the slip. It is then placed under a glass, and a flash cube is brought out, touched to the glass, and WHOOSH!! A flash occurs, and when the glass is removed and the paper turned over, an image of the selected card appears! Another good and simple effect using several known moves. Return of the Magnificant 7 A group of cards of the opposite color of the deck are introduced, and they are all shown to be one card, say the Jack of Hearts. The spectator selects a card from the deck (say the Nine of Spades), and the magi explains that if it were a prediction effect, he would be wrong not just once but seven times and counts the opposite color cards to be seven. Three of the cards and the selected card are taken, and, one at a time, the cards change into the Nine of Spades. Taking the next card in line, that card is changed as well, and the last few cards are picked up and changed to the selection, leaving the original card and seven opposite-colored Nine of Spades! Everything can be examined! This is one of the best things I’ve ever seen. When I saw this, my mouth dropped to the floor at the changes and the final result. A wild card effect with no gaffs, special cards, or extra gimmicks! The changes are extremely visual and convince a spectator that you started with seven different cards. The only difficult part will be finding seven duplicates to use, but you’ll have a lot of fun and amazement with this! So, that’s the Impossibilia video. I paid $7.50 for this but would gladly pay more. The DVD version also contains a bonus effect Wait Until Dark, which is in Dear Mr. Fantasy and is an awesome prediction effect. I would recommend this to anyone who wants powerful but simple magic that will blow anyone away. Stranger's Gallery, Play it Straight, and Return of the Magnificant 7 are completely worth the price of admission. Overall, a great buy! 9.5/10 I still remain, Despite their most strenuous objections, A close-up kinda guy BC |
Dougini Inner circle The Beautiful State Of Maine 7130 Posts |
John Bannon is a unique, and talented magician. Thank you for this review. Stranger's Gallery is worth the entire vid!
Doug |
joseph Eternal Order Please ignore my 17407 Posts |
Indeed....This is good...Now you need to find the Smoke & Mirrors video....also great...
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Einstein)...
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Dougini Inner circle The Beautiful State Of Maine 7130 Posts |
Yup! You can get BOTH here:
http://mymagic.com/bannon.htm And here is Stranger's Gallery (From Impossibilia), so you can do this impossible color changing deck! http://www.mjmmagic.com/store/strangers-......742.html Doug |
Miraclemakers Special user INA 685 Posts |
Thanks for sharing acchessor.....
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