Name: Miracles for Mortals (Volume 1 & 2) by Geoff Williams

Author: Geoff Williams

Price: £50 for 2 volumes

Publisher:

Date: Sept 2005

Pages/Length: 2 DVD's

Difficulty: Ranges from 0 to 6 out of 10

Out of 10: Can I give it 11?

Contents

VOLUME 1

ELECTRICAL ARTLET - Boom box cord too short to reach the wall outlet? No problem; just draw an outlet on a pad of paper, plug in the cord and the music starts right up! Based on a Fantasio effect and used with his permission.


UPLOOPTED - A horizontal card levitation that looks UNBELIEVABLE!


THE "I HATE DAVID Copperfield" TRICK - Based on "Close-Up Illusion" by Larry Jennings, a card VISIBLY MELTS through another. The visuals here go WAY BEYOND the original.


THE OMEGA BET - Based on the Karl Fulves effect, Bob Wagner has turned this into a KILLER piece of entertainment, a 5-phase whirlwind of fun for everyone in the room! A random spectator decides the final, and most impossible, bet of all. The routine uses my false overhand shuffle (which is quite easy but appears totally fair).


MORE ON "OIL & WATER" - Sam Schwartz's wondrous 3-phase, 8-card O & W routine with NO SLEIGHTS! NONE! Thanks to Sam for allowing me to include this gem with minor handling changes.


MIRACLE COIN VANISH - This gets GASPS from spectators. Looks like real magic. (Note: a jacket or sportcoat is required)


JUST A BIT MORE ULTIMATE THAN JOHN MENDOZA'S "ULTIMATE TORN & RESTORED CARD" - The name says it all. In an e-mail to me, Mr. Mendoza (a close-up DEITY) said he thinks more of this method (of his trick which appeared in "The Book of John") than any of the "piece-by-piece" restorations out there. You're clean at the first and clean at the end. As a bonus, it's SUPER EASY to do even though the card is SIGNED ON BOTH SIDES!


Volume One Bonus Effects:


INVISIBLE DECK FINESSE - Makes using an Invisible Deck more fun than ever (and the reset is DURING the routine).


FORKLIFT - Move silverware with your mind!


4-WAY COINCIDENCE - A reworking of a stunning prediction routine by John Murray from "Card Cavalcade 3" by Jerry Mentzer (included with Jerry's permission). Use a borrowed, thoroughly-shuffled deck. There's only one real "move" (which is laughably simple).

VOLUME 2

BACHELOR'S THREAD - Raj Madhok's marvelous method of magically producing the ring for a Ring & String routine. It just appears out of NOWHERE!


THREADY OR NOT - My "improved" handling for the first phase of any Ring & String routine. Originally based on the Earl Nelson move (in "Variations"), this one addresses two major discrepancies in the original.


READY 2 LINK - A technique that makes the get ready for the Linking Rubberbands TOTALLY INVISIBLE. Based on Roger Klause's brilliant concept of "half-moves".


SHUFFLING STYLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD - A modular card routine where a card is located after a series of shuffling demonstrations. Includes the marvelous "Sybil" flourish cut (thanks to Chris Kenner) which is taught with a 5-card packet for easier learning.


IS IT HOT IN HERE OR IS IT JUST ME? - How to produce a seemingly-lit cigarette from anywhere on your person AT ANY TIME in your act.


DEVASTATION - This might just be the BEST impromptu card trick ON THE PLANET! Tom Daugherty's totally impossible card location that'll devastate your audience (hence the name). Note: there's NOT ONE SLEIGHT in the entire trick! Works with a borrowed deck. Worth the price of this DVD MANY TIMES over.


BEAR HANDS - A great packet trick for kids (or adults) where a bear jumps from a card onto a spectator's hand.


HAIRBALLS - A multi-phase, 2-ball sponge ball routine loaded with magic and designed to keep the spectator from opening their hand early (and spoiling the surprise finish).


THE HAT TRICK - The close-up version of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, suitable even for restaurant workers.


EVERYTHING'S A RADIO - A real reputation maker! Make a radio station broadcast come out of anything: a ketchup bottle, a crayon, a drawing... ANYTHING!


IF THINE EYE OFFENDS THEE - Your eyeball falls out. You wash it off in your mouth. You glue it back in. What could be more natural?


Volume Two Bonus Effect:


FURIOUS, JR. - A "penny to jumbo coin" routine inspired by the Gary Kurtz original.



Comments

I am amazed there is not a bigger fuss being made about these DVD's so I thopught I would post a review.

Just so you guys know I have a lot of DVD's a lot of books and a lot of videos. Over the years I have spent hours every day reading books and learning new moves and new effects. I believe that it is my job to perform the strongest magic possible for the people that pay to see me. With this in mind I will tell you straight off the bat that these DVD's contain the best material I have ever seen and by far the most commercial. This is material that is developed for use to real people not your magic buddies down the club. I have become jaded recently with many magic DVD's - many of them are c**p and I get nothing from them in terms of workable effects. This has now all changed. Those that know me know that I do not normally rave about new material like this but this is something special. I can see myself doing almost all of these effects. I like Geoff's thinking about the magic he performs - he likes to keep it simple. Simple however does not mean uneffective in fact some of the effects on here are some of the most off the wall original plots I have seen. This is not a DVD to buy if you are a XCM freak, or you are looking for the latest sleight. However, if you want a DVD with effects that you will use for real people look no further.

There is an effect on this DVD called E.A.R (Everything's a Radio) in which music comes from a drawing of a boom box on a file card that the spectator has just drawn. The whole effect is great and so well routined. I cannot imagine ever being able to follow this routine with any other magic. I think that once you have done this you would HAVE to leave the table. The torn and restored card from volume one is great as well. You take one card only tear it into eight pieces and without the pieces leaving the spectators sight perform a flash restoration. Geoff also shares his views on why a torn and restored effect should use a stranger card (something I have never thought of but makes perfect sense) and his solution to this problem is great.

I love coin magic - well Geoff's miricle coin vanish went straight into my performance. Forget about Melt and Gone etc. This is the cleanest and one of the most visual assisted coin vanishes I have ever seen (I believe that this is shown on the coinvention DVD's). I am using it as a end to a coin under watch routine and it is playing really well indeed. There is something here for everyone as well. Do you like mentalism then try the Omega Bet (a great 5 phase mentalism effect performed as a game between you and the spectator) or Devastation (a killer impossible location effect that is a magician fooler). Do you like tricks for kids try Bear Hands (finally a way to do the web in a restaurant without ending up giving someone a heart attack) or the Hat Trick (Pull a rabbit out of a hat close up table hopping). Are you a rind and string fan try Batchelor's Needle (takes eye of the needle to the next level) or Thready or Knot.

The bottom line is this stuff is killer close up magic and I can see a lot of it being used by me in the next few weeks. Highly recomended

Craig P

As an afterthought I should say that Geoff's customer service is second to none. I had a couple of questions about an effect on the DVD and e-mailed him. He got back to me straight away and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in tryiung to help in.

At a time where customer service can be lacking in many areas this was a pleasure to experience. If anyone has any problems with anything on these DVD's I urge you to contact Geoff, I'm sure he will try to help!

Craig P

Craig,

I've been considering these DVDs. Thanks for the review!

Eddie

Any links to this dvd?
thanks.

Besides Devastation, are any of these effects impromptu?

The dvd set has a rubberband lnk that just kills...you WILL use this if you do rubberbands

they are loaded with great stuff

koz

On Volume 1 - Omega Bet, More On Oil and Water and 4 way conicidence are all anytime anywhere.

On Volume 2 - Ready to Link, Shuffling Styles from around the world and Devastation as well as thready or knot and batchelors needle (as long as you have a piece of string, which you can borrow)

Omega bet is rapidly becoming my fave impromptu card effect. Hope this helps

Craig

Everything's a Radio sounds interesting. Could someone explain the effect a little more? Is it practical for walk around?

Thanks
Eric

Thanks for the great review Craig, That was just the last verification I needed to go ahead and order them both.
CinChiller, here's a link to Hocus-Pocus:
http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/?hn=1

-e-

He has someone in the audience draw a radio on a piece of paper....and when he touches the the on button of the drawn on radio music comes on...its a VERY cool effect...and it can be done anywhere
koz

Thanks koz. Do I have to buy anything expensive to make it work? If so, is it easy to find? (not looking for the secret).

Um....well theres some money involved....

theresa a ton of really good ideas on those dvd's...theres stuff you will do

Thanks!

Eric

BTW, How many routines he teachesin these DVD's can be performed impromptu?

-e-

Look at what I wrote 8 posts up!

I pointed out all the impromptu effects

There are loads

Craig P

QUOTE - Thanks koz. Do I have to buy anything expensive to make it work? If so, is it easy to find? (not looking for the secret).

You have 2 options

1.) Make it yourself (would cost about $20)

2.) Buy it ready made from Geoff (contact him for details)

Speak to you soon

Craig P

Great reveiw,Ordered mine yesterday!!

Unfortunately these may be one of the more overlooked GREAT DVD sets out. Both Koz and I saw Geoff at LVMI and thought his work was SUPERB, funny, etc. Koz booked him and Geoff filled these DVDs with some simply superb magic. Many might not know Geoff's name but I can assure you this is some of the best material to see DVD this last year in my opinion. Koz had 2 great must have releases back to back... Geoff Williams and Slydini.

Tim Trono

Everything Craig petty says ...believe it! This is what I wrote on The Magic bunny forum......
I don't really have time to do a full review. But I do have time to say after having watched Vols 1&2 of "Miracles for mortals" How Impressed I am both with The Content & The Performer. Man these dvds are great!!

If you don't already own these then buy them! I've never seen anything of Mr Williams before, so it was a pleasant surprise to watch them.

Before I mention some of the material on the 2 DVDs I want to say how Impressed I am with the way Mr Williams performs, His style & presenation is brilliant, very witty & comes across very professional, for those who have never seen him he looks like Jay sankey's twin brother (If you ever read this Geoff, Sorry but Im sure your used to that)
Some of the tricks/effects/material on the DVDs have been out for quite some time & therfore seasoned pro's will have at least seen 40%-50% of the content but don't let that put you off, these 2 DVDs are superb.

DEVEASTATION A Card trick with a borrowed shuffled deck....It says on the ad that this is worth the price of the DVDs & they are quite correct, Its a Stunner!

UNLOOPED Love Geoffs thinking behind this, & a Cracking effect to boot!

E.A.R This is AWESOME ...Nuff said.

All in all there are just over 20 effects on Vols 1&2 ...5 of them have gone right into my walkround routine (Only had the DVDs 2 days)

Entertainment value 10/10
Workable routines for Beginner to Pro 10/10
_________________

I watched these DVD's yeterday and the reveiws are true,impressive
magic taught extremly well.These dvd's contain a lot of workable material.