I watched the vol.2 first and I thought it was one of the best that I had seen in a long time. I added atleast 5 things immediately into my practise repertoire and maybe sometime one or 2 of em into my working repertoire.

However I don't know why but to me vols.1&3 just felt like they were lacking something. The 242 poker deal on vol.1 was good, but other than that I felt that most material was mediocre at best or simply just not my cup of tea, at least when compared to vol.2 On vol.3. "Mug you" was very nice idea but I agree with Santa, I doubt Lovikk uses it professionally. Laser aces for instance wasnt my cup of tea. Somehow it just looked weird to me right from the start and the motivation of using laser to fuse the blocks... Well... There must be much better way to motivate it if someone is going to do it. Also it lasted way too long without anything really interesting happening. It just lacked drama or something.

Still considering the price of this set it will be allmost a steal and also it shows that there still is good material at magic magazines and they usually play much better when seen than when read.

J-M

Just FYI, while it wasn't made clear on the DVD, the routine is performable with a borrowed deck - no marked cards.

Very thorough review, I applaud you.

Best,

Paul Cummins

Paul, you ol' beef and weck eatin' dude you, I've a question. The Trick That Wasn't is a great routine and I was disappointed that it wasn't taught, except for that flub up on disk one. Was there a reason or can it be found elsewhere?

This might interest you. I was asked for directions to Vegas by someone and I, in confusion and similar numbers on highways, gave them directions to Orange Park instead. So if you see anyone confused it is my fault.

How many tricks were not taught on the DVD? Great reviews, I read them multiple times!

About 3 tricks not taught.I guess the reason was to sell back issues of 'MAGIC' magazine.Fair enough I suppose but the issue I want is sold out!
I think it was Sept '03 which had 'Ten for Ten' in it.I remember having the original 'Ripped and Restored' cd-rom which I think had 'Ten for Ten' on it.From what I remember the spectator could shuffle but you had to pray to all that is
wonderful that he or she did'nt shuffle too much!

These DVD's are fabulous! So much superb material including the best Oil & Water routine I've ever seen, a very commercial coin & pen routine (Impromptu Hit Man)and a very effective (and almost self-working!) Elevator routine. And this is just Volume One!!!!!

You just can't go wrong with these - at any price!

There are five not taught. A couple are because they are on other projects or will be on projects and of those not taught they are absolute killer. What ticked me off was Paul Cummins, who is a great guy and lives, at least last time I looked, and works in my old stomping grounds, showed a routine after his Punkin Droker routine which was a really cool version, in my way of thinking, of Out Of This World called The Trick That Wasn't, it isn't listed as being on disk one. During the explanation he goes into one aspect of it then it cuts off. On disk three the same routine is there as 'performance only'. Now since they flubbed the editing and we know they filmed the explanation and it is a great routine it ticked me off. They also didn't provide a reasoning for it not being shown as they did for the others. That is my only complaint though, it is a great set and I'm happy they didn't release them one at a time, that would have been irritating as heck.

To clarify:

When I approached friends/contributors about performing or allowing their material to be performed on the set, I tried my best to be polite and respectful of their wishes.

TWO people declined altogether. “Thanks but no thanks.” Their prerogative.

Everyone else was very, very accommodating. In a few cases, they explained that they had recent products coming out and didn’t want to compete against this set. I think that’s fair. And I thought it was kind that, in those cases, they allowed us to perform the material and reference where it was in print. The viewer could then buy the product or check the magazine.

I thought that was a great solution. Paul Cummins chose to only explain one effect because he has future plans for the other two items. But if you want to learn them…they’re IN his one man issue!

Thanks,

Josh

Ah ha! But for us non Magic readers what is that issue???

It makes sense Josh, it was that dang editor teasing me on disk one! I know Lake Tahoe is a distraction but I'm so used!

Have been watching more of the MAGIC DVDs. Great material!

This has been the best entertainment I've had from magic in a long time.

Much to think about!

Secondary benefit: A chance to watch several different magicians work.

"Punken Droker" was in the July, 2005 issue.

Just bought this back issue and it was well more than worth it. This was the first time I had actually read Magic magazine *gasp!*. When I first got into magic I thought the best DVD set I had ever seen or would ever see was R. Paul Wilson's take on RRTCM with L&L. I was wrong...Talk About Tricks is by far one of the most impressive compilations I have ever seen to date. There are certain DVD's and books you buy and take a bit from it and consider it a good purchase; however, with this DVD set I have taken a ton of material and consider it one of my best investments in magic thus far. Thanks again to everyone involved in this project for giving us so much.

--Jim

This Joshua Jay review thread shows why the magic Café is one of the best resources for magi who really want to elevate their art...such unselfish giving...

I think about buying the dvd set from Joshua Jay. Is the "overlap" part on the dvd performance only or will I be able to do the overlap tricks when I buy an overlap gimmick refill? ( also available at penguinmagic )

Jacques

What a great DVD set! Fun to watch and TONS of usable stuff. My vote for best DVD of 2007.

That does it I have to buy this DVD so many good reviews!!!!

Yeah - this is pretty easily the best tricks DVD or DVD set I own.

A couple of things I wanted to emphasize:

+ I watched the whole set almost back-to-back, when normally it takes me weeks to go through a set of DVDs.

+ There were at least 3-4 tricks I was performing almost immediately that were great.

+ This DVD includes laser aces, which will blow away anyone who sees it.

+ This set is probably the 'freshest' material out in a long time, despite already being in print. There is a real feel that this is stuff you haven't seen a hundred times before with easy, moderate and highly advanced stuff.

I'm surprised there aren't more people on this thread raving about how great this is - maybe because of the really thorough reviews earlier on.

I would think for almost any serious magician, this would have to be in the collection.

You won't regret getting this set. Some of the best magic I've seen in a long time.

Well, for some reason this set escaped me. I just watched the first DVD and it is fantastic. I'd have paid the price of the set for the one DVD. No, I'm not joking.

I hear ya Christopher. I purchased the set towards the end of the summer from Joshua himself when he lectured here in Ottawa. I had a blast just watching the DVD's all the way through (took me a few days). Sooo much material, GOOD material. I cannot recommend this set enough! I was sad when I got to the end of disc 3. (LOL)