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RevJohn Inner circle Oregon City Oregon, Oregon 2473 Posts |
Greetings.
Wondering if anyone has a review of Mental Dental Book Test? http://www.mjmmagic.com/store/mental-den......687.html Thanks! RevJohn |
RevJohn Inner circle Oregon City Oregon, Oregon 2473 Posts |
Still wondering if anyone has tried this out!
Thanks, RevJohn |
MentaThought Special user 615 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-02-27 00:37, RevJohn wrote: Just trying to bump this post -- I'm surprised no one's added any comments or reviewsof Mental Dental by now!
"A good mentalist ... will teach you a miracle because he understands the subtleties ..." -- Banachek
"If this works it'll be BEAUTIFUL!" - The Amazing Kreskin on a stunning effect he performed on his 1970s television series (PS: it worked) |
Dick Christian Inner circle Northern Virginia (Metro DC) 2619 Posts |
While reluctant to claim the title of “World’s Greatest Expert On Booktests,” as one who has been studying and collecting them for over 25 years, has featured a booktest routine prominently in his performances for over 10 years, whose collection includes approximately 1,000 dating from 1892 to 2009, and who is intimately familiar with about 400 of them, including “Mental Dental,” I claim more than a passing knowledge of the subject. Based on my study to date, I would rate “Mental Dental” as mediocre at best -- on a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it a 3.
Although it is produced by Magic, Inc. the actual originator is not identified; however, I am inclined to attribute it to a magician rather than a mentalist -- and in my experience those created by magicians generally tend to be inferior to those created by working mentalists in that they usually include too many features of little or no value (based on the erroneous assumption that more is necessarily better) while simultaneously affording little or no flexibility in presentation. “Mental Dental” suffers from both of those undesireable qualities and nothing about it is either new or noteworthy. The best that can be said about it is that with an MSRP of $49.95 (and I’ve found it offered by some dealers at an even lower price) it is relatively inexpensive -- but, as your mother probably told you, “You get what you pay for.” The effect is described as follows: a spectator is asked to hold up a single hand indicating a number (one through five). Let's say four fingers are held up indicating the number four. A second spectator is asked to do the same thing. Let's say five fingers are held up, indicating the number five. A third spectator (or one of the first two) is asked to decide if they want page 45 or page 54. They turn to whatever page is indicated in ACCEPTED DENTAL THERAPEUTICS (37th Edition) and the Magician (without looking at or handling the book) is able to reveal the first word on the page. (It is not insignificant that the description refers to the performer as a “Magician” and not as a mentalist -- that alone should tell you something.) To the unsophisticated perhaps this procedure suggests that the entire book is in play; however, anyone with a rudimentary grasp of mathematics will realize that, in fact, the choice of pages is quite restricted, although they may not be aware that it is limited to only 25 possibilities. To accomplish this apparent miracle the performer need only remember 25 words. The test does offer three positive features -- the book itself is ungimmicked and will pass the closest scrutiny, the performer never has to handle the book, and only limited memorization is required. IMO those are offset by the facts that the choices, while “free,” are severly limited, the performer must know the page number, and the choice of words is limited to the first word on only 25 pages. Of course the same could be said -- and the same effect accomplished -- with ANY ungimmicked book. In an apparent effort to make the effect more marketable to the performer of limited skill and experience and unfamiliar with booktests, several extraneous features -- none of which contribute anything of significance to the effect -- have been added. First, you receive three (hardcover) books, two of which are in a slipcase but play no essential role in the effect. The only real rationale for three books is so the performer can force the one that is needed for the effect. Does that add anything meaningful? Further, the fact that the book that IS essential to the effect is the one that is NOT in the slipcase is likely to draw unwanted attention to it. Of the two (unnecessary) books in the slipcase, the purpose served by one of them is for a cheap gag -- if it is selected by the participating audience member, when he opens the book he finds the pages hollowed out with a note saying “You will select this book” glued inside. IMO this trivializes the effect rather than enhancing it. The other book is never used at all. If the spectator selects it, the performer puts it right back in the slipcase -- so what’s the point of having it? If it were up to me, I’d memorize the 25 words in that book too, throw the stupid “gag” book away, put the other two in the slipcase and let the spectator choose either one. The only purpose for the slipcase itself is to provide a place to paste a crib with the list of 25 words and their respective page number -- thereby relieving the performer of the need to commit the list to memory but also risking inadvertent exposure. (If the performer can’t memorize a list of 25 words he should be looking for another line of work.) All in all, “Mental Dental” is an amateurish attempt at a book test that anyone with even to most basic familiarity with the genre could put together on their own but to which the creator(s) have added various extraneous features the only purpose of which seems to be to add imaginary value to an otherwise unremarkable and overpriced product. I would have expected something far better from a source as respected as Magic, Inc. If you are serious about booktests there is no shortage of others on the market that have far more to commend them than “Mental Dental.” You will probably pay more for them, but at least you’d be getting your money’s worth. Bottom line: save your money. If you don’t want to invest in one of the many quality booktests that are available, you can buy a book from the remaindered table at your local book store, memorize the first word on each of the 25 force pages and have you own test just like “Mental Dental” for a lot less than $49.95. After this decidedly negative review you may be wondering why I even added “Mental Dental” to my collection when I already have far more booktests than I will ever need for my own performances and 99.9% of the ones I have fall far short of meeting the criteria for my personal use in performance. It is because for the past 6+ years I have been compiling what, when it is published (hopefully in 2011), will be the first and only definitive reference work on the history and evolution of forcing books and booktests in the magical literature. Attendant to that project I am acquiring as many book tests -- both the good and bad ones -- as I can in order to make that work as complete as possible. Any readers interested in the criteria I apply in evaluating booktests for possible use in my own performances or in my personal recommendations for the better ones currently on the market, and who can establish their qualifications and “need to know” such information can contact me by PM. Just bear in mind that all I can do is offer my personal opinion in these matters. Others are free to disagree.
Dick Christian
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edh Inner circle 4698 Posts |
Dick, very informative post.
Magic is a vanishing art.
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markthorold Inner circle Shrunken heads atop 1942 Posts |
Out of curiosity Dick , what is in your opinion the pinnacle of booktests available on the market ?
Mark
E.O.I
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Dick Christian Inner circle Northern Virginia (Metro DC) 2619 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-05 13:05, markthorold wrote: Mark, That's kind of like asking "What is the best flavor of ice cream?" The answer is of necessity highly subjective and one person's "best" might well be another's "worst." Rather than get into a detailed discussion on such an open forum I'm responding separately by PM. Dick
Dick Christian
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rutt New user 11 Posts |
Just think to buy a book test,but I don't know what is the best.What is the best book test,Dick?? Thanks.
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BIlly James Special user 991 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-06 10:51, Dick Christian wrote: Not really, it's more like asking "What in YOUR opinion is the best ice cream flavor?" It always amuses me how people can't answer a straight forward question on these forums. |
Dick Christian Inner circle Northern Virginia (Metro DC) 2619 Posts |
Billy,
I get your point; however, I stand by my previous statement. Which book test (of the approximately 1,000-1,200 in my personal collection) I consider my personal "pinnacle" (i.e., "best") depends very much on the context, audience, situation and environment in which I would be performing. For me the "pinnacle" of tests using specially printed or prepared books is not the same as the "pinnacle" using any genuine ungimmicked book, the "pinnacle" for use in impromptu (e.g., any place, any time, any book) situations is not the one I consider the "pinnacle" for a structured "stage" performance. Similarly, my "pinnacle" in terms or ease of performance, is not the same as the "pinnacle" in terms of cleverness, originality or sophistication of method, etc., etc. And in any category "my" "pinnacle" may not necessarily by anyone else's "pinnacle." Several that I wouldn't consider using under any circumstances have been highly praised and touted by other subscribers to the Café and cited as essential components of their own book test routines. It would be foolhardy of me to suggest which book test(s), if any, that would be appropriate for another performer without understanding his/her level of skill and experience, the context and situation in which they intended to perform the test(s), etc. Nonetheless, I have had the opportunity to review several book tests for The Linking Ring magazine and have posted some of those reviews and others here on the Café and also on The Genii Forum. In those cases I have indicated the skill/experience level I feel each requires. Both privately and on the Café and Genii Forums I have posted comments on numerous tests in response to specific inquiries. Although a search of my posts to the Café may reveal a few of them, I have generally declined to identify the specific book tests that I use in my own performances because I am still very much a full time active performer and a book test routine, which I developed over many years, is a prominent feature of my act. I also perform impromptu on rare occasions and I prefer not to share or disclose details of any routines I currently feature in my personal performances (either private or public). If you or others have questions about specific tests that I may be familiar with, I will be happy to answer them to the extent appropriate on such a public forum or via PM when necessary.
Dick Christian
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Caliban Special user 727 Posts |
Dick,
I 100% agree with the comments in your original review about the restricted "holding up fingers" page selection procedure. But when I (and others) made exactly the same criticism of a marketed book test with a pocket dictionary that uses the same restricted selection procedure - I'm sure you were the main person defending it and disagreeing with that criticism. You said then that it shouldn't bother a professional - only an amateur who performs to the same people all the time. Have you changed your mind? I have always enjoyed reading your posts, especially about book tests, so I don't mean this is a flame. But I'm puzzled that in this thread you seem to be expressing precisely the opinion that you argued against in the other thread a few months later. |
Dick Christian Inner circle Northern Virginia (Metro DC) 2619 Posts |
Caliban,
After reading your note I went back and read the comments in my review of Mental Dental and you are correct. I was critical of the "fingers" method of selecting a page number and admit that I was probably more dismissive of that ploy than I should have been. While I much prefer to avoid forcing pages, lines or words at all, especially by any means requiring mathematical computations, dice, playing cards, etc. (all of which have been suggested in various book tests), the "finger" method is one of the least objectionable ways of doing so and -- as long as it is not overused -- can appear fair and random enough to escape suspicion. My favorable take on Kranzo's "Diction" was predicated more on the fact that since it used a genuine ungimmicked book that was small enough to carry in one's pocket (although one might wonder how many people carry around a dictionary of any size), was very reasonably priced and could be effectively presented by those with only basic skills and experience than on the need to force a page and the method of doing so. The most gratifying thing to me is that you are obviously paying attention. I wish everyone did.
Dick Christian
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Caliban Special user 727 Posts |
Dick,
Thanks for the clarification. Like you say, the fingers dodge can be made to work, especially with something slim like a magazine. My problem with it is exactly what you said in the review at the top of this page - if anyone were to actually think about the selection procedure afterwards, it wouldn't take a genius to realise how limited the number of choices was. I prefer to avoid routines where a procedure that's out in the open as part of effect provides a clue as to the method. |
Dick Christian Inner circle Northern Virginia (Metro DC) 2619 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-01-04 17:02, Caliban wrote: Hopefully a well developed show with strong presentation, will afford little reason or opportunity for any but the most "solve the puzzle" fixated audience member to do the analysis. Again, although it's not my favorite, properly presented -- in a way that does not draw special attention to the process -- it can pass for fair and random with little reason to come under scrutiny. Furthermore, in the particular case of Kranzo's "Diction," even if they realized that the choice of pages was limited to only 25 most observers will assume it unlikely that the performer is able to keep 50 words and their associated pages straight in their mind while also paying attention to what they are doing since most people find it difficult if not impossible to concentrate on and remember more than 5-7 things at the same time.
Dick Christian
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Caliban Special user 727 Posts |
Yes, I think it's the type of procedure that works best if it appears to be off the cuff rather than a planned part of the procedure. "I tell you what ... just stick some fingers up at random", as if the idea of doing it that way has just come to you.
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Remarkable Marco Veteran user When I grow up, I want to have 355 Posts |
... and Kranzo's diction also comes with a quite neat bonus effect.
Gosh, I miss Dick's expertise on book tests! |
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