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The Paranormalist Special user United Kingdom 702 Posts 
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Brilliant television, Derren demonstrated the real meaning of mentalism showing what the human mind can actually achieve.
The viewing audience that saw this will talk about it for years to come. Apsolutley brilliant. More power to him. |
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Mesaboogie Special user 804 Posts
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Hmmm. One of my non-magic friends txt me and said he turned it off after the second commercial break!
I'm hugely disappointed, worst special to date. Would much prefer a second series of DB investigates. Does the countdown starting again mean we have another installment in a month? Quote: On 2010-09-08 18:30, The Paranormalist wrote: |
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Olympic Adam Inner circle 1259 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-08 18:30, The Paranormalist wrote: surprised you had time to comment on here Derren what with all the live filming and such yeah he said, time to make another hero or something I saw Enigma in the Adelphi and thought wow I'd love to see it again, then I took my mind to trying to work out the effects and it put me off him once I had figured out (or learnt more about older methods) of his live show effects. Still though, noone can take away from him what a good show he puts on. Great showmanship even if the effects are a little messy when you get down to it. I'm sure I owe a lot of my interest in mentalism/putting on a show to him and what I have watched over the past 10 years. Though I'd like to see a return to an old style series, I don't think we will get one.
Protection for mind readers and mentalists: http://tricksofthemind.com
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Michael Daniels Inner circle Isle of Man 1612 Posts
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Yes, he's a great showman and his ability to work a live audience is spectacularly good. I much prefer the TV recordings of his stage shows to the "specials" but "Hero" definitely marked a new low. I think I heard there would be a second broadcast in about a month. Unfortunately it will be compulsory viewing no matter how bad it is!
I do wonder what corner he is turning in his career and whether he is getting the best advice from those close to him. There is no doubt that he is a very intelligent and multi-talented man (his ability as a portrait artist is pretty extraordinary). I can understand that he wants to try to forge new directions in "mentalist" presentation and psychological entertainment. But every experimentalist knows that some experiments will fail. Mike |
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Gatehouse Regular user Cardiff, UK 117 Posts
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I have to admit that, on watching this special, I saw one particular 'flaw' that just left it gaping wide open for me... The use of hypnotism on the plane just left me thinking "Oh, so I guess the guy was hypnotised all along at various points then."
Please understand that, I don't wish to discuss (or beg for) Derren's actual method here, but the fact that he 'hypnotised' the fella on the plane simply gave the viewer (in my opinion) the opportunity to attribute everything he had seen before that point, to hypnotism. While hypnotism is certainly not a bad thing, it seems rather contrary to his claims throughout the programme (and its subtext) that he was gradually manipulating this man through various means. (Although to be fair, I wasn't paying 100% attention to the programme, after a long and tiring day.) All in all, the show just left me with a big "so what?" feeling... which is rather sad really. |
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ThePhilosopher Regular user Menlo Park, CA 122 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-08 20:58, Ryan Leston wrote: Sorry Ryan, That's typical Derren: he is a mentalist and hides the real method. I'm not saying that's bad--after all, I do the same thing. There is a certain style that always "gives away the method" for each effect. Tell the audience to look for X, but you do Y. Not only does it distract from the method, but it makes you seem more real because there is always something to "explain" what you do.
- Nathan
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Olympic Adam Inner circle 1259 Posts
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I believe it was Hy*not*s* throughout.
If he gets ratings he wont stop and the channel wont stop him it was turning into a reality show too, showing his family crying and stuff, saying he was cold before and now he hugs them. made me laugh Derren said it was his proudest moment or something, surely not... I remember sitting through Russian Roulette (not necessarily my favorite DB thing) and being really up for it and into the program, compare it to this stuff... much better TV and would make me watch again, doubt I'll be watching another Hero thing. Though I look forward to Enigma being on TV and me annoying whoever I watch it with by saying "well this is how this is done" and just appearing bitter lol
Protection for mind readers and mentalists: http://tricksofthemind.com
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Michael Daniels Inner circle Isle of Man 1612 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-09 04:25, Olympic Adam wrote: I think Derren is in danger of inventing a new genre of "unreality TV". The whole thing seemed unreal to me. But most people are so used to reality TV that they will buy into anything that looks vaguely like it. Mike |
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Ross Elite user Bristol 479 Posts
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I thought the show was wonderful.
I too am a huge fan of the early Derren stuff (and his fantastic live shows) but I hugely admire the direction he's taken with this special, which I thought was similar to some of the Treat or Treat stuff. It took me a while to warm to that, but I began to love the empowering aspects of the 'effects'. The bigger 'effect' last night was about shaking us out of the ruts we get ourselves into and forcing us to rethink our appraoch to life; to seize the day. To me, Derren came across as a strange, mysterious guru that uses bizzare and unconventional methods to shock their students into reevaluating their lives. Some of the moments in last night's show will stay with me forever. Particularly, the moment the guy stopped at his door and turned away, breaking an unproductive cycle he'd gotten into. I thought this was hauntingly beautiful. Everything Derren said to Matt also applies to the whole viewing audience. Last night, Derren worked his magic on me, and inspired me to reconsider some aspcets of my life. This morning, instead of sitting in front of the news on the sofa eating my breakfast, I went and had a cup of tea in the garden and looked up at the sky with renewed wonder. I think some people missed the point. Hat's off to Derren from me! |
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Jon_Thompson Inner circle Darkest Cheshire 2404 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-08 04:33, FairieSnuff wrote: Ooooh, don't tell me how it ends! I've not watched it yet, but I get tired of Mr Brown when I see postyhps triggering. Will I get tired of him watching this? |
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Olympic Adam Inner circle 1259 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-09 04:42, Michael Daniels wrote: I know exactly what you mean, those family clips were strange at times I understand what you mean about changing life opinions, but I do value my life and am very glad to be alive and have been since I was old enough to understand. I don't need some mentalist to tell me to appreciate things. Films like Saw scare you into being decent or fear a "little game" about your bad behavior . Gets people talking though no matter what he does.
Protection for mind readers and mentalists: http://tricksofthemind.com
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Gatehouse Regular user Cardiff, UK 117 Posts
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Quote:
Sorry Ryan, That's typical Derren: he is a mentalist and hides the real method. I'm not saying that's bad--after all, I do the same thing. There is a certain style that always "gives away the method" for each effect. Tell the audience to look for X, but you do Y. Not only does it distract from the method, but it makes you seem more real because there is always something to "explain" what you do. Oh I understand that.. I know that people do it all the time and some of my favourite Bob Cassidy effects go down that route, but in this case, I just felt it simplified things a bit too much for me - that rather than being an interesting demonstration of his 'abilities', it became more like he'd provided the audience with a get out clause (if that makes any sense at all). It just felt like a bit of an anti-climax to me. I'm claiming that the entire thing was done with hypnosis by the way, but from that short bit on the plane, it's very easy for the audience to pin everything they've seen onto that explanation (which in my opinion is one that makes the whole thing seem a lot less remarkable). |
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Garrad Elite user 447 Posts
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I think you have to remember that the program is not aimed at other mentalists but the general public. Where we might experience disappointment I think they will see it as a warm and wonderful thing to do to for another human being who is to all intensive purposes is an underdog. I think he is trying to soften his persona somewhat as in the past he has come across as arrogant. Looking at the program from a layman’s point of view I can see the attraction, admittedly not all of the general public will love this but I think enough will to validate this experiment.
As mentalists we often look at things in a very tainted fashion. If this story were told by anyone else I think we would all find it and the sentiment behind it quite inspiring.
You might say reality is the result of complex negotiations between the observer and the observed. But that is simply a point of view.
Many Thanks Garrad |
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kenwebster New user 61 Posts
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Come on guys, wake up smell the coffee ! It was pure and utter rubbish. I am a HUGE Derren fan I absolutely love his early stuff but this was out and out drivel.
You would not put someone in the position of having a gun put to their head in a garage hold up without them knowing about it first, nor would you tie them to a train track without previous knowledge. If this were real the guy could have suffered a heart attack....then what ? As for the street party when a band turned up, come on that was the sublime to the ridiculous. I hate writing something so negative as Derren is a genius, but you have to be really stupid to actually believe any of this were real. Sorry guys but this was cringe worthy car crash TV at its worst. As a hypnotist for 30 years I do know the power of the mind and in certain scenarios hypnosis could help to achieve certain things within the programme, but this went way too far and over the top. |
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RickDangerous Special user I can't believe I made 976 Posts
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Quote:
On 2010-09-09 06:04, Garrad wrote: imho spot on
"Reality is what you can get away with."
Robert A. Wilson "Think for yourself and question authority." Timothy Leary |
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Lord Freddie Inner circle 1093 Posts
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It was one of the only shows not to feature the disclaimer that no actors or stooges were involved. That tells you a lot in my opinion.
In the words of the great Bard, it was "Much Ado About Nothing" and seemed so staged, contrived and tedious. Derren's earlier brilliance seems to have disolved into the mediocre 'Events', the lazy 'Investigates' shows and now this badly acted piece of artificial sentiment. Thankfully he can still cut it live. Many of the lay people I have spoken to (and comments I have read on Facebook) were pretty much of the same opinion and found the show a let down. I understand the sentiment behind it was to change the rut you may be in, but I expected more from Derren Brown than the stating-the-obvious contents of a mass market self-help book. |
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Ross Elite user Bristol 479 Posts
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There were actors used, and Derren was very open about that. Everyone Matt encountered was an actor. Everyone apart from the guy was "in on it".
Not sure what the public layperson consensus is (seemed mixed on the Guardian live blog thing). I watched it with my layperson girlfriend. She wept and thought it was sweet. She thought it a bit too sugary one place ( music choice when Matt went to front of plane). She also though Derren might be playing god a bit (The scenes when Derren is watching on cameras reminded her of the Truman show) but she though the postive outcome was probably worthwhile. Only one opinion but thought I'd let people know. |
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bobser Inner circle 4183 Posts
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I think 'premise' and 'intention' are important in the critique of this performance.
Garad is correct that DB is NOT performing for we mentalists and while Ken Webster is of course 100% correct in his post Derren is a showman and yes he would most certainly have done a pre-talk to both the lad's concious and sub-concious before any of these stunts took place. That's why he wasn't screaming on the tracks for example. Indeed if there was a mistake made here then it would have been in the choice of spec!!! I would have wanted someone who would have 'acted' more terrified when I wanted him to. That would have a) looked more realistic and b) sat better with what Derren said about courage: 'not being the absence of fear but rather the conquering of it'. It didn't look like that to me. Rather he looked as if he couldn't make up his mind if he were scared or not. And that doesn't happen in reality. When the stuff starts to run down your leg you kinda' KNOW!!! Finally I think, based on the above, you can see why many people believe a thing is stooged. It is because most of the time the spec is 'acting out' the emotional phenomena of what is going on. Therefore it looks like just that: acting. So, for me, the spec knows whats going on but is acting out the assumed wishes of the hypnotist He is NOT a stooge however, but part of him absolutely knows that this is NOT real. But... it's a show! And the production team will happily settle for just that. I can easily see why some of you didn't like it and your arguments are in fact excellent. But for me I actually found it highly entertaining: 'light entertainment'. bobser
Bob Burns is the creator of The Swan.
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IAIN Eternal Order england 18802 Posts
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Questions/thoughts...
definitely not a stooge/actor why? because if it was all stooged, he could have gone even "bigger", some big bank robbery where he saves the day (as an example)... and he wouldnt have needed the pretend-cockpit... the guy's facial expressions were natural...and he could control them that well as an actor, then he would have also have had voice coaching and been a movie star by now... it focused a lot more on "them" rather than derren this time, in fact, face-time, derren could have only of had about ten minutes worth, if that...a bit more of a "giving" kinda programme... maybe he's giving back to his viewers in a well meaning way... strangely though, that he picked someone religious, and its probably ramped up his religious beliefs a little too...and derren's very anti all that stuff normally...i wonder if he's loosening his grip on that afterall? I saw it as a kind of return to the mentalism roots, but in a different way - that feeling of leaving people feeling empowered by what they witnessed, but instead of toe clicking or whatever else, he did it on his own terms and framework... have you ever thought he doesn't do the same format of trick of the mind, cos of all the w**kers knocking about these days proudly touting how "they now how derren did x,y,z" or mewling for "how did he do that cool trik and is it available via penguin?" I sat down, had a coffee, some toast and marmite and was entertained...not hugely, but it certainly wasnt a waste of my time...i was entertained, and I enjoyed it...good on him for continuing his career...
I've asked to be banned
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brehan Special user holland 668 Posts
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Hi guys can I see this special somwhere on the net??
cheers brehan |
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Posted: Sep 8, 2010 10:30 pm 
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