|
|
Kevin Ram Special user Travelling through Europe 791 Posts |
Warning!--this is a message which isn't meant to "big up" or put down David Blaine. I'm not a "fan" but I respect him as I would any other magician. No more, no less.
This is written to discuss this topic openly with no agendas. So please leave your comments with out saying how much you 'love or hate' him. And don't bother saying how pointless the topic is, if you think its pointless don't bother commenting. This will be of interest to some. So.... Over the years many people have bashed Blaine for doing basic stuff. All we have seen is what he has done on TV. In reality he might have a decent set of chops. I saw a clip of him practicing the Diagonal Palm Shift. That is a move for the serious card magician. (Notice I say magician). In my opinion Blaine isn't as bad as everyone says. He just uses methods which work for TV. To be honest so would I. I wouldn't want my fav stuff copied by the people who are going to abuse it. Any thoughts?
"Your the Italian stallion" As said by my g/friend
|
Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
You ask us not to mention whether we love him or hate him, yet you immediately talk about why people should love him or hate him. Pick an angle and stick with it.
|
twistedace Inner circle philadelphia 3772 Posts |
The man has to have chops. He's a NY boy. All of the card men I've encountered from NYC have serious chops. I used to really bash him but there is no room for that, the public loves him so he's doing something right. He is also friends with Paul Harris I believe so that says something there. He works simple but effective and his character works for him. Everyone is different but if everyone was the same...wouldn't life be boring?
|
Jim Wilder Special user Birmingham, AL 954 Posts |
While not an advocate for Blaine, I recognize that he has activated an interest in magic that had diminished in recent years. In most conversations I've had with other magicians about Blaine, I find general lack of support. However, I do not know if that speaks volumes about David Blaine himself, or the people I am talking with.
I think magicians who put Blaine off, do so because they see him as a magician for lay people, and not a magician's magician. Again though, these are only my opinions formed from talking with an isolated group of magicians. However, to make my post relevant to the topic (have I already missed my chance?), I have observed moves more mechanical than a double lift that constitute that Blaine has done some homework. Regardless of whether I or anyone else likes him or not, currently he seems to have done an effective job with what he's got, chops or no. |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27300 Posts |
1) post the clip. can't comment on what's not seen.
re: "in my opinio blaine isn't as bad as everyone says..." 2) don't tell me how I (one of everyone) think or say unless you want to be chided as a petulant mentalist 3) the moves in AAA are a great place to practice, even though it takes a LONG time to get them into routines.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
TheCaffeinator Regular user Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada 126 Posts |
Does David Blaine have "chops"? Hmmm...well, if by "chops" you mean advanced technique...the "real skillz"...frenetic finger flipping and all that jazz, I can't say whether he does or not because I've never seen him do anything that requires really advanced technical ability, which is not to say that he doesn't have it. However, that in itself goes a long way to contribute to our understanding of why he is worshipped by the lay audience and loathed by many magicians.
Simply, and firmly IMHO, Blaine performs for laypeople. He does not perform for magicians. He chooses effects that are simple from a technical standpoint but get strong reactions. He does not look for the most finger-twisting knuckle-mangling methods to do effects that can be done just as well with basic RRTCM technique. I think many of the magicians who resent Blaine and his success do so because he gets away with it. He does not seem to me to be out to impress other magicians. He doesn't come off in public as the kind of a guy who would go to a magic club meeting and get caught up in sharing, comparing, and flaring 35 different methods of "Waving the Aces" each of varying difficulty and technical complexity. The public doesn't care about the method. They don't care about technique as long as it's invisible. They care about the presentation and the final impact that is left on them. Not so with magicians. Rather than appreciate how he works his spectators and gets strong reactions without technical complexity, it's easy for those magicians who get caught up in equating the technical complexity/difficulty of an effect with its overall quality to dismiss Blaine with a comment like, "Bah! He's just doing a double lift. Doesn't he know that that effect just doesn't work unless you use the Ultra-Cosmic Three-Card Cover Whiffly-Poof Pass?" I have to admit that I credit David Blaine with getting me back into magic after a 5-year hiatus. BUt for the wrong reasons. The first time I saw a Blaine special on TV, I spouted quite a few of those "Whiffle-Poof Pass"-type comments. I wasn't appreciating Blaine as a layperson. I was thinking things like, "Geez...I can do that trick...in fact, I did it when I was 10! Who the heck does he think he is getting paid to do that simple crap." Blaine got me back into magic because he pi55ed me off. Not the most admirable of motivations. But I have to say it did make me step back and reevaluate everything I had learned about magic up until then and made me take a hard look at my repertoire. Does Blaine have chops? Perhaps a more interesting question is does he NEED them? |
gdw Inner circle 4884 Posts |
Has no one here noticed that he performs Paul Harris' Simple Switch like it's just an other charlier cut!!
If any one has tried this move you will know how difficult it is. I don't mean the one card flipped off the deck and back again, I mean the one with two cards doing both those moves at once. It's a b!tch to nail every time. On top of that, Blaine got this down in a few days. If that doesn't show chops I don't know what does. It might also be worth noteing that I am not a hudge Blain fan. I do however appretiate what he has done for us in regards to exposure. I also take note that he may be doing things that we all can do, or buy at a magic shop, but this encourages me letting me know that these are obviously powerful and GOOD effects. Expecialy if some one has made fame and fortune with them. He has not only proven his worth, but all of ours as well. To not see that for what is (perticularly by those who perform similar effects and thus cannot claim that they don't like WHAT he does) only leaves me to suspect pur jelousy. I mean he is world famous for doing all the effects you do for your friends. To dis like him for that seems very illogical if not routed in envy. But that's just my opinion. Glenn
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
I won't forget you Robert. |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27300 Posts |
Re: "He has not only proven his worth..."
I asked the NY gang about him some time ago. They knew him before he got the TV special. Their report of him was favorable and only good things were said. IMHO he was good to start with, and his publicity and media arrangements were just what he needed to meet the public eye.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
david_a_whitehead Inner circle USA 2122 Posts |
He does a perfect "simple switch", a flawless two card pushoff...i would safely say he has skill. However, you do not need to have "chops" to entertain anyone.
|
Kevin Ram Special user Travelling through Europe 791 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-06-10 16:46, Firedice27 wrote: read what I said again!!!!!! I am implying that there should be a level of respect for the man. not once did I say love or hate! if your still having trouble working this out, pm me and I'll go through it step by step for you!!!!
"Your the Italian stallion" As said by my g/friend
|
abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
Excellent entertainer and well versed in the business of making money.
Not the most skilled magician in the world but he obviously got into magic as a career and in careers you try to make money first and get fancy second. May I say I love AND hate him??? You didn't specify that! Glenn the reason some of us dislike him (I didn't say love or hate) is that he inevitably edited out the times he failed at performing the simple switch but that my man is TV. |
Marco S. Inner circle 1017 Posts |
Of course he has chops, quite a few I`d say.
Just watch some of his TV specials and you can see that the things he does are very good. I never witnessed any bad moves or stuff like that. David`s way of doing tricks is more direct and looks easier than other magicians`handling. I think that is what makes him so successful. I cannot understand why people always want to rate him and compare him to other magicians. If the others are better, then they are doing something wrong, because Blaine is the one who makes a fortune, not them. What more can I say? |
Larry Barnowsky Inner circle Cooperstown, NY where bats are made from 4770 Posts |
His magic is fine and he is a skilled performer. His last starvation stunt in Great Britain brought him unexpected public ridicule and created great material for those very cruel British satirists, but as one celebrity once said, "Bad publicity is better than no publicity." Or to sum it up from the younger perspective: Blaine RULZ!
|
TheHungryMagician Regular user 144 Posts |
I could do almost all of his tricks when I was ten. Yep, even Simple Switch (not sure about method). So I'm saying nobody knows if he has "chops." If he has "chops" according to his specials I have "chops" and had "chops" when I was 10.
Forever starving,
Hungry |
JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
The thing about Blaine is his style is simple - you see what he does and assume you could do anything he does and you should be the one on TV. But who ever said it takes "chops" to entertain people? Having chops will not make you a successful magician - having a good style and presentation is what it takes. David Blaine has all of that, plus chops.
But I do think he needs some more tricks - he spent 40 some days in a box, and he didn't disappear or transform or anything at all. I fail to see the magical value of that, as Chris Rock said ... he's the "trickless magician".
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
|
LBP MAGIC Veteran user 374 Posts |
We need a new street magician on T.V. so we can stop talking about David Blaine. How many times are we going to say the same things? If anybody can go to ABC or NBC, or whatever and get yourself a special please do. Then we can discuss how we hate or love you and why you are awsome or why you are a hack. Nevermind I will do it myself. Get ready to love or hate me!
|
Che Regular user 117 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-06-11 15:52, TheHungryMagician wrote: How many methods do you think there are for "Simple Switch"? I'm willing to bet you couldn't do "Simple Switch" when you were ten. If you could you were a pretty amazing ten year old. I'm also willing to try and double my money by betting you are confused as to what "Simple Switch" is, seeing that you think it's a trick. Is it possible you are confusing "Simple Switch" with the card transposition he performs?? |
TheHungryMagician Regular user 144 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-06-12 16:07, Che wrote: I might be. I guess I need to see the TLC special again. It's not a trick? Anywhere I can get it other than AoA? Want to see it there, but I'm on a tight budget.
Forever starving,
Hungry |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4855 Posts |
Staff Note: This topic has been locked as it has been discussed many many times elsewhere throughout the forums
Where the magic begins
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Street Magic » » David Blaine "Chops" » » TOPIC IS LOCKED (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |