|
|
cougar261084 Elite user 460 Posts |
Okay, I'll post a small review since my schedule doesn't allow for much time off.
As a working performer I must say that DVDs are (and this is still an understatement) excellent, first time I watched the series he had me fooled on more than one occasion. I believe some said he had magiciany ways, first of all you may call yourself a mentalist at base you are still a magician, second I don't think his methods are all that magiciany unless you're scared of some sleights here and there, third who cares if they're magiciany the effect's there isn't it? I think most of the routines are very good and very flexible, some didn't appeal to me but that's just me His Russian Roulette is just fun to watch and is very very good, one in a thousands chair prediction routine is worth the cost of the series itsself to my mind. I also very much liked orifices (although I knew this already (don't know from where)) the touch with the bead coming out of his eye is just ewww. By the way, I don't think I'm giving away too much of the effect but be aware you actually stick one of those things in your eye, that kind of put me off. However, there is just to much in there to ignore. I think this series can be put right up there with Maven and Osterlind and Banachek's DVD series. |
Marc Spelmann Special user London U.K. 666 Posts |
Cougar,
Thank you so much for your comments, I would agree that not all of the effects are suitable for anyone person but I do believe that if you are a worker there is definately at least four or five routines that can go straight into your act and many of them are closers which people are very often looking for. There is a posting in the DVD section that discusses the dvds fully.. My best to you.. Marc Spelmann
It's not goodbye, just see you later...
|
Matt Andrews Loyal user Switzerland 219 Posts |
I would like to add my 2 Swiss centimes concerning Marc's DVDs and the audience’s reactions during his performance.
As stated before, the routines are very enjoyable to watch and they are very well explained; and in each DVD you have at least two routines which are very strong and for me are worth the price of the DVD. Now, there have been some critics on the café concerning the audience’s reactions during Marc’s performance: cold, reserved, and so on. And of course the comparison was made with Richard Osterlind’s Mind Mysteries and the new ETMMM DVDs. Although I agree that a British audience is less expansive than an American audience, one major difference here is that on Osterlind’s DVDs, the audience is ALWAYS in view of the camera and although in ETMMM there is no “overpowering” John to distract the effects, you can directly see the people’s faces and amazed looks while Richard is performing. On Marc’s performance, you only see the audience reactions a few times. So, for those who are afraid that Marc’s effects are not strong enough, you should not worry; they are strong and definitely worth learning and performing. Thank you Marc and thank you Peter for bringing these DVD out to the community of mentalists. Matt
_____________________________
Because nice matters |
SpAgHeTtI Regular user 166 Posts |
Aren't osterlind's audience actors?generally aren't l&l audience actors?The disposition of the audience is random or is it prearranged?
However I like Osterlind and all the other dvd.... |
Tom Lauten Special user 689 Posts |
I HIGHLY rate Marc's performance style and this comes across exceptionally well on the DVDs.
I think the material would suit a wide range of performance styles and what's more the vast number of techniques employed by Marc (traditional, modified and original) all used in real performances give us all an enormous encyclopedia of engaging material to utilise and enjoy! Well done Marc Spelman and Peter Nardi!
Living at and loving Loch Ness!
|
templemagic Elite user Sunderland, North-East England 420 Posts |
I have to agree that I also loved the DVD set. I think there are very few sets of DVDs now which have so much workable and useable material as Marc's do. Like everything that is released people have good comments and bad comments but I have to say I think these DVDs have been unfairly treated by many people. My personal favourite routines are 100,000,000 serial killer, Orifices, Thief in the Dark, The Chair Prediction and Prize Draw.
Keep up the good work Marc and Peter! Cheers, TM |
harishjose Special user 932 Posts |
I still am viewing the DVDs. SO far I have seen vol 1 to 3. Only a very few effects have appealed to me. The presentational style is not dynamic as I thought. This is for serious mentalist. The methods used are not all revolutionary or brand new. Maybe a couple more viewings can change my view.
To believe is Magic.
|
Hart Keene Inner circle Eugene, OR 1486 Posts |
Michael Close gave these one of the worst reviews I have ever seen in Magic Magazine. I have not watched them so I will not say if they are good or bad. I have disagreed w/ Mr. Close in the past so I will not judge these solely on what he said.
|
Karl Miller Elite user 494 Posts |
The audiences at L&L are not actors. I know this for a fact because I have several friends who have been in the L&L audiences. The performers have to work for those reactions. I know that because I have discussed this very matter with some guys who have done video shoots for L&L.
|
Dark Thought 13 Regular user Washington D.C. 122 Posts |
Close got it wrong, hey he's only human.. I wasn't blown over by some elements on the Spellman set but there is more food for thought on this set than most others..
Close goes on about props but to my knowledge Spellman used what most Mentalists or Mental Magic guys do.. The performance is however a little down played, Spellman comes across much better in the explainations.. Hey Karl, I agree but any studio audience be it L&L or Jay Leno is encouraged to play it up a little.. They clearly are not actors but none the less it is different than an audience in the real world.. On some of the DVDs I own it's like they are already in astonishment before anything has even happened.. That 'John' guy on the L&Ls claps in amazement in one of Osterlinds DVDs and even Osterlind looks confused as to what was so amazing.. DT13
"I love the one with the plastic thumb!"
Someone who has seen a s*** magician |
harishjose Special user 932 Posts |
I believe that if he had put all the best work in one DVD alone, then that would had been worth $45. Else I don't think $45 is worth for each DVD. don't get me wrong, the DVDs have good stuffs. There are some pretty good points here and there.
I have the same complaint that I saw somewhere else. Marc doesn't allow the spectator to handle the envelopes as much as I would had liked him to. If you perform the effect for an American audience, they would soon become suspicious about this. This I find as the weakest point in his tricks. And strangely enough, the not-explained tricks in the DVD are not really that difficult to guess the method. The plus points are that, he has a style that he doesn't try to copy from his inspirations like Derren, Cassidy or Becker. Some effects are given new thoughts. The final verdict: I would give 6/10. Again, that's just me.
To believe is Magic.
|
Jon Beetham New user Newcastle 71 Posts |
I think the set is a very valid source to any mentalist or magician who wishes to include mental material in their acts, especially for cabaret or platform..
I personally found more useable stand alone effects on this set than anyother over the last few years.. I love the Osterlinds and the Banacheks but feel much of it has been seen before, b..n w.....rs, etc.. I think Mark took a brave step and released ideas and routines that haven't really been easily accessable to performers.. His chair routine (regardless of what Mike Close wrote) fooled the hell out of us at his lecture and we are supposed to know what is coming.. I can also validate that his performance style for us in the UK was not suited for a dvd release.. Lets just say he is very humorous with an edge which some might feel is close to the mark.. The envelope comments are valid but you must take into account that (and I think he mentions this on the set?) you wouldn't do all of the envelope routines in one act as using envelopes that much in a single act would be odd regardless of whether they were handled by the audience.. I do understand your point though.. I must say that the envelopes used in Staple Gun Roullete are opened fairly and inverted where a single piece of paper falls out that to any layperson is an empty envelope.. A magician performing mentalism or mental magic would feel the need to show the envelope empty.. This premise of inverting an envelope and a single item falling out is more than enough to psychologically leave the impression the envelope is empty.. Larry Beckers three coin routine uses this exact principle.. He handles the envelopes at all times but no one ever questions it.. Larry's routine was used by himself as an opener for years.. I should point out that in Marks lecture he showed us his d..... e...d envelope design which certainly added to the chair routine, also he jazzed the performance up tremendously so that even those wit the set were still desperately trying to keep up.. He also spent a good twenty minutes teaching us the refinements of Untouched and I have to say it is so very practical for PK Touches, moving objects and even floating a note if you do traditional magic. His subtleties in almost every routine is gold dust to any working pro and it is a set I constantly refer back to.. The set is worth far more than $45 dollars.. That works out to about £25 in the uk.. You could just about buy a single descent effect for that amount and regardless what you think of Marks performance or the hype around this set there is more than £25 worth of material on this set.. I do agree that the set is overpriced in the US, in the UK it retails at the same price as all others.. The pricing is not down to greed or ego but rather the terrible exchange rate in the US. I have been buying like carzy as it is almost half price.. ie $100 is just over £50.. Naturally when the tables are turned you guys end up paying high prices from europe and the UK hence the cost of the set when converted into dollars.. Even though Mike Close says they are not worth the asking price he sold the set 'Given' to him for $156.. I mentioned this before but that is a little ironic considering he tells us not to buy them.. Maybe some sour grapes there from Mike as Mark is young and successful.. Just my personal take having watched the set and seen Mark lecture.. He also showed us a beautiful handling of The Staple Roulette with no envelopes.. Jon |
Markymark Inner circle 1686 Posts |
I cannot believe Mike Close has sour grapes against anyone.His 'Luckiest Cards' routine in Closely Gaurded Secrets' is unbelievable!. I think the Marc Spelman d'vd's were more expensive then other d'v'd's, it was not just the weak dollar.
I just wanted more entertainment value [not just methods].I did not get this but I did from The Osterland and Maven set's.I really don't blame Mr. Close for selling his set at all...
''In memory of a once fluid man,crammed and distorted by the classical mess'' -Bruce Lee
|
harishjose Special user 932 Posts |
To be fair. The DVDs are good except for the high price. 4 DVDs with $45 is a big investment (atleast for me).
I liked and will be using many subtlties that Marc discussed in the DVDs. I praticularly liked a remote viewing kind of device that is clever and useful. He used it in a book test. I also liked his handlings of Psychokinesis. Though I wish he was more explanatory. What I didn't like however was that, he has this tendency to draw attention to himself during the tricks. For example, the envelopes. As a mentalist performer, I want to take the attention away from my pocket and direct it to the envelope on the table. He does this in many routines. There is a great routine -From Beyond the Grave. Here again, he keeps the wallet, which is the main part of the trick in his pocket. There are reasons for this. But still one would wish, this was not the case.
To believe is Magic.
|
Dark Thought 13 Regular user Washington D.C. 122 Posts |
Decent set of DVDs with some okay ideas, good ideas and great ideas.. Not the best performance in my opinion but it does the job.
Trust me MarkyMark the dollar stinks right now and as Jon said they cost the same in the UK as Osterlinds and Banacheks so they are not more expensive for any other reason. I have gotten a few bits over the last couple of months from Europe and things are more expensive due to our economy. DT13
"I love the one with the plastic thumb!"
Someone who has seen a s*** magician |
Markymark Inner circle 1686 Posts |
I Trust you Darkthought!.I'm in a Euro zone and I find American d.v.d's cost more in England even with the currency difference!.Most D.v.d's cost about 30-35 dollars.So I fail to understand why that somehow ends up as 30 sterling.Anyway I just found the idea of Michael Close having sore grapes with anyone[considering his
body of work] slightly well...ludicrus!
''In memory of a once fluid man,crammed and distorted by the classical mess'' -Bruce Lee
|
Jon Beetham New user Newcastle 71 Posts |
It's called profit Marky Mark.. pure and simple.. every shop or internet company buys stock in and marks it up to what is an exceptable fee. Not criticising that as that is business and every company has overheads..
If you think about somewhere like Davenports Magic which is situated in Charing Cross (central London) they have three shop units that they operate out of, their weekly rent for that place must be huge.. Thus when they sell stuff they mark it up considerably.. |
harishjose Special user 932 Posts |
FOr those who are interested, Marc Spellman DVDs are on sale on Stevens Magic website.
http://www.stevensmagic.com/cshopping/shopexd.asp?id=6168
To believe is Magic.
|
GCanuzzi New user Italy 51 Posts |
I'm new in the forum and in mentalism but after watching Marc Spelmann DVDs a lot of ideas have come into my mind. Obviously you can't take every single routine and put into your act but for me in every dvds there're 1 o 2 routine of great impact with minimum effort,if you still don't have these Dvds take them,it's a lot of bread for your mind because each routine can be changed to adapt to your style or to your storytelling.
Among all the routine I was very shocked on 'free call' maybe because I have never tried this kind of work but what Marc did was so clever and so easy that you can concentrate completely on your presentation and for my taste this and other routines worth every single dollar or pound or euro, but that's my opinion |
Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-02-06 20:25, GCanuzzi wrote: You brought back a thread that is 8 years old. Better turn off your PM box because there's a little police group that sends nasty PM's to those that do that. Why do they care? It's what happens when you disappoint women. That low self esteem has to be channeled somewhere.....;-) GCanuzzi, welcome to the Café and thanks for sharing your thoughts! |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Dvd, Video tape, Audio tape & Compact discs. » » Small review of Marc Spellman DVDs ! (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 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 < |