Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

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Guest

Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 9:15 am

I would be interested in hearing comments about Larry Becker's "Ultimate Flashback" book test. These threads tend to take strange tangents, moving for instance from Becker's marketed item to the relative strengths of the various marketed book tests to the question of whether book tests can be done convincingly, which naturally leads to a consideration of Max Maven's hairline, which in turn results in a heated discussion of whether David Blaine is in fact guilty of having received nutrients in the water tube during his recent extended impersonation of a hamster in a pet shop. . .

These sorts of tangents are of course usually quite interesting and reflect what Jon Racherbaumer might call something like "the evolving dynamic of a vibrantly synergistic cybercommunity" (in other words, these threads take on a life of their own). However, for my own selfish purposes, I'm really just interested in knowing if this book test is effective and receiving practical advice on how best to make use of its possibilities. Thanks.

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 9:25 am

I think UFB is excellent It's my second favorite, gaffed book test MOABT being by far my favorite. And for the occasional performer, moderately priced for what you get. Especially for something by Larry Becker :-)
It offers a number of totally different presentations and effect
In the right venue, it kills
from
Ford

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 9:25 am

I think UFB is excellent It's my second favorite, gaffed book test MOABT being by far my favorite. And for the occasional performer, moderately priced for what you get. Especially for something by Larry Becker :-)
It offers a number of totally different presentations and effect
In the right venue, it kills
from
Ford

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 11:46 am

Ulitmate Flashback is very good, to the point..very good for some trade show workers, who just have time to have the book opened, have a word looked at, and instantly,(if desired) revealed back to spectator. Also good when used in combination of other tests. I saw Kreskin use if on a talk show...no need for build up, had them look at words and reveal it, to both hosts, one after another.

Ross Johnson
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Ross Johnson » November 1st, 2003, 12:52 pm

Be aware that the principle behind "Flashback" has recently been exposed in a beginner's magic book available to the general public.

Brian Marks
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Brian Marks » November 1st, 2003, 1:15 pm

That shouldn't be a problem. Who reads anymore?

Ross Johnson
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Ross Johnson » November 1st, 2003, 1:43 pm

Why do a book test for non-readers?

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 3:13 pm

I perform Ultimate Flashback all the time.

I usually perform the trick in conjunction with two other book tests, Insight and The Wizard's Manual, and it's a great 1-2-3 punch. Different effects with each book, and it gets gradually more amazing, with effects that go far beyond just divining the word.

By far the most powerful way to perform this trick is to borrow the books from a shill. This can be justified in some venues, such as a coffeehouse, a private home, or a library, where the audience might reasonably believe that the shill might be in possession of books. In other places, however, it's just not credible, as when performing at the Magic Castle and corporate banquets.

I start out with the riffle glimpse, which works quite well and hard to backtrack.

I skip over the alphabet sentence, although I've heard that some people swear by it. But with my style, where I just do two or three divinations per book at most, the alphabet divination would be unnecessary. Does anyone out there use the alphabet divination? Is it powerful in a unique way?

If you give volunteers a choice of which page to look at, they will invariably choose the left-hand page. When revealing "Mr. Brewster," I say that I'm getting a name, but that I can't quite see the first name. I reveal the last name, and then ask what the first name was, a bit distressed that I couldn't get it. When they say "Mister," I laugh it off, saying, "Well, of course, Mister!" That's a bit of a convincer.

The dictionary revelation is by far the most powerful of the revelations; don't forget it. You will tend to wear out the gaffed dictionary after a while, wearing a huge break on pages 104 and 183, and that may give away the method.

When that happens, just get a regular ungaffed dictionary and highlight the words "everything" and "lumberjack." There really doesn't need to be any justification for the words being highlighted; when they turn to that page, it's just weird. If the books aren't borrowed but just presented, you could say at the very beginning that you woke up last night and highlighted a word in the dictionary and don't know what significance that will have.

If the books are borrowed, you just tell them to turn to the page number you wrote down, and ask them if anything jumps out at them.

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 1st, 2003, 3:15 pm

Originally posted by Ross Johnson:
Be aware that the principle behind "Flashback" has recently been exposed in a beginner's magic book available to the general public.
Which beginner's book are you talking about, and what did they say about the secret?

Brian Marks
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Brian Marks » November 1st, 2003, 5:08 pm

I was being sarcastic but I am sure the book has not made the new york times best sellers list. I wouldnt worry about it

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 2nd, 2003, 2:25 am

I agree with Ford, who I am very suprised to see here(!), about MOABT but would move Becker and Earle's Double Vision into position number two. This is the ultimate, Ultimate Flashback. It uses the original principle but the additional feats possible with it I feel are far superior to the original or ultimate sets. Also, it is by far the better and more natural looking book.

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 2nd, 2003, 7:53 am

I, too, agree with Ford. UFB is exceptionally versatile. There is one aspect that I haven't seen here and is the only aspect of it that I use. That is I have the spectator open to a random page. She shows a second spectator the page number she chose..it is never said aloud...he turns to that page and silently reads the first 4 lines or so. He sends the thought to me and I divine the scene, piece by piece. He then reads the lines aloud and I have correctly received his thoughts. It is very strong.
You don't have to 'flip", as it were.

I also agree with Ford that the MOAB is THE strongest gaffed booktest that there is.

Loki, I also like Double Vision very much. Very versitile and easy to do. I just like the aspect of UFB above a little better.

Best regards,
Tony Razzano

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 2nd, 2003, 9:30 am

To Loki,
I have no personal experience with Double Vision
so can neither reccomend it or warn away
I do have experience with Flash Back and UFB, and rarely change things in my show
from
Ford

Ross Johnson
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Ross Johnson » November 2nd, 2003, 12:09 pm

The beginner's book that I referenced was, I believe, written by a Philadelphia magic shop owner/exposer. He detailed the original Flashback principle by explaining what amounts to Dan Tong's "Peek-A-Book".

The book was reviewed in a recent issue of Genii or Magic. I was told that the copies that were at a local Barnes & Noble store have all been sold with more to be available soon.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 2nd, 2003, 5:23 pm

The book is by Irv Furman, who runs the only magic shop remaining in Philadelphia. I wrote about it in Genii, because I could see no good reason to give away the Balducci levitation to laymen. The book is still available in my local Border's.
Of course, the biggest offender in exposing Balducci to the public is Mike Maxwell, whose levitation video is sold to the public by the thousands through the Johnson and Smith catalogue.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 3rd, 2003, 9:45 am

The answer to why expose this to lay people in a book - they think that it is fresh in the public's minds and so it might sell some extra books, thus more money to them. Sad but true - these books are published in an attempt to make some money as well as being able to say that they are published authors. Sad, sad, sad. How many ethical dealers out there would nOT sell tricks to a lay person with cash in hand? How many lay people would spend money to learn a secret only? How many magicians do the same and then toss the trick into the dust bin? Again, sad but true. Many only care about one thing - how to do it.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
AB Stagecraft
http://www.mindguy.com/store
Serving the world for unique, real world mentalism for Professional Entertainers.

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 3rd, 2003, 12:01 pm

David Groves: Is there a reason "lumberjack" is the other word highlighted? I only ask as those familiar with the M.O. of another book test, may wonder if this is coincidence or do you use it for that reason?

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 3rd, 2003, 2:47 pm

Originally posted by Diego Domingo:
David Groves: Is there a reason "lumberjack" is the other word highlighted? I only ask as those familiar with the M.O. of another book test, may wonder if this is coincidence or do you use it for that reason?
Diego,

Yes, "lumberjack" and "everything" are specific to Ultimate Flashback.

To echo the praise of David, Ford and others, I also love Ultimate Flashback. I usually perform Greg Edmonds "Triple Threat Book Test" from his Mind Set #1, but I also perform UF and ALWAYS have the "Hoy Plus" book (the one with Larry on the cover) with me. Much the way many search for books that work with Max Maven's "Autome," I'm constantly looking for books that work well with Larry's "Hoy Plus" book.

Mother remains the gold standard, but I think that for the money, Larry's "Father of All Book Tests" is one of the best bargains in mentalism.

Ray

Guest

Re: Becker's "Ultimate Flashback"

Postby Guest » November 3rd, 2003, 2:49 pm

Originally posted by Diego Domingo:
David Groves: Is there a reason "lumberjack" is the other word highlighted? I only ask as those familiar with the M.O. of another book test, may wonder if this is coincidence or do you use it for that reason?
If I'm not mistaken, the force word on the right-hand page of the Ultimate Flashback books is "lumberjack."

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Re: Becker's

Postby MichaelDouglas » July 13th, 2013, 10:14 pm

Thanks for all of the comments gentlemen. I've the option to get UFB now but think that I'll save my pennies and eventually buy MOAB.

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Re: Becker's

Postby Steve Hook » July 14th, 2013, 1:45 am

It's the ol' "ten year old thread" trick! Michael, be sure to note that lots have happened in the last ten years, though of course MOAB and FB are still golden.

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Timothy Hyde
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Re: Becker's

Postby Timothy Hyde » August 22nd, 2013, 10:10 pm

Steve Hook wrote:It's the ol' "ten year old thread" trick! Michael, be sure to note that lots have happened in the last ten years, though of course MOAB and FB are still golden.


Not only still golden but now available in a combined volume in the form of the MOAB Pocket Edition
The Secret Notebooks of Mr Hyde - Vol 1 & 2 - http://www.MagicCoach.com


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