One Man's View of The Hollingworth Collection
Posted: September 3rd, 2014, 6:03 pm
One Man's View of The Hollingworth Collection
Initial impressions:
- There is nothing worse (well, maybe a few things are...) than buying a highly anticipated item, only for it to arrive trashed in the mail. Therefore, kudos to Dave and Dan for a superb job of packaging--oversized box--lots of padding. This is the way to ship!
- A few small extras were in the parcel: a D and D patch, a D and D playing card, and a postcard containing a 10% discount code for their new playing card site. Unexpected, but appreciated.
The Presentation Box:
- The DVD set comes in a black and white flip top slip cover. Curiously, the advertising text behind the top flap of the slipcover is far less bombastic than on the website. (Although at this point, they've already got your money! ) What is also interesting to me is that the slipcover has a soft, velvet-like texture. It just feels like quality.
- The box that holds everything slides easily out of the slip cover. It is done in a beautiful art deco style, with gold foil printing, and a sort of faux marble print--it compliments the endpapers of Drawing Room Deceptions quite nicely. Although made of cardboard, it's really of a very heavy stock and about the size of a cigar box--really, really impressive. The lid fits snugly in the top. As it's lifted there is a signature card glued to the bottom of the lid. (Reading it made me laugh). Guy's signature appears as well as the number of the particular copy. (BTW, if D and D are shipping the numbered copies in order, they have sold at least about half the run--less the reserve copies [if any]).
-The small book that holds the DVD's themselves is a weak point for me. To me, the idea container must be durable to protect the DVD's, yet still allow me easy access to the DVD's without potentially damaging the discs. I actually found it somewhat difficult to remove these DVD's as they are slid into heavy cardboard sleeves that do not flex at all. The discs fit into tight fitting recesses and you sort of have to pry them out of there at an angle while pulling. This puts a fair bit of stress on the discs, and I don't like doing that. The bookcase is beautiful bound book device, but it falls short from a utilitarian point of view. I ended up sticking my discs in paper sleeves (which thankfully, can still fit in the box with the rest of the stuff.
-I can't comment on the included deck of cards, as I'm leaving mine sealed. The ribbons to help get the contents of the box out of their little cubbyholes are a nice touch.
-I realize that the elegance of the packaging is but an afterthought (and perhaps a waste of money) to some; however, knowing Guy’s style and sensibilities, this is really the only way the material deserves to be presented in my opinion. I know it's an added expense, but I think it would have been a real shame to have released this material in a run-of-the-mill plastic case.
Contents:
Here's the nitty gritty. Each of the original videos has one DVD devoted to them.
-The first two discs contain the full content of the original 2 videos; however, they are NOT broken out into chapters in a submenu, which would have made the reprint much more useful. That said, if you are watching it on a computer, it's a simple matter to jump from trick to trick using the software; however, a formal menu would have been a lot better for learning.
-The first two videos do not appear to have been remastered. You can see a tracking line at the bottom of "The London Collection" for instance. "Routines" is in full color and the footage is much clearer and has less artifacts. The sound is mono on "The London Collection" and 2 channel stereo on "Routines". Although the old footage is perfectly serviceable, cleaned up, upcoded HD versions would have been nice.
-The first two discs have further commentary on the effects presented as a separate chapter item. In it, Guy gives a brief introduction in the style of the original video and a bit of background. He then shows updated handlings, applications, and ideas on many of the various routines. The footage is clean, although the sound leaves a bit to be desired, especially on the second disc.
-One thing should be noted about the commentary. It was filmed over a number of years. The original tapes are about 20 years old. In some cases, the commentary is about half that old. He discusses all of the tricks from "The London Collection", but not all of the routines on "Routines". He more than makes up for this with a very detailed discussion of "A Gambling Routine" (including thorough demonstrations of the sleights involved). There are also two routines in this section that did not appear in the original tapes--the last of which (which I think is unpublished) just destroyed me. Finally, both commentary sections also include video explanations of some of Guy's favorite routines from his book and lecture notes.
-I'll leave a detailed review of the tricks and sleights themselves to the experts. I'll only say that they're uniformly brilliant, and serious card guys will have a ball discovering or rediscovering them. It's enlightening to see how Guy refined the original routines, and there are lots of improvements worth incorporating/exploring.
-I saved my comments on the 3rd disc for last because it's the one disc that does not contain the original video. Indeed, disc 3 is an all new instructional video on "The Reformation" (thus, allowing Guy to keep his original promise--something he briefly discusses in the Introduction). It's miles ahead of the original video in detail, presentation, and clarity of instruction, even though the choice of lighting was a bit dark. Despite owning one of the original 100 copies of the VCR tape, I am really happy to see this. The explanation, while separated into chapters on the disc, is again sans menu for those chapters--just like the first two discs. I still wish they had included this to make learning easier.
- The rest of Disc 3 contains a fun interview with Guy on a variety of subjects including the development of this project, his creative process, and his current interests. (I've got to meet him one day--he seems like a cool person just to talk to!). The section called "The Interval" is a wordless video compilation of the sleights described in the book chapter of that name in "Drawing Room Deceptions". For me, this feature was a revelation, as I've always had a Cliff Green-like skepticism about some of the sleights in this section of the book. Not only can those sleights be done, but they can be done quite deceptively. “A Trick with Psychology” is an excellent version of an Andrew Wimhurst routine that I’d rather not mention. Guy’s performance in the 1994 Isle of Man Close-Up Competition follows. It’s a blast from the past, and I enjoyed looking at it and comparing it to his performance style today to see the evolution. (Still, I reckon he would have won the recent IBM/SAM competition with that act). Derren Brown’s parody of “The London Collection” closes out the disc—it’ll make a lot more sense after Disc 1.
-It is true that the majority of the material on these discs has seen print before in Guy's book and his other publications. However, some are explained on video here for the first time, and as noted above, further clarifications and extensions are present as well. Even being familiar with the written descriptions, I got a lot out of the videos, and I was quite happy to note several terrific routines I had overlooked previously.
Summary:
So, here’s what you get: All of the original video material—all cards, all practical, and lots of stuff you might want to use. A brand new performance and explanation of “The Reformation”. More recent commentary that meaningfully expands and explains the material as well as the video debuts of some other great routines. A boatload of extras. Unique deck of cards. All wrapped up in a top quality, professional kit that oozes panache.
Should you buy it?
How would I know (if I don’t know you personally)?
However, I can try to make a few suggestions. Please take them with a grain of salt.
-If you like easy magic that you want to be able perform with little practice, look elsewhere. This stuff is geared at the intermediate to advanced level.
-If you hate cards, see above.
-If you love cards and have (or want to have) some chops, go for it. These routines are devastating in the right hands, and the degree of thought incorporated into them will educate and inspire you. I just love learning magic where I spontaneously say to myself “That’s cool!” as I’m learning. These routines will do that over and over to you.
-If you want to finally learn “The Reformation”, this is the place. I suppose you could wait until people start dumping the original VCR tape on ebay, but I think you’d be short changing yourself and making the learning process more difficult.
-If you are unfamiliar with Guy Hollingworth’s material, I would strongly advise getting his book first. It’s easily available and cheap at the price. If you like the book, I predict you’ll like the videos—and vice versa.
-If you just want to enjoy hours of performance of strong magic by one of the best cardmen in the world, I think you’ll like the set.
-If you prefer to learn by reading and normally eschew videos, you could certainly justify that stance with regards to this product, since it does not contain a bunch of unpublished material. However, you'd have to seek out several disparate sources for all of the old stuff, and you'd miss out on the new handlings and extras as well. Plus, there's something to be said about seeing print routines brought to life by their creator.
-Finally, if you own the original tapes, should you buy? For me, that’s a definite “Yes!” for all of the reasons cited above. The extra material is well worth it to me as these days, I love to learn small touches to make what I already do better. These DVD’s are a goldmine for that sort of thing.
Considering the high quality of the material, the rich packaging, and the sheer enjoyment of viewing the set and working through the material, I think it’s a bargain even at the high asking price.
Disclaimer: I have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with anyone who was involved in this project. (I've never even met any of them). I'm just a serious amateur magician who loves performing card magic.
---------------------
Addendum: there is a sound sync issue on my copy of Disc 1 in the commentary section for the cannibal card routine--Thanks to Dustin for this information; A D and D rep emailed me that they are working on a fix as of this date). I will report back when this gets remedied.
---------------------
Addendum 2 (January 29, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries sent an email today with a link/password for the corrected video footage. Text follows:
We are very sorry for the delay getting the replacement discs out. For the time being, please see the link below for the complete footage of The Easy Way Home, without the audio sync errors currently present on Volume 1. As soon as the replacement discs are ready, you will receive one in the mail.
---------------------
Addendum 3 (February 4, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries responded in this thread via Elliott Terral: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=45194&start=120#p308641
Purchasers who want a replacement disc and the link/password for the corrected video footage need to:
"Forward your order confirmation to contact@dananddave.com and request a disc and the link. Please don't share the link amongst fellow magicians, not because we don't want it getting out, but because we would rather be able to speak with them directly to make note that they need a replacement disc."
If you have any questions, please contact Elliott Terral directly at jet@dananddave.com
---------------------
Addendum 4 (May 12, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries Customer Service contacted me and stated that replacement discs should ship by next week.
---------------------
Addendum 5 (May 23, 2015): Replacement disc received. The sync issue noted above has been fixed.
Initial impressions:
- There is nothing worse (well, maybe a few things are...) than buying a highly anticipated item, only for it to arrive trashed in the mail. Therefore, kudos to Dave and Dan for a superb job of packaging--oversized box--lots of padding. This is the way to ship!
- A few small extras were in the parcel: a D and D patch, a D and D playing card, and a postcard containing a 10% discount code for their new playing card site. Unexpected, but appreciated.
The Presentation Box:
- The DVD set comes in a black and white flip top slip cover. Curiously, the advertising text behind the top flap of the slipcover is far less bombastic than on the website. (Although at this point, they've already got your money! ) What is also interesting to me is that the slipcover has a soft, velvet-like texture. It just feels like quality.
- The box that holds everything slides easily out of the slip cover. It is done in a beautiful art deco style, with gold foil printing, and a sort of faux marble print--it compliments the endpapers of Drawing Room Deceptions quite nicely. Although made of cardboard, it's really of a very heavy stock and about the size of a cigar box--really, really impressive. The lid fits snugly in the top. As it's lifted there is a signature card glued to the bottom of the lid. (Reading it made me laugh). Guy's signature appears as well as the number of the particular copy. (BTW, if D and D are shipping the numbered copies in order, they have sold at least about half the run--less the reserve copies [if any]).
-The small book that holds the DVD's themselves is a weak point for me. To me, the idea container must be durable to protect the DVD's, yet still allow me easy access to the DVD's without potentially damaging the discs. I actually found it somewhat difficult to remove these DVD's as they are slid into heavy cardboard sleeves that do not flex at all. The discs fit into tight fitting recesses and you sort of have to pry them out of there at an angle while pulling. This puts a fair bit of stress on the discs, and I don't like doing that. The bookcase is beautiful bound book device, but it falls short from a utilitarian point of view. I ended up sticking my discs in paper sleeves (which thankfully, can still fit in the box with the rest of the stuff.
-I can't comment on the included deck of cards, as I'm leaving mine sealed. The ribbons to help get the contents of the box out of their little cubbyholes are a nice touch.
-I realize that the elegance of the packaging is but an afterthought (and perhaps a waste of money) to some; however, knowing Guy’s style and sensibilities, this is really the only way the material deserves to be presented in my opinion. I know it's an added expense, but I think it would have been a real shame to have released this material in a run-of-the-mill plastic case.
Contents:
Here's the nitty gritty. Each of the original videos has one DVD devoted to them.
-The first two discs contain the full content of the original 2 videos; however, they are NOT broken out into chapters in a submenu, which would have made the reprint much more useful. That said, if you are watching it on a computer, it's a simple matter to jump from trick to trick using the software; however, a formal menu would have been a lot better for learning.
-The first two videos do not appear to have been remastered. You can see a tracking line at the bottom of "The London Collection" for instance. "Routines" is in full color and the footage is much clearer and has less artifacts. The sound is mono on "The London Collection" and 2 channel stereo on "Routines". Although the old footage is perfectly serviceable, cleaned up, upcoded HD versions would have been nice.
-The first two discs have further commentary on the effects presented as a separate chapter item. In it, Guy gives a brief introduction in the style of the original video and a bit of background. He then shows updated handlings, applications, and ideas on many of the various routines. The footage is clean, although the sound leaves a bit to be desired, especially on the second disc.
-One thing should be noted about the commentary. It was filmed over a number of years. The original tapes are about 20 years old. In some cases, the commentary is about half that old. He discusses all of the tricks from "The London Collection", but not all of the routines on "Routines". He more than makes up for this with a very detailed discussion of "A Gambling Routine" (including thorough demonstrations of the sleights involved). There are also two routines in this section that did not appear in the original tapes--the last of which (which I think is unpublished) just destroyed me. Finally, both commentary sections also include video explanations of some of Guy's favorite routines from his book and lecture notes.
-I'll leave a detailed review of the tricks and sleights themselves to the experts. I'll only say that they're uniformly brilliant, and serious card guys will have a ball discovering or rediscovering them. It's enlightening to see how Guy refined the original routines, and there are lots of improvements worth incorporating/exploring.
-I saved my comments on the 3rd disc for last because it's the one disc that does not contain the original video. Indeed, disc 3 is an all new instructional video on "The Reformation" (thus, allowing Guy to keep his original promise--something he briefly discusses in the Introduction). It's miles ahead of the original video in detail, presentation, and clarity of instruction, even though the choice of lighting was a bit dark. Despite owning one of the original 100 copies of the VCR tape, I am really happy to see this. The explanation, while separated into chapters on the disc, is again sans menu for those chapters--just like the first two discs. I still wish they had included this to make learning easier.
- The rest of Disc 3 contains a fun interview with Guy on a variety of subjects including the development of this project, his creative process, and his current interests. (I've got to meet him one day--he seems like a cool person just to talk to!). The section called "The Interval" is a wordless video compilation of the sleights described in the book chapter of that name in "Drawing Room Deceptions". For me, this feature was a revelation, as I've always had a Cliff Green-like skepticism about some of the sleights in this section of the book. Not only can those sleights be done, but they can be done quite deceptively. “A Trick with Psychology” is an excellent version of an Andrew Wimhurst routine that I’d rather not mention. Guy’s performance in the 1994 Isle of Man Close-Up Competition follows. It’s a blast from the past, and I enjoyed looking at it and comparing it to his performance style today to see the evolution. (Still, I reckon he would have won the recent IBM/SAM competition with that act). Derren Brown’s parody of “The London Collection” closes out the disc—it’ll make a lot more sense after Disc 1.
-It is true that the majority of the material on these discs has seen print before in Guy's book and his other publications. However, some are explained on video here for the first time, and as noted above, further clarifications and extensions are present as well. Even being familiar with the written descriptions, I got a lot out of the videos, and I was quite happy to note several terrific routines I had overlooked previously.
Summary:
So, here’s what you get: All of the original video material—all cards, all practical, and lots of stuff you might want to use. A brand new performance and explanation of “The Reformation”. More recent commentary that meaningfully expands and explains the material as well as the video debuts of some other great routines. A boatload of extras. Unique deck of cards. All wrapped up in a top quality, professional kit that oozes panache.
Should you buy it?
How would I know (if I don’t know you personally)?
However, I can try to make a few suggestions. Please take them with a grain of salt.
-If you like easy magic that you want to be able perform with little practice, look elsewhere. This stuff is geared at the intermediate to advanced level.
-If you hate cards, see above.
-If you love cards and have (or want to have) some chops, go for it. These routines are devastating in the right hands, and the degree of thought incorporated into them will educate and inspire you. I just love learning magic where I spontaneously say to myself “That’s cool!” as I’m learning. These routines will do that over and over to you.
-If you want to finally learn “The Reformation”, this is the place. I suppose you could wait until people start dumping the original VCR tape on ebay, but I think you’d be short changing yourself and making the learning process more difficult.
-If you are unfamiliar with Guy Hollingworth’s material, I would strongly advise getting his book first. It’s easily available and cheap at the price. If you like the book, I predict you’ll like the videos—and vice versa.
-If you just want to enjoy hours of performance of strong magic by one of the best cardmen in the world, I think you’ll like the set.
-If you prefer to learn by reading and normally eschew videos, you could certainly justify that stance with regards to this product, since it does not contain a bunch of unpublished material. However, you'd have to seek out several disparate sources for all of the old stuff, and you'd miss out on the new handlings and extras as well. Plus, there's something to be said about seeing print routines brought to life by their creator.
-Finally, if you own the original tapes, should you buy? For me, that’s a definite “Yes!” for all of the reasons cited above. The extra material is well worth it to me as these days, I love to learn small touches to make what I already do better. These DVD’s are a goldmine for that sort of thing.
Considering the high quality of the material, the rich packaging, and the sheer enjoyment of viewing the set and working through the material, I think it’s a bargain even at the high asking price.
Disclaimer: I have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with anyone who was involved in this project. (I've never even met any of them). I'm just a serious amateur magician who loves performing card magic.
---------------------
Addendum: there is a sound sync issue on my copy of Disc 1 in the commentary section for the cannibal card routine--Thanks to Dustin for this information; A D and D rep emailed me that they are working on a fix as of this date). I will report back when this gets remedied.
---------------------
Addendum 2 (January 29, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries sent an email today with a link/password for the corrected video footage. Text follows:
We are very sorry for the delay getting the replacement discs out. For the time being, please see the link below for the complete footage of The Easy Way Home, without the audio sync errors currently present on Volume 1. As soon as the replacement discs are ready, you will receive one in the mail.
---------------------
Addendum 3 (February 4, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries responded in this thread via Elliott Terral: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=45194&start=120#p308641
Purchasers who want a replacement disc and the link/password for the corrected video footage need to:
"Forward your order confirmation to contact@dananddave.com and request a disc and the link. Please don't share the link amongst fellow magicians, not because we don't want it getting out, but because we would rather be able to speak with them directly to make note that they need a replacement disc."
If you have any questions, please contact Elliott Terral directly at jet@dananddave.com
---------------------
Addendum 4 (May 12, 2015): Dan and Dave Industries Customer Service contacted me and stated that replacement discs should ship by next week.
---------------------
Addendum 5 (May 23, 2015): Replacement disc received. The sync issue noted above has been fixed.