The Deck Murderer

Discussions of new films, books, television shows, and media indirectly related to magic and magicians. For example, there may be a book on mnemonics or theatrical technique we should know or at least know about.
Rafael Benatar
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The Deck Murderer

Postby Rafael Benatar » April 12th, 2003, 2:20 pm

A serial killer in Spain, operating in the outskirts of Madrid, leaves playing cards out of a Spanish 40-card deck next to his victims. He's using the suit of "Copas" (cups) and has gone from Ace to Five. He's become known as "El asesino de la Baraja" (The Deck Murderer).

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Richard Kaufman » April 12th, 2003, 2:31 pm

Sounds like a bad mystery novel.
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Charles Spector

Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Charles Spector » April 12th, 2003, 2:39 pm

I can hardly believe it myself! :)

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C. Hampton
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby C. Hampton » April 12th, 2003, 5:02 pm

Everyone wished it was only a bad novel, but actually is crude reality. :(
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Bob Farmer
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Bob Farmer » April 14th, 2003, 1:03 pm

I marketed a mentalism routine, "Deja Voodoo." An unpublished variation, inspired by "Silence of the Lambs," involves the story of a murdered woman with a card left in her mouth. Only the police know the card.

The spectator names any card and this turns out to be the card the murderer used, thus proving the spectator is the killer.

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John Smetana
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby John Smetana » April 14th, 2003, 2:33 pm

Originally posted by Bob Farmer:
I marketed a mentalism routine, "Deja Voodoo." An unpublished variation, inspired by "Silence of the Lambs," involves the story of a murdered woman with a card left in her mouth. Only the police know the card.

The spectator names any card and this turns out to be the card the murderer used, thus proving the spectator is the killer.
Hi Bob,
I really like Deja Voodoo and the variation sounds great. Any chance of you publishing this one of these days?

Best thoughts,
John Smetana

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Rennie
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Rennie » April 14th, 2003, 2:41 pm

Bob,
I have Deja Voodoo as well as Tsunami and Hand O' Doom and 1 other ( I am at work and cannot remember ).Would like to know if you have any other marketed effects I may have missed. By the way my favorite is Tsunami.
Thanks,
Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve is not !!

Danny Archer
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Danny Archer » April 18th, 2003, 12:44 pm

I know I read a book/comic book/short story that had the killer leave playing cards on the bodies but I can't think of the title ... does this ring a bell to anyone???
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Guest » June 2nd, 2003, 6:54 pm

I remember a book "coco" or maybe "koko". One or the other spelling, anyway it had something to do with leaving cards on bodies. Check horror novels, i don't remember the author...

mark
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby mark » June 3rd, 2003, 8:39 am

I believe it was Koko, by Peter Straub.

sleightly
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby sleightly » June 3rd, 2003, 11:18 am

If memory serves me, soldiers in WWII or Vietnam (help!) left behind the Ace of Spades at battle scenes... it had a profound psychological impact!

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NCMarsh
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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby NCMarsh » June 3rd, 2003, 1:18 pm

it was in Viet Nam...the following is from US Playing Card's home page:

The Ace of Spades served a famous purpose in the war in Vietnam. In February, 1966, two lieutenants of Company "C," Second Battalion, 35th Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, wrote The United States Playing Card Company and requested decks containing nothing but the "Bicycle" Ace of Spades. The cards were useful in psychological warfare. The Viet Cong were very superstitious and highly frightened by this Ace. The French previously had occupied Indo-China, and in French fortunetelling with cards, the Spades predicted death and suffering. The Viet Cong even regarded lady liberty as a goddess of death. USPC shipped thousands of the requested decks gratis to our troops in Vietnam. These decks were housed in plain white tuckcases, inscribed "Bicycle Secret Weapon." The cards were deliberately scattered in the jungle and in hostile villages during raids. The very sight of the "Bicycle" Ace was said to cause many Viet Cong to flee.

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Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Guest » June 3rd, 2003, 4:41 pm

Adds a whole new meaning to "Cards as Weapons"

Guest

Re: The Deck Murderer

Postby Guest » June 4th, 2003, 6:42 am

Actaully it goes back farther than that. In WWII there was a group, the First Special Forces, called the Black Devil Brigade. They would sneak up into fox holes on the front line, slit the throat of only one of the men in the hole and leave a ace of spades on the body...It was also quite popular with S.O.G. in Vietnam but not in a wholesale manner. They would leave one on the bodies of the people they killed.

"Rosie"
your military history queen


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