Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Read exclusive online reviews of products and discuss them.
User avatar
MagicOrthodoxy
Posts: 23
Joined: January 13th, 2015, 3:43 pm
Favorite Magician: Benjamin Earl
Contact:

Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby MagicOrthodoxy » January 18th, 2015, 6:54 pm

Creator: David Loosley
Publisher: Alakazam
MSRP: $25
Skill Level: ALL
DVD Run time: 20 min

Type of effect: Color changing deck

Manufacturer's Write Up:
Imagine having a card selected and signed by your spectator. The card is replaced back into the deck. Now instantly and visually the deck changes color. Leaving just one odd backed card in the pack (your spectators card)

What's in the box?
A DVD and the necessary gaff cards

Key points:
Multiple cards are seen before and after, minimal sleights needed, the cards do most of the work

My thoughts:
I love the color changing deck plot and David Loosley has created one that knocks down all the walls and comes up swinging. This is now my CCD of choice!

Is it well made: YES! Could not be "better" made

Is it well taught: Yes, the video is straight forward and gives you everything you need to know in a clear fashion. The dialog between the 2 hosts gives you plenty of alternate handlings.

How are the production values: Fantastic, this is fun to watch.

Overall score: 8/10

If you'd like to see more of what I "really thought" you can watch my video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHt1YaxvHG8
Playing Card & Magic Reviews / https://www.youtube.com/magicorthodoxy

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27047
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 18th, 2015, 10:33 pm

I would never use a gimmick for a color-changing deck, unless it's for a routine where you really can spread the cards between your hands both before and after, like Dingle's "Technicolor All Backs."

Otherwise, a well done handling and a good color change for the transformation are all that is required (and a pocket deck switch).
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
MagicOrthodoxy
Posts: 23
Joined: January 13th, 2015, 3:43 pm
Favorite Magician: Benjamin Earl
Contact:

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby MagicOrthodoxy » January 19th, 2015, 8:20 am

Agreed. And I wouldn't necessarily call this a "gimmick" when I use the word in my reviews I try to mean it as a utility that was manufactured that either has moving parts or is to remain hidden as an assist to you. I believe I said this effect uses "gaffs." That's be interesting to see how some magicians interpret the word "gimmick and utility."

I remember the first color changing deck I ever got (I think it was from Hank Lee) and it was a single card! And the "convincing move" was so lackluster that I never performed it.

With this effect (and this is why the trailer sold it for me) you can show the pack before with several convincers and at the end, you can spread the entire deck. The trailer also shows a super cool flashy move where the color changes from one to the next under no cover.

I've collected a few of these CCD over the years and so far, this is my favorite.
THANK YOU
Playing Card & Magic Reviews / https://www.youtube.com/magicorthodoxy

Aaron Sterling
Posts: 65
Joined: December 21st, 2014, 1:42 pm

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby Aaron Sterling » January 19th, 2015, 11:14 am

MagicOrthodoxy wrote:I love the color changing deck plot and David Loosley has created one that knocks down all the walls and comes up swinging.

I might be misunderstanding the trailer -- it's happened before -- but why do you think this is superior to the Glenn West routine? It looks as though, with this routine, you have to start with the deck handled tightly, and you end dirty. With GW, the start is similar, but there are more moments per minute, there are no gaff cards, and you can clean up at the end.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't understand the get-into or the get-out, or why the spectator signed the card. Is the idea that the performer introduces a deck and does exactly one trick with it, and the souvenir to the spectator is the signed card that is the only not-impossible object? Or is there a smooth way to incorporate this into a longer set, with a stronger souvenir?

GW routine, for reference: http://youtu.be/1Y3UkOdw0tA

User avatar
erdnasephile
Posts: 4762
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby erdnasephile » January 19th, 2015, 11:53 am

Thanks for the link to the GW routine link--it's well done, but it sure looks angly.

For comparison, here is a link to the Mystique color changing deck:




FWIW, I'm with Richard on this one. (Plus, I personally believe most CCD routines have more impact when they end with a rainbow deck).
Last edited by erdnasephile on January 19th, 2015, 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Aaron Sterling
Posts: 65
Joined: December 21st, 2014, 1:42 pm

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby Aaron Sterling » January 19th, 2015, 12:21 pm

erdnasephile wrote:it sure looks angly.

Yeah. But I think you could change the angly parts to different handlings, and you still get, "What's your favorite card? The one that is most important to you? Okay, let's find that one. Magic magic magic. Here, let me sign your favorite card, and this is for you." Then you have a souvenir with emotional content and your name on it. With Mystique, it looks as though you ditch the gaff and you're left with a signed selection that you had to force, and can't secretly switch for any other card, because it's unique on both face and back. So I don't understand where you go next.

User avatar
MagicOrthodoxy
Posts: 23
Joined: January 13th, 2015, 3:43 pm
Favorite Magician: Benjamin Earl
Contact:

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby MagicOrthodoxy » January 19th, 2015, 4:07 pm

The trailer for Mystique doesn't do it any justice IMO, I have not seen any angle issues with Mystique and you can cleanly show almost 20 cards of the BEFORE color at the start of the effect. Of course you're doing a FORCE of the spectator's card, but that's not too weird as thousands of effects use a force.

I'd say your spectator doesn't need to sign the card at all, in fact its probably better to just casually say that the INDIFFERENT card is useless to you now as the rest of your deck has changed color... or have a DUPE of your force card and change THAT card in your favorite fashion and end with a full deck.
Playing Card & Magic Reviews / https://www.youtube.com/magicorthodoxy

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 19th, 2015, 6:13 pm

MagicOrthodoxy wrote:The trailer for Mystique doesn't do it any justice IMO,...


Okay how should it look?

And just because others use a force (Dingle's Color Triumphant for example), for better or worse... anyway what would be better?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

User avatar
erdnasephile
Posts: 4762
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby erdnasephile » January 19th, 2015, 6:46 pm

Jonathan Townsend wrote:
MagicOrthodoxy wrote:The trailer for Mystique doesn't do it any justice IMO,...


Okay how should it look?



Exactly---and that's one of the big disadvantages of the sad demise of the B & M shop. Seeing a trick in person done by a good demonstrator (who knows you) can tell you a whole lot more about that trick than trailers ever will.

Question: If the creator of an effect chooses to put a heavily edited trailer of an effect on-line, it would be helpful for potential purchasers if video reviewers would actually perform the effect so we can see how it really looks. However, is that ethical without the express permission from the creator?

(I suspect not, since IMHO, internet performance rights cannot be assumed from the act of publication. However, if that principle is adhered to, does the prohibition also apply to in-store demos?)
Last edited by erdnasephile on January 20th, 2015, 12:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Aaron Sterling
Posts: 65
Joined: December 21st, 2014, 1:42 pm

Re: Mystique Color Changing Deck by David Loosley & Alakazm

Postby Aaron Sterling » January 19th, 2015, 7:25 pm

erdnasephile wrote:internet performance rights cannot be assumed from the act of publication

This is in a very interesting limbo, as I understand it. A lot of people now are marketing effects, while explicitly reserving all video rights. The question is: is that a protectable right they can reserve? I started noticing this trend after the performance of Standup Monte on the Ellen Show, but I don't know whether I just became aware of the legalese, or whether creators started adding in a licensing restriction.

The answer to the question hinges on how much of a performer's performance is his/her own to license and protect, and there's a case before the Ninth Circuit that will issue a ruling on that topic "any day now." It's the "Innocence of Muslims" case -- that's the movie that surfaced on YouTube, depicting Mohammed in an extremely unflattering way. One of the actresses in the film was lied to, told the movie would be about something else, and she sued, saying her likeness was used fraudulently in the film. A temporary injunction was ordered, so YouTube took down the film, but there's a decent chance when the court rules, they will rule against the actress's copyright claim. If that happens, then people who create marketed effects may have very few rights of license that they're able to reserve, depending on the language the Ninth Circuit uses.


Return to “Light from the Lamp ONLINE.”