Blizzard by Dean Dill

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
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Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » June 29th, 2007, 12:38 pm

Does anyone own or use this effect. I thought is might be a great closer to a triumph routine. I hate the handling though. The idea of laying out the four cards just seems a little...out of sync.
Can it be altered or is that what I am stuck with. Also is this a gimmick or can I use the blank deck for other things?

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » June 29th, 2007, 3:39 pm

Buy it! You won't be dissapointed. There is a "in the hand" version out there but its not as good, and I think of it as a knock off. Anything by Dean is well thought out and very good, and while the "move" is bold in blizzard it has never failed me! A big part of the trick is the effect a blank deack has on lay people, most have never seen one before.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Pete Biro » June 29th, 2007, 3:49 pm

It kills... however... don't use it as another card trick following card tricks... do something else, THEN bring out the deck. Dean says it is not a trick where card faces have been seen, then they go blank. You bring out a deck, someone names ANY card, you lay it down with its 3 mates and they try to pick it out.

When done THEIR NAMED CARD IS THE ONLY CARD PRINTED the rest of all cards are blank.

You can't follow it or beat it.
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » June 29th, 2007, 7:22 pm

You said the move is bold but I am wondering if you have to use that move or if I can modify it so that the deck isn't set aside. I have heard that the deck can be used for other effects. What if I wanted to end a card routine with the deck going blank, could I if I wanted to?

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » June 29th, 2007, 11:17 pm

Does Dean make the gimmick in plastic rather than paper? Mine is pretty beat up at this moment. This trick does kill!

Sean

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Pete Biro » June 30th, 2007, 12:12 am

Dean only uses the real thing for the gimmick.

Student: Buy the darn thing and learn it. You will find it is a killer and follow the rooutine as written using method number 2.

You will not go wrong.
Stay tooned.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 30th, 2007, 4:57 pm

I published a great version of this effect by Larry Jennings in MAGIC that doesn't require a deck switch. Look it up.
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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » June 30th, 2007, 5:45 pm

There is also Jay Sankeys "Fade Away" which is along the same line, without the switch. And it's on his "22 Blows to the Head" which is very good. More bang for your buck. Lots and lots of great stuff!

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Leonard Hevia » June 30th, 2007, 9:07 pm

Hi Richard--I believe the Jennings version you described was published in Genii.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 30th, 2007, 9:18 pm

You know, I just can't remember anymore! I do recall that Larry's handling was very good and based on Dingle's "Technicolor All Backs."
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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Steve Bryant » July 1st, 2007, 6:39 am

I never liked Blizzard. The best blank deck routine is John Lovick's I Dream of Mindreading, published in his lecture notes and later in MAGIC.

Harry Lorayne

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Harry Lorayne » July 1st, 2007, 7:53 am

Boy! I "forgot!" - was it way back in the 1950s that Hugard's Magic Monthly published my Mental Photography? Effect - thought-of card is the only card in a blank deck with a face. Everything left for examination. I believe I repeated it in one of my books - perhaps someone can do the research. HL

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 1st, 2007, 8:39 am

Harry,

Your "Mental Photography" appears in Deck-Sterity, page 105.

Bruce Arnold

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Steve Bryant » July 1st, 2007, 8:45 am

Harry, it's in the March 1962 issue of Hugard's (Vol XIX, No. 7, p.75).

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 2nd, 2007, 12:35 am

I love Blizzard, its a killer BIG TIME.

However, you should also look up Aldo Columbini's "Draw a Blank" - thats almost the same concept, and packed with comedy too.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 2nd, 2007, 6:10 am

Harry Lorayne's effect Mental Photography sounds good, but I can't see why I would want to learn it over Blizzard given the mechanics involved. There are demo videos of Blizzard out there, but I hope nobody is making judgments on it from some of those so-called performances. It is a great effect.

Harry Lorayne

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Harry Lorayne » July 2nd, 2007, 8:53 am

Thanks for doing the research for me, guys. You'll find the effect re-written in LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION. I don't know Dean's item, so can't really discuss it. Can only tell you that my routine doesn't require a deck switch and certainly doesn't use the type of gimmick he uses. Anyway... hl

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 2nd, 2007, 11:39 am

Dean is a friend. I love Dean, and I love his magic. I think Blizzard is great.

Someone in this thread said:

<<There is a "in the hand" version out there but its not as good, and I think of it as a knock off.>>

Hmmm, I have an in-the-hands version of the plot on the market ("...alone"), and it's easy to understand why an alternate approach might have its usefulness, since it has already been stated, by the individual quoted. An in-the-hands version of the plot IS DONE IN THE HANDS. In other words, it does not require a table, or any performing surface whatsoever. It can be performed stand-up, strolling. My solution, by the way, is very close to other people's solutions for this plot, and I credit two in the instruction booklet. In fact, I re-printed the booklets after I saw how similar my solution was to others, and contacting them. This brings me to the real reason for this post. How lovely that the poster quoted above considers the in-the-hands version of the trick to be "a knock-off". Judgement should be exercised before words like those are sent out to the world. I know that in addition to Harry Lorayne's trick, there was Buddy Ackner's "Twin Thoughts" marketed in the 70s, where a thought-of card was the only card in a blank deck. The term "knock-off" is as ugly a slur as we have in our business. Both Dean and myself are easily found, and the poster made no attempt to contact me prior to his proclamation.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 2nd, 2007, 12:42 pm

I have Mr Regal's '...alone' and I must say, it bloody kills people.

I have requests to do that effect.

I do own Blizzard, and it's great. But I personally prefer '...alone'.

YMMV, etc.

Damian

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Steve Bryant » July 2nd, 2007, 1:18 pm

For those interested, everything on Aldo Colombini's web site is now only $10. Lots to choose from.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 2nd, 2007, 9:10 pm

Whats Aldo's Website?

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 3rd, 2007, 8:13 am


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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 3:39 pm

So the Lorayne Version is great. And Blizzard is getting mixed reviews. The thing about Blizzard is that the deck is showed to have faces before hand. That is the reason that makes it so strong in my mind. I know that the whole thing about rearranging the four cards is for misdirection and I odn't think Laypeople would really get it. So what are the top five routines that have teh deck go blank. Can someone make a list and include where it can be bought. Sleight based is something that I would really prefer. If it includes the blank deck or if it is in a book would be handy.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 3:56 pm

The thing about Blizzard is that the deck is showed to have faces before hand. That is the reason that makes it so strong in my mind.
That is not quite what the instructions suggest. even if the methodology permits it... not necessarily the strongest way to perform the trick.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 4:13 pm

Jonathan, as usual, you are right. The face of the cards are never shown - except one card and that's the card the spectator freeley names (no force). Dean suggests you never do Blizzard with any other card effects before or after. it's a stand along effect. Very powerfull.

I have watched dean perform this dozens of times. It kills every time. When magicians (who know the secret) watch him perform the trick, it is very common for them to say they never saw him do the move - even though they know exactly what he's going to do... they miss it. It's happened to me! Dean's routine is almost hypnotic and the misdirection is so natural. Yet it is bold.

When I first bought the trick I put it in a drwawer and thought the method was too obvious. Years later when I began hanging out at Dean's shop I saw him kill with it over and over again. It is now a powerful effect in my arsenel of tricks. It's an off beat card trick that is really different.

If you ever see dean in his shop or at a convention, be sure to ask for a demo. And besure to have your wallet with you. You'll want to buy Blizzard!

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 6:03 pm

Where is the shop located?

if you can't show the deck with all the faces, is there a version that does? I am looking for new card material that I can s alone or in routines. I thought that the blank deck would make for a great climax.

Is there a video of Dean's handling? I am curious how the trick looks when properly performed with the origanal handling

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 6:16 pm

Student, with all due respect, the basic handling and methodology does permit some very blatant or confrontational approaches to the trick.

Yes you can do a version of triumph where their card winds up face up the the face down spread and then all the cards are shown blank if you like.

Dean offers a mental blizzard as the one card among the four is somehow non-blank and then... all are blank - the transition occurs mentally not as announced or caused by gesture. Have a look at the item as offered and then see how it plays for you. The basic "move" and method will likely serve you in other contexts.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 6:51 pm

Jonathan, do you think that Deans version offers the best handling and the best opporunities to change it if I need to?

If I wanted to get blizzard, could I also use the deck to learn other versions of the effect?

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 5th, 2007, 7:18 pm

without giving away the trick...

yes the cards are ungaffed and what you get can easily be used in other contexts.

The basic method is clever and can be applied to other routines without any expensive or significant alterations.

As to saying it's "best"... it is practical, portable, far from cumbersome and as mentioned above, extensible. Not bad huh?

I don't know enough of the history of the basic method to put it into the larger context of our literature. Perhaps one of our elders or specialists may wish to offer some perspective.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 5th, 2007, 10:22 pm

Blizzard is a fancy way of switching a deck. The Jennings method I alluded to earlier allows you to achieve the same effect without switching the deck, however the cards can't be examined afterward (though there is no reason anyone would want to do so).
You pays your money and you takes your choice. It's easy enough to do a pocket switch of the deck during the course of many different types of tricks. Blizzard is a dealer item designed to remove even that minimal amount of work for the non-skilled performer.
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Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 10:51 am

Well, ungaffed is a personal preferance that is all. I prefer highly technical routines to be perfectly honest

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 1:45 pm

Even Mr. Jennings took it easy sometimes.

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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 6th, 2007, 2:58 pm

I didn't say the Jennings handling has no sleights: it just doesn't require a deck switch.
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Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 5:30 pm

Mr.Regal
First off it was not your trick, I was talking about. Second the trick I was talking about came out right after Blizzard and was sold to me as "a in the hands knock-off of Blizzard" and the sales person called it a knock-off. After reading the many post, I have learned that this is a common plot ,I even came across Jay Sankey's version after my first post. Again I ment no offense, and was only trying to point out the fact that Blizzard is a great trick. I will be very careful when using the word knock-off in the future.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 7:01 pm

We don't want to give away Blizzard in this thread right? However, if one reads the posts here close enough it isn't hard to figure out. Is this fair to Dean Dill? I don't think so, but I'm a nobody really.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 7:15 pm

I agree. Why buy Blizzard when you can read all about it here?

I wonder how Dean Dill feels.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 7:58 pm

I dunno... when mechanics were mentioned they went by quietly and even the original thread started did not stop to inquire about specifics.

Anyone know the actual history of the basic mechanical aspect and it's particular application so we can put the item into context in our literature?

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 8:06 pm

Best. Oxymoronic. Post. Ever.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 6th, 2007, 8:14 pm

Thanks.

Lemme pull the string on my speak and spell again and see what we get: "The cow says moo". Okay.

I believe we can discuss method in a way that does not tip what makes the Dean Dill item worth buying.

Guest

Re: Blizzard by Dean Dill

Postby Guest » July 7th, 2007, 8:20 am

To get back to the general thrust of the thread, on Richard Sanders' DVD "SUPER CARDS" (card tricks done with an added "something" from an office supply store) he has an excellent version of the plot. I consider it overlooked, as it is a standout item on a very strong DVD, yet I've never seen anyone do it!


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