Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

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John McDonald
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Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby John McDonald » February 25th, 2003, 8:43 am

What is people's reaction to Kevin's new illusion?
I enjoyed Kevin's perfomance and thought he was great. As for the illusion, I thought it was a clever visual illusion but fell into the "too perfect theory." Could it be better? I'd be interested in other people's reactions?
Best wishes John
Best John

Guest

Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Guest » February 25th, 2003, 12:10 pm

I thought is was a very strong and powerful effect.
It looked very weird and I think the audience was very surprised of the new "concept".
Always fun to watch new illusions.

It was a good convention I had a great time in Blackpool.

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Pete Biro
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Pete Biro » February 25th, 2003, 3:09 pm

So, how about describing it? Does he use a pair of midgets??? :confused:
Stay tooned.

IanB
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby IanB » February 25th, 2003, 3:26 pm

Pete,

At the risk of giving too much away, you've just demonstrated why this illusion falls foul of the too-perfect theory.

It has initial shock effect, but it's very, very clear how it's done - there can be no other way - so to my mind not very magical.

Ian

Jamie Badman
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Jamie Badman » February 25th, 2003, 3:44 pm

I agree; it wasn't magical at all - except for a brief moment - when it was very, very freaky indeed. Then after that brief moment, everyone no doubt worked it out and then it was very, very freaky again but a completely different and unmagical kind.

The effect is that a man is sliced in half by a buzzsaw and the top half is slid across a table then the bottom half and top half starts moving - and then both halves independently scuttle around the stage, the top half walking along on its hands. It bounds off stage and in to the audience.

Jamie.

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John Smetana
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby John Smetana » February 25th, 2003, 4:33 pm

I didn't see the illusion being discussed. However, it sounds similar to one that was done, many years ago, using Johnny Eck, the Half Man, and his twin brother, who was of normal stature.

Best thoughts,
John Smetana

Guest

Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Guest » February 25th, 2003, 5:39 pm

Originally posted by John Smetana:
[...] it sounds similar to one that was done, many years ago, using Johnny Eck, the Half Man, and his twin brother, who was of normal stature.

Best thoughts,
John Smetana
Are you sure Johnny Eck wasn't the other guy's half-brother?

TW

John LeBlanc
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby John LeBlanc » February 25th, 2003, 8:07 pm

Originally posted by Thomas Wayne:
Originally posted by John Smetana:
[b][...] it sounds similar to one that was done, many years ago, using Johnny Eck, the Half Man, and his twin brother, who was of normal stature.

Best thoughts,
John Smetana
Are you sure Johnny Eck wasn't the other guy's half-brother?

TW[/b]
I'm not sure if I should feel guilty about laughing at that remark. Probably means the answer is yes. <g>

John LeBlanc
Houston, TX

Jamie Badman
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Jamie Badman » February 26th, 2003, 1:48 am

I heard it was a recreation of an effect from the 1920's ?

Jamie.

IanB
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby IanB » February 26th, 2003, 7:29 am

That would be the Johnny Eck one.

But not really a reconstruction since there was no "full sized" twin to pull from the audience and then cut in half.

Ian

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Pete Biro
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Pete Biro » February 26th, 2003, 9:39 am

Someone, some time ago, in the UK... published a routine where the requirements suggested... :p

"Go to a veteran's home and find a bloke missing one arm and one leg..." :eek:

I forget the routine, but... think about the possibilities. :D

I think it was Harry Leat who wrote this. :confused:
Stay tooned.

Brad Henderson
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Brad Henderson » March 15th, 2003, 4:12 pm

I remember when David Harkey was detailing a method for growing an object inside the egg of a chicken (Linking Ring Magazine, I believe). Though he would not give the precise location, the instruction ran, "First make an incision in the chicken."

I've always loved that.

Frank Yuen
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Frank Yuen » March 15th, 2003, 8:57 pm

That was in Genii. I think it was the last column of his "Harkey for a year" series. He was on the cover. I don't have my entire magazine collection here so I can't look it up but I think it was late 80's or early 90's.

Frank Yuen

Brad Henderson
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Brad Henderson » March 16th, 2003, 12:28 pm

Thanks for the correction. I had it confused with his one man parade, then.

Guest

Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Guest » March 16th, 2003, 5:37 pm

No, it was actually part of the "Harkey For A Year" feature that Genii had for, strangely enough, a year...! He didn't give up the gaff of the chicken, and I don't personally know anyone who attempted the ring (or folded dollar in a ball of wax) in a chicken egg.

Steve Thomas

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Kevin James - new sawing through illusion.

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 16th, 2003, 7:52 pm

You'll all notice, I hope, that David Harkey's column appeared in Genii prior to my ownership. :) Personally, I harbor no Dr. Moreau-like ambitions to operate on a live chicken for the sole purpose of creating an ending to a magic trick. Perhaps this was in the column which appeared in April of that year ...
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