The Genii Forum

A friend is buying me a video of closeup material. I don't have any that I'm burning to purchase.

Any suggestions on the best closeup video you own? I'm talking not just card stuff, but a video that contains a good mix.

Ray Kosby's stuff is super fun!

The Flicking Fingers video?

David,

DEFINITELY The Flicking Fingers DVD. I am AMAZED that more people aren't raving about this DVD yet. I can only assume it's not available in the USA yet. I've had my copy since April and it's unlike any other magic DVD I've ever seen. SOOOOOO much great material, so well organised and easily accessible, AND a 2 and a half hour movie too! Very funny, very informative, very, very well done. It's just a DVD that EVERYONE must own.

TIM ELLIS

Try Gaetan Bloom or Finn Jon's close up tapes.

Definately "The Movie" by the Finger Flickers. The format of the whole DVD is totally different from any of the other videos and DVDs that I have watched - well, I haven't watched that many...

but Tim Ellis is correct. It's a must have.

Bill Malones on the loose tapes, you won't go wrong there.

David Regals DVD's. 'Nough said.
Scott

Originally posted by Tim Ellis:
David,

DEFINITELY The Flicking Fingers DVD. I am AMAZED that more people aren't raving about this DVD yet.

Have you issued an instructional videotape yet, Tim?

I bought a set of your lecture notes at the Columbus Magi-Fest a couple years ago, and have read them several times now. They are a worker's notes, which is exactly the approach that I find most valuable.

Currently, your ELLIS IN WONDERLAND notes sits in my girlfriend's bathroom, which means it's in the "active reading" category. I still think about getting a couple of your Bill to Anything moves into my repertoire, esp the flash-paper subtleties.

For a really nice mix of close up routines, you might want to look at Dean Dill's Intimate Close Up Miracles video with a companion book. :)

Johnny Thompson's Commercial Classics. Great routines steeped in a rich tradition with wonderful pedigrees for all the moves by a man who knew many of the originators well.

Michael Ammars videos/DVD is very good.
http://www.ammarmagic.com

My vote goes to the Bill Malone DVD's. Recently Bob White stated that he watched these DVD's over and over, but only the performances and not the explanations - that is where you will learn more, according to Bob.

My vote goes also to the Malone DVD's. I bought these just for the performances because I liked his Sam the Bell Hop routine and was hoping that that same humor and presentation would be throughout the dvd's not ever seeing him do anything else. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. I run through them at least once a month just to see a good performance. Not to mention the great routine he does for the Invisible Deck.

My favourite video is David WIlliamson's first one for International Magic. There is *so* much good stuff on there and a real variety.

Tommy Wonder's "Visions of Wonder" Vol. 1 - 3 .

Well nobody asked me but I will say my favorite video is a toss up between Don Allen video from Stevens, or Albert Goshman. Hmmmmmm :) . Yup cant decide if I put them on one tape then that would be my favorite. No wait I know, I get a box that holds two videos and then put both in there and then it is a set. Yeah that works.
Thanks
Reed

Originally posted by Reed McClintock:
Well nobody asked me but I will say my favorite video is a toss up between Don Alan video from Stevens, or Albert Goshman...

Ah, Reed. You are a man after my own heart. Few of your generation would have the insights to zero in on Alan and Goshman. Many of the young seem genuinely puzzled when I praise the genuis of Don Alan (What? The Invisible Deck was a feature?) because the most difficult card sleight in his act was a Biddle Count!

Although the Goshman video reveals some of the brilliance of his close-up choreography, it was made a couple of decades too late to show him in his prime, with a real audience. When he was doing 4 shows a night at the Castle in the mid 1960's, he was the Cardini of the close-up table, flawless, witty, elegant, original, and completely inimitable. A few facial expressions provided more genuinely magical humor than all of the manic modern Sankeyites put together. He, like Cardini, flaunted his truly rare skill in a self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek way that made it perfectly OK (What! Never let on that to the audience that you have skill! Be natural!)

Yes, Vernon and Marlo were the fathers of the intellectual pursuit of the art of sleight-of-hand, but Don Alan and Albert Goshman were the fathers of performing sophisticated close-up magic and opening all of our eyes to the inherent value of dumping the square circle for something far loftier.

Strangely, what most people seem to remember about Goshman is the oft-repeated fact that, off-stage, he sometimes tended to get crumbs on his tux. Goshman was the most brilliant close-up performer I have ever seen, and I have seen them all.

Best regards,
Glenn Godsey

David Groves asked about an ELLIS & WEBSTER instructional video. YEARS ago I did one called CUNNING STUNTS (totally unavailable, I don't even have a copy) but... if there was enough interest, we could possibly do one based on the ELLIS IN WONDERLAND notes. Maybe a RUNAROUND SUE Cups and Ball teaching tape too... any interest in that?


TIM ELLIS

Originally posted by Glenn Godsey:

Although the Goshman video reveals some of the brilliance of his close-up choreography, it was made a couple of decades too late to show him in his prime, with a real audience.[/QB]

So the brilliant Goshman performance I saw in the mid 70's wasn't even Albert in his prime?

Color me astounded.

_____________________________________________
www.conjurenation.com - "Cards Only" Forums

Originally posted by Tim Ellis:
David Groves asked about an ELLIS & WEBSTER instructional video.... if there was enough interest, we could possibly do one based on the ELLIS IN WONDERLAND notes. Maybe a RUNAROUND SUE Cups and Ball teaching tape too... any interest in that?

I vote for that one!

You have quite a good variety of effects in the notes, which makes for a good, well-rounded video. The Bill in Anything has a nice, special moment in the middle that I suspect has to be seen to grasp the full impact and workings (i.e., the moment when you vanish the bill in a flash).

Lecture notes are fine, but it's good to get an instructional videotape into the historical realm, so that you have a record of your best performances in your prime. Some of the greats haven't been recorded in their prime, and all we have of Slydini, as far as I know, are the Dick Cavett videotapes, when he was quite old. It would have been great to see him at 55, wouldn't it?

Tim: Try saying the name of your video 3 times fast. It will get you in trouble. If you re-release it find another name.

Roberto Giobbi Live at the 7th British Close Up Symposium from L&L.

I like two Gary Kurtz videos, Creating Magic and Let's Get Flurious.

hello all,

the most entertaining video for me is Tom Mullica's (Stevens Magic Emporium).

Best regards
Takis :)