Man it's hot in here! Lit... I believe we saw this very effect on the last Blaine special. Let me
start with my one gripe about this effect, then I'll go on with the review. At the beginning of the
DVD, one of the Dans states that this is an original effect. He is mistaken. Jay Sankey came up with
this premise years ago. In the credits, they mention other magicians who have "independently played
around with this concept" but no mention of Sankey.
That aside, this is a killer product
and definitely worth consideration. I really dig the artistic style in which it was shot. A lot of
black and white footage which gave it a bit of a cool feel. During the explanation portions of the
DVD, there would be flashbacks to the performance section so that you could see the move, you just
learned, in action. The performances, of course, were out on the streets.
For $35.00,
you get, with the DVD, 14 specially printed cards and a handful of effects taught to you. Refills of
14 per pack are only $10 bucks. One of my concerns was that I wasn't sure I'd be able to find
matchbooks that matched the plain white faux matchbook that comes with the DVD. Right about when I
started having that concern, one of the Dans stepped into save the day with exactly how to get
matching matches... whew!
There are a couple of different match tricks taught on the DVD.
For me, the self lighting matchbooks (an addition by Andrew Girard) is entirely worth the price. You
literally can hand an open match book to a spectator to hold. As they hold it, the whole freakin'
thing bursts into flames! It's just too darn cool.
Several different ideas regarding the
handling and performance are offered. Overall, this DVD is pretty typical, production-quality wise,
of most of the DVDs by young guys: Super hip and fresh editing and effects, but relatively poor
quality filming in the living-room-apartment-doubling-as-a-production-studio.
I definitely
recommend this, if for nothing else, the self lighting match book. 1/2 point lost for not crediting
one of the pioneers of this effect... Jay Sankey. GEM!
