Magic Tricks

This is an excellent set of DVDs over all, but there are weaknesses.

The English language explanations and teaching are difficult to understand as none of the principles are native English speakers (except Gene Matsuura at the very end). I expect, but don't know because I don't speak Spanish, that the Spanish language explanations and teaching are better. So I can only rate the English language portions.

In the English language explanations, there are weaknesses in the assumptions made about the level of knowledge of lapping that the students will bring. For me, there were not enough baby steps. I was expecting some practice exercises to aid in developing sound lapping techniques, the way that Michael Ammar does in his instruction for the use of a topit. There was none of that. There was an attempt to cover both the philosophy and practical aspects of lapping while giving you a number of routines which utilize lapping.

The emphasis was mostly on lapping with cards. Yann Frisch did cover his wonderful BALTASS routine in detail, but there is only minimal coverage of coins and other objects. Reference is made to Slydini's approach, and there is a discussion of it from a philosophical standpoint by Gene Matsuura, but no real teaching of it on these DVDs. I consider that a serious deficiency.

The 5th DVD has Yann Frisch demonstrating, but not exposing or teaching scores of moves. He makes them look wonderful. But how is he accomplishing them? No explanation is given.

Nor are there detailed explorations of the types and use of servantes in lapping or combining lapping with the use of topits.

Finally, the production of the physical DVD case and Contents pamphlet has problems. The physical DVD case has to hold all 5 DVDs, but instead of having one DVD per page or container of a case, it has two overlapping (no pun intended) DVDs on each of two pages and one on one. This makes access to the second DVD on one of the two DVD pages difficult. You have to remove the 1st DVD, then juggle it as you remove the 2nd, then put back the 1st while juggling the 2nd. And given the stiffness of the center storage buttons, I worry about breaking or scratching one of these expensive DVDs every time I get them out. The Contents pamphlet, is very pretty, but unfortunately it doesn't actually match the contents of the DVDs 100%. For example, the significant discussion of Slydini lapping by Gene Matsuura is entirely missing and the perspective of Miguel Angel Gea is listed for the wrong DVD.

For these weaknesses I had to drop the number of stars down to 4.

Don't get me wrong, this is an important set of DVDs on a subject important to close-up workers. But it could have been, should have been, much better.