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David Blaine: Street Magic



Twisting Arm Illusion

Effect
After asking a spectator to copy the action of you putting your hand on the table, you are able to twist your arm a full 360 degrees while others look at you in disbelief.

Preparation
A long sleeve shirt, everything else is impromptu.

Secret Move
On the table, have your fingers pointing towards your body. This may seem a bit uncomfortable, but the effect is well worth it, now, you should have your fingers pointing to the left, now turn your palm up (still having the fingers pointing left) but keep turning the hand over the same way until it is face down again. With a long sleeve shirt, it looks as if your hand is just turned sideway to the left but in reality, it's just twisted 270 degrees to the right.

Method
Hand on the table (or sidewalk.... Wherever you want to perform). Tell him to do exactly what you're doing and start slowly twisting your arm Counter Clockwise. When your fingers start to point to the left, distract him from what your doing and say something like "You're doing it wrong; do exactly what I'm doing!" Or "maybe you should back up a bit to get a better view of my directions”. With that, point to his hand or push him away a bit with your other hand, and do the secret move while his eyes are concentrated on himself. When you have the secret move done, it's a simple matter of him trying to do what you're doing again. But little does he know you're simply un-twisting your arm instead of twisting it like himself. By putting a plastic cup or hard cellophane tucked under your armpit, you can make a bone crunching noise by pressing gently as you twist your arm to add to the effect.

Fly Resurrection


Effect
You are walking down the street and casually pick any spectator. You ask them to come with you to a nearby car and pick a dead fly off the windscreen. You hold it in your hand do a few passes with the other hand and appear to be really concentrating, while the fly slowly comes back to life, to the surprise of the spectator.

Preparation
Freeze the fly.

Method
You need to catch a fly and freeze it, which puts it in a temporary coma, swatting the fly hard enough to immobilize it then placing it in a small container in the freezer can do this. The fly then needs to be quickly taken to a suitable windscreen IN THE SHADE and placed there. It is important that the car is in the shade to prevent the fly from defrosting too quickly. Then go and find a spectator and take them back to the car, which should appear to be randomly picked. The heat of your hand will revive the fly, which should soon start to move. A lot of this trick is in the actions of you reviving the fly. It may be necessary to practice how long it takes for the fly to revive itself. Freezing the fly with dry ice or even one of these aerosol canned air products for cleaning computers is a better way of freezing the fly as it is quicker and causes less damage to the fly.

Coin Bite And Restored Coin

David Blaine performed this extremely effective trick where a coin was bitten and a piece of it removed. The coin was restored when the missing piece was seemingly spat out at it. This trick was used using a very cleverly engineered coin, which is available from a lot of good magic suppliers.

Cough,Cough

This trick requires a lot of practise and is for advanced magicians.

Effect
The magician has a card selected and signed. The spectator then shuffles the card into the pack and it is the magician’s job to locate it. Unfortunately, the magician cannot seem to get it right, but after a few attempts, the magician seems to actually regurgitate a tightly folded card. It is the spectator’s card, with their signature.

Preparation
You need a pen and a deck of cards.

Method
Have the spectator selected a card from the deck and show it to the audience. After the card is signed, control it to the top of the deck by means of Hindu shuffle control or a revolving pass. The deck is now held in the standard dealing position in the left hand (with the chosen card at the top) get a finger break under the top card and palm it with your right hand immediately. Flourish the rest of the deck with a one hand cut, or one hand shuffle with your left hand offer it to a spectator to simply mix up the cards.
Make sure the spectator starts to shuffle because some stubborn people start to shuffle through the deck looking for their card. Then turn your back making this moue seem natural to show that there is no possible way that you could know where the card is. At this time you are folding the palmed card into eighths (The smaller the better).
This is easy as your back is turned you can use both hands to do this and slip the tiny package in your mouth between your cheek and gum. Turn around to face the audience as the card is folded so tightly in your mouth, you can talk normally. Take the cards and act as if you messed up. Turn over a couple of cards to reveal what was supposed to be their selection.
Do whatever you want to, just make yourself look bad. As soon as they reach their peak, work the card out of your lips and slowly spit the card out onto the palm of your hand. Unfold it, and watch the audience scream at the chosen signed card. It looks as if you somehow swallowed the card beforehand and regurgitated it back up again.

Coin Vanish

David Blaine was seen in this TV special to visibly vanish a coin that was on a spectator’s outstretched palm, without touching the spectators palm and by waving his hands above the spectator’s palm. This looks very impressive and is performed by using a gimmick called "The Raven" which is available from good magic suppliers and is a worthwhile purchase for those of you interested in street magic.

Card In Bottle

Effect
The spectator is asked to sign a card and the card is placed in the deck and cards are shuffled. The magician throws the cards at a bottle behind the spectators. The signed card appears in the bottle.

Method
David Blaine showed the spectators a different trick before this one involving the same spectator signing a card of the same number and suit that is forced when showing the card in a bottle trick following after the card trick. He then keeps the card and does another trick not involving cards and slips the card to one of the cameramen or lights crew. The guy then puts the card in the bottle while David distracts the audience with a trick. Then he goes on to perform the card in the bottle trick and the card is forced, signed, and the trick is done. He then throws the cards at the bottle and the card that was recently signed is held on to. He then tells everyone to look at the bottle and the card is slipped in his pocket.

Cigarette Through The Coin Trick

David Blaine again used this impressive trick where he pushed a cigarette through a quarter. This trick uses a very clever gimmicked coin where the middle temporarily opens to let the cigarette through and later closes so the hole is virtually invisible to the spectator. This coin is available through good magic suppliers, and is often on eBay.

Ace Shake

This trick was performed in David Blaine's second special where he made the spectator sign a card, the card was put in the pack and was made to appear from between two aces.

Secret
Give the spectator, the red aces and tell them to hold them. Fan out the deck and tell the spectator to touch a card. Square the deck up leaving their card stuck out to be signed and shown. This is because you secretly put the card into "palm position" when you square up the deck so you can easily palm the card when you want to. It must stick out of the lower comer of the pack meeting your inner thumb. Let them sign the card and then hand them the deck, secretly paling their card. After they are convinced that the card between the aces, showing only the aces face up. Tell them to hold the deck openly and start to shake the aces over the pack, tell them to watch their card rise from the deck into the two aces, shake a little more loosely and the card will appear to their amazement.

Voodoo Ash

Effect
A name is written on a piece of paper on a notepad by the spectator, the paper is torn off unseen by the magician, crumpled up and placed in an ashtray. It is then set alight. The ashes are then rubbed on the magicians arm and the name of the person written on the paper mysteriously appears.

Preparation
You will need a small notepad, pen, ashtray, lighter and a small piece of soap or wax.

Method
The spectator is asked to write the name of a person or favourite anything of theirs on a notepad. Then to tear of the sheet of notepaper, crumple it up and place it in the ashtray, where the magician then sets the paper alight. The magician takes the notepad of the spectator and should be able to see the imprint of the name written on the paper above in the next sheet of the notepad. Looking at the pad should not be made obvious and some misdirection carried out while he carefully takes the small piece of wax or soap and writes the name on the imprint on his arm or hand (this will not be visible to anyone). The magician can then take some ash from the ashtray and rub it over the wax where it will stick and create an impression of the spectators word to there amazement. This is a great trick but depends on the magician creating an atmosphere with an entertaining routine and patter about black magic to enhance the effect and create misdirection to allow him time to pull off the trick.

Two Card Monte

This trick requires a lot of practice and is for advanced magicians.

Effect
(This is the trick that was performed on the David Blaine special and requires a complete mastery of the double lift). The magician shows the spectator, the queen of diamonds on the top of the deck. He then tells the spectator to hold the queen face down between his fingers. The performer then shows the next top card, the other red queen. After several fast sneaky switches of the cards, the spectator is told to guess which card is where? When he turns over his hand, he realizes he is holding no aces at all.

Preparation
This trick is done with a regular set of cards. Before performing the trick, put the black ace on the bottom, preferably the ace of clubs, it is less conspicuous. On the top of the deck, place the queen of diamonds, then the ace of spades, then the queen of hearts.

Method
With the deck set up as above, first show the spectators the (actual) top card. Tell them to hold it between their fingers, face down. Then tell them to look at the card they have, so they are sure that there was no fancy moves in play. Using this as misdirection, prepare to double lift the next two cards once they have looked at their card. Perform the double lift and show them the queen of hearts with the ace concealed. Put the cards back on top of the deck, and then remove the ace without showing them the face of the ace. Then pretend to switch the cards, once or twice. After this say "OK I'm going to teach you how to do this" This time, perform the "switch" very slowly, actually switching the cards. (Make sure that they do not look at the ace in there hands). Then, very quickly, making sure that they do not notice what you are doing, take the queen of diamonds you are holding and put it on top of the deck. Then steal the card off the bottom of the deck (ace of clubs) and give it to them. Then ask them to tell you what the card is. After you hear their guess, have them turn over their hand and be amazed.

Psycho Kinetic Time

Effect
David Blaine did this trick on his second national TV special. A watch is borrowed; the magician does not carry anything! After showing the watch to those nearby who notice the current time, you place the watch face down in the spectator's hand. His hand is closed over the watch. The magician does not touch the watch again. The magician then asks the spectator to name a number and then to concentrate on that number and the watch. He opens his hand, turns over the watch and sees that the hands of the watch have moved that many minutes! This trick does not require any gimmicks.

Props
Someone wearing an analogue watch (a watch with a long stem that's easy to manipulate quickly. I.e. SEIKO watches)

Preparation
You need to wear a watch of your own with the wrong time.

Method
Ask your victim for his watch with an excuse like, "I think my time is wrong can I see yours for a second?". Borrow the watch for a minute and examine it look at it, state what time it has, and say, "is this the right time, I need to know". Now glance at the time on your watch, and draw attention to it by setting its time. While they are looking at you, set the time on your watch. Your other hand is moving their stem so their time is moved forward 25 minutes. Now have them sandwich their watch between their hands, and ask them to pick a number from 10 to 30. Most people will pick 25 if they pick 20, they won’t notice it’s off by five minutes when you reveal that the hands on their watch have moved forward in time.... If they pick something below that number, tell them to make it harder, and pick a higher number, it gets them every time.... Just remember to give a great patter when doing this trick.

Tips
I recommend trying to do this on nervous or shy people so they don't know what you're doing. The key to this trick is misdirection, but it’s very easy to get caught.

Card Through Window

Effect
The performer asks the spectator to pick a card without him seeing the face and replace it in the pack. The pack is then shuffled and the performer is apparently unsuccessful in locating the card. After a few attempts, the cards are thrown against a window in a fit of rage, on looking at the window, the chosen card is seen to be sticking to it, even more surprising is the fact that the card is on the inside of the window.

Preparation
You will need two identical packs of cards and a willing helper.

Method
This trick should be performed in a area with a large window nearby and with the spectator facing away from the window. The spectator is asked to choose a card from a pack, memorize it without showing you, and replace the card in the pack. The pack is then shuffled and a couple of attempts at "is this your card" tried followed by a look of disbelief when the spectator tells you that it is not their card. (This is all part of the act, as you don't even need to know the card). After a few attempts you fake an angry outburst and making sure the cards are squared up, throw the pack broadside at the window, where they will hit the window and fall to the ground except the chosen card, which is sticking on the window. Your helper was already positioned behind the window and spectator and had an identical pack of cards. He was able to see the chosen card and took the duplicate card and it was stuck to the inside of the window. The helper should then have walked away from the window. This trick creates a real surprise but it is important to pick up the fallen cards quickly and to pocket the original card.

Paul Xenon Tax Disc Removal Secret

This trick is of medium skill

Effect
The magician invites a spectator to stand near a car, he then asks the spectator to check that the car tax disc inside the windscreen. The spectator agrees, the magician then places his hands over the disc and pulls it out through the solid glass.

Preparation
This trick needs along piece of fishing line, two identical tax discs, a car and a assistant.

Method
Attach a piece of fishing line to the tax disc inside the car and run it out to the trunk and out the back of the car. Have your assistant ducking down behind the back of the car holding the line, where the spectator cannot see him. Palming the duplicate disc, the spectator is asked to check that the disc is inside the car. With the disc in your right hand, cover the tax disc with your hands. This is your cue to the assistant. He pulls the line and keeps pulling until the disc is ripped of the windscreen and pulled right inside the trunk at the back and out of view of the spectators. Meanwhile, you pretend to struggle to pull the disc from inside the car, hand it to the spectator and casually walk off. It is good to really look like your putting a lot of effort into getting the tax disc through the window.

The Card Flick Revelation

Effect
A spectator chooses a card from a deck of cards. The deck is shuffled by the magician and then given to the spectator to shuffle. The magician draws out a card from the deck, not the chosen card and holds it in his fingertips. He gives the card a short sharp flick from behind and instantly the card changes into the spectators.

Preparation
Two decks are required. Choose a card that you want the spectator to choose and glue it back to back of any other card in the deck. Out of the top left hand comer (for right handed people) before gluing leave a small needle or long pin sticking 2cm diagonally out of the card. This should be glued halfway firmly inside the sandwich of cards. You should now have a card with two faces and the little pin protruding about 2cm from the comer.

Method
Force them to choose the necessary card by your favorite force method. Shuffle and loose the card in the pack. When they are shuffling the deck withdraw the prepared card from your pocket with your left hand being careful not to let them see it. As they pass the cards back to you, receive them with both hands, left hand facing you so they don't see the cards and bring your hands together on the deck. Left hand with prepared card on the top of the deck and right hand facing inwards under the deck (almost like a playing position with a deck of cards in-between your hands). Keeping your hands moving and in one continuous motion draw off the card that is in your left hand.
To the audience it looks like they shuffle the pack and you draw off a card when it is returned to you. If the whole action is done with hands slightly faced towards your body the back of your hands hides many of the motions so they might not even know that the card came from the top. Hold the card by the very tip with the pin between your thumb and forefinger of the left hand. The face they can see is not their card, their card's face is facing you.
Ask them if that is their card. "No," they will reply. "Oh", you say, "In that case concentrate very hard on the card." After you say this give the bottom right hand edge of the card a short and sharp flick and let it flip over on the pin in your fingers.
To the audience their card will appear just by flicking it!!! They will think you really are Blaine in disguise.

Tips
Don't let anyone stand behind you for this trick, they will see the double faced card. You will have to figure out yourself how to get rid of the double faced card without them seeing it. Try practising in front of a mirror to refine the flicking action so that the card can make the complete ISO degree flip. It wont look good if it didn't quite make it round.

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