Price$30.00
Media TypeDVD
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedJun 11, 2008
The Secret Art Of Monkey Business
Matthew Johnson
(Based on 1 review)
View ClipA collection of devilishly creative close-up routines that will bring out your inner monkey!
This long awaited DVD from the creator of Color Blind, Six and Stabbed In The Pack, offers up 7 commercial routines, bonus routines and more!
Here are just some of the routines included:
Jack Is Back - A clever twist on The Ripper by Lee Asher.
Card On Head - Easy to do, commercial, instantly resets. What more could you ask for?
The Improved Vanishing Card Case - A previously marketed effect that has long been unavailable. Magicians all over the world have praised this version of a modern classic. Here for the first time, Matthew teaches you how to make your own.
Ring Vanish And Flash Production - Grab a ring and some flash paper and you are ready to perform some great visual magic.
Card Through Bill - A marketed effect that has become one of Matthew's best sellers is taught for the first time on DVD.
Knife Through Finger - A knife penetrates your finger leaving a giant, gaping whole that the spectators can see right through!
Flick Of The Lip - Based on Lickety Flip by David Acer. This clever version sets you up to perform McDonald's Aces.
Also included are bonus routines for:
Ring Flight and McDonald's Aces.
Running Time Approximately 1hr 30min
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Matthew Johnson is a professional performer and does a lot of strolling work. I'm thinking that if this guy came to my table putting on the personality act that he did in the performances, I would likely tell the waiter on my next visit to make sure the magician skips my table. I refer to it as a "personality act" because in the explanation section, you saw a different side of Mathew... a much less annoying side.
I'm sure that I'm coming across as rude, and I certainly don't mean to. However, I do think it is important that we constantly are examining our character to make sure that it's solid and like-able. Mr. Johnson comes across as an over-the-top greasy car salesman... Imagine if Matthew Lesko where to perform close up magic for you... it's kind of like that.
Ok... enough raggin' on the guy. He really does seem like a nice guy, if you make it to the explanation section. My hope is that Matthew will read this review and take to heart what is meant to be constructive criticism about his performance character.
To his credit, his presentations (not his character) are solid. Again, he's not a put-and-taker. He clearly has thought through his routines and has given them a lot of attention. He does have a couple of lines that he used in several tricks which was annoying... again, that goes back to his character that needs a little work.
On to the material. Much of his stuff is refinements and modifications to other existing routines. I think my favorite was "ring vanish and flash production." This is a super visual piece of magic that requires you to carry only a lighter and a some flash paper... You borrow the ring. It's simple, direct, and visual.
Most of the material is pretty solid and is good for the studying performer. I will say that his handling of Ring Flight was very nervous, choppy, and appeared unpracticed and he flashed the gimmick several times. That was the only effect where I felt a bit disappointed.
Matthew is a good teacher. He knows his stuff. He just needs to tone down his performance personality a bit. For $30 bucks, you'll likely get your money's worth. He had some clever ideas, vanishing card box for one, that are worth the price of the disk. If you're looking for some different ideas this might be your thing.