“The Chinese Linking Rings have passed through more hands and gathered more dust than any other effect in the history of magic. They have been twisted, hollowed out, bent, stretched, miniaturized, ostracized, and reduced from sixteen to two.”
Cellini

Over many years and shows, renowned street magician Cellini has pared the Linking Rings down to its simplest (and purest) form – two rings pass through each other repeatedly like smoke in an elegant, almost balletic series of links and unlinks. Apart from being both pretty and magical, the routine is also a lesson in how to keep an effect uncluttered. In much the same way that causing a single coin to vanish from your left hand and reappear in your right can potentially be stronger than causing four coins to do the same, one after the other, two solid rings that link and unlink in increasingly surprising ways may actually be more magical than eight.

What you won’t find on this DVD are groundbreaking new moves and techniques – just established methodology applied and personalized by a well-versed (and well-traveled) pro. Having said that, however, I was still surprised a number of times by links and unlinks. I hesitate to say “fooled” because of course I was aware that a key ring was in play, but Cellini handles the rings very innocently and occasionally gets ahead on off-beats.

So who is this DVD for? Well, like most stage and platform manipulation, individual Linking Ring routines are best constructed by first educating oneself on existing work in the field. As such, if you’re looking to create your own routine, you should pick this up, along with Chris Capehart’s Three Ring Routine, Vernon’s Symphony of the Rings, Ireland’s Linking Ring Routine, and the list goes on. If, on the other hand, you already perform a Linking Ring routine, this DVD might introduce you to a sequence or two you were previously unaware of, but perhaps more importantly, it will almost certainly provide you with some insight into endowing each and every link you currently perform with an impact all its own.

David Acer

First, let's get some misconceptions out of the way. This is not a 90 minute compilation of every linking ring move known to man. Second, though Cellini presents the DVD in the form of a routine, he states that this is really a collection of moves from which one can choose to add to their linking ring work.

What you get are Jim Cellini's handling of several beautiful and seldom seen Linking Ring moves as well as his touches on some more common place techniques. The video is extremely well shot and the edits do a great job of taking advantage of current technology to enhance the teaching portions. My only complaint is that some of the more standard moves are given only very cursory descriptions which might make it difficult for a raw beginner. Nevertheless, I felt at times I could see the story board coming to life on screen. There was some real thought behind this production and while some segments are better than others, those that hit do so with surety.

I should also add, having been a writer and consultant on some major video projects, that Jim has clearly thought about what he is going to say. There is very little "rambling" here. He has thought out his messages and presents them concisely.

My only regret in the offering is, having seen Jim lecture on a number of occasions, he doesn't go into too much detail on the angling of the rings. I won't tip his work here, but it really makes an amazing improvement on the illusion of the unlinks. Perhaps he is saving that for his lectures. All the more reason to seek one out.

The DVD is a good product. It is not overly ambitious. It conveys its intended information quite well. I would say that if anyone is working on a Linking Ring routine they really need to see this DVD or at the least seek out his writings in The Royal Touch, the book on the Art and Magic of Cellini.

This DVD however is not a complete reference guide, nor would I suggest someone adopting the routine presented for their own. It is a resource, a guide to the thoughts and handlings of the rings from one man who has clearly spent quite a bit of time thinking about them and performing them.

In truth, my knee jerk reaction is to desire more material offered if only to make it easier to compare to other DVDs on the market. I think the project on its own merit completely would rate an easy 4 and a half stars. I was tempted to give it an overall four simply because compared to the encyclopedic nature of most DVDs it pales, but then I realized that it is a wonderful thing that Jim did not water down his product by merely throwing more at us. He presented that which he knows very concisely and lets it stand on its own merit. More performer/teachers should take this approach.

4 and 1/2 stars.