Spectrum
Wayne Dobson
Alakazam UK
Nothing in card magic has more visual impact than a colour changing back plot.
Effect
Four of a kind are shown to have red backs. Two of the cards are placed in your spectator's hand. One at a time the cards you are holding change back colour, then the same happens to the cards that are held by your spectator!
You are now left with four cards each with a completely different back colour.
You will not believe how easy Spectrum is to perform and how much impact it has on your spectators.
Spectrum is an effect you will put straight into your act!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
For $36 you get the needed cards for the effect, a presentation that insults your spectator, and a good and relatively clean (magically speaking) effect.
I'm not the biggest cheerleader for packet effects, particularly of this genre. However, this one eliminates a lot of the issues I have with this type of effect. Most effects of this nature have a convoluted so called presentation with cards turning face up and face down, etc. Then the kicker at the end. However, this one is much cleaner. You show four cards with a red back. Then one at a time they each turn to a different colored back. Though one of the cards cannot be examined, you're still left pretty darn clean.
Each color change has a nice funny or clever line to go with it (which you'll learn from watching the presentation, not the "teaching section"). If you liked the presentation and the effect, you'll be very happy with your purchase. The very basic instructions needed to do the effect are given and nothing more. This DVD presumes a certain level of knowledge, but I still think it should be pretty easy for a beginner. The cards are well made, and the mechanics are easy to execute.
If you like packet tricks and you like how this looks, then the only question is do you want to spend $36 to be able to do this trick.
Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem
(Top ▲)
The DVD and cards are produced by Alakazam Magic UK and features owner, Peter Nardi, and magician Michael J. Fitch. The first performance video features a third magician who remains nameless. Nardi and Fitch do a good job explaining the effect but neither convince me that they really like the trick. Their flat demeanors do not match their words.
The trick is easy to do and perfect for the beginner but not at $35.85. The cards are from the various standard issue USPC Bicycle decks with the exception of the final card. This has a piece of adhesive Mylar on its back. In the set I received, the Mylar did not go to the ends of the card and was crooked. This application caused this card to stick to the third making the handling rough.
The presentations on the DVD feature spectator put-down humor. It's bad enough to see Fitch do this to Nardi but its cringe worthy when No Name magician does it to a group of young women.
Poorly made cards, a snarky presentation and a magazine worthy routine with a $35.85 price tag equals one star.