Introduction

This is the second set of Michael Vincent DVDs that I've reviewed. I've really enjoyed his work. This DVD set is no exception. There is one point of clarification needed before we can start however. During this set he kept referring to "volumes I and II" of the "series." I was a bit confused until I did some digging. So, I'll save you the trouble and publish my research here. To the best of my knowledge, here's what we've got:

Alakazam has produced a 3 Volume Set of DVDs. Each volume has either 3 or 4 DVDs. The series is called, The Classic Magic of Michael Vincent. Below you'll find the subtitle to each volume and the number of DVDs included.

Volume 1 - The Pathway to Excellence - 3 DVDs. I've watched and reviewed this set and gave it a solid recommendation (4 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!)
Volume 2 - Rhapsodies in Silver & Other Mysteries - 4 DVDs. I've not seen this one.
Volume 3 - Elegant Deceptions - 3 DVDs. I've watched and you are about to read my review of this one.

Hopefully that helps.

Disk One

In this first disk, you are treated with a bit of a long-than-needed-to-be introduction, followed by the Parlour Show which contained the following effects:

• The Symphony of the Rings - Linking Ring Routine


• The Rubber Band Trick - Crazy Man's Handcuffs


• The Hanging Coins - Hanging Coins


• The Bill Switch Routine - A Bill Switch Routine (am I being too obvious)


• The Card Up the Sleeve - Two Card Transpo


• Ultimate Travelers - Cards to Pocket


• The Ladies Looking Glass - A Multiple Selection Routine

Of all the effects above, only one is taught, The Ladies Looking Glass - it's taught on Disk 3. On disk three, Vincent makes a point of saying that he's not teaching the effects because he wants us to work out our own methods and that if we've watched the previous volumes and studied them, we'd have all the knoweledge we need to work out our own methods.

I've got mixed feelings about this approach. First, I have not seen Volume II, and don't feel that I should have to buy it in order to perform the routines on another volume that I did purchase. I get his point of being our mentor and wanting us to work through things and figure things out. The problem is that it's a little bit of double talk - I don't think that he's being dishonest, but I think he's a little unclear on his intentions. On one hand, Vincent refers to this set of DVDs (all three Volumes - 10 DVDs) is a mentoring series to take a person up through the ranks and teach him how to be a magicians (the way magic used to be taught pre-pants-on-the-ground generation). I LOVE this.

However, on the other hand he seems to assume that we already have a certain level of knowledge and that (in Disk one of this volume in particular) the performance of the show is just to show us how to do a show and that we should already know the secrets to Linking Rings, Hanging Coins, etc. Granted, all of this may have been taught on the 4 disk set that is Volume II, but again, I don't own that set, and there were some great moments in his Linking Ring and Hanging Coins routines that I would love to learn.

Just consider the above when you make your purchasing decision. As for the performance itself, barring a couple of awkward moments, it was a beautiful performance, and one that you can truly learn from even if you don't know the secrets (I told you had mixed feelings).

The Sleeve transpo routine was a killer idea, and an excellent way to frame a two card transpo. The travelers effect was impossibly magical. His hanging coins is the best I've ever seen. The pantomime of the "hang" is perfect. The bill switch, I'm not sure what the effect was . . . it started with a gag that kept going on and on, then suddenly the audience applauded, but I couldn't see what happened due to the lighting. The effect was never really explained, so I'm not sure what it was.

In addition to the Parlour act, you get the first part of the close up show where two effects are performed and taught

Close Up Show Part One:
Ultra Clean Transposition (4.5 stars)
A No-duplicates two card transpo that's about as clean as you can get. The cards could both actually be signed if you wanted to. The one ain't easy, but once you learn it you'll have a super clean routine that you can do anytime there's a deck of cards handy.

All Hands on Deck (4 stars)
The effect on this is really solid, but it just takes a little bit of time to get to any magic happening. Other than that, this is a solid effect. In Short: Spectator picks a card and shuffles it into the deck. Magi picks out five cards that it "might" be. Places all five face up in the deck. Instantly, all cards are face down except the selection.

Disk Two

On disk 2, we watch the rest of the close up show and are taught each effect. Below you'll find my commentary on each.
Close Up Show Part II:

4Play with Foursome (4.5 stars)
A darn-near perfect routine that has a solid gambling hook, and several moments of incredible magic, and, best of all, the deck is thorougly shuffled before starting. Even so, two sets of four-of-a-kind (decided on by the spectators after the shuffle) are produced in an incredibly magical way.

The Vegas Hustle (4.5 stars)
Vincent's take on the 10 card poker deal plot. Again, a super solid routine that just seems impossible. The only thing I don't like about it is the typical sting in the end of these types of routines: You lose; I win, Ha! Ha!

Aces For Experts (4.5 stars)
The Title here says it all. This is not an easy effect - most stuff on this set is not. However, this handling of Marlo's Estimation Aces just seems impossible - most of Vincent's stuff does.

Back to The Future (3 stars)
Not easy but pretty clean handling of the Anywhere/Nowhere plot combined with a Wild Card and a Cards to Pocket . . . it's a little too much. It has some nice moments, but there's a bit of back-and-forth-ness to it that I think takes away from the effect.

Many Faces of A Woman (performance ONLY):
This is another one of those bitter-sweet experiences. The routine is beautiful, magical and impossible and . . . we don't get to learn it.

Disk Three

In the final disk of this volume, we are treated to a couple of excellent conversations with Chris Harding. In these conversations you are not only taught some excellent theory about card magic and about using a borrowed deck, but you are also taught some incredible effects that you would never believe were done with a borrowed shuffled deck. Excellent!

And last but not least, we are shown the explanation for The Ladies Looking Glass which was performed on disk one in the parlour show. This is Vincent's handling on an effect that's over 100 years old, and it's beautiful. The best part about this, in my opinion, is that it removes just about every problem that I feel exist in multiple selection routines. It eliminates the long and drawn out process of having 8 people each take a card and each being returned to the deck. It eliminates the amount of time where nothing is happening and gets to the point much more quickly. Additionally, the revelations are done in pairs which makes the routine pop better, and the revelations seem impossible. This effect would make a nice addition to just about any parlour act.

Final Thoughts

I've already expressed my "issue" with the performance only nature of a lot of the material. There were a couple of minor annoyances in the DVD menu system. Additionally, the trailer is too long at the beginning of the DVD. It made things confusing. I mentioned this same problem in the first Volume 3 disk set. The trailer looks too much like the actual performance of the DVD and it gets confusing. Also, much of the material in the DVD is not labeled between segments, so if you wanted to go back and rewatch a section, you aren't sure what item on the menu you would need to pick to get back where you were.

This DVD set could have been 2 DVDs, maybe even one, but three was too many.

A few comments about Mr. Vincent . . . I love watching him perform, and I really do feel like he is talking to me and being my mentor, and I feel that if I ever get the opportunity to meet him that we'll connect because we've sort of already met. Regarding his presentations, they are a million miles ahead what I'm used to seeing on DVDs that I review. He is a true professional in every respect of the word. Based on Vincent's statement that he's constantly reviewing his magic and trying to improve it, I'll mention one criticism that I think he would appreciate. He has a bit of an annoying habit of constantly saying "Lo and Behold" right before revealing a selection or turning over a card. It's minor, but it's a bad habit that we all must be aware of, so if you pick up this DVD set - and you should - beware of that.

DVD Quality: 4 out of 5 stars
Material Performed: 4.5 stars
Material taught: 4.5 stars
Michael Vincent: 4.5 stars
Volume of "Performance Only" Material: 2.5 stars (too much of it).

Final Verdict

Even with the "issues" I had with the project, there's just no way I can NOT recommend this . . . in case my double negative locked up your brain: 4 stars with a Stone Status of GEM!