I first bought this video when it came out on VHS and yes, I still have the VHS. I recently bought the DVD because frankly, I loved the material in this video. Gregory Wilson and his Card Stunts video are responsible for both inspiring and getting me started in card work when I was younger. When I got my start in magic at 7 years old, I started with books (and I still prefer books), but this was the first video on card magic of any sort that I ever purchased.

I will start my review by answering an underlying question from Mr. Stone in his review - there is no difference in the content between the VHS and the DVD. On a personal note: I think the VHS box graphics were way cooler than those on the DVD case...but that is just me!

The work and material on this video is excellent, and it opens with a full performance at the Magic Castle. If you simply popped this video on for your family/friends to watch and stopped it before the explanations start, they would be entertained.

Heavyweight Boxing requires some prop construction and if you use it, it does not take up a lot of space. It is a very cool effect that looks just as described and is not that difficult to do. You can eliminiate the first phase or two and still have a very powerful opener to begin with.

Not on the list of effects but after Heavyweight Boxing, Greg performs the classic Paul Harris effect, Double Decker. He does not explain it at all but does tell you exactly where to learn it. Normally I do not like it (in fact, it is a major pet peeve of mine) when an effect is performed as part of a larger collection and not explained (except where permission from a rights-holder was not obtained/obtainable). However, in this case because he gives references on where to find/learn it, and because all of the other material on the video is excellent, I was more than okay with overlooking that.

Phoenix Split is a novel way to produce four cards out of nowhere. It will take some time to get used to it for some people, especially in managing sight lines, etc., but is well worth the effort.

Reset with a Hook is one of my favorite routines on this video and it is the one that I use the most. It is based on another Paul Harris classic, Reset. In the eyes of both magicians and laymen, this effect is very magical and I love it!

Boomerang Card of Death. [Long, deep sigh]. Okay, THIS is THE effect that made me purchase the video to begin with all those years ago. THIS is the coolest effect on this video, bar none (Greg thinks so too). It is the ONE effect that I could not do. Fast forward to now - I can do all sorts of card spins from various positions in the deck with varying levels of success, but the method used with this effect is one I cannot do with a bare thumb - that may just be me. The whole effect - spinning technique and all - is very well explained and is not technically difficult, but rather for some it may be mechanically difficult.*

Boxspring is a very cool and magical way of extracting four cards out of the box. Greg uses the four Aces because they fit the context of the rest of the routines, but you can use any four cards and they could be signed if you are doing that type of effect. In fact, you can do any of this to cause just one, two or even three cards. I will note that because of the intended effect of two of the penetrations, you will have to use decks whose box has the back design of the card printed on it, like the old Bicycle Rider decks did. Other decks that have this feature these days include the Stud decks (from Walgreens), Mandolin backs, Phoenix decks, and many others. It is not difficult to do and it is one of my favorites because you can use it in different ways.

I also like Joke In the Box. If you have ever wanted to do Card Under Glass without the moisture, this is for you. The handling Greg offers here can be very easily combined with the handling and presentations for the Card Under Glass offered by both Jamy Ian Swiss and the late, great J.C. Wagner - both are awesome to watch. On top of the clean and direct handling, Joke In the Box has the added bonus of the kicker ending.

G-Force is a fun little interlude with an intended 'easy vs. difficult audience member' plot. It can be played in various ways if you think about it. Because of what the nature of the effect/routine hints at, Greg even tells you about situations where you might consider not using this. Again, this is not a technically difficult effect but as with all things of this nature (classic forces, etc.), it is a timing thing.

Revelation In Spades is just plain fun to watch. As Greg puts it, this is the "finger-popping, knuckle buster with industrial paper cuts" type of routine. Okay, maybe it is not that bad, but in my own opinion (and remember, I am a coin guy, not a cardician) it is the sequence of moves that may be difficult to remember for some, more than anything else. He teaches the all of the revelations clearly and a few of them will take plenty of practice for sure, even if you end up using them in a different context or different effect/routine.

Still today this is one of my favorite card videos (I have long since explored other card videos) because the material is strong, it plays well and I think most of it is pretty much angleproof. I use some of these effects in my trade shows and hospitality suites and people always seem to love them. This is not necessarily a video for complete beginners but intermediate and advanced magicians will have fun with this one.

*About a month after I got this video I discovered a few special somethings that allowed me to do this particular spin very effectively and reliably, but they all hinder the ability to do the rest of the effect because of their physical nature. On a side note: Jeff McBride has a product called Zoom, Bounce and Fly that will allow you to do this type of spinning as well.

Before reading the review, you should note that I have the DVD, not the VHS, so there may be some differences. Having said that, Gregory Wilson is a stud. I love watching him perform in front of an audience. He really knows how to have a good time and have fun with the audience, and most times it's all about having fun and less about the magic. Watching him perform is truly astonishing.

This video, Card Stunts, is loaded with good solid material. His Heavyweight boxing routine alone is worth purchasing this DVD. This is a fast-paced routine where the card box appears and vanishes and the cards end up in the box and out of the box. Super smooth, and super entertaining.

This was a Penguin Magic production, and the quality is top notch. The only major complaint I have about the product was the fact that he performed Paul Harris's effect Double Decker, but did not explain it. If you're familiar with Paul Harris and his work, you're likely familiar with this effect, but it would be nice to see his tips and pointers and his handling. I don't mind a DVD that has a performance only section if it's part of a trailer or an advertisement on the DVD. However, when it's part of the performance routine, and they don't teach it, it's a bit annoying. A lot of this material was Paul Harris-based. In fact, at least 4 effects were basically Wilson's handling of Harris effects. However, it's still worth it. Wilson brought some groovy ideas to the table.

Phoenix Split is a variation of Las Vegas Split by Paul. Also, Reset with a Hook is, of course, Paul's Reset effect. This one, I will say that I liked Wilson's handling until the end. It was a bit anti-climatic. The end was supposed to be the "big change that makes this version better," but I'm not seeing it.

Moving on, Boomerang Card of Death is awesome, and will likely take you the rest of your life to master, but so worth it. Another thing I've noticed about this and other Wilson videos is that sometimes the performance is done one way, and the explanation either leaves out a step or is different from the performance method. Such is the case in the performance and explanation of Boomerang Card of Death.

Boxspring is a killer effect where the four aces "melt" through or "pop out" of the closed up card box. G Force is probably, in my opinion, the weakest link on the DVD. It's basically him forcing the same card on the same person 3 or 4 times in a row with a transpo at the end. It's all a bit confusing.

Finally, Revelation in Spades is an excellent effect. This is basically a thirteen card revelation without having cards selected. I read Marlo's ten card revelation in his book Early Marlo. I thought the revelations were beautiful; in fact I use some of them to this day. However, I didn't like the idea of having 10 cards selected and returned. The rhythm and pacing of that can be a bit boring. Wilson's effect, Revelation in Spades takes the selection and return process out of the mix. This really is a thing of beauty to watch when Wilson performs it. As he points out several times in the DVD: he's a really lonely guy. It shows by how dang good he is. GEM!