Price$60.00
Media TypeDVD
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedApr 14, 2011
Minotaur The Final Issue
Harlan, Dan
Shaun Dunn
(Based on 3 reviews)
The Greatest Magic Instructional Movie Ever Made! Destined to Become a Cult Classic! Dan Harlan and Marv Leventhal (co-publishers of the legendary magic magazine, The MINOTAUR) Bring their Creation to Life ON DVD in this Wild Tale of Intrigue Involving Robots, Costumes, Beer, Color-Changing Plumes and 25 Incredible Effects!
That's Right! 25 Incredible Effects with Cards, Coins, Orange Juice, Popcorn, Toothpicks, Mardi-Gras Beads, Beer, Brown Bags, Business Cards, Big Dice and, of course, Color-Changing Plumes! Packed Full of Great New Magic Routines... all woven into a crazy story to keep you laughing while you're learning. 3 Hours of Non-stop Fun!
Plus, another hour of Bonus Features including: Effects from previous issues of The MINOTAUR magazine by Steve Cohen, David Williamson, Gazzo Macee, Anthony Lindan, David Neighbors, Gene Anderson and Angelo Carbone. And, as if that wasn't enough, Harlan performs and teaches his killer version of the classic "Collectors" routine. It's a reputation-making "worker" that you'll want to use!
You'll Want To Watch This One Again and Again and Again! Get yours today!
Here's a list of the Effects featured on The MINOTAUR: Final Issue
Fairest of Them All - Marv Leventhal & Dan Harlan - The spectator is merely thinking of a card, yet you can easily find it! Does that ring a bell?
Hebe, Hera, Hecate - Dan Harlan - Four acrobatic Queens at a Goddess Temple just outside of Las Vegas. Sound like fun to you?
Sprites - Dan Harlan - Discover how Harlan survived in the wild on a diet of small woodland creatures... and you can too! Sure to D'Lite!
Adjoctive - Phil Goldstein - A bunch of business cards, random words, random years, math and dealing piles... to find the phrase that pays. Sounds like awesome mentalism to me!
Aqui (A Key) - Dan Harlan - The spectator's key vanishes into another dimension and has a little trouble returning until you coax it out with fire. This one is spoo-key!
Cupside Down - Dan Harlan - A cup filled with liquid, placed into a brown paper bag inverted through a full 360 degrees without spilling a drop! Go on, examine everything!
Holding the Bag - Dan Harlan - Harlan's brown bag "Psychometry" builds to an impossible revelation of the final object's identity. It's in the bag!
Glass Backwards - Tom Craven - A couple of randomly selected cards match predictions on display from the start. Ooooo, you get to make something cool!
Big Easy Linking - Dan Harlan - A linking Mardi-Gras necklace routine perfect for the slightly less inebriated reveler. "Show us your TRICKS!"
Royal Plushy - Dan Harlan - A stuffed animal always wins 5-card stud no matter how many players are in the game! His secret is a pretty cool cooler!
Folderol & Dagger Move - Dan Harlan - Tap three times with a Sharpie if you want me... to make your card appear folded under the clip. Who brings a pen to a knife fight?
Counting On You - Dan Harlan - The fun adds up as the spectator tries to keep track of how many cards you have without puking! Warning: May Induce Laughter.
Mexicali Aces - Marv Leventhal - Everything seems kosher as the aces appear, but one of them conceals a little extra spice! Who ordered the Spicy Kosher Mexican Turnover?!
On Your Mark - Dan Harlan - Three wrongs DO make a RIGHT in this simple card revelation... and deck switch. Follow me down the garden path.
Sign Wave - Dan Harlan - The deck goes crazy as cards turn face-up, face-down and change color, until you set everything right... except the signed selection. Finally, a trick where everything is gimmicked!
Prism Pen - Dan Harlan - Amuse your spectator before they sign their card with a quick color-changing pen routine. You might call it a "magical" marker!
Lock Master - Mike Draganic - If you forget the combination to your lock you can always have four people pick random numbers and it will magically open! Now, they know too much.
Money Laundering - Dan Harlan - A spectator's dollar comes out a little bit too clean from your mini washing machine, so you offer to print them a new one! If only someone has the right paper...
Beer Money - Dan Harlan - You've got money and I've got beer, so when a dollar turns into a beer label, we'll find the money in the bottle! Plus deposit in Maine and Hawaii.
Bright & Early - Jen Weston & Dan Harlan - You'll find some very strange ingredients in that "orange drink" of yours. What's in there? Read the label!
Vegas Baby - Dan Harlan - Breathing fresh air into great mentalism plot, Harlan adds color, comedy and cash to create a real winner! Roll the dice and take a shot!
The Popcorn Trick - Dan Harlan - When you need a quick snack, be prepared with this magical method of making instant "popped" corn! There's a kernel of truth in it.
Allied Alliance - David Neighbors - Experience the mystery of international finance as coins travel invisibly from here to there, and back again! Boy, if I had a nickel for every penny I've ever had...
All You Need Is Love - Dan Harlan - The perfect four-card-twisting-color-changing-backs-and-appearing-marks-with-hidden-message trick to perform when it's time to shut down the evil robot version of yourself. 'Nuf said.
World's Best Toothpick - Marv Leventhal - A grossly funny bit of emcee business to fill the time before the finale. Picky people pick perfect picks.
BONUS EFFECTS:
Harlan's Collectors - Dan Harlan - The classic "Collectors" plot (Roy Walton) with professional additions, touches and handling by Harlan.
Dan Harlan also performs and teaches one effect from each of the previous volumes of the original magazine. Featured effects from previous contributors to The MINOTAUR: Coins From Napkin (v1n1) - Steve Cohen, Brain Probe (v2n1) - David Williamson, A Gentleman's Game (v3n3) - Gazzo Macee, Speck-ulation (v4n2) - Anthony Lindan, Bent Outta Shape (v5n1) - David Neighbors, Penned In (v6n1) - Gene Anderson & Dan Harlan, and Striking Art (v7n1) - Angelo Carbone.
Running Time Approximately: 180min (Not including bonus features)
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Dan Harlan is back! I, for one, am very happy.
The Minotaur is easily my favorite magic periodical of all time. I actually don't own that many issues, but I treasure the ones I have. The material was always fresh and interesting. Most of it came with a good premise, if not an entire script. The routines rarely seemed contrived. These weren't tricks for tricks' sake. There seemed to be a real effort by the contributors to produce a magical effect.
There never was a final issue to the print publication. This DVD not only serves as a final issue for previous subscribers, but also an introduction to some wonderful material for the rest of us.
The first DVD is three hours long and contains 25 effects. It's the antithesis of those nasty one-trick DVDs permeating the market these days. Most of the material is from Dan, with a few items from Marv Leventhal (co-producer of The Minotaur) and a few others (Max Maven and David Neighbors).
There's a little something for everyone. Finger-flinging packet tricks. Mentalism. Impromptu magic with everyday objects. Platform routines. There's even a lovely routine using a D'Lite (previously thought impossible by this reviewer).
OK, I'll be honest. I didn't love everything. There were a few items that I thought were either transparent or just, plain silly. But they were easily in the minority and may appeal to people with different sensibilities.
The entire first DVD is setup as a mini movie. I don't want to spoil the fun by telling you the premise, but it does include a robot. In case you were wondering, Dan spends a lot of time talking about his life path since he took a hiatus from the magic world.
As if that weren't enough, there's a second DVD containing some of the best routines from previous issues of The Minotaur. Contributors include Steve Cohen, David Williamson, Gazzo, Anthony Linden, David Neighbors, Gene Anderson, and Angelo Carbone. The DVD ends with Dan's excellent version of Collectors.
Welcome back, Dan!
The Minotaur is easily my favorite magic periodical of all time. I actually don't own that many issues, but I treasure the ones I have. The material was always fresh and interesting. Most of it came with a good premise, if not an entire script. The routines rarely seemed contrived. These weren't tricks for tricks' sake. There seemed to be a real effort by the contributors to produce a magical effect.
There never was a final issue to the print publication. This DVD not only serves as a final issue for previous subscribers, but also an introduction to some wonderful material for the rest of us.
The first DVD is three hours long and contains 25 effects. It's the antithesis of those nasty one-trick DVDs permeating the market these days. Most of the material is from Dan, with a few items from Marv Leventhal (co-producer of The Minotaur) and a few others (Max Maven and David Neighbors).
There's a little something for everyone. Finger-flinging packet tricks. Mentalism. Impromptu magic with everyday objects. Platform routines. There's even a lovely routine using a D'Lite (previously thought impossible by this reviewer).
OK, I'll be honest. I didn't love everything. There were a few items that I thought were either transparent or just, plain silly. But they were easily in the minority and may appeal to people with different sensibilities.
The entire first DVD is setup as a mini movie. I don't want to spoil the fun by telling you the premise, but it does include a robot. In case you were wondering, Dan spends a lot of time talking about his life path since he took a hiatus from the magic world.
As if that weren't enough, there's a second DVD containing some of the best routines from previous issues of The Minotaur. Contributors include Steve Cohen, David Williamson, Gazzo, Anthony Linden, David Neighbors, Gene Anderson, and Angelo Carbone. The DVD ends with Dan's excellent version of Collectors.
Welcome back, Dan!
(Top ▲)
This was an interesting DVD. The ‘storyline’ was a little strange, and sometimes distracting, but it was pretty fun for the most part.
The actual effects are fun. There is such a mixed bag, that it’s hard to select what will be stand outs for some people.
My personal favorites were a card effect called, “The Fairest of Them All” as well as an interesting effect with a business card and a sharpie.
If you are a fan of Dan Harlan, or the original magazine, you will get your money’s worth.
Four Stars
The actual effects are fun. There is such a mixed bag, that it’s hard to select what will be stand outs for some people.
My personal favorites were a card effect called, “The Fairest of Them All” as well as an interesting effect with a business card and a sharpie.
If you are a fan of Dan Harlan, or the original magazine, you will get your money’s worth.
Four Stars
(Top ▲)
This DVD set is somewhat unusual. First off, it's the "final issue" of a printed newsletter that dropped off the face of the earth several years ago. How exactly they decided a DVD would finish the run isn't explained, but since I wasn't a subscriber (indeed, I've never seen an issue at all) I'm not in a position to judge that.
It's also unusual in that it contains a fair amount of goofing around, but not quite to the point where it becomes distracting. Apparently the Minotaur's motto was "Half Magic, Half Bull." So that explains a lot, but in reality the ratio here is more like 3/4 magic, 1/4 silliness. I have a low tolerance for self-indulgent shenanigans on magic DVDs and this one is the first that didn't completely turn me off. Perhaps because the magic is so worthwhile.
For $60 this is a little pricey, but I was able to find a copy for less, so I feel like my purchase was a good deal. There are a lot of tricks, and there were several items I'd consider using. Harlan's craft skills are well in evidence for a few of the items, and even if you don't like the trick, you'll find yourself admiring how it was built. There's a good mix of close-up and parlor magic, with most of the items being demonstrated "on the street," so you can see that they're quite flexible and easy to travel with. Overall, many of the tricks are typically Harlan-esque. They are clever, visual, and "trickster" in their presentation and intent. They are the type of tricks you'd expect to find in printed newsletter, but now brought to life instead. The effects on the first disc are new; those on the second disc make up a "best of" from the printed newsletter.
All in all, you probably won't be disappointed with your purchase. The discs are fun to watch, and most of the content is worth your time. The Minotaur Final Issue doesn't suck.
It's also unusual in that it contains a fair amount of goofing around, but not quite to the point where it becomes distracting. Apparently the Minotaur's motto was "Half Magic, Half Bull." So that explains a lot, but in reality the ratio here is more like 3/4 magic, 1/4 silliness. I have a low tolerance for self-indulgent shenanigans on magic DVDs and this one is the first that didn't completely turn me off. Perhaps because the magic is so worthwhile.
For $60 this is a little pricey, but I was able to find a copy for less, so I feel like my purchase was a good deal. There are a lot of tricks, and there were several items I'd consider using. Harlan's craft skills are well in evidence for a few of the items, and even if you don't like the trick, you'll find yourself admiring how it was built. There's a good mix of close-up and parlor magic, with most of the items being demonstrated "on the street," so you can see that they're quite flexible and easy to travel with. Overall, many of the tricks are typically Harlan-esque. They are clever, visual, and "trickster" in their presentation and intent. They are the type of tricks you'd expect to find in printed newsletter, but now brought to life instead. The effects on the first disc are new; those on the second disc make up a "best of" from the printed newsletter.
All in all, you probably won't be disappointed with your purchase. The discs are fun to watch, and most of the content is worth your time. The Minotaur Final Issue doesn't suck.