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Houdini's Silent Prediction

Solari, Bob

Bob Solari Magic

(Based on 2 reviews)
Performer displays a stack of Houdini photo cards held together with a rubber band. The spectator is now given a pen and asked to initial the Houdini picture card. A deck of cards are introduced and a spectator is asked to select a card. The spectator returns the card and it is placed in the middle of the deck. The stack of Houdini cards are placed on top of the deck so Houdini can "look" for the spectators selection. The stack of Houdini photo cards are picked up and the initialed card is removed. The photo card is turned around, Houdini is now seen holding the spectators selected card with their initials on the card. This is a great give-away! Put your name and phone number on the back of this card. The spectator will now have a one of a kind business card of yours! Complete for enough 40 amazing performances.

Reviews

Doc Johnson

Official Reviewer

Aug 02, 2022

WHAT YOU GET

You get a single page written instructions and 40 small Houdini image cards along with what you need to do an “out to lunch” routine.

WHAT IS COOL

It could have been cool. The cards aren’t terrible, but not great. The method is easy, it is the traditional out to lunch method. The explanation is clear, but we will see below it left some to be desired. It is a cool concept, but there are some significant things you should be aware of.

WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES

First, the explanation of the “presentation” is an explanation of handling. Good magic, like a good movie, has to have elements that capture the viewers attention. In this case, the product offers nothing. No hook, no reason for why you have a stack of Houdini cards, nothing.

Second, the instructions say “use your favorite method” to force a card. What about the buyer who doesn’t have any method?

Third, the instructions say to not reveal the card immediately after pulling it from the stack. However, it doesn’t give any examples or guidance on what TO DO.

Fourth, the gimmicked photos don’t even look like Houdini is holding a playing card. They look like a tiny playing card was transposed on top of the Houdini image, close to his hand. They could have done a better job with the graphics.

Fifth, this product, with a bit more thought, could have been really great. First, I think the creator should have thought about how to perform this in a really powerful way, and provided at least one example of how to present it. I wonder if the creator ever presented this to real people, and if so, were they blown away, or did they just say: “That’s nice”. I’m guessing the latter. For example, what could have made this SO much better if it also included a stack of ungimmicked Houdini image cards. You could have them in your pocket and after pulling the revelation card out, you could put the stack in your pocket, then reveal the card and pull the stack out again after a switch, offering to do a follow up trick. For example, a really good follow up trick would be Roy Walton’s famous “card warp” using Houdini cards. It would have been the perfect setup to demonstrate Houdini’s skills as a master escape artist. Perhaps there could have been something on the back of the cards, like what looks like a brick wall so that the backs could be used in a card warp routine with Houdini in the middle.

AT A GLANCE

Skill level required: 2 of 5.
Audience management skill required: 4 of 5. I gave this a higher difficulty rating because as explained, there is so little substance that the audience is likely to want to look at the stack of cards, which they can’t.
Performance angles: 360 degrees
Reset time required: You can reset in front of your audience.
DIY time involved in advance: None

VERDICT

This could have been A LOT better if only some additional thought had been put into it.

Suggestions

You can probably create a better routine and better props yourself given what I’ve written in this review. I just might work on something myself.
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Anthony DeTomaso

Dec 09, 2009

This is one of my favorite Solari effects. The supplied cards with Harry Houdini's picture are a work of art. The effect is easy to perform, and the effect is so unique! I have used 24 of the supplied 40 cards already and every one has loved this effect. You can get real creative with your patter revolving around Houdini as a famous escape artist and card sharp. When they see the picture of Houdini holding their card it blows them away . I highly recommend this one ! By the way you can buy 2 of these and save money from Bob Solari magic.
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