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SLR Souvenir Linking Rubber Bands

Paul Harris

Paul Harris Presents

(Based on 1 review)
The perfect piece of rubber strange has finally been perfected. Pre-made examinable sets of linked bands that you can easily afford to give away as an impossible souvenir.

You've got to watch the demo to see how simple and stunning the complete linking bands performance plays out. You comment that wealthy collectors pay thousands of dollars for a unique impossibly strange object. You then attempt to make one of these rare collectibles with your bare hands.

You hand out two loose single bands to be examined. You then display the two single bands at your fingertips -- then have someone press two of the loose strands together.

The two bands link while still in her fingers!

She rubs the linked bands..and they melt apart, unlinking into two loose bands.

She squeezes the loose bands together one last time. She never lets go...never let's them out of her sight -- and they link again,and stay linked! You let her keep this rare astonishing collectible. And of course she'll always remember where it came from.

Complete with self-working switch and optional handlings.
  • Includes 20 linked sets and 10 singles.
  • Inexpensive refills available.
  • Heavy-duty bands for extra visibility and strength.
  • Perfect as a finale for Crazy Man's handcuffs or just about any rubber band effect.
  • Practical for just about all performing situations.
  • DVD features performances and explanations by Joe Russell.
Running Time Approximately 35min

Reviews

Gordon Meyer

Official Reviewer

Jul 14, 2009

Souvenir Linking Rubber bands, also known as "SLR," is an impressively visual version of the classic effect. Your audience will swear that the bands are linked together at the conclusion of your performance because, well, they actually are. And your helper gets to take the bands home with them to remember your magic, and hopefully, you.

This is a fascinating version of the trick because instead of trying to create the illusion that the bands are linked, most of the time you're manipulating the bands so they seem to be separate. The result is a handling that's as clean as most routines, with some very stunning visual moments. Be sure to watch the demonstration video if you haven't already done so. With sufficient practice, it really does look that good.

I hope you will practice this before you perform it, despite the DVD exhorting you to get out and perform one phase right away, before you're ready with the whole routine. Doing so would be a shame, as creating a memorable "impossible object" can be a lot more powerful than the casual attitude that permeates all of the performances on the disc seems to endorse.

The DVD has some other irritations, too. There's a lot of repetition, and the effort spent filming scenes in a messy garage, and inexplicably, a tennis court near a busy road, at night, could have been put into cleaning up the instruction and providing better menu navigation. The length of the video also caused me to grow irritated that the host, the personable Joe Russell, doesn't know the proper name for his index finger and continually refers to his ring finger as his "other middle finger." He also makes the instructions harder than necessary by calling his right hand "this hand" and his left hand "the other one." But you'll have no problem learning the effect, the DVD is better than most, just not as good as it could be.

The disc does include some crediting, but it's all rather vague. Names are given, in subtitles, but there's no reference to where you might actually find the tricks being mentioned. But it's not just the historical crediting that's unclear, so is the history of SLR itself. Russell seems to say that credit belongs to Paul Harris, and his name is on the package, but a subtitle says that Dan Harlan invented the linking sequence and the bands are credited to Todd Plaster.

The included rubber bands are excellent, and you get enough to give away a linked set about 20 times. Refills are available, at about 6 cents each. Thoughtfully, Russell teaches you how to make a practice set so you don't have to wear out the real thing while rehearsing.

All in all, if you're interested in elevating this classic trick to much more than a stunt, SLR will put you on the right road. Don't let my criticism give you the impression this isn't good, it's very good, but I'm counting on you to make it even better.
(Top ▲)