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Details

Time Is Money

Asi Wind

(Based on 2 reviews)
"The best thing I saw at MAGIC Live!"
- Paul Harris

"You totally, TOTALLY, fooled me!!!"
- Chris Kenner

"The best money routine I have seen."
- Jeff Hobson

On this much requested and anticipated new DVD, Asi explains, in great detail, his original routine that will enable you to make a spectator's bill vanish from your fingertips and reappear underneath his own wrist watch! Featuring handling details kept under wraps until now. As well as bonus routines, "Morph", "2 Bad" (Angelo Carbone), "Crumpled" (Harel), "Bill To Change", and the stage handling for "Time Is Money".

Running Time Approximately 44min

Reviews

Bryce Kuhlman

Official Reviewer

Sep 24, 2006

The "vanish and re-appearance in impossible location" is a well-tested magical plot. This version has a lot of things going for it that, to my mind, make it much more powerful than something like "card in wallet".

It uses a borrowed object. Furthermore, the lender has an emotional attachment to the object (a bill, obviously). But, unlike borrowing a ring, there's no risk of damaging the borrowed item beyond replacement. They're attached, but not afraid.

The "impossible location" couldn't be better: on the body of your assistant. Having items appear on someone's person has been a dream of mine since childhood.

Finally, it's basically impromptu. You have to carry a pre-creased bill (or set of bills, depending on your presentational strategy). That's it! Nice.

This is a clever combination of two, well-known methods. I was originally worried that there wasn't any credit given in the explanation. Asi more than made up for this in the credits by giving a well-researched list of previous work.

The DVD is well-produced. Explanations are clear and complete. There are several "Bonus" effects that are certainly worth watching, including a handling for stage work.

Actually, the only potentially warning I have about this effect is that it's going to take some guts and a lot of rehearsal in real-time with real people. Personally, I consider this to be a bonus. But this will certainly never find its way onto an Easy to Master video. As with most great magic, it takes a lot of time and effort to master.
(Top ▲)

Gordon Meyer

Official Reviewer

Aug 20, 2006

The dealer description of Time Is Money is loaded with superlatives but doesn't tell you too much about the trick. So, here is the effect in a nutshell:

You borrow a bill from a spectator, which can be any denomination that you've anticipated in advance, and have the bill signed. You fold up the borrowed bill, along with a matching bill from your wallet, and eventually show that the spectator's money has disappeared. Too bad for them, they should have watched more closely. After an uncomfortable pause, you point out that their signed bill is tucked under their very own wristwatch.

Not exactly earth-shaking magic, particularly when it's wrapped with such a non-presentation, but the mechanics of the routine are well thought out. Personally, I found the "bonus" routines more compelling than the showcased presentation, but it's really just the same trick cast in different roles.

In the performance video, Asi adds a watch steal as a kicker. This isn't explained on the DVD, which might disappoint some purchasers, but for me it just underlined that even the creator feels this trick lacks something. The production value of the DVD is much higher than the usual magic fare, and its very easy to learn the routine from Asi's precise instructions, but the trick could have easily been conveyed in writing as part of a book or magazine article. There's nothing about the handling that requires video, and in my opinion, the DVD makes the trick harder to learn due to the glacial pace and time-filling voice over that's necessary every time the bill folding is demonstrated. It will take you nearly an hour to watch this DVD whereas reading the trick in print would take just a few minutes.

If you don't mind paying $35 for a single trick, and you like the effect, you won't feel ripped off. There's enough attention to detail here that all you need to add is your own presentation. And maybe a kicker ending.
(Top ▲)