Bizarre in Mentalism & Spiritism

Host your own entertaining séance or year-round haunted house with these frightfully spooky stunts.

Not just for Halloween, you'll be the life of the party any time with more than a devil's dozen effects and stunts that take place around the séance table or darkened room. They won't break the (blood) bank, either.

Newly revised, with over 20 pages of added content, including new methods, attractions and ideas to make yours the most talked-about event in your city or town. Don't just perform magic . . . live it in your own house of spooks and ghosts.

Here's a partial look at the contents: ...

A captivating 45- to 60-minute lecture-demonstration about Harry and Bess Houdini's pact to find a means of communicating with each other after Harry's death. A complete lecture script with suggested effects. Perform it any time of year, but especially during the month of October (since Houdini died on Halloween). This is sure-fire entertainment for adult, college, and high school audiences. Earn money by performing this lecture-demonstration for civic group luncheons, college campus special events, at libraries, haunted houses, spook shows, and more.

This presentation revives the age-old...

A four-act spirit seance in a box.

A bell placed in the cabinet rings out answers to questions. A handkerchief takes on life and moves about the cabinet, even flying outside it. A pair of slates reveals an answer to a thought-of question.

And now for the finale! A committee of spectators seals three blank sheets of paper inside a glass fruit jar. The jar is placed in the cabinet, in plain sight, with a fountain pen and bottle of ink. When the paper is removed by the committee, it's discovered that the spirits have accurately predicted the outcome of a pair of previous tests.

To top...

This was designed to fool both skeptics and magicians. This is one of the most stunning mediumistic stunts ever devised. It was developed and used by the old school mediums. It was so unbelievable; it fooled reporters, skeptics and magicians. A medium who could be searched and placed into a darkened room could cause a spirit to materialize in full view, without the aid of any secret assistants. This could be done in anyone's home.

The amazing thing was that this was accomplished without luminous cardboard props, luminous cheesecloths, luminous paint or other props sold by Nelson Enterprises....

"I really like it! Lots of fun and a good thru story! I also like the idea of taking under appreciated pieces of magic and breathing new life (well, death!) into them! Good stuff!" - Paul Voodini

"A wonderful bit of storytelling!" - Vlad

"Fun stuff!" - David Parr

"If instructions had a coherent story and a REASON to be performed, then maybe these wouldn't be regarded as back of the drawer magic. Vince has taken the little pocket tricks that have often been forgotten and given you a reason to perform them again. This would be perfect for a small walk-around set. Highly recommended." - Paul Prater ...

From the mind of Vince Wilson is his most ambitious project yet - Spirit Boxed. Vince takes very simple and forgotten pieces of magic and turns them into elegant works of storytelling art. Vince has crafted an entire “show in a box” that packs small and plays huge. He has created a new character in storytelling that moves through the decades of the 20th Century meeting historic figures like Al Capone, Emilia Earhart, Veronica Lake, Babe Ruth, Howard Thurston, Orson Welles and now you.

“I really like it! Lots of fun and a good thru story! I also like the idea of taking under appreciated...

Are you honestly trying to scare people??! Yes? Good.

You need to be adept at psychological manipulation for this one. The writer and all associated parties take and accept no responsibility for the physical and mental health of those who partake in a Gloomy Sunday Séance or related event.

Gloomy Sunday, also known as the "Hungarian Suicide Song", is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933. The first lyrics were written in 1932 by László Jávor, in his melancholy love poem "Szomorú vasárnap" ("Sad Sunday"), after his beloved had left him....

HP Lovecraft was a master of the weird and horrific. The rightful heir to EA Poe. You may not even be aware of the influences he has made. From the Evil Dead movies to Stephen King, Hellboy and many, many others, Lovecraft has left a mark deeper than the most fathomless grave.

Paranormalist Vince Wilson has always been a huge Lovecraft fan and has been waiting for the right moment to release his popular Ode to Lovecraft Seance onto the world. In Wilson's original tale, Lovecraft is presented as an early 20th Century paranormal researcher who was trying to present the "reality" of his writings...

An epic theatrical production. Includes an amazing pocket watch routine that can be used in many other performances. "When the work was discovered at the bottom of Poe's writing desk, it was in a previously unknown secret compartment. Thrilling, is it not? Baltimore Poe scholars were certainly thrilled, and a special edition collection would herald the announcement. Alas, this would not come to pass. According to friends of mine in the Poe Historical Society, strange things began to happen to those preparing the edition for publication. An editor died of TB. The first case in Baltimore for many...

Can you really send matter through Zoom? Yes! With Teleport. Perhaps the most amazing virtual effect invented yet. This is an effect for premium shows only. Do not include this in your regular gig. "Want to see me send a coin to your CEO? That'll be x-amount of dollars extra!"

In this new eBook by Vince Wilson, you will learn how to perform it and what you will need to do to prevent them from figuring it out.

1st edition 2020, PDF 6 pages.

One of the biggest bargains in magic. Over 80 years in the making. Abbott's Dark Matter Secrets is simply the greatest compilation of "spooky and bizarre" magic and mentalism effects ever assembled. Some date back to Abbott's beginning back in 1934. The ultimate spooky magic book, Abbott's Dark Matter Secrets has 142 effects and includes stage illusions (complete with workshop plans), sideshow illusions (again, complete with workshop plans), parlor effects, escape effects, mentalism effects, etc. Dark Matter Secrets is Abbott Magic's expression of spooky magic that it has sold in one form or...

A collection of stories of the supernatural. These are great starting points to develop your patter for bizarre or otherwise weird and scary plot lines.

• The Guide (Irene Amesbury)
• Call of the Pool Goddess (John C. Craig)
• The Room without Windows (W. P. Cockcroft)
• The Bride of Yum-Chac (Henry Rawle)
• The Fulfilment (Alexander O. Pearson)
• Sir Rodney keeps a Date (Andrew Ringwood)
• The Window (Winfred M. Carnegie)
• Binker's Ghost (A. C. Bailey)

PDF 58 pages

A complete spook show, how to work it, how to make it, with full presentation and patter.

• Introduction
• A Complete "Ghost - Show"
• Requirements
• Details Of Construction And Operation
• How It Is Done
• General Observations
• Presentation And Patter

1st edition 1984, 20 pages; PDF 17 pages.

The "tell-all" book that reveals the innermost secrets of "office" and seance mediums!

These are the very methods used by fraudulent spirit mediums to bilk the innocent public. Because this ebook lays bare the actual methods, the author chose to be anonymous, for fear of reprisals by crooked mediums and their followers. You'll learn the secrets of "Blood writing" (as sold by The Nelson Enterprises), ghostly apparitions, spirit slate writing, seance exhibitions, ballot tests, and many, many other pseudo-mediumistic stunts.

The author, a member of the Spiritualist religious movement, finally...

Stephen King in his book Dance Macabre, a book that deals with horror in literature and film, pointed out that the only two kinds of movies which produced an audible reaction from an audience were comedy and horror.

It was Tony Shiels who pushed magic in the direction of horror and, long before magic-as-theatre became the latest fad, suggested that tricks could be made more entertaining if their presentations were more dramatic; perhaps a little out of the ordinary. Few took up the suggestion but those that did went on to found what is today known as Bizarre Magick; magic which involves those...

Psientific Pseudo Psi, Mountebankery, Monstrosities and Horrors. Weird tricks for the magickal story-teller.

1st edition 1988, 87 pages; 1st digital edition 2012, PDF 62 pages.

Table of Contents

5. Introduction

8. CHAPTER ONE: PSCIENTIFIC PSEUDO PSI
11. Around The World In 80 Seconds

15. CHAPTER TWO: SURREALCHEMY
16. Dreams And Destiny
18. Automatism
21. Le Jeu De Marseille

23. CHAPTER THREE: MOUNTEBANKERY

30. CHAPTER FOUR: BIZARRE MAGICK
31. Black Christmas
36. Casting The Runes
38. Over-Familiarity
40. Tools Of The Trade
41. The Knowledge

43. CHAPTER FIVE: CAIT SIDH
43. The Witch's Web
44. Psyche's Revenge
45. The Irish Factotum ...

This is not your typical magic video. While Tony Shiels demonstrates a few bizarre magic effects, it is for the most part a human interest piece. Tony invites us into his home as well as into the woods where we see him talking, walking, pointing at leaves and stones, giving performance advice and pondering the past - all done in his weird and unique way.

If you want to learn more about the personality behind Tony Shiels you will love this video. If you are after the next best effect you will certainly be disappointed.

Includes a five minute intro with Martin Breese talking about his foray...

Be ready for Halloween.

This is a dark, multi-phase routine perfect for anyone who appreciates magic with a more sinister tone.

• The participant selects and signs a card
• It is placed in their hands.
• When they turn the card over, a black pentagram has appeared on the face.
• You hold the card over a flame, and the pentagram vanishes from the card, and reappears on your palm.
• You then burn the face of the card, and the numbers "666" appear in white writing in the center of the scorch mark.

Re-Thinks is a new series of eBooks from TC Tahoe.

"TC is one of bizarre magics most inventive minds. In this great new book he presents a series of routines which engage the audience in a way that true magical entertainment should. There are some great ideas and unique twists in this book which will be enjoyed by any magical performer that has ventured to the darkside. These are the kinds of ideas you can't wait to try and can visualise yourself doing. This comes highly recommended from me and is a great addition to your library." - Freddie Valentine

"Many thanks for sharing your latest...

A fork and a spoon are shown. Someone chooses one leaving you with the spoon (ho, ho!), which you now bend using 'the power of your mind' alone. Actually you do bend it, but by pressing it against your forehead! However, it now visibly straightens (all by itself!) then slowly bends again, whilst held in one hand only, snaps in two and is handed out for immediate examination!

Self-working...nobody does it for you! It is all in the most simple and ingenious gimmick that costs you a penny if you don't already have the right thing somewhere at home.

1st edition 2005; 3 pages.

Dim Mak is a secret technique taught by martial artists that can render a man dead with just a touch!

Within this e-book, you will learn a technique known as Dim Mak: the PK Touch. Taught only to a select few mentalists, this devastating new manuscript will lead you through several "real" techniques on how to appear to stop someone's pulse! Not only do you get several methods to ensure that the pulse stops, you also get a full routine with the Dim Mak back story. No reason to be scared off by psychology, Dim Mak teaches practical physical techniques to appear to stop your own pulse and a...

Imagine being able to have a spectator select any one of several nails from a new unopened package, marking it for identification, and then bending it in front of their eyes!

Now imagine wowing your crowd by having them write private information and questions on business cards and folding them into quarters. You collect them in a sealed container and still begin to reveal information that you shouldn't know! Based on a Lee Earle principle, this new variation can be used with the phoenix peek to mix methods and create an all audience size miracle! The gimmick described costs .97 cents, is...

[Note that this method is not the method Richard Osterlind uses for his trademark penny bend effect.]

Imagine being able to bend a borrowed and signed spectator's penny, in their own hand in a visual manner. Your audience sees the penny bending in their hand!

You'll learn a secret technique to get a penny to bend as well as make it bend visually for the spectator. This method was inspired by James T. Cheung and Mentalism Plus. (Another description of the same method can be found in Steve Pellegrino's The Underground Penny Bend PDF.)

Does not use:

• pre-bent coins
• any kind of bending gimmicks which need to be palmed or introduced and ditched secretly

Having traveled nearly 2 years with a side show while first developing his show, Scott Xavier worked as a magician and a pain proof man. In this video you will find two unique demonstrations of his pain proof act.

You will learn:

• How to slam a mouse and/or rat trap against your tongue and survive unscathed...
• How Samurais can take a scalpel sharp samurai sword, grip it, and pull the sword against their flesh and not get injured!

1st edition 2013, runtime 16 minutes.

Learn the skills of the side show performer...

Within this 40 plus minute video, you will learn the skills to make a living as a side show magician and freak show performer.

• You'll learn the human block head routine, where you'll be able to hammer a nail into your head.
• Learn to gaff glass to make glass walking infinitely safer.
• Learn super human strength technique to tear an Apple into two pieces.
• A complete expose on making side show fire torches in a pinch, a flame fuel that is a solid and non-petroleum based and infinitely safer, you'll also see how a real freak show artist performs...

A light and heavy Rubiks cube effect.

Have you ever wanted to perform a light heavy chest but didn't want to spend huge sums of money on a tacky magic prop? CU3ED is a carry everywhere method for making it impossible to lift a Rubik's cube from your outstretched palm. You in essence steal the strength of your spectator. This is an ideal set up for a Rubik's cube solving or matching effect. It gives credibility and a method as this magic is occurring. I use it in every show. You get a brief PDF and a several videos teaching the methodology. This the ultimate street hypnosis that uses pseudo-hypnosis...

Seance Magazine - a quarterly magazine devoted to spirit magic - was published from fall 1988 until summer of 1991, a total of 12 issues. This is a facsimile reproduction including every published page and every tipped in sheet of advertisement.

This magazine is considered one of the best publications on theatrical seances with contributions by legends such as Eugene Burger, Tony Andruzzi, Phil Goldstein (Max Maven), T.A. Waters, Punx, Bob Baker, Lee Earle, Jim Magus, and others, and of course Scott Davis himself. It is a great source for performances during Halloween and other spooky or bizarre performances. ...

Surrealchemy is a term that was coined by Tony 'Doc' Shiels in his 1989 publication the The Cantrip Codex and it is a word that sums up the routines in this ebook.

Within these 38 pages you will find four of Scott's favourite bizarre/surreal mentalism routines that offer a 'strange profound and unsettling' experience. No blood curdling screams, cloaks and daggers, blood sacrifices or incantations, but instead a number of routines that are easy to make up, easy to carry and easy to perform. With the bizarre and surreal of course presentation is everything so with that in mind Scott has also included his...

In this one-hour and twenty-minute video, you'll learn every detail of the spoon bending routine Scott has performed all over Europe for the past twenty years as part of his professional act. A complete psychic spoon bending routine suitable for both cabaret and close-up using just four spoons, with an alternate handling using three spoons and even a Zoom variation, all broken down into simple, easy to learn steps.

Included is a full performance of the routine presented in front of a live audience. No special gaffs or gimmicks required, just the spoons and the techniques taught.

1st edition...

Sm'ash is an effect where you reveal spectators selection by rubbing ash on their hand. Imagine doing voodoo ash trick on spectators hand. With this gimmick you are able to do that. It is easy to construct and use the gimmick. Once you learn the method you are able to develop your own variations. Consider:

• Easy to create and use.
• Use any coloured powder in place of ash.

1st edition 2017, length 11 min

Swami is a fascinating mix of traditional Indian magic and contributions by international masters. Sam Dalal writes in his introduction:

Mantra continues where Swami left off with fascinating mix of traditional Indian magic and western style magic. Sam Dalal writes in his introduction:

A treasure trove for bizarrists and mentalists alike. You will find weird fakir stunts juxtaposed with western style magic effects.

21 clever methods used by mentalists, psychics, magicians and fake mediums to make tables tilt, levitate and dance about the floor.

Covers methods used by famous performers, fraudulent mediums, and even the very latest floating table effects available from dealers. Also includes a method where a table - with a person sitting in the center of it - is made to levitate. And best of all, the person on table won't know how the effect was accomplished.

Whether you perform a solo act, or have a touring company with assistants and stagehands, you're sure to find a method that works for your performing...

The ability to bend metal by just using the power of the mind has fascinated people since the early 1970's when the Israeli psychic, Uri Geller, demonstrated his amazing abilities.

This download DVD teaches you how to bend metal, anywhere you choose, leaving your audience astonished by this fantastic paranormal experience.

You will learn an entire spoon bending routine involving interaction with spectators who will see spoons bend in their own hands! Romanos has been using this routine for a number of years; on stage, in close up situations and even on TV programmes. You will also learn...