reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 28 May, 2017)
More high praise for the UNKNOWN MENTALIST. This is another GREAT star sign divination. If you want to go entirely prop less with a number of spectators, do this effect followed by SIGNATURE and then WORLDS WITHIN WORDS STAR SIGN ROUTINE. OR if you want a few props use this followed by ZODIAK GODS or HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGER or STAR SIGNATURE. Either way you can't go wrong. Once again, well done my friend. You are definitely an asset to the mentalism community. I recommend this very highly!!! What a great approach to unusual mentalism procedures.
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 27 May, 2017)
Here is another instant peak center tear technique for business cards. Whether you need another one of these in your arsenal is up to you, but this one is fairly straightforward and easy to learn. There's one caveat: The spectator has to write or draw with the card in profile rather than landscape orientation. This seems weird to me as the natural inclination is to allow someone to use the larger landscape area on the card. But if this doesn't bother you, give this a whirl. Compared to a couple of other techniques that I use--the Osterlind Perfected Center Tear and Ran Pink's Think Pink--this one is probably easier and will take less practice. But in my opinion, the UBT (Underground Bottom Tear) is still the easiest, most reliable center tear for business cards, with Think Pink being the best one for index cards, and the PCT for random scraps of thin paper.
reviewed by Roy Eidem
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 24 May, 2017)
Wonderful mix of strong card & coin magic. Paul works daily in the real word of performers. Great tricks & sound advise on how to connect with your audience maximizing entertainment & magical impact.
reviewed by Jack Tawil (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 22 May, 2017)
Great read and an amazing principle. It's a must have for any magician - amateur or professional!
reviewed by Rick Carruth
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 17 May, 2017)Openers and Closers is undoubtedly one of my very favorite ebooks by Paul Lelekis. From beginning to end, there is something for every performer. Setting the mood.. and cementing the performance are the two aspects of one's performance you absolutely can't ignore. First impressions.. and last impressions.. are vital, and Paul teaches several of each to give you a nice selection to compliment your style. I particularly liked the matrix, as I'm not a very good coin guy, and I'm always looking for something to make others think I know what I'm doing! Although most of these effects are certainly within range of most performers, I would say they are generally in the intermediate range. Not to worry.. Paul includes a couple of strategic videos to help 'up' your performance and understanding. Very well written and easy to grasp, Openers and Closers will become one of your 'go-to' resources.
reviewed by Christopher Weber
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 May, 2017)Openers & Closers by Paul Lelekis is just what you are looking for to find a super strong knockout routine to put your close-up performance over the top. Here there are seven top notch effects plus to great articles packed with useful information and advice on presenting your opening and closing effect. Paul’s brilliant take on these time honored effects brings new live to some classics of magic. As always Paul gives you the real scoop on performance and entertainment that you can apply to all of your magical performances.
Paul’s clear and precise writing makes these routines a pleasure to learn with cards or coins right in your hands. He always finds a way to make more difficult moves easier and more economical while at the same time strengthens the overall effect!
These are all winners for sure. I particularly enjoyed his work on the coin routines, "Matrix" and the "New Copper/Silver/Brass". The ESP card effect "Shock" is a killer that you will really use! Openers & Closers is a fantastic bargain that you should not pass up. Take advantage of the opportunity and pick it up today!
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 May, 2017)
I definitely recommend this. This and seeing signs ARE worth having!
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 08 May, 2017)
This is a pro routine in several phases. As previously mentioned, there are no new methods, but I like the reading-body-language aspect of the performance a lot, though the last phase requiring some pre-show is not really for me. The ebook is extremely well written with performance patter, side-bar tips, and variations. It's everything you'd ever want about performing this effectively. (Other authors could use this ebook as a style model.) I realize that the price is to scare away amateurs, but on an objective basis comparing it to similar routines, this is overpriced.
reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 07 May, 2017)
For me, the basic principle here is really novel and amazing. With a little thought, it can be applied to various other presentations.
As usual, UM has come up with some very clever n solid routines applying this principle and all the variations play really well. Since learning this, I could actually perform this over a dozen times and each time my audiences were pleasantly amazed.
For the given routines, all the necessary 'work' is provided readily - just learn and perform. I am actually planning to apply this principle to a travel theme - instead of jumping from word to word, the spec will 'travel' from city to city and I then know which city he ended up on. The scope for this principle is truly vast.
Highly recommended.
reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 07 May, 2017)
Really enjoyed this rare collection. And a huge one - by some of the smartest magic brains.
There are many gems to be discovered. Actually this is double bonanza - the section on routines is one and the bio sketches of so many performers is the other.
The price is a steal.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 06 May, 2017)
Another GREAT EFFECT by the UNKNOWN MENTALIST, my favorites in this material are ROMAN ENIGMA and BLIND DATE 1. In fact I printed three copies of ROMAN ENIGMA on cardstock, then I performed the effect on my wife and blew her away with it. It's that good and very easy to do. All the material here is GREAT no matter what you choose to. I think I'll start carrying around ADVANCED BRAIN KNEWMEROLOGY, ROMAN ENIGMA, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGER along with a few other effects that I have. WHAT A CLOSE UP PRESENTATION. This has my highest recommendation!
reviewed by Mark Beecham
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 05 May, 2017)
If you like Mem Deck work this is an interesting new tool to play with. It feels like a topic that is only having the surface scratched. This ebook is definitely one for the thinking magician who loves exploring concepts and principles. The most obvious use for principle would be a strong phase in an incredible memory feat. For my tastes some of the effects could be quite long for laymen with a lot of dealing however while not covered to a great degree in the eBook the maths can be applied to any size of packet of cards. This can be used to create quite commercial and practical effects such as matches not only with playing cards but with related pairs such as movies and film stars, famous couples, songs and bands for example. So even if math based effects aren't your thing don't dismiss this ebook. The book is well written in a pleasant conversational style and was a interesting read. I would recommend it.
reviewed by John Scialli (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 May, 2017)
Having picked up an original Bendix Bombshell Wallet about 25 years (at an auction for about $10 - the leather is a bit stiff)
it is wonderful to finally have the full book of routines (and to find out from the wallet's website that a new one retails
for about $96 USD).
reviewed by John Scialli (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 May, 2017)
This thing is ingenious. It looks as if it should be fragile until one realizes it is of one piece and there is nothing to fall apart. The blister it leaves is innocuous but quite visible/feelable. It is small enough
for the pocket so as to be used for impromptu miracles or those with a borrowed deck. However, a downside is that in order to hit the same spot, some external sizer will need to be made/jerry-rigged. These
exactly placed blisters are nice for, say, Bee Club Special, or Erdnase (Conjuring Arts) backs with criss-cross patterns. Raising one of the diagonals with a blister leaves a broken or non-straight line to be seen, rather than a more obvious blister. The Pinpoint Pegger with a blunted pin may do a better job (or at least be easier) because of the
ability to lock in 3D coordinates.
reviewed by John Scialli (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 May, 2017)
This card punch is surprisingly compact, light and solid. It leaves a nice prick, visible to eye and finger as it were. This could have utility with an impromptu or borrowed deck situation. Compared to the Pinpoint Pegger it is less expensive and more stable but lacks the settings to duplicate positioning. Still, I think this is something all magicians should get to throw into their kit for that time when they have need of a miracle.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 28 April, 2017)
The UNKNOWN MENTALIST has done it again!!! First of all, I received the HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGER cards in the mail yesterday. The cards are first class quality. Again, thank you UNKNOWN MENTALIST and Chris W. for this. In my opinion, this is the BEST divination I know of from the UNKNOWN MENTALIST for a STAR SIGN, AURA COLORS, WORD CHARACTERISTIC, and birth date, not to say the other sign routines of the UNKNOWN MENTALIST are bad...GET THEM ALL! You can definitely present this routine as is if you want to, it's that good! I personally will probably give a color reading for the ZODIAC AURA COLORS, information from the WEB for a persons ZODIAC SIGN, also a cold reading on the ZODIAC SIGN, and end by revealing the spectator's birthday! People will believe I'm an authority when it comes to astrology. Also the mystical presentation in the effect will add to me being an authority! I can't give a number rating on this...it's that GOOD! Thanks again UNKNOWN MENTALIST!
reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 24 April, 2017)80 products in my working lybrary of books all by this Author along with physical props where available some of which are not my own style but are stimulating of this old brain to re think what is already known about mentalism recommended Author to follow.
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 18 April, 2017)You have a spectator focus on a laminated card and without having anything written down or any questions asked, you divine the spectator's Zodiac sign and date of birth. It sounds that simple--and it really is. (Not a progressive anagram in sight!) The method is diabolically clever and is a tip o' the hat to concepts from two of my favorite mentalists, the "nothing book" of Leo Boudreau and Paul Carnazzo's Dream Weaver card. When you buy Happy Birthday Stranger, you will not only get the ebook download but also two plastic cards--one for stage, the other for close-up--and a crib sheet. The cards are absolutely beautiful, very colorful and eye-catching. My only regret here is that because of the detail on the card necessary to pull off this miracle, the close-up card is bigger than wallet size. But when you see how this works, you won't mind that small trade-off.
The Unknown Mentalist puts out a tremendous amount of quality material, but this is one of his best items. I am almost certain that with a little thought and practice--and it won't take much of either--you'll love this too. I just wish he'd have kept it for himself, Marc Paul, Richard Osterlind, and me. Get it while it's on sale. It's exceptional. Highest recommendation.
reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 10 April, 2017)
Excellent value and very practical material too and beautiful when practised well before performing to any audience
reviewed by William Martin (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 06 April, 2017)Not practical...Feels set up...Looks like a trick...Not an easy sell...Not an easy follow for spectators. Too many moving parts. This one is a pass. All his other stuff rocks. This is a misfire...