Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Egads and little fishies, this has been one hectic week, and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. At least not for the next few weeks. As you may recall from last week’s email letter, we are, after more than 32 years, closing our Boston store. The skyrocketing rents, the lack of parking, the pestilence and vermin. Sorry, no pestilence. It’s all just added up to an impossible situation. So, the 28th of July will be our last day in Boston. Come and visit! It will be crazy moving all the stock from Boston to Medford, but we can do it. You’ll see. In fact, you really will be able to see. Because we are working like maniacs to create a nice space in our Medford warehouse for you to come and visit and see some great magic. This past week, we just about finished the first stage of preparation for the new showroom. When the trash guys show up this week, they are in for a rare treat. Nothing like clearing out 20 years of
important stuff (spell that junk) and planting it on the curb for disposal. And the beat goes
on.
And now to this week’s excitement, and I really like this one!
DVD GIVEAWAY: This week we are having a plain old giveaway. You got it. It's a DVD Giveaway! For the next seven days, from right now until Thursday, June 19th, at midnight, you have the opportunity to get DVDs for free! But, you have to get them the old fashioned way. You have to earn them.
Here's the way it works. For every order of $100 or more, you get one free DVD (your choice of any single DVD that sells for $35.00 or less). If you spend $200 or more, you get two free DVDs (again, your choice). $300 or more gets you three free DVDs. And on it goes. The more you buy, the more you get for free! It's an incredible deal when you figure that the average price of a DVD is $35.00! In order to claim your free DVD, just put the name of the DVD in the Customer Notes Box at the bottom of the second page of the online checkout (after you fill in your name, address, etc.) at www.magicfact.com. If you phone your order in to our toll free number at 800 874 7400, just let the order-person know what free DVD you want. If you FAX the order to us at 781 395 2034, same thing. Just let us know which ones you want. Remember, the giveaway ends on Thursday, June 19th, at midnight!
Now, let’s take a peek at this week’s Hotlist!
Floating Gimmick – Nicolas LePage: Show a sponge ball to your spectators. Put it at the end of your thumb and let it go. It stays in balance as by magic. You can shake your thumb, the ball doesn't move!
Now put it on your forefinger and let it go again. The sponge ball seems to be stuck by your own power. (No glue, no tape.)
Take it back and put it on your hand. Slowly, the ball begins to move and finally takes flight. It flies in the air. Make some movements around it, there is nothing to see!
While the ball is still floating, you catch it and pass it around for examination. It's normal! Receive a well deserved round of applause!
No tape, no glue.
Easy to perform. You’ll learn this routine in five minutes.
This routine can be the finale of your sponge ball routine.
With this gimmick, you will be able to levitate any sponge ball, even a cigarette.
The Floating Gimmick comes complete with the gimmick, a sponge ball and an instructional DVD. $44.00 (10.1398)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8923&cat=0&page=1)
Theatrical Magic – John Pyka: A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician. Famous words, a famous quote. Too seldom do performers understand and use this philosophy! In this book, John Pyka uses his character, Big Daddy Cool, and other original magical routines to teach you the premise and process of taking your magic from the realm of a puzzle, and making it into theater!
Unfortunately too many performers have created shows that are nothing but a string of special effects, that have no meaning or relevance. This is one of the reasons many people regard magic as meaningless diversion (usually for children). We have removed meaning and relevance from our magic. So, how do we fix this?
Our hope is that this book will help make a difference. And you, by reading it may well be a part of the change.
Within these pages is magic that is character and story driven.
Whether it is known as Story Telling Magic, Bizarre Magic, Gospel Magic or some other title, it is magic that is used by the performer to accomplish several goals. 1) to tell a story, 2) to establish or showcase their character, 3) to solve a problem, 4) to make a statement or 5) to instruct/educate.
Sections include: What is Theatrical Magic? The Story Behind the Stories: Swingin’ At The Roxy; Mambo Scarves; Tahloola's Demise; Titanic Thompson Sidewalk Shuffle; Character Development 101; Character Study/Bio Close-Up Stage; Wonder Pen-atration; Scotch & Soda; Houdini's Metamorphosis; Everything's Rosy; The Legend of Billy The Kid; What’s My Motivation? Analyzing The Christ/Anneman Alignment Move; The Grand Stage: The Vizier's Love; Johnny's Angels; Snowstorm in Armenia; Adventures of the Blue Phantom; The Vampire; Broom Suspension by Bill Palmer; The Shaman by Jason Pages 180 – Softbound $45.00 (BK01531)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8925&cat=0&page=1)
George Schindler Entertainment First! DVD: George Schindler has more than 50 years of professional experience as a magician and entertainer. On this DVD he shares his lifetime of knowledge as he performs and teaches the routines he has used throughout his career. George is an outstanding performer, author, ventriloquist, comedian and public speaker as well as being the past National President and current Dean of the Society of American Magicians.
Entertainment First! is the title of his lectures and the theme to everything he does. The DVD begins with a live 20-minute show in which he performs his Sponge Ball Routine, Karrell Fox's Red Table (performance only), Coin In The Ring, Peek Production, Card To Pocket and Sealed Surprise (performance only). You will then learn his clean and direct Sponge Ball Routine and his Coin In The Ring routine where a coin appears wrapped in a borrowed bill that is encircled by a borrowed ring which later vanishes and appears on your key case.
You will learn his rapid-fire card act that features his Peek Production, Card To Pocket, Ambitious Card, and Card To Wallet. Each routine is very strong on its own but George shows how the entire sequence can be a magical and entertaining act.
Along the way you will be treated to George's Comic Prediction and Silk Penetration that he uses when he performs close-up and on stage.
The DVD concludes with the two routines George uses when performing at tradeshows. You will learn his simple to follow Chop Cup Routine and Richard Himber's classic Polaroid Money.
Throughout the DVD you will learn the many techniques that George uses to accomplish his magic and his thoughts about using gags and humor to enhance your magic. After all it is Entertainment First!
$34.95 (DVD00738)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8928&cat=0&page=1)
Covert Coins DVD – Charlie Justice: In 1934 Charlie got pinched on a bogus Prohibition charge. On Alcatraz a guy can have a lot of time on his hands…
This is a unique collection of coin sleights and subtleties. While not difficult, they are designed for the intermediate coin worker that already possesses a basic and fundamental knowledge of coin magic, coin sleights, coins across routines and their various presentations.
Contains:
• Stealth Dump
• Fingertip De-shell and Shellswitch
• Transwitch
• Fly Out Production (FLOP)
• Toss Over Shell Switch (TOSS)
• Pursubtlety
• Muscle Pass Pitch
• Fingers Open Grip Subtlety (FOG)
• Covert Coins Across
Bonus Footage:
Covert Coins (short film) "Uncut Version"
Requires the use of 3 coins and a matching shell (not included). See “Expanded Shell” elsewhere in this catalog. $19.95 (DVD00737)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8935&cat=0&page=1)
Cesaral ESP Calculator: Place a sealed envelope with a prediction inside on the table.
An audience member does his own mathematical sums on the calculator, using any random numbers. The spectator does not show his calculations to anybody, and does not reveal the final number to you. When he has finished, you hand the prediction to the spectator. He opens it to find that your prediction and his calculated number are an exact match!
Many powerful effects can be performed with electronic wonder.
Important Points:
The calculator can be fully examined at any time, before and after the effect. Completely self-contained.
This is the same style of calculator used in “Cesaral Mental Mind Calculator”
You never touch the calculator after giving it to the spectator.
Can be used to transmit information between the magician and his assistant
The receiver can be easily hidden in many places, like a pen.
Very nice, slim and simple calculator design.
Easy to do. No sleight of hand, leaving you to concentrate on the presentation! Limited quantities
$1075.00 (40.577)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8931&cat=0&page=1)
Flare: You're painting the town red on a late Saturday night. Under the flashing strobes of the city's trendiest nightclub, you pull a cigarette out of a classy cigarette case and call attention to it...
...wait
The lines on your forehead become more visible, obvious to those who sense your intense concentration. Let them watch you as close as they can. Let them focus their attention on the cigarette as you pinch it lightly between your fingers. Slowly...gently...painstakingly the cigarette crackles and smolders, seemingly reacting to the stares of those around you. Everyone goes silent.
And then it happens.
The tip of the cigarette bursts into flames, consuming the entire tip with real fire. "It can't be!" They were looking all the while. "Impossible!" Your fingers were held apart with nothing to hide. You were holding the cigarette up in full view. All thoughts of trickery slowly ebb away as the flame subsides into a faint, steady glow. Smoke the cigarette yourself or offer it to a mesmerized witness, leaving behind memories of nothing short of a complete, visual miracle.
Call it psychokinetic combustion, call it magic. We call it Flare.
What is Flare?
Flare is a versatile effect that can be used as a cool trick at a bar, an opener or closer to a magic, mentalist, or “witchcraft” display. Flare is the final evolution of a method that has undergone several years of performance and experimentation. Despite its effectiveness, you'll be pleased to know that Flare is extremely easy to perform, and virtually anyone can make it look like a real miracle. Here are additional points to note:
* Easy to perform. Sleight-of-hand is not necessary.
* No angle restrictions. Perform it surrounded.
* Gimmick is completely invisible to the audience.
* Use any cigarette, even cigars.
* Does not use flash paper or matches.
* No fuels or lighter fluid required.
* No batteries needed.
* No reels or pulls.
* No ignition devices.
* Uses refills that are widely and cheaply available anywhere.
* Clean as a whistle. The ignited cigarette can be handed out for examination.
* Your hands are completely empty (other than the cigarette) when you perform.
* Instant reset. Pull out another cigarette and do it again.
What is included?
* A non-flammable gimmick that is small enough to be hidden virtually anywhere.
* A huge bundle of the special paper needed for this effect. Please note that this is not flash paper.
* A preparation template.
* Instructional DVD with clear and concise close-up footage.
$34.95 (60.1453)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8927&cat=0&page=1)
What’s Cooking – Jack Parker: What's cooking? How about some great magic created by a collection of the world's best known card magicians? Jack Parker has called upon some of his favorite magicians to prepare some excellent card tricks and Andi Gladwin has elegantly served up each one in this fantastic hard backed book. There's something to tantalize every taste bud in this wide ranging menu, from exquisite starters to really meaty tricks to sink your teeth into.
This book allows you to take a peak into the repertoires of some of the world's best card magicians. Stars such as Allan Ackerman, Steve Draun, Dave Solomon and Jon Racherbaumer have all contributed fantastic tricks that range from incredibly easy to knuckle busting sleight of hand - you'll definitely find plenty of great material for your repertoire.
The genesis of this book is interesting. In 1989 Jack Parker was diagnosed with Leukemia. After a year of treatment he achieved a full remission from the illness and decided that he'd like to give back to The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, a charity that helped him when he was most in need. He collected magic from twenty three of the world's top card magicians and along with Andi Gladwin started to compile a book of that fantastic magic. All proceeds from this book will be donated to The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust to help assist their ongoing Leukemia research. $39.95 (BK01533)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8930&cat=0&page=1)
Moving Pip Card: The 6 of Diamonds changes into a 4 of Diamonds right before the audience's eyes.
This card trick is great for getting reactions of amazement and surprise from your audience.
The Moving Pip Card is easy to learn and easy to perform. Completely mechanical
Comes with a special gimmicked card and instructions. $20.00 (30.1246)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8929&cat=0&page=1)
Spirit Theater – Eugene Burger: The history of seances, essays on seance performance, 6 close-up effects with spirit themes, Eugene's own seance Hauntings, interviews with Tony Andruzzi and Max Maven, a reprint of the complete Sylvestre catalog of spirit paraphernalia from 1901, plus an annotated bibliography.
Table of Contents
Part One: Setting the Stage
First Words
Point of Departure
Spirits
Spirit Theater
Seances for Fun and Profit
Part Two: Ghostly Visitors in the Nineteenth Century
Mesmer, Imagination and Suggestion
The Summer-Land
"One of the Great Points of Psychic Evolution"
Manifestations from Beyond the Grave
A Shooting Star
Master Mediums
Part Three: Performance
Character and Claims
The Man of Mystery: A Conversation with Tony Andruzzi
Building a Better Performance
A Central Principle
Seance Presenation: A Conversation with Max Maven
The Dark Room
Hauntings: A Conversation with Eugene Burger
Spirit Theater for the Close-Up Entertainer
Part Four: Wanderings in the Spirit Field: An Annotated Bibliography
History
Investigation
Manifestations
Performance
Last Words
$49.95 (BK00996)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8928&cat=0&page=1)
Ascension: A major breakthrough of a classic effect that will go straight into your repertoire!
Walk up to someone with two decks of cards. They choose one and deal through the cards to select any one they want. Keep in mind that you are totally hands off at this point.
They take a look at their card and concentrate on its value.
Now, slowly and eerily a single, solitary card begins to emerge from the second deck. forcing its way out of the deck and into view. As the face of the card comes slowly into view the audience can see that it is the exact same card that they are thinking of!
* Ascension is carefully hand made out of Bicycle cards to be both durable and reliable.
* Totally self-working and self-contained
* Instant reset
* Ultra small gimmick can be added to your regular deck quickly and easily
* Ascension comes ready to go with the two decks & instructional DVD containing bonus ideas & handlings
This is one effect that you will be performing!
$49.95 (30.1245)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8926&cat=0&page=1)
Reel Magic Quarterly DVD:
Contents:
Paul Harris talks impromptu about technology mastery and astonishment
Try This At Home with Garrett Thomas. In this episode Garrett looks at the fake take
Off The Shelf features John Lovick's new hundred dollar bill switch book "Switched"
Andrew Pinard's Continuum - a look at those who influence magic from the past, the present, and the future - this installment is Harry Lorayne on Memory and Magic
Tricks Of The Trade with David Regal - a hilarious look at four effects that are new on the market
Choice Cuts - magic.about.com's Wayne Kawamoto looks at the world of DVDs
Plus bonus material, performances, and explanations
$10.00 (DVD00736)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8924&cat=0&page=1)
I know I have mentioned this before, but it is important enough to mention again. We are producing a really nice version of the weekly Email Newsletter in html format. If you are still getting it in the Text Only format, just drop me an email and I will set you up for html. It is really worth changing over, trust me on this!
And, that’s all the coolest hot stuff for this week! While you are enjoying yourselves reading all about this great new stuff, and hopefully preparing a nice order so that you can get those Free DVDs, I will be cleaning and painting and carpeting to get the new showroom ready!
Have a great weekend,
Hank Lee
