Review: Zen Magic with Iain Moran
Iain Moran is a successful, professional #magician from the North West #UK and he always comes across as a very likeable person and #performer. I can personally attest that he’s just as friendly and helpful in person as he appears here on this DVD. The material featured is from his working repertoire and is very good indeed. In fact, ignore this review and just go out and buy it; it really is that good. Every effect is described clearly and there’s no filler. The sleights used (no knucklebusters) are all fully explained with handy tips along the way.
The following #breakdown of effects are simply my own opinion, but I’ll try to be objective where possible.
Counting on Them:
This is Iain’s version of a Paul Cummins effect from #FASDIU #1 and takes it from a pleasing quickie to a virtual miracle. As with many BBM releases, you get to see a layperson’s genuine reactions and the lady on this one, looking stunned, exclaims “That’s bonkers” at the finale of the effect. The original was impromptu, but this has a small set-up, though it’s well worth the effort for the difference in overall effect.
Easy to Find:
A very commercial sandwich routine with a difference. There’s some great thinking here and a surprise revelation. This is the kind of thing John Carey excels at coming up with. It has a minimal set-up. Two spare Jokers and off you go.
Fifty Some:
A clever version of Card to Card Box. One simple gimmick and two minutes of arts and crafts is all you need for this. In using this gimmick you’ll get two effects for the price of one. You get a Card to Card Box along with the surprise kicker of a prediction suddenly appearing.
Magician’s Nephew:
This one requires the use of a memorized deck and whilst not for everyone, is an excellent, straightforward version of an old Al Koran trick (Spectator finds Magician’s card and vice-versa) which has since been updated by Paul Cummins, Michael Vincent, and others. I like to have alternative versions of various favoured effects that I can use depending on the performing circumstances I might find myself in, and this one will slip nicely into my repertoire. A nice touch here is that you end up back in full stack order at the conclusion of the effect.
Prime Importance:
This one reminded me of the work of Scotland’s Peter Duffie. A perfect little ‘packet’ effect using three blank cards wherein one visibly prints the back design of a previously selected card, then the face, and finally the signature. This is another one I will use.
Picking Pockets:
A stunning version of Jerry Sadowitz’s ‘The More Things Change’ where the signed cards switch places with the cards previously put in the pockets that includes a twisting effect that makes the transposition more visual. Iain has simplified the handling to a point that makes it a viable option for anyone to perform with the minimum of skill. Iain explains both a gimmicked and non-gimmicked version.
Thanks to Lance, John and Dave:
A signed card vanishes repeatedly from between four Kings before reappearing in the pocket. Finally, the deck vanishes before reappearing in the pocket, leaving the selection as the only card left in the hand. Again, the routining and inbuilt misdirection make this far easier to perform than most other variations on the Card to Pocket effect. Killer stuff!
Silver Sequence:
A 3-Fly style coins across which has a beautiful finish of the three coins vanishing one by one. I’ve seen cleaner versions of this plot which I preferred (TUC3 from this DVD being one of them) but it’s still a pretty good example of what can be done with a bit of thoughtful routining.
Quantum Sandwich 2.0:
Yes, it’s another sandwich routine but this is a stunner with an ending so good it’ll become the only trick you’d ever want to perform. Just wow!
TUC3:
Another 3-Fly style coin routine which has it all, with productions, transpositions, and vanishes that are easy to follow and incredibly magical. Of course, there are gaffs involved (The clue is in the title) but the extra outlay (if you don’t already have one) is well worth it to the working performer.
Overall, this is the best Card Magic DVD I’ve had the pleasure to encounter for quite a while and I think there’s something here for everyone. An essential purchase for Card Magicians of any level. 9/10.
Distributed by Murphy’s Magic https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=65796
