The Youtube videos are back, and that’s going to be the entire point of this month: videos I recommend for people to watch to appreciate magic. Whether it be excellent sleight of hand, or a performance or instructional video of note, I’m going to cover it, and give a brief review of every vid I can get my hands on. If I can find the whole thing on YouTube, provided it’s not an instructional video, rest assured you’ll also see it here.
Due to time constraints, I’m just going to do a slew of posts covering all the way ‘til Monday, so I don’t have much of a problem racking my brain for what to do by then.
This video is one of my favourites. Penn and Teller explaining sleights in this manner is nothing short of entertaining and enlightening. He wasn’t really doing any magic per se, so the exposure in this sense was purely a performance art, and not at all wanton revelations of magic’s best-kept secrets.
273/365: Bill Malone On The Loose:.
A compilation of some of Bill Malone’s best working routines, all three volumes of this masterpiece make for a total must-buy. We already know that Bill Malone is one of the funniest, most engaging performers of our time. Now, in this set of videos from the man, Bill Malone teaches his secrets, while at the same time giving would-be magicians the most important thing about this whole package: a firsthand look at Malone’s unique style that is bound to inspire anyone who would witness him at work.
Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend this video, considering the wide range of effects Bill teaches here, and the kind of humor that he employs in order to really attract people to him. His razor-sharp wit truly comes to the fore in this particular compilation, and you don’t want to miss it.
.:274/365: Keith Barry’s Extraordinary:.
Keith Barry is an Irish mentalist whom I featured during mentalism month, and most of the routines that he has made himself famous for can be found in one amazing package: Extraordinary.
This video features multiple feats of mind-reading and stunts performed by Keith Barry for various celebrities. From terrifying Nicole of the PCD by driving blindfolded to forcing Wilmer Valderama into coming up with a mental picture of a painting he had yet to see, Keith Barry really captures the imagination of the average viewer, and emphasizes how powerful mentalism can be for television if they gave him ample time and material to work with.
His finale in this show was the hangman’s noose stunt, which he obviously survived. That particular stunt certainly had an air of danger all throughout, and no question about it: Keith Barry knew how to milk the situation for what it was worth.
.:275/365: The Magic Of Paul Potassy:.
That Paul Potassy performs the exact same routine for so many decades cannot be denied. That this one routine he performs is simply excellence in execution is equally undeniable.
Watching this video and not bothering with the instruction part is every bit a valid option, considering how his entire routine has allowed him to travel across the globe with the smallest of luggage for magical props. His old-school demeanor suits him well, but it’s his ineffable charm and sense of humor that shines through in a way that only he can get away with.
From his torn and restored newspaper sucker routine, to swallowing multiple razor blades in his mouth to string them all in his mouth and then pluck all of it out after the end of the routine, Potassy’s show is a masterpiece worth watching again and again. I highly recommend this to people who want to see what it means to be old school but undeniably cool. Paul Potassy has it in spades, and he’ll tell you in eight different languages exactly how awesome he is.
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