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Oh man,  I think I just figured out what's happening... He's not standing up at all... He's lying on his back suspended by cables during the levitation action, and being moved on a horizontal plane.. pulled in a lateral head first direction, and back by cables attached to his boot area, legs, and maybe chest harness, look at how his boot moves during that sideway shot of him where it appears he's just lifting in a courtyard...  He parallel to the ground, not verticle when that happens I'll bet.... I think the cameraman is above him, and positioned in such a way, while he's horizontal  to his backdrop suspended.... the movement isn't up at all.... the camera, and backdrop shift, perhaps several camera shots...


Wouldn't that also explain how he walks a five story perpendicular building ?  cables and shifts in angle, and camera position ?  He might even be walking on a projected image.... Or he's suspended still, and props are moving.. That resembles a universal studio's superman type filming doesn't it ?  How do they do it ?

Angle of his body when he levitates makes it look as though he is suspended by cables attached to the front of him... two different camera shots... one before he levitates, and another from above when he's suspended parallel to the ground, which would account for why his head is tilted back... gravity is pulling it back

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Sorry folks, huge Blaine fan here. I've watched Mindfreak several times, but some of it is so over the top, I find it hard to believe. Don't get me wrong, it's fascinating to watch, but I've found myself more often than not when I see some of his stunts going 'BullS**t and switching the channel. However I can watch Blaine for hours, but that's just me.

James
Maninblack

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I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

I never liked to feel that acts or stunts are total bull$hit because to me an "illusionist" is just that.  They aren't doing the impossible,  they don't claim to be able to, I now appreciate the fact that Angel does share with us just how he does a few of his stunts... That really is including the audience, and letting them know, Illusionist means "Appears to be doing something",  However, a lie is just a waste of time to watch in the case the audience is being lied to and it's bs photography and editing...I agree, when the camera is lying to us, and they are editing out pedistals and cables.... I don't like it...That's not skill on the performers part , it's also not "fooling the eye" anymore than it is if I create a shark diving out've a snow bank in paintbrush...  it's not interesting either when present, or televised... Yet when they tell you, "I'm not trying to do the impossible, I really AM doing what you see, there's just a few things you CAN'T see that enables me to fool you... or BS you,  and I'm showing you what I want you to see, and distracting you as I do it", HOW can I do it ?  THAT"S FUN to try to figure out IMO !!!  it's still well done ! they appear to be doing the impossible however, and it's fun for me to try to figure out how they do it, I love watching it because I love riddles... When I found out Copperfield, and a few other's were just lying to the TV audience with some of the stunts; that bothered me.  While what Blaine does is interesting, and alot of it involves skill,  starving himself in a viewable box suspended in the air to the point he entirely throws off his electrolytic balance, IMO isn't  "magic" or "illusion", it's just masochistic and pushing the limits of what is healthy for a person to do... similarly standing on a small platform, 80-100 feet in the air, and jumping onto a pile of cardboard boxes to dismount the small area is just not clever, especially when he hurts his foot doing it... Yet sure,  it's "daredevilish", however so is Bobby Kneivel's jumping a box of rattlesnakes.  

while some love rubber-knecking, and watching people stand a good chance of harming themselves,  I don't...

I enjoy magic done well, Illusion, card tricks, slight of the hand stuff I find FASCINATING, and quite a skill... I don't like watching people carry out feats that often amount to legal suicide attempt...Often times as a strange cry for attention..I enjoy watching talent and skill... I enjoy getting fooled by someone who isn't spending loads of money to deceive the viewer... To me, pulling a curtain shut on a boat close to the statue of liberty, and showing other camera's with obstructed views at different times isn't clever... It's BS...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

There's a card where I work that "features" himself as master illusionist.  We humor him but it is trying sometimes.  He's got the magic links deal worked out nicely but his card tricks are just the height of personal embarassment.  It's gotten to the point where we buy the same tricks at Spencer's Gifts and work on them to give him some pointers....

.... Funny MJK.  That's almost as bad as the dramatic musicians that get up in front of a crowd, obviously thinking they are God's gift to music.... They've been playing for about 30 years... have all the flamboyant body stuff worked out, really get dramatic about what they do, really seem to feel overly confident, and co-cky about their ability.... but they really SUCK !!!   People who think they are brilliant performers,  or expert's at anything, brag and boast, but end up acting like idiot's, unknowingly... are too painful to watch...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Believe it or not, I'm going to crash.... this is no illusion,  I'm exhausted MJK, busy busy week.... TTYL !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

You're right Steven, it's very melancholy to watch people like that in action; it breaks my heart in a way.  The antithesis of this, for example, would be someone like Ella Fitzgerald who was so humble I sometimes got the impression even SHE didn't know how incredibly talented she was!

As much as I want to claim BS on much of his stunts, it definitely makes you think about them.  He is an illusionist - It IS all all an act, but how is another thing.  I seen him in person in Vegas a couple years back & I tell you from what I saw (he disappeared with a crowd surrounding him) in the middle of the strip & he re-appeared in the back of the crowd - kind of amazing!

One of his stunts were a full sized elephant he made disappear.  He had the entire crowd hand in hand encircle the elephant on the street - even if it was 'hired' help, the people standing around on the street weren't i'm willing to bet.  The elephant was gone in the midst of the crowd that was surrounding him.

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Now THAT would be amazing... Seeing this in real.  Because when you see it in real, you can't assume,  It's staged television bs... isn't really happening (in terms of camera editing, and assumed props),  It's tougher to fool a real person obviously,  you must REALLY be an ace diversionary tactic puller in such a sense,  these are the guys that could levitate the wallet right out've your pocket too...scary thought in some ways !!  LOL, they are brilliant even though they are illusionists so I agree with Lonman, this is STILL amazing even though scientifically they aren't doing what the eye perceives... How are they "pulling one over" ?  is the question ?  In real it's MUCH different.  You can't assume that what's being said on the internet might be true,  YOU SAW the elephant disappear in front of your eyes... Not as easy to detach yourself from that reality !  Not when you are right there !  Here I might assume that he uses sliding glass, but in real I'd check to see if the "Open" sign were actually attached to the the glass,  I'd know if those holding the papar over the glass he appeared to crawl thru were touching the glass,  It would be "in front of MY eyes", a VERY different situation MUCH tough to detach yourself from as you say !




So you were there in real, and know firsthand that it wasn't a BS camera shot...That's what I'd want to know !   Thanks..   Exactly that... Is it time lapse filming, or do the people holding his hand, PERCEIVE him as levitating right next to them and know there are no props he's standing on visible in 3-D, or cables attached to him... that type thing... Some of this is likely real, yet some might not be... It is fun to try to solve these riddles !!!!  Makes a BIG BIG difference obviously televised vs real !  If I was in a mall, and some person next to me started floating up towards the ceiling, you can be damn sure I'd freak !  Probably carried off in a white van with my jaw dropped open !  It's like I've always said,  I don't necessary believe in ghosts, but I'm terrified I might see one anyway  LOL

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

My grandfather made quarter's switch hands, and coins disappear from my hand, and appear to be found behind his ear.... Was he really doing it,  SURE.... Was he doing exactly what it appeared he was doing ?  Of course not !   Still,  he was GOOD !

Today, as an adult, I too can make money disappear, but I'm so good, even I don't have a clue as to how I do it.... Except the time I found the hole in the pocket of my pants..

If a magician/ illusionist can trick me,  I got my money's worth !   THey are providing me with what I paid to see,  "An illusion"  nothing at all dishonest about that !  Few like to feel that "they fell for something obvious", or much of the time NOT so obvious,  but when I do.... assuming it's not blatant deceit, I still enjoy the learning experience, and the "rush" of having my senses tricked.

Lonman,  HOW did he appear to make that elephant disappear ?  any idea ? How far from the elephant were you ?

Here's the thing, we are suggestible beings.  If you stand on a crowded intersection, and yell smoke, and point to a certain area, some will see the smoke, even though it doesn't really exist... especially if a few with you are part of the stunt, pick a great location, and use reflection to claim there are "flames" too.... We can all be fooled... We don't know everything.  We live in a world full of illusions.  OK, I'll shut up for now

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Even those that aren't actually humble, learn to act it when in front of their audiences Michael !   It's much more respectable among mature adults.  Also, in the arts theirs so much talent out there, that there ARE in fact plenty that at any given moment can, and will kick our sorry A$$es... Never go higher than your willing to fall is my belief...  I wish I was "the best",  I'm nowhere near that...


Sorry Lonman,   didn't mean to go OT here.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Stephen King once said, 'It's not the engines that keep the plane in the air, it's the willpower of the 140 people onboard'(or something along those lines)
I am a firm believer of collective energy, that the minds of the people around has a strong impact on things. In my life, I have seen miracles happen in churches. The laying of hands is laughed about by many, but I have seen it first hand. Whether it just be mass suggestion or actual miracle is debateable, but it's hard to deny the evidence when you're right there with the person.
I think this is the case in certain illusions. The illusionist not only wants to make the elephant disappear, but the hundreds in the crowd, whether they openly admit it or not, they want to see it disappear as well. So it happens.  
The mind is a very powerful thing. We've all had our moments of it's potential, whether it be something as simple as Deja Vu or dreams that end up becoming true.
I know I'm rambling, but the question is, what if it's not illusion, what if Blaine and Chriss are the real deal. If you've never seen any of David Blaine Street Magic, then you're really missing out. I'm not talking about the publicity stunts, I'm talking about him, the camera and folks on the streets. Some of the things he's done have really shaken me up at times. Same way with Chriss, it's the one on one stuff he does that really sets my head to reeling. What if it's not illusion?

James
Maninblack

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

I have to disagree with this.  I don't believe the elephant can disappear, and assuming it could, my inability to understand how it happens, would make me quite uncomfortable. I don't want to see something disappear, I want to see how I'm getting fooled.  Similarly, I'm not a person of faith.  I will struggle to search for the elephant even after I can no longer see it. Just as I don't actually believe "God did it" is an "answer" for anything,  if I have no explanations, I agonize... Not a fun thing,  yet it's the way I am. I want to know "why".   (Except in the case of dirty car engines... , I assume they work, I don't want to know why)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Ok I wrote that while buzzed & tired, I didn't actually see the elephant trick in person, that was one I saw on tv - this was a Sigfreid & Roy trick that they used to perform often.  
The one I saw was HIM disappearing in the midst of the strip among a crowd.

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Did you ever figure out, or think you might know how that was done ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

It encircling crowd could have been a part of the act, the surrounding crowd was kind of further back.

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I was wondering,  if he might've used a manhole, or something like that.. I did a search "Chris Angel Disappears on vegas strip"...  This is interesting !

Different, but fun none-the-less


http://www.metacafe.com/watch/176801/cr ... orm_drain/

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

This is great !   He shows you on camera this time what he's doing.  that those in real are missing !


   



http://www.metacafe.com/watch/43370/chr ... the_police



He's great,  he really know's his stuff.  He distracts them, and than in looks as if he goes outside of their peripheral field of vision with the opposite hand.  but he's quick. I doubt most would have such reflexes..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

All this mind freak, levitation, disappearing stuff gives me flashbacks to the 70's.

Flashbacks ?   We're still in the 1970's.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".