Ah, history was made back in September 1982, when a bunch of clever folks decided to film Dai Vernon in St. John's, Newfoundland — and no, it wasn't just for the tourist brochures. Spearheaded by the ever-inspiring Bill Larsen and the creative genius Hans Zahn at Videonics, this project was a right treat for future generations of magicians. Co-hosted by legends like Michael Ammar, Gary Ouellet, and Steve Freeman, this was a jam session like no other!
L & L Publishing has taken that original footage, given it a good polish, and released it on a whopping 8 DVDs. Now you can not only hear the Professor in action but also pass this treasure on to your great-grandkids (who will probably be asking what a DVD is).
So, what’s the magic sauce here? Well, let’s break it down:
- The format? Think of it as a casual jam session. Vernon chats about his tricks and routines while holding court like the true master he is.
- Everything he discusses is actually performed by him or one of the co-hosts, with explanations that are clearer than your Uncle Bob's holiday slides.
- Half of what you’ll learn is from the published record; the other half? Brand new and fresh off the press (or video, in this case).
- Expect Vernon to reveal nifty updates on his classic routines, including improvements that even the seasoned pros might not know about.
- Famous routines, like the Coins in Champagne Glass and Fred Kaps’ Coins and Silk (yep, that was his brainchild), make their grand debut.
- And let’s not forget some juicy insights into the Erdnase techniques that Vernon has been dissecting for decades.
The idea behind these gems was to capture Vernon live, so future magicians can bask in his brilliance. Seriously, if you're a magician and you don’t have these, you might want to rethink your life choices. Dai Vernon? The Dean of modern magic, sharing his wisdom? You’d be daft to miss it! Plus, with the magic of DVD, you get:
- Superior Picture Quality
- Dolby Digital Sound (because your ears deserve better)
- Interactive Menus to navigate to every trick and explanation with a mere click (no more endless scrolling)
- Multi-Region for worldwide viewing – because magic knows no borders!
Volume 5Gary Ouellett Intro
Vernon Talks About Fred Kaps
Vernon Explains Coins & Silk Routine
Vernon Explains Coin Transfer
Ammar Teaches Chanin Classic
Palm Coin Productions
Ammar Introduces the Cups & Balls
Vernon Tells How He Got His Cups
Vernon Demonstrates the Opening to the Cups & Balls
Ammar Demonstrates Jay Marshall's Bit with Cups
Explanation of Depth Illusion
Vernon's Story About the Cups & Balls at the Magic Castle
Vernon and Ammar Walk Through Cups & Balls Routine
Vernon's Advice On What To Do After Palming Something
Explanation of Phase Two & Three
Loading Sequence
Large Ball & Wand Vanish
Wand Spin
Vernon Explains Ball Under Cup Vanish
Vernon Explains Coins & Purse Swindle
Malini's Version
Vernon's Purse Palm Vanish
Leipzig's Coin on Knee
Volume 6Gary Ouellett Intro
Color Change Section Intro (Freeman)
History of Color Change
Erdnase's First Method with the Vernon Improvement
The Erdnase Pivot Color Change
The Malini Handling
Picking Off the Pip
Leipzig's Handling
Leipzig's Side Slip and Vernon’s Variation
Handling the Sucker Gag
Steve Freeman's Tips on the Color Change
"Softy" Color Change
Vernon Passes on Good Advice
The No Palm Color Change
The Time Vernon Cheated the Cheats
The Greek Crimp
The Gambler's Peek
The Back Crimp
The Suit Peek
The Corner Crimp/Cutting to a Crimp
Story About Larry Grey
The Snap Crimp Story
The Snap Crimp
Mexican Joe Crimp
Best Way to Reverse a Card
The Breather Crimp
