Criss Angel Methods Exposed

Okay,I wouldnt really consider these videos exposure...based on the somewhat dubious methods involved..although I'm sure it's debatable

I liked his 2 earlier specials,but to be honest I lost all interest a while back,having realised he's resorted to using half assed special effects and stooges so blatantly..

So here's some great videos demonstrating and deconstructing how 3 of his signature effects were achieved - entirely using special effects



enjoy!


Building to Building levitation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baHxmkiuptg

Chicken - Car Through Wall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRybVvTR9Gc

Motorcycle Jump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQeTmqQHLJI

That pretty disappointing. Always liked his levitation one, but seeing that makes it seem fairly bad.

6th

I'm not sure if these could be seen as reveals or not so I'll hold judgement for now but I wonder why people see the above videos as bad? I mean he has to achieve the trick someone (he cant really levitate after all) and the person who made these videos had to go to alot of trouble to figure them out. Cant all tricks be figured out if enough effort is put in?

6th

Just a question but how would any of the practicing magicians here feel if someone broke down there tricks in a similar way?

Predhead

He's a massive tosser imo.

6th

Predhead wrote: »

He's a massive tosser imo.

Hardly a worthwhile contribution to the thread.

???

It's a very fine line because no matter what you do, you are deceiving people. Personnally, I feel Criss Angel is dishonest because he always gives the impression he's not using digital trickery or stooges. There is very little skill involved in the actual feats involved and so his reputation is built pretty much on hollywood style special effects. I think it's disingenuous of magicians to perform tricks that they couldn't do for a real live audience and to built their reputation and fortune on it. It is one thing to disclude shots where you can see a sleight in a card trick beeing done because in a live situation it would be missed, but it is another where the entire effect hinges on video trickery.

Why watch Criss Angel? Lord of the Rings has much better special effects!

zuroph

using special effects is not magic/illusion, its just clever editing. its an insult to the art.

In fairness to the chap he does have a few good tricks.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=r0BukAy_dko
http://youtube.com/watch?v=n3f-WPrKnRU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HiAY8BTKMlw

And of course calling out a spiritualist fraud out on live TV is always fun.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=roaLgL7adl4

But, seeing those explanation videos I'm very disappointed.

Also his music sucks

RodVelvet

I always find the reveal to any trick to be a bit of an anti-climax. I think its better to not really know how a trick is done, try to suspend disbelief and all that.

Remco

Remco wrote:

Is it 100 procent real what he is showing us?

Walking from building to building in the air?

Or is it all fake?

Real as in he's using proper magicians trick to do it rather than camera tricks and editing.
Or real as in he has magic powers and can fly?

PullMyFinger!

I watched a show of his on MTV recently and I havent seen acting as bad from stooges since David Blaine's heyday. He's annoying as Blaine too!

These videos have sealed it for me now, Im going to have to go with "Muppet"

I've got mixed feeling on Criss Angel tbh.
Some of his tricks are pretty crappy and filled with stooges and stuff. Then he comes out with stuff like this: http://itricks.com/news/?p=4065#more-4065

PullMyFinger!

King Mob wrote: »

I've got mixed feeling on Criss Angel tbh.
Some of his tricks are pretty crappy and filled with stooges and stuff. Then he comes out with stuff like this: http://itricks.com/news/?p=4065#more-4065

Where is the actual trick on that page?

Thanks.

PullMyFinger!

PullMyFinger! wrote: »

Where is the actual trick on that page?

Thanks.

It's not actually on the page. I think it's being aired as a special sometime soon. This is just reporting the filming of the event.

I really love the big spectacular death defying stunts. Kinda reminds my of the Harry Houdini stuff.

Voodu Child

King Mob wrote: »

I've got mixed feeling on Criss Angel tbh.
Some of his tricks are pretty crappy and filled with stooges and stuff. Then he comes out with stuff like this: http://itricks.com/news/?p=4065#more-4065

Pretty much all of his stuff is crappy and stooge filled. The one you linked to (escape from exploding building) was already done by David Copperfield, years ago. And Copperfields method and presentation were miles better. His reveal at the end was better too; it was an actual illusion (he appeared from nowhere) whereas Angel was spotted by a news-crew basically just legging it into the rubble after the implosion.

voodoo_child

voodoo_child wrote: »

Pretty much all of his stuff is crappy and stooge filled. The one you linked to (escape from exploding building) was already done by David Copperfield, years ago. And Copperfields method and presentation were miles better. His reveal at the end was better too; it was an actual illusion (he appeared from nowhere) whereas Angel was spotted by a news-crew basically just legging it into the rubble after the implosion.

I had no idea Copperfield had done it before. Do you have a youtube link or anything?

Voodu Child

King Mob wrote: »

I had no idea Copperfield had done it before. Do you have a youtube link or anything?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfamvx-snHg

Its many years since ive seen it, but I remember it was well done. Nice continuous shot camera (watch it as it comes out the building), music, presentation. Very good synchronisation in the 'gimmick'. And a good reveal. A lot of work gone into the whole effect.

Angels gimmick was the same, but his reveal was basically just to run into the rubble from an adjoining building under the cover of dust. Very crude

voodoo_child

voodoo_child wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfamvx-snHg

Its many years since ive seen it, but I remember it was well done. Nice continuous shot camera (watch it as it comes out the building), music, presentation. Very good synchronisation in the 'gimmick'. And a good reveal. A lot of work gone into the whole effect.

Angels gimmick was the same, but his reveal was basically just to run into the rubble from an adjoining building under the cover of dust. Very crude

That was fairly cool alright.