Well Tonight was Criss Angel's "Grand Canyon Death Jump" episode. The first episode in Season 6. I have mixed Feelings about it And So I'll just talk about what comes to my mind.
I'll get to his Main Effect last ;)
The Trick I liked the most was either the Scorpion kiss or the Walking through the Gate. The Scorpion one because it was something we wouldn't expect and he just randomly kissed this chick, and the Walking through the Gate because he's Walked through a Window, A Solid Metal Door, and now that. I think it wraps it up nicely.
The "Teach a Trick" to be honest... Was Crap... I mean who actually Didn't know already that a Can of Soda Can balance like that if you drink about half of it. I mean really... thats something I think EVERYONE knows... AND it's not really a "Magic trick" its just balancing the can... nothing really magical about that.
I don't like how he's not really using REAL spectators anymore... he's either using people he "randomly" pulled from the crowd or "selected" some people... you never actually see him do that...
Another thing I noticed is that to me is seems like its a little to "scripted" for a reality TV show. I mean all the little "pranks" and things like that I mean come on you know they scripted that all out and was "acting" for that... which really doesn't set right with me. I liked it when he would walk up to random people and do magic for them, not "select" someone and show them something they have rehearsed and done over and over... But then again thats what you have to do if your making a Television show. If the shot is bad you have to do it over. (which can really ruin the effect)
Now for the Biggy! The Grand Canyon Death Jump... Where should I start?
First off the camera placement really made the "method" to the effect, (to me) seem very obvious. I mean it wouldn't be that hard to do 2 shots one of the helicopter flying there with no one in the cage and with the car driving up the ramp and then another shot with Criss in the cage and someone else driving the car and with the Fireball use that to cover the camera cut between the two shots...
Now this is MY Method to how I think he does it. I DO NOT KNOW for sure how he does it. I just know what I think and that is what I think.
Another thing that to me makes it obvious that its a little Camera Trickery is because he kept showing it OVER, and OVER, and OVER trying to drill it into our head that its NOT a camera trick and what you see is what you get... It really threw up the Red Flag once I saw that...
Another thing about it that really makes me lean to the camera cut is that there is NO audience there watching him do it. They even said so in the Episode that there wasn't anyone there watching... that allows them to get away with WAY more than what they could if they had a live group there watching. I mean if there was they couldn't of got away with it because word would get out that what we see on the camera WASN'T what was viewed live there... Which is something Criss Says over and over that "What you see is what you get" but is it really?
All's I know is it kinda let me down with all the Performing just for the camera, and the maybe camera cuts... all in all i give it about a 5/10... Let's hope that Next Weeks Episode is Better than this one... And Yep you can bet I will be making My Blog on the Thoughts I have of it ;)
Until Next Time, I am Malachi The Illusionist and I approve of this message.
"See You on the Other side????"
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