can you explain this?

[nickel]

guy cuts a woman in half.

http://www.stupidcollege.com/items/C...-Woman-In-Half

[Freelance Superhero]

W..... T..... F.....?!?!?!

[InfiniteNothing]

Since I'm not a magician I get to guess: anematronic legs and a woman with no legs. A very buff midget and a woman with no legs? CGI?

[Cubsfan]

Video tricks for this one, though from what I've heard this is a pretty cool illusion in real life. First off, the top half is a real person, who doesn't have a lower half of the body.

Second, look at about 1:12. The camraman zooms into a guy in the audience. From the shot, it's quite clear that the cameraman must be standing. When the view switches to the front, notice the cameraman in the back. He's kneeling. Obviously some missing time there.

There's several other places like that, but I don't have the time right now.

[Freelance Superhero]

Second, look at about 1:12. The camraman zooms into a guy in the audience. From the shot, it's quite clear that the cameraman must be standing. When the view switches to the front, notice the cameraman in the back. He's kneeling. Obviously some missing time there.

There's several other places like that, but I don't have the time right now.

and the woman walking over to the bench and sitting down? identical twins, with one "normal" sister and one who has no legs? or was this produced specifically for online video and were they counting on vid quality being too fuzzy to distinguish between two different women?

i'm not saying this is real, but it's a damn good trick.

[MikeD]

Criss Angel is a beast! If you haven't caught his show yet (Mindfreak), you should...

[Houdini]

To answer the thread's title, an emphatic yes. In fact, it doesn't have to be as complicated as people are postulating here. Yes, it could be done in many ways, but this one requires a serious study of magic, showmanship, etc. At any rate, it was a nice effect. No CGI. No mechanical legs, etc.

I like some of Criss' stuff, but not all of it. He often takes a good effect and attempts to make it better (like Copperfield's Buzz Saw.) Chris' rendition is very similar but different in an important way.

At least he's dropping the KISS look, looking less goth, etc. And his accent has improved tremendously over the years. He was damn hard to understand when he first got television exposure. He's well-liked in the magic circles, and he did win the Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year Award, which is no small accomplishment. Plus, he has some of the BEST guys in magic working for him, some old pros, some new guys, some current performers, some cool illusion designers, one good magazine editor, etc. Also, he does give credit when appropriate to creators.

I'm not a huge fan, but he does have some talent, and he's making it big. That's cool.

But don't worry about the method. Magicians don't protect the secrets from the audience, we protect the audience from the secrets. It's not so much a "I know it and you don't." attitude, as I know personally a few pros who will explain things to someone who is truly interested. But, anyone who learns how these things are accomplished is almost always disappointed. Very disappointed. If I were to explain how DC made the jet disappear, or the Statue of Liberty (which has been incompletely and wrongly explained in some books), disappear, any big illusion or any amazing close-up magic, you'd be disappointed. I can only think of one case where a layperson was impressed with how something worked, and it's a priceless piece in my collection for several reasons.

[eSDee]

Thanks for your input Houdini. I was hoping you would reply. I like Criss Angel and David Blane. They are entertaining.

In case anyone wants to find out how David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear, you can find out here:

http://magic.about.com/od/biosonfamo...tueliberty.htm

[Cubsfan]

If I were to explain how DC made the jet disappear, or the Statue of Liberty (which has been incompletely and wrongly explained in some books), disappear, any big illusion or any amazing close-up magic, you'd be disappointed. I can only think of one case where a layperson was impressed with how something worked, and it's a priceless piece in my collection for several reasons.

I'm not sure I'd be disappointed (not that I'm asking you to explain anything ). I think we all realize that there's no Harry Potter-type magic, but anytime I've ever found out how a magic trick is done, I'm usually impressed that they can pull it off. Seems like most of them either require doing something quite quickly, or doing something well enough that people don't notice.

From what I've heard of this pulling apart people trick, it's quite good in real life. But personally to me, these days if you're going to do something like that on TV, it at least has to be done with one camera in one continuous shot. I'm pretty convinced that there was some editing on this clip.

[Cheesypuff]

Thanks for your input Houdini. I was hoping you would reply. I like Criss Angel and David Blane. They are entertaining.

In case anyone wants to find out how David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear, you can find out here:

http://magic.about.com/od/biosonfamo...tueliberty.htm

funny...real funny! I was actually reading with much anticipation...then....one big fat joke! I HATE YOU!!!

[cadetevon]

Every magic trick I've ever learned (books/kits) on my own or was taught has only ever made me more amazed at the talent of the pros.

One example of a super simple, beginner level trick is the thumb/scarf trick. It’s a fun one because it’s simple, but it’s not always so easy to pull off since people are always looking and looking and looking for how a trick is done, so one must be skilled to pull it off.

On my last trip up to the Magic Castle I was lucky enough to see the up and coming kids perform. They, for their ages, were uh-maz-ing. Just amazing. Mistakes were made, strings were seen (the kid that did the skit with the doves) and some were just cool to see and not really magic at all (yo-yo girl). The ventriloquist was far and away the best that night… she was just spot on with her bit.

My point being that while by in large what Houdini is saying (about protecting the audience from the secrets) is ever so true…sometimes it’s also cool to know a few of them. In actuality I personally enjoy bits MORE when they include some of the very few tricks I know. Because if I know the tricks and they still look flawless, then I have that much more respect and awe for the performer.

All of that said… I don’t think I would ever, ever, ever ask a magician how something is done, though I must say, when they start to spill their guts, I don’t stop them. :wink:

[WhiskeyPapa]

First of all, I don't like Criss Angel. He's not a magician, he's an actor. Every single one of those "random bystanders" is an actor. The entire trick was designed to be edited on video, as are most of his tricks.

The only thing I found amazing about that trick was the fact most people believe it was performed exactly as presented in the video.

[eSDee]