Props where props are due: this book isn’t half bad at all. In fact, it’s a pretty great read, because the narrative style feels just the same way as Criss Angel, who, love him or hate him, knows how to talk circles around most anybody else.
The fact that he even gives forty effects in the second half of the book just makes things even better. That only means that the second half of the book is actually not self-glorifying dreck. Oh, okay. I guess I can’t really resist taking a snipe at my “favourite” magician…
More of a wink and a nudge to the magic community than a genuine magic blog, Mallusionist.com combines two of the most annoying things to most magicians on earth: the hype machine of Ellusionist and wanton magic exposure. In doing so, the site creates a very humorous mix of pseudo-magic and self-referential comedy.
The fact that some people are silly enough to take the material seriously is another cause for sheer hilarity on its own altogether, and I still cannot believe how many people take the site on face value. If only for the sheer hilarious nature of the site, as well as the self-awareness the parody treats itself with, I’m definitely a huge fan of Mallusionist.
Nate Marx is a magician and a mentalist hailing from General Santos. One of the few people insane enough to consider me a mentor of sorts, his passion for magic is unrivalled, and it shows in his writing, and his desire to better himself both as a performer, and as a contemporary, working with other performers along the way, even merely through online correspondence.
While it would certainly be a great honor to be onstage with Nate one of these days, I think it’s more than enough of an honor that he has regarded me as one of the luminaries of the local mentalism scene, but really, this kid has everything he needs to make it big. His new blog has excellent ideas, but if you could find his old one, the way he writes there just really impresses me. It’s a rarity in the local magic world for us to find someone this eloquent, so having someone like Nate becoming an online ambassador for Philippine magic is a definite plus in my book.
Do check his blog out, and say “hi” to him for me. Tell him I sent you.
Perhaps one of the most hyped books written by a magician in the last decade, “Mysterious Stranger” is quite a sendup to magic history, and overall, an engaging read. The little armchair treasure hunt included in the book was also an excellent little touch that lent to a heightened interest in David Blaine’s book as well.
Ultimately, “Mysterious Stranger” served as a very early autobiography of David Blaine, discussing his life story, all the while discussing magic history through his own viewpoint. It’s worth buying, but you have to forego the chance to win $100,000, since someone already figured out the Treasure Hunt involved in the book.
I am eagerly awaiting the day Criss Angel tries his hand at writing his own book… if he’s even capable of writing a book, let alone writing at all.
The movie was better, but by no means does this mean that the book was a bad read.
In fact, the book, in many ways, weaves a different tale from the movies, and as such, has strengths both in its narrative and in its very structure as a published book rather than as a recorded film.
You’ve heard the story before: two magicians, Angier and Borden, and their rivalry as magicians slowly built up and escalated unto epic levels. While in the film, the two used to be friends who became bitter rivals when a botched escape act resulted in the death of Angier’s wife, the book’s rivalry started off with something far less drastic: Borden exposed Angier during one of his séances, and thus became an annoying thorn in Angier’s side.
This petty rivalry only highlighted how the smallest of transgressions, when unaddressed, can snowball into larger, unimaginable treachery. As the acts of aggression between the feuding magicians escalates progressively, they turn to more and more sinister means of upstaging each other, and the feud ends unresolved, and it becomes a mystery for their respective next of kin to unravel, as they take us on a ride into the mystery that lies beneath the murky details on the lives of both men.
The pacing of the book is decidedly slower than the film, but this results in a very good, stewing effect on the readers: what seems to be a deep-seated mystery becomes more and more horrifying as the book progresses. It likens itself to how a magic trick is often done, really: building up towards something, the whizz and the bang, then the aftermath. However, in book format, the buildup is actually dragged out to great effect, akin to the mentalist act, as opposed to the magician’s wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am approach most of the time.
As such, I do recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers. I suggest reading the book, then watching the movie, if you haven’t yet, as it would be one of the most appropriate times for you to say that indeed, the movie was better than the book, but the book itself was still one piece of work worthy of more than one reading.
Less a book for professional magicians and mentalists and more a book for the general public, “Tricks of the Mind” is an engaging read from cover to cover, as Derren Brown talks about his methods (Although one would suspect shenanigans here.), his beliefs, and other interesting topics as he opens his mind to people for them to probe and analyze for as long as he feels inclined to let them do so.
When it comes to a book that really looks closely at the psychological phenomena that surrounds all of us, including hypnosis, neurolinguistic programming, and many other similarly controversial pursuits, Derren Brown’s interesting narrative style just captures the imagination and the charm that is often attributed to these things, all the while expressing a healthy dose of scepticism in the very same things that he apparently performs on a regular basis.
If you want a book from a man who is clearly conflicted by who he truly is and what he projects himself to be, “Tricks of the Mind” is an excellent read. It would be as though you were looking at a man trying to debate with himself about mentalism in a way that is entertaining, lively, and witty all the same.
Andster is one of those rare gems of magicians who writes in a very disarming manner about the art form. Whether it be his self-deprecating style or his massive range of experience in different aspects of magic, or just his many different attempts at taking his show on the road, Andster’s blog has always been an entertaining read, and I don’t even remember anymore how I came across his blog over three years ago, to begin with.
In any case, I do heartily recommend that you check his blog out, even if he rarely updates it nowadays. His insights into magic are not only unique, but very much the work of someone who is a big fan of magic, even if real-life obligations can get in the way of his semi-professional ways. As a former teacher, I can definitely relate with his being a professor who likes doing magic for his students every now and then. That’s cool, to say the least.
Check the blog out. It’s great, it’s light, it’s interesting, and you can’t go wrong with Andster’s writing.
I saved Mr. Bing Lim-It for last because he is the man I consider to be my mentor through the years I’ve been doing magic. He has had a very storied career in magic, and his story serves both as an inspiration and a cautionary tale in the mercurial world of magic.
A magic hobbyist since he was seven years old, Bing Lim-It was always fond of the art thanks to the inspiration of his idol, Lou Hilario, whom he saw many times on television back in the day. As he grew in magic, it took him almost two decades before he donned the tuxedo and top hat and became a professional magician, when he became a professional magician in 1987.
In 1998, he opened up a magic shop in Virra Mall, which eventually supplanted his professional magic career. The shop can currently be found in the third floor of Shoppesville, and is very popular because of his wide range of merchandise, from magic items to instructional videos to… ahem, marital aids.
Bing was practically as old school as can be: nearly every stereotype you could come up with for the traditional stage/parlor magician, he exemplified it, be his very deliberate but graceful movements, or his look and costume. As one of the country’s top performers, his experiences have gone far and wide, and earned him a lot of accolades along the way.
Through his long career, he has had countless performances, highlights among them being the time that he performed for Cardinal Sin and his card manipulation routine was hailed as “a miracle” by the late archbishop; as well as the stage show he had at the NAIA Tarmac. He became known for his specialty of fire production and fire-related effects, which allowed him to stand out among his contemporaries, as well as his patented “70 tricks in 30 minutes,” replete with rapid-fire productions, manipulations, vanishes, and all other manners of magical routines. Choosing Lance Burton (And particularly, his candle act.) as his international source of inspiration, Bing exuded elegance and skill when performing routines, and had a distinct look that made him seem larger than life. Over the years, he has created or redesigned numerous effects, the secrets of which are probably lost with him or the lucky persons who would purchase the item in question he himself actually used to accomplish such effects.
Eventually, after his wife was injured in 2005, Bing contemplated retiring on his 20th anniversary as a magician, but ended up retiring a year earlier, having his last show on October 1, 2006. He wanted a definite end to his magic career, going out still at the top of his game, well before his star power as a premiere performer waned, and leaving many others clamouring for more from the man. For the past four years, it’s hard to count how many people begged him for “one last show,” and it seemed like no price could possibly make him don his suit and top hat again. As far as he is concerned, his professional magic days are behind him, but one can see that his skills are still sharp despite four years outside the limelight, whenever he teaches his customers magic routines after they purchase from him.
Considered a hermit by many, Bing Lim-It is a controversial figure: someone who preferred to work alone, rather than to belong to any particular group of magicians. To this day, I honor his request of never officially taking part in a magic group, and I certainly see the wisdom behind it. As a performer on the outside looking in and extending nothing but goodwill towards the magic community, my perception of magic groups has always been positive, and I have continued to be insulated from all the pitfalls and horror stories that others may have felt compelled to bring up over the years.
While a man as complex and as nuanced as Bing Lim-It may prove to be an individual who will always perplex and polarize those who know him or even just know of him, those who have taken the time to take a close look at the man know that behind the apparent veneer of jadedness lies a human being who has seen it all and done it all, and the wisdom that he imparts, whether or not you may agree with it, is born from the many experiences he has had that has shaped him to become the person that he is today. With this in mind, it becomes rather clear why I continue to honor and respect him, because while it’s so easy to focus on the idiosyncracies, the firebrand demeanor, and the self-assured opinions, there is an inner gentleness to Bing Lim-It: a kind soul longing to see the spark of magic continue in all the right ways, for all the right reasons. A longing that repeatedly gets extinguished yet keeps on reigniting, each time fainter than the last.
He is a walking paradox: on one hand, an accomplished magician; on the other, one who would rather leave those days behind him. Despite this, all the while, he runs a shop that reminds him of what he would rather leave behind on a daily basis. When one sees the full breadth of the human condition in him, one begins to see the many lessons he has to teach, without him ever having to utter a single word.
For that, I choose to honor him today, a day removed from National Heroes day, to commemorate everything he has put forth for the sake of the industry, then and now. To you, Bing Lim-It may be controversial, but to me, Bing Lim-It is my mentor.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the king of Philippine magic as we know it.
Whenever Filipinos talk about magic, only one name transcends generations, and is revered and acknowledged as a pillar of magic both within and without the brotherhood of magicians. Indeed, Lou Hilario is the true household name for Philippine magic, and a veritable living legend because of his unique flair and charisma as a performer.
You can’t possibly have a shortlist of the who’s who in Philippine magic and miss out on this man. Earning a reputation through his sheer workrate, Tito Lou is a man who lives and breathes magic with every ounce of his being. From his early beginnings in magic thanks to learning how to do some tricks on television, to the countless guestings he has had on television, to the even more numerous shows he has performed everywhere, there has never been a shortage of demand for this man’s unique act. And I don’t throw the word “unique” around in a cavalier manner: you can search far and wide, but nobody has managed to pull off the combination of magic, ventriloquism, comedy, and trained animals the way Lou Hilario has.
I would have to admit that unlike most of my contemporaries, I was one of the few people living under a rock who saw Lou Hilario in action only a few years ago, when I was the designated street magician during a party, and he was scheduled to take the stage by storm. I just had to stop in my tracks and watch the master at work: there was no way my table-hopping was going to be able to compete with his top-of-the-line act, and besides, I wanted to watch the man perform.
After his show and after my walkaround, I approached him and his assistant, Jason, and they had very kind words for me, particularly since they noticed how I used the Shanghai Shackles as a close-up tool rather than a stage routine. I’ve been exceptionally fond of the Shackles for ages, and to hear such kind words from Tito Lou just a year and a half into my career at that point was truly a great honor.
As most people know, I consider Mr. Bing Lim-It to be my mentor, and lo and behold, the man, to this very day, will never hesitate to say that he idolizes Lou Hilario. And as I got to know him better over time through casual conversations with him, I developed a deeper appreciation for his importance to the industry not only as a performer, but as an inspiration to his contemporaries as well, all the same. The fact that he still joins (And often wins) magic competitions underscores his perfectionist attitude towards his craft, and with decades of experience under his belt, anyone who would just sit with him and listen to his stories on the road would certainly be blessed with his knowledge and wisdom.
And really, if you’re a parent, and you ever considered getting nothing but the best for your kid, if you really, really love your kid, you’d get Tito Lou for the party. If you don’t, then I guess you don’t love your kid enough.
.:242/365: Q And A With Lou Hilario:.
1. Who influenced you to get into magic? How long have you been into it?
No one. Magic was one of my many hobbies. I started when I was 7 years old. There was an instructional magic demonstration on TV called “Magic Hands” in between the Popeye cartoons. Just hands with white gloves and a black background and a close up mat. Magician demonstrated a trick, gave a list of materials to get then a commercial break, then the secret.
I am now on my 32nd year of “surviving” from this art.
2. What is magic? In your case specifically, what is mentalism?
Magic is an exploration of knowing the deeper darker secrets of mankind. Mentalism is the magic of the mind. Nowadays, for me, it is a form of entertainment.
3. What was your best experience while performing?
Anytime I have a good audience is the best experience.
4. What was your worst experience while performing?
Worst is when you need to perform without an audience, like working regularly in some venues.
5. Which layperson celebrity, local or foreign, do you think would make a great magician?
Anyone who has a passion for the art.
6. What is your best advice to everyone reading this who’s interested in getting into magic or mentalism?
Watch all the shows, buy all the materials you can afford, make friends with magicians, get a mentor, spend all your time, money and effort on it. I guess this applies to everything else.
One of the trinity among mentalists in the country, a comedic genius, also a very active presence for magic online, and a dead ringer for Nur Misuari, the great Leodini attracts quite a crowd wherever he goes by sheer strength of personality and a look nobody could ever forget.
It’s a bit sad that I rarely cross paths with the Great Leodini, because I couldn’t quite tell him often enough how excellent his blog happens to be, as it is an excellent resource for magicians looking to improve their craft. The site is chock full of tips, ideas, and even funny anecdotes, all designed to push magicians into stepping up and becoming better performers overall.
The one time I’ve managed to really observe Leodini in action wasn’t even at one of his many shows. Instead, I caught him during a particular series of lectures about performances for the benefit of The Story Circle, and he discussed how to mix comedy with magic without inadvertently putting down magic along the way. Oh, if only we managed to get Bearwin Meily to sit in on that particular lecture, but that’s wishful thinking on our end.
Nonetheless, despite my lack of exposure to his performances, I have more than a few laymen friends who swear by him. Aileen Apolo, the recent birthday celebrant lady who took the video above, told me how entertaining and exciting Leodini was, and how nobody expected him to be so good because they let his looks fool them, which, in my opinion, should be a great compliment to the man, because it only means that the persona he projects onstage is one that is built upon breaking stereotypes or expectations.
I can’t get into his career in much detail, mainly because all the necessary biographical information can be found here. Nonetheless, I have to mention how important Leodini’s contributions to magic are, not only in being a community leader, having been the president of the IMC; but also in being a very audible voice for the Filipino magicians in the online community. What I try to do in terms of encyclopaedic knowledge about magic, he has been doing for practical applications of magic. Let’s not forget the fact that he also has quite a lot of facts and figures about magic over the many years he has been maintaining his blog as well, and my project lasts for all of only 365 days before I wind down my churning out of magic-related articles.
Personally, I enjoy his very different scripts for mentalism. The way he mixes comedy and mentalism works for him so well because of the character he has successfully mastered to a tee. Whether or not this is a mere extension of the real Leodini, the onstage Leodini’s stage presence and charisma never fails to make people chuckle at every joke and gesture that he makes, all the while casually and deliberately building to a stunning finish, as he catches his audience unawares.
If only for his being a great voice and ambassador for the Philippines in the online world long before I even so much as thought of going professional in magic, Leodini would certainly earn my greatest respect. The fact that he is also a multi-awarded performer who is more than willing to share his wealth of knowledge and experience for the betterment of Philippine (and even international) magic just puts him at a level that very few magicians, Filipino or otherwise, can ever hope to achieve.
In fact, he reminds me of a younger Aldo Colombini. If you’ve seen Aldo during his younger years, they have very similar hair, and even to this day, Aldo is still incredibly funny but his magic is so good that’s not the first thing that comes to mind about him.
Anyways, his blog will be featured again sometime next month here, when we get to “Recommended Reading” month. Still, go ahead and get a leg up on checking out his blog, because there’s just so much useful stuff to find there.
I know you may not know me much, sir Leodini, but I was, and always will be, a huge fan of your work and more so your writing.
