Criss Angel To Win "Magician of the Decade"?

[Jakeh]

his levitation exposed..

Link removed by Moderator

*scoffs*

People like you annoy me. Just because some (probably) kid who has way to much time on his hands offers explanations, doesn't mean crap. Does this person WORK on Mindfreak?.. no. Does this person have factual evidence and created a video stating said evidence?.. no. Is this person a magician?.. no, probably not.

In response to that "reveal," do you realise that clouds DO move quite quick? Just yesterday the sun was shining all fine and stuff, two minutes pass and it's gone - covered by clouds. A few more minutes pass and the sun is once again back. If you don't want to listen to that, then perhaps you must be told that just because the video allegedly had different video clips spliced together, it doesn't mean he didn't do what he did. He levitated from building to building. That's what he said he'd do, and he did it. Not with magical powers, but with some amazing (and probably expensive ) gimmick thing. And just because he may have done it more than once, does not mean it's not a great illusion.

---

In my opinion, this award was probably based more so on popularity than anything else. So, with that in mind, Criss deserves the award completely. He's a household name, for God sakes. It would be nice for someone who creates stuff to get the award, but names like Jay Sankey and Wayne Houchin aren't household names.. unless of course everyone in your family is a magician (that'd be pretty cool!).

David Copperfield's last special was in 2001.. I believe.. so for 7 years in that decade, he hasn't really done much.. so, I don't think he's a contender for THIS decade. But he sure as Hell should have won the last one.

David Blaine though, is another story altogether. Whilst a lot of laypeople acknowledge him, he's known more as a "stunt man" than anything else.. at least to the people that I know. But I'm sure he MUST have been considered.. at least a little bit.

So yeah, those are my (looong) views.. sorry if you had to read all of that.

 

[iq92]

Okaaay.. Chris Angel threads (I'll call them CATs now, 'cause there's such a thing as Criss Angel threads nowadays) really do get your opinions on how you think magic is supposed to be done and how someone can be considered a good magician.

I read in an E blog about Mark Wilson challenging Angel to go "old school". He says Angel's effects give spectators higher expectations of what magic is, when in reality they can't bo done without what many claim to be camera tricks. I agree with what he said. We trick people, we're magicians, that's what we do. Sure there are tricks utilized in stage magic and those are fine, but to tamper with what the audience is actually seeing is different, for me. If you go out and rely on that then you might as well compare your magic to a Harry Potter movie. There's talent, and then there's camera trickery and if all you can do is edit videos then you're no different than any other guy who can edit his videos and make them look magical as well as you. I'm not saying all Chris can do are camera tricks, and I know he does have talent but that is particularly one thing that many are, probably prematurely, associating him with. I wouldn't be impressed by a magician who becomes poplular theough such means.

What I like about Blaine is his simplicity. Angel's ego is different, it definitely stands out. Still, I'd prefer Blaine's because there's an air of mystery about him yet it's just subtle and doesn't scream out loud. Chris' ego is sometimes a negative for me. And the beard. Yes, the beard. I don't like it.

Another thing, what is the criteria for judging the "Magician of the Decade"? If it's making magic popular as an art, then Chris definitely has contributed. If it's giving back to magic and making it better for us magicians, then as Anthony said, Brad has definitely done something more. It's hard to know if he indeed deserves the award if we don't know what the criteria is.

Personally, I'd prefer other magicians, over-all, to win such an award. I mean, to be called the Magician of the Decade is really something isn't it? Chris has done a lot but I think he hasn't overdone the likes of David Copperfield to win that.

Just my opinion on things.

By the way, Anthony Bass. You might not be aware but you have a picture on wikipedia. Search "magic" (illusion) and there you are near the bottom of the page.

 

[Jakeh]

And the beard. Yes, the beard. I don't like it.

What does that have to do with his magic?

(this isn't directed at you, it's more so at the whole "EW OMGZ HIS B3ARD IS SOOO YUCKZ!11!!eleven!!1 thing that's going on lately)

 

[Aos]

In response to that "reveal," do you realise that clouds DO move quite quick? Just yesterday the sun was shining all fine and stuff, two minutes pass and it's gone - covered by clouds. A few more minutes pass and the sun is once again back. If you don't want to listen to that, then perhaps you must be told that just because the video allegedly had different video clips spliced together, it doesn't mean he didn't do what he did. He levitated from building to building. That's what he said he'd do, and he did it. Not with magical powers, but with some amazing (and probably expensive ) gimmick thing. And just because he may have done it more than once, does not mean it's not a great illusion.

yes
the clouds things was kinda sad
definitely not conclusive
and they never mentioned the movement of the camera
if the camera rotated by one degree during the shot
the effect on criss would be negligible
but the effect on far away object
like the clouds
would definitely be visible

also
whats your point that he cut together different performances?
he probably did 3 or 4
not just 2
and they picked the best shots from each one
they dont make it obvious because it takes people out of the experience
they always do this with regular tricks
but since they are short they simply choose the best looking performance
but since this one was very long
i can see how they would want to splice in different parts
again
not conclusive

the car through the wall
again the guy completely fails to mention the camera
having the camera at an angle like that shrinks and stretches things in view
i dont know if it would shrink the car by that much
but it could given the right circumstances
clearly the guy didnt mention it because it would put his argument under doubt

the bike jump as well didnt make any sense
wasnt he doing that in front of a large audience?
if he did a different effect and filmed their reactions
one of them would have said something by now
after watching themselves on tv
or did they all sign non-disclosure agreements?

anyways
whatever
let him do whatever he wants
if it is not your cup of tea
move on

 

[Phenomena]

few years ago after he did the bike jump
there were a few people on ellusionist forums who were there
and said what they saw that day, and what was showed on the tv, were completely different

 

[TheSkilledMagician]

I like Criss, I enjoy watching his show, but he really doesn't need to edit anything. If I were him I would leave the streets and go to the stage. His stage illusions are amazing. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine on stage Criss would win by a long shot. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine in the streets I have no doubt that David Blaine would win. If he left the streets I would have alot more respect for him.

 

[Deryn]

I like Criss, I enjoy watching his show, but he really doesn't need to edit anything. If I were him I would leave the streets and go to the stage. His stage illusions are amazing. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine on stage Criss would win by a long shot. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine in the streets I have no doubt that David Blaine would win. If he left the streets I would have alot more respect for him.

I second that

 

[2ndDeal]

I like Criss, I enjoy watching his show, but he really doesn't need to edit anything. If I were him I would leave the streets and go to the stage. His stage illusions are amazing. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine on stage Criss would win by a long shot. If it were Criss Angel vs David Blaine in the streets I have no doubt that David Blaine would win. If he left the streets I would have alot more respect for him.

Why is it Blaine vs Angel? Why should Criss leave streets to Blaine? I enjoy watching Criss' street performances, even if they aren't as good as Blaine's. Those two have good TV shows, and comparing them doesn't make any sense. They are two different persons.

 

[Jakeh]

Yeah, I've never understood why they are always compared. In fact, I don't know why X magician is ever compared with Y magician, in any case.

 

[Deryn]

probably because David's first special coined the term "Street Magic." And now that anyone and everyone that does CLOSE UP MAGIC is compared by anyone with half a brain to David or Criss.

I did a trick that was Derren Brown inspired yet the guy said "it's like David F'n Blaine up in here"
Which is totally false.

 

[iq92]

Probably because they popularized magic amongst the masses? People associate magic to those who they know practice it, Angel and Blaine in particular. Add the fact that they are the 2 of most famous magicians. Ask a layman to name a magician at the top of his head and they'd probably say one or the other. It's natural. When I perform and people tell others about me they'd almost always say "look at this kid, he's like David Blaine," or "he can do what that guy on TV does. What's his name? Oh yeah, David Blaine".

And also, it's kind of inevitable not to compare "X magician to Y magician". By saying they have their own style, in a way you've already compared them by observation.

 

[Aos]

you can definitely compare them
maybe you cant definitely say who is better
but they can be placed in a finite number of tears
chriss angel is pretty up there
with the crazy things he does he makes some magicians think magic is real
i dont buy it
but thats just me

 

[samuelmshin]

I'm waiting for Sankey to hop on here and drop his 2 cents, because I think I would have a lot of fun reading the words of the same man that created the beautiful Craig Angelo video in the media section.

To me, Criss has become more of a pop culture icon than a magician. He's featured on TMZ, he's dating celebrities or something, I don't know and honestly I don't care. Point is, he's crept out of the area that so many magicians now are in, and emerged in the mainstream. His show has become extremely popular, constantly laced with cameos of celebrities.

What people don't like, and I don't blame them, is that technically speaking his sleights are far from immaculate. His stooges are, at times, painfully apparent (who names a butterfly when you ask to think of an animal?), and if any of us tried to get away with some of the stuff he pulls, we'd be exposed in half a heartbeat. Sinful is a beautiful effect and I commend Wayne on creating it; it's pure genius. But watching Criss perform it, I was so extremely disappointed. I know for a fact that I would rather watch Banachek do mentalism and Wayne do close-up.

You have to wonder, though, how Criss managed to get his own TV show. Obviously something he did was reason enough for A&E to decide that Mr. Angel would be their response to David Blaine, that he would be the one they would use to hop on the ever-growing magic bandwagon. What he did I'm not quite sure, but he did something.

I think why we whine and moan is because Blaine was a different character from Angel; Blaine was simple, accessible, and at the same time magnificent. He fried people with literally nothing more than DL's and showmanship. Criss is a big production guy; he's got so much money to spend setting up every one of his ridiculous illusions, and most of us can't really afford to have consultants, stooges, camera crews, celebrities, and crazy props at our disposal. What most might think is, "Anybody can do what he does given that amount of money and that many people on his team."

We stand here on our pedestals, we magicians, and scoff at the laiety and their ignorance. Appreciate Criss Angel? Why? What has he done to display talent, that we could not do were we placed in that position? But if we get off our high horses, we see Criss Angel as this crazy guy who can float and teleport and... whatever the hell else he does. Put cards in cigars or something. Anyway, spectators (apparently) like that stuff!

Magician of the Decade, amongst magicians? Probably not. We'd probably cast our votes for our own personal favorite magician. But what are the options of the general public? They have Copperfield, Blaine, Angel, and maybe Burton. And I'm hurt to put that maybe in there because I know Lance is amazing, but the general public doesn't know him any more. Copperfield? Long gone. Blaine? Long absence, and not as much magic as he used to do. Angel? Still on TV, still doing magic. Burton? Burton who?

Maybe we, on T11 and on forums all over the internet, would nominate others, but we're not the decision makers in this matter, because we're definitely not the majority. The majority is the couch potatoes who watch Criss on TV. And majority rules.

 

[Aos]

sankey is so awesome

 

[Jakeh]

You have to wonder, though, how Criss managed to get his own TV show. Obviously something he did was reason enough for A&E to decide that Mr. Angel would be their response to David Blaine, that he would be the one they would use to hop on the ever-growing magic bandwagon. What he did I'm not quite sure, but he did something.

I believe it was because of his stage show, which is fantastic by the way. And he had some specials and did some stunts before MF, which got people's attention.
The way you put things, it looks like they just walked down the road and taught him a double lift and gave him a show. He worked pretty hard to get where he is.

 

[2ndDeal]

What people don't like, and I don't blame them, is that technically speaking his sleights are far from immaculate. His stooges are, at times, painfully apparent (who names a butterfly when you ask to think of an animal?)

It actually isn't necessarily a stooge. Mayde you should check Banachek's book Psychological Subleties 2, he explains a concept known as pre-show, which is accomplishes some same things a stooge could, but without any "unfair" deals with spectators.


I believe that Criss Angel has done within this decade more good to magic than everyone else. He has popularized it. That has brought much more people to magic, (some consider this good some don't) and more importantly he has got laymen interested in magic.

 

[Jakeh]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with stooges. They're your friend.

 

[fridoliina]

It just seems that alot of "semi pro" magicians are jealous at him becaus they think that they could do a better show and that they got more talant then him.

Ofcourse he uses edits and stuff like that, but who would not? He has to do bigger/ more extreme stuff to get people to see his show every week otherwise he wont have a show.

Also "Criss Angel" is a character he does not exist he is a person who is on tv and he does a wonderfull jobb with it becaus almost every teenager knows who criss angel is.

 

[FliXeRoCk107]

May I just point out that this clip on YouTube has 14,317,927 views. Then take a look at alot of other videos of magic, and some barely even have 100 views. That means Criss is popular in everyday life. Infact, one of the clips i uploaded of him last November has 223,126 views and 118 comments. I was away for a week after i uploaded it, and when i came back there was already over 15 thousand views. Now i think that makes him popular.

Felix

 

[Guardian18]

I actually had the pleasure of meeting the magician that gave Criss his first magic lessons. I went to his show and in all honesty he seemed like the complete opposite of Criss. Every step of the way, what almost seemed like after every trick, he reminded the audience that magic was fake and everythng was an illusion. After the show, he was signing autographs and I introduced myself. He told me about Criss. I asked him what his opinion was of him now and he said that Criss' ego has gotten a little bigger but he is still a very good slight-of-hand magician. He also brought up a good point that Criss gets a lot of kids into magic, but to learn his stuff you can't just look on Youtube. You might actually have to go to a magic shop (imagine that) and from there the kids turn out to be a good thing for the industry, unlike the Tubeician...

Ah, good 'ol Scott Interante... don't know if I spelled that right.