357

THE BLURB:
From the creative mind of Tom Lauten comes "357"

A participant is invited to examine six cards, each one has
the word 'Click' on one side and 'Bang' on the other. Six
regular envelopes are examined and any card is placed into
any envelope as the performer explains that each card
represents a bullet and each envelope is the chamber of a
gun. Turning away the performer instructs them to place one
card showing the 'Bang' and the others showing a 'Click'
into each envelope. All are mixed up as the performer turns
back and attempts to divine which envelope contains the
'Bang' card.

Using suggestion, precognition and persuasion the performer
puts money on the table and states that if he makes a
mistake he'll lose the cash. Maybe not as life threatening
as a live bullet but none the less painful in it's own way.
Each envelope is eliminated one by one, more and more cash
is placed on the table until just one remains. Despite the
real test conditions you will succeed every time. No marks,
peeks, impressions, forces, electronics, duel reality,
equivoque or pateo.

You really do not see a thing, they can choose any card, any
envelope, in fact they can use their own if they really want
to.

Peter Nardi and Marc Spelmann teach 357 and then show you
how to adapt the routine for other effects, living and dead,
bank night, win or lose.

You are supplied with gimmicks that enable you to be ultra
clean with a technique that is truly remarkable.

With 357 you will be able to display true test conditions
for a close up performance piece that is as direct as it is
astonishing.

Running Time Approximately 1hr 20min

MY COMMENTS:
This is a fairly standard and very effective Russian
Roulette plot with the advantage being that it's done with
cards and envelopes, instead of bullets and spikes. The
method itself isn't new, either. I'm fairly certain that
most experienced mentalists will figure out that we're
dealing the Fillmore Principle. (Chazpro has a bunch of
effects and supplies using this principle and this is
mentioned in this video. See Blank Mental Telepathy Cards
in my catalog).

As you might expect if you're familiar with the Fillmore
Principle, the props are examinable and instantly re-set,
making this very suitable for walkaround or close-up work,
if that's your needs. Also, this is very easy to do and
contains no sleights. Finally, the cards that are provided
are blank, so you can easily customize the props to suit
your needs if you don't wish to perform the routine exactly
as presented.

This DVD features a performance of 357 by Marc Spelmann with
Peter Nardi, another routine by and featuring Thom
Bleasdale, an explanation of the effect by these two, and an
interview with Tom Lauten, who's the creator of 357 and also
a film/TV special effects wizard. Also included are a dozen
blank cards and six envelopes.