Pendragon's DVD Volume 4

The fourth and final volume of the Pendragon's DVD set. For those new to the site, I will first give a recommendation then follow with a more in depth review of the material on the DVD.

While the first 3 DVDs have provided some wonderful information and effects to add to one's repertoire there are also some that are simply out of most people's financial league. Fortunately volume 4 has a good selection of techniques and illusions for the wealthy and more modest performer. The illusions explored include, The Broom Suspension, 360 degree levitation, The Impalement, and The Election which is a Blammo production followed by a no trap person switch (Leg Drop Switch). There is also some discussion on Interlude, Steinmeyer's famous illusion seen on the cover of volume 4. If you plan on doing illusions this is be all means a wonderful volume to own. If you on the other hand do not plan on doing illusions I would suggest saving your dollars and cents for something else. That being said if you are looking to buy the other 3, it is worth getting the 4th DVD to complete the set and for the discount available from L and L publishing.

First we are presented with the Broom Suspension. A very difficult illusion to do well, it's easy to perform this poorly but to make it look like there isn't mechanical junk strapped all over the place is much more difficult. Again, this illusion is a million times better due to Charlotte and her fantastic athletic and gymnastic abilities. This will be a running theme for these illusions with strong emphasis on the person being levitated, suspended, impaled, etc.

The performance segment is quite good, and you will see why when Jonathan explains his workings. The mechanics of the Pendragon's suspensions are great! If you can get it made like that, wonderful! Jonathan takes us through a brief history of the illusion and where the name came from etc.

The best part of this is the harness explanation and the learning curve/process that Jonathan describes. While it's fun to get illusions and to play without planning to perform them it is much more difficult to recognize and realize what needs to be concentrated on and the most efficient way to go about learning the crucial steps to presenting a good illusion. Jonathan emphasizes a lot of wonderful points that need to be addressed but are often overlooked. For example, if you use a ratchet type, you will have a problem when you try to get the assistant "in place" if it moves at all you will start with a semi-suspension which shouldn't take place. Jonathan also discusses some beautiful thoughts regarding suspension vs. levitation and the strengths of both. There are many great attributes that a suspension has which a levitation does not. Presentationally speaking you need to emphasize different things in a levitation vs a suspension. This will likely be one of the most valuable sections on this DVD. If you want to do a suspension you will need a couple things, this DVD and the special design to Jonathan's harness which is fantastic! Don't get this built by an illusion builder unless they truly understand the Pendragon design. I'm not sure if you need permission from Jonathan to build this, I assume not given the depth in method and specificity of mechanics. If I am incorrect and somebody knows this for a fact please email me and I will adjust this accordingly (erdnasestudent@gmail.com).

I truly hope that more people adopt Jonathan's mechanics as I can't stand that "Click click click" we all know and love in bad broom/sword suspensions. If you perform this effect already you must own this and change your set up. It's worth the money.

Following the suspension, so fittingly, is the 360 levitation. As we have heard many times already, Jonathan consistently refers back to Richiardi and his performance of levitation effects. I have to emphasize once again, it is very important to have a dedicated Charlotte Pendragon as part of the show, otherwise you will never reach full potential. Also Charlotte is more important in these illusions than the magician posing and "acting" as though he matters. Of course he matters but your assistant will be doing the real work and is literally the living illusion. A great history of the levitation is given including a little bit about Alan Wakeling's hand playing a part. I'm a huge Alan Wakeling fan, and if you aren't familiar with him or his work I highly recommend you get his book, The Magic of Alan Wakeling.

When Jonathan explains the workings of things there is a lot of emphasis on presentation as there is in all of these DVDs I would highly recommend taking this advice to heart! Jonathan takes you through the different steps of the prop. For example, bringing the assistant to the prop, Charlotte then kicks in and starts to guide your assistant. It would be a good idea to purchase the illusions on this set and then watch these DVDs with prop beside you and work through it with your assistant.

Next Jonathan discusses the hoops and the variety of hoops you can use. A particular mention to Blaney's hoop is given. Which if you've see or used this hoop before, you know why! Jonathan teaches an original hoop pass using a solid hoop. One of my favorite parts of this DVD set is that many of the things I have only read about become very real. We see a real gooseneck and Richiardi's original hoop passing technique which is fortunately not lost to history as Jonathan feared. Jonathan recommends not stealing Richiardi's hoop pass. I would agree, but it is certainly somewhere to start learning. Try to make it your own and get a feel for the philosophy behind it.

Next we have The Impaled illusion, as I've mentioned already, it requires a very special assistant to make this illusion look as good as the Pendragon's make it look. You can love or hate the illusion itself but you would be hard pressed to say they don't do it remarkably well! It would be nice to have a performances only section instead of the lecture format, where a trick is shown then explained, performed then explained, etc. Jonathan provides a lot advice regarding the graphic nature of the impalement and the fact that it is NOT a good first illusion. Jonathan gets very artist on us here. A little over the top but his advice is sound. Wait 5-10 years before tackling this type of illusion. You require a lot of experience and as you can imagine being impaled on a stick while rotating is very scary for any assistant or magician. I'd relay my personal experience having performed it as the assistant but really that's not needed. Do NOT try this one without some experience under your belt. Being up there on that stick is very scary, it would be much better to concentrate on a broom suspension as explained earlier.

Jonathan explains some wonderful moments in the Impalement and explains that the magic moment is not the impalement it's the resurrection effect. If you dropped a melon on a knife blade and it got penetrated that's not magic, it's magic when you take the melon off and show it to be unharmed. A very good point that so many bad illusionists neglect. The effect is intense and you will appreciate it that way as done by the Pendragons. Jonathan continues to emphasize the requirements, sound acting ability, physically top shape, good flexibility, etc. You can tell this is an illusion that the Pendragon's are very passionate about.

Next we are treated to the technical aspects of the Impalement and a demonstration as well as a bit of Impalement origins. During the demonstration there is a very funny part when Charlotte releases her sword tip and you can't help but laugh at the remarkably phallic implications and the awkward camera close up. Jonathan and Charlotte admire this large phallic symbol and it's ability to wobble. Priceless! The harness will shock many of you and quite honestly your assistant needs to have very strong back and leg muscles to perform this illusion convincingly. You don't realize how much strength Charlotte has until after you get a chance to see the minimalist mindset that has gone into the body support for this and other illusions.

Nearing the end of this DVD we get to hear and then see the Blammo box, a Pendragon original based on the smaller dove to rabbit illusionette. It's truly remarkable to hear how much influence the Pendragon's have had on modern illusions as we know them today! Their music is a little dated in many of these illusions this one especially. They call this trick The Election, which is a production of a big fluffy puppy dog from a Blammo, and a switch of Charlotte and Jonathan. The switch is quite good although the audience reaction and Jonathan's "Oh come on!" would make you think it's less than grand. It feels like the timing is off a bit on revealing Charlotte. Too much time between the switch, the "come on" and the awkward call to Charlotte. Perhaps not the best clip of this but the components are wonderful.

The Blammo isn't anything new to illusionists. Jonathan doesn't explain the illusion quite yet, first, we get an explanation of where he gets his dogs and what kind of dogs they are. Thorough! The effect is that a large fluffy boa (neck scarf thing) turns into a large fluffy dog. A wonderful demonstration follows and some very valuable tips. How to handle the top and which way to move, pull the top, etc. Of course this dog production is meant to be a lead into the switch they use which involves a cape to switch Charlotte and Jonathan. They were trying to get away from that huge cloaked figure switch that always happens and telegraphs a switch and appearance of the magician. This is a very good switch in workings but you need to justify the cape. Very easy for the renaissance style of the Pendragons. A bit more difficult for you or I, but not impossible. The beauty of the switch to me is that there is no need for a stage trap, certainly a significant improvement from other switches like this. Lance Burton is another interesting switch to take note of in his now famous sword fighting vignette.

We get a good look at the Pendragons and how much fun they have so many years into being professionals. There are many people who might question the value of these DVDs but I personally have yet to find anything more in depth and up to date on the effects presented by the Pendragons. I highly recommend this DVD and the other 3. Purchase the set. If you are just working on 1 or 2 illusions then you would be silly to not purchase the corresponding DVD. While these won't be huge sellers in terms of Magic DVD sales due to their niche market, the lucky people who do choose to purchase these AND use the material in them will be light years ahead of the many hacks trying to reinvent it all and make all the mistakes along the way.

If you plan on doing a levitation or suspension, buy volume 4, if you are a hobbyist dabbling, save your money for something more fun and less practical. If you enjoy illusions and history these are invaluable. It's hard to justify NOT spending the 35 bucks on this and the other DVDs in the set. It's a measly 35 bucks! Buy it Here!