"Magic From The Grave" DVD by Todd Diamond
Suggested Retail USD$24.99
Available direct from Todd Diamond
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Magic From The Grave", the latest disc from Todd Diamond, is a collection of four beautiful effects, a shocking and entertaining interview, and enough attitude for a hundred traditional magic videos. The result? Something that may end up being the year's beat bargain in magic videos.

Let's begin with the premise, which is an inside poke to ribs (read that as "knee to the crotch") of Diamond's critics, that Diamond's dead, "... killed by his first DVD release". For those on the outside looking in, most magic critics killed that first release -- "F*ck Street Magic" -- so this is Diamond's ironic turnabout. (I should point out that your humble reviewer here was not one of those critics; I actually liked it very much and got a big kick out of watching Diamond in action).

So Diamond is dead, courtesy of his first video. But, as Diamond's Romero-esque tagline on this disc goes, "When hell is full, the dead will do card tricks". And with that as the premise, the fun begins.

Up first is Bizarro, guest appearing on this disc, with a trick that in my eyes is worth the price of this disc, a card piece called "Bamf". Set is a funeral home and performed on a coffin, It all begins with four Jacks being shown freely and set aside into two packets, separated by colors. A card is chosen and put face down between the two face up black Jacks. The cards are spread, showing the arrangement. With no sneaky moves -- just a snap of the fingers -- the cards are turned over, still spread, but only the two face down cards are scene. The spread is turned over again: the selected card has vanished. The black Jacks are dropped on the table and the red Jacks -- which have not been touched since the card was selected -- are spread and, face down between them, is the chosen card. The visuals here, the blocking and the flat-out killer cleanliness, made this one worth the price of the disc. It's powerful stuff. It's also the first thing I"ve seen from Bizarro and all I can say is I love this guy and want to see more.

After Bizarro's stint in the funeral home, it's off the graveyard we go. From here on, things get weird (like a guy explaining how to do a trick from the viewpoint of being inside a coffin isn't weird enough). Diamond is "dead", remember? So you never see him. What you do see are pretty much disembodied hands, performing and explaining things from behind various headstones. Don't ask. You have to see it to appreciate it (and be slightly twisted besides).

Diamond leads off his offerings with "Coins From The Grave". This is, basically, the production of two coins singly, and then the vanish of both of them. While this isn't particularly striking in itself to jaded performers (meaning pretty much all of us), Diamond's got a nice little move here that makes this one worth watching. A bit on the difficult side, but one coin workers can grasp easily enough.

Next is Diamond's "Tombstone Change'. In this one, a card is selected and lost in the pack, while an indifferent card is held at the fingertips, turned over so its back faces the spectator, then turned back around and shown to have changed into the selected card. This is a great little routine that looks really good to say the least. It's angly, and a bit of a knuckle-breaker, but looks too good to pass up.

The final effect is another one from Diamond: "Spellbound for the Dead". This is pretty much what a lot of "Spellbounds" are: a silver coin changes into a copper (or gold coin in this case) over and over until the climax sets in. In this case, the routine has a lot of intentional fumbling, leading the spectator down the usual primrose path that two coins are being used. Of course, they are: the two coins are both silver coins with no odd coin in sight. This has got some very slick pieces to it and no gaffs at all. A bit trying for beginners, this one is for the more advanced worker and looks -- and plays -- great.

With the effects at an end, it's time for the interview with "The Amazing Jonathan". I won't spoil the surprise here; see the interview for yourself to really get the maximum entertaining and enlightenment from it. But I'll warn you: this is "AJ" without censoring and as brutal and offensive as you're likely to see him. And thank heavens for that: an uncut "AJ" is a great "AJ", and this is him at his best, whether it's cracking the odd way-off-color joke or sharing his experiences. This is one fans of the Insane One must see and more than a few performers can learn from.

Other than some hilarious out-takes and the like, that pretty much sums up "Magic From The Grave": four great effects to learn and learn from, a dangerous interview with one of the most creative performers in the business, and enough attitude to make watching this an experience and a half.

And here's my take on it: "Magic From The Grave" is an excellent disc, period, and for the price it's a steal. When way too many "performers" release a $50 disc with a single effect on a disc and wait to have it hailed as an "instant classic" from all their friends and co-conspirators, Diamond has quietly released a disc packed with quality for a modest price. Diamond is to be congratulated for that, and probably thanked for having the integrity to do the right thing straight out of the gate.

So who do I recommend "Magic From The Grave" for? Well, the work is a bit of a stretch for the casual worker (other than "Bamf", which is dead easy, pardon the pun), with lots of timing, blocking, and fingering issues to deal with. For that reason, beginners will want to pass on this one while the advanced worker may find themselves a bit challenged but not overly so.

Other than the experience factor, it all boils down to the material and personal choice, which makes a decision about "Magic From The Grave" pretty darn easy.

Me? I love this disc. It's one of my favorites because of the material Diamond's assembled here and, maybe, because of the macabre sense of humor employed here and there. But generally, I just had fun watching it and learning from it. That makes it worth twice the price in my book.

That's what we call "highly recommended".

"Magic From The Grave" DVD by Todd Diamond
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
With four great routines, plus an interview with the ever-shocking Amazing Jonathan, and a great personality all it's own, this disc is one that anyone looking for magic with an edge and an attitude has to see. For the price, this could be the DVD buy of the year for many a performer.

Practicality: 10
Other than coins and cards -- and a gaff for one of the routines -- there's no set-up or reset to worry about. Angles may be an issue in some circumstances, but certainly not more than would be experienced in other such routines. All in all, this is perfectly practical stuff.

Quality of Production: 10
Big thumbs-up here. All the usual elements are great, but the included picture-in-picture on some of the explanations is a wonderful touch, truly aiding the learning process without becoming a distraction. An excellent job here.

Quality of Instruction: 10
All the material is very well taught. The "deceased" teaches his material in pantomime (for style points, of course) and it works excellently here. All in all, an excellent job.

Presentation: 10
In a turnaround from his previous release, Diamond concentrates solely on the visuals here and they are wonderful. These are pieces that will find their way into many an existing routine.


Shane