Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > TV Talk
Reload this Page >

Chriss Angel-MindFreak

TV Talk Talk about Shows on TV

Chriss Angel-MindFreak

Old 06-04-07, 10:04 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Florida, one time home of the space shuttle
Posts: 3,278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Chriss Angel-MindFreak

Mindfreak takes viewers into the world of Criss Angel -- called the "postmodern Houdini" by MTV -- whose distinct blend of magic, mentalism, and dazzling pyrotechnic effects has made him the hottest young magician in America today. In past seasons, he has astonished fans with such incredible feats as hanging suspended by hooks from a helicopter over the Nevada desert and splitting a woman in two in a public park.

In the third season -- in addition to celebrity guests, street performances, and behind-the-scenes looks at the magic -- Criss Angel will perform all new mind-bending feats: levitating 500 feet above the ground over Las Vegas' Luxor Hotel and Casino, (whose 800-degree light beam is the only man-made object besides the Great Wall of China that can be seen from space), making a Lamborghini vanish -- at high speed -- and topping Houdini himself in a tribute to the father of magic.
Old 06-04-07, 10:05 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Florida, one time home of the space shuttle
Posts: 3,278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Anyone watching this? I caught him on Oprah, which promoted the shows on A & E. Think he is really entertaining. The stunts are pretty mindblowing! Angel vs Blaine?
Old 06-05-07, 02:29 AM
  #3  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't you mean MIIINDFREEEEEEEEEEEEAK!!!!
Old 06-05-07, 06:11 AM
  #4  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 2,202
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The guy is pretty amazing. I don't know how he does his illusions but who cares it's like watching David Copperfield you just sit back and enjoy it!!

One of my all time favourites is the card illusion he did on a bus. He had a lady pick a card from a deck and it ended up on the outside of the bus on the windshield. WOW!!

The best part of his tricks/illusions is seeing people's reactions. Priceless!!
Old 06-05-07, 07:34 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Reviewer
 
Pointyskull's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Formerly known as "12thmonkey"/Frankfort, IL
Posts: 7,790
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
I'm a big fan of magic/magicians, but I really have trouble watching Mindfreak because of the hyper-frenetic camera cuts and Ritalin-deprived editing. I get that it's part of his "cool" image, but it makes a lot of his magic look it was done via edits.

And that kills the fun of watching it for me when I feel like I being duped by camera cuts.

Last edited by Pointyskull; 06-05-07 at 07:43 AM.
Old 06-05-07, 07:47 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Marina Del Rey, California
Posts: 10,044
Received 14 Likes on 10 Posts
My only problem is that I don't really know when the show is regularly scheduled so I use the DVR. Besides that I love the show.
Old 06-05-07, 08:29 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Legend
 
AGuyNamedMike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: (formerly known as Inglenook Hampendick) Fairbanks, Alaska!
Posts: 17,294
Received 504 Likes on 349 Posts
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xZPztPYf19o"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xZPztPYf19o" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Old 06-05-07, 09:01 AM
  #8  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
Michael Corvin's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 62,508
Received 909 Likes on 644 Posts
Originally Posted by shanester
One of my all time favourites is the card illusion he did on a bus. He had a lady pick a card from a deck and it ended up on the outside of the bus on the windshield. WOW!!
It was better when Blaine did it 7 years ago on a taxi.

I like what I've seen of the show, but what is it with both him and Blaine having zero personality? That's the only thing I don't enjoy.
Old 06-05-07, 09:01 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,883
Received 31 Likes on 25 Posts
those illusionator bits on Human Giant are awesome. MIND EXPLOSION!

i actually think criss angel is pretty entertaining. he doesn't come off like as a huge asshole like david blaine, who seems to want to treat himself like he's some kind of god.

but i agree on the cuts. it's tough enough watching on TV, when it comes to believing magic tricks. Those cuts make it worse.
Old 06-05-07, 09:15 AM
  #10  
DRG
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: ND
Posts: 13,421
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
I enjoyed this show originally, but between the editing and the rumors that in some ticks his audience/marks were ALL plants... takes the fun away for me.
Old 06-05-07, 09:49 AM
  #11  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,418
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Seems to me both Blaine and Angel use the same edit techniques. And of course they are using marks. Every major illusionist uses marks to pull off these tricks. These two just wrap it in a more hip/extreme approach to appeal to today's audience.

And just a pet peeve of mine. They are not performing magic. They are tricking your eye making them illusions. The 'magic' is the sense of wonder they build up around the illusion itself.
Old 06-05-07, 05:49 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've never seen him...but the spelling of his name bothers me.
Old 06-05-07, 05:57 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Florida, one time home of the space shuttle
Posts: 3,278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well, I guess I accept that these are illusions. I dont really think he has the capabilities to actually do what he does. I still find it highly entertaining and give him kudos for how he pulls it off. I also find him highly personable, more so than David Blaine, who like the other poster said, comes off as highly arrogant.
Old 06-05-07, 05:59 PM
  #14  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 3,912
Received 19 Likes on 11 Posts
my favorite of his is when he put that girls cell phone in the heineken bottle.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=veJAnbQdfvA

prolly easily done but i thought it was cool.

Last edited by redrum; 06-05-07 at 06:02 PM.
Old 06-05-07, 06:05 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
JumpCutz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: south of heaven
Posts: 13,540
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Terps54423
I've never seen him...but the spelling of his name bothers me.
I hear that!

-Kriss
Old 06-05-07, 07:49 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Twin Cities, US of A
Posts: 14,157
Received 166 Likes on 132 Posts
Originally Posted by DRG
I enjoyed this show originally, but between the editing and the rumors that in some ticks his audience/marks were ALL plants... takes the fun away for me.
I haven't seen anything from the new season, but watch some of the earlier shows and the plants and camera tricks and editing are embarrassingly obvious in many of his illusions. They are tantamount to making someone disappear by stopping the camera, moving the person, and restarting the camera. Oooh. Aaah. He would be more honest if he just called his illusions "special effects." It's too bad, because some of what he does is decent.
Old 06-06-07, 11:12 AM
  #17  
DRG
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: ND
Posts: 13,421
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Bill Needle
I haven't seen anything from the new season, but watch some of the earlier shows and the plants and camera tricks and editing are embarrassingly obvious in many of his illusions. They are tantamount to making someone disappear by stopping the camera, moving the person, and restarting the camera. Oooh. Aaah. He would be more honest if he just called his illusions "special effects." It's too bad, because some of what he does is decent.
Exactly.

Even I can gather a bunch of my friends, pretend like they are strangers, and shoot/edit something to make it look like I'm doing something amazing. The rumors that (for at least some of these tricks) that ALL - that being the key word here - of the onlookers were plants... it makes it pointless. I realize that some editing is required for some television magic, because the usual audience distraction scenes don't work when a viewer can just rewind or go frame by frame. But at least do the trick in front of *some* real people. Plants should only be used for participation elements or to help sell it to the rest of the audience.
Old 06-06-07, 05:06 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by JumpCutz
I hear that!

-Kriss
Smartass.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.