What do you guys think?

I think hes the worst thing since David Blaine, but he somehow actually manages to be worse. I mean, his stooges cant even act like real spectators.

But what about this whole half magic half special effects trend? is it good or bad for magic? It certainly raises interest in magic on the one hand. But on the other hand it is simply unethical. There is a fine line between magic and special effects, and these guys that cross it, in my opinion, stop being magicians.

criss angel is a great magician and a good friend of mine and it really pisses me off when peple say he uses camera tricks. his magic is so good and complex that immature magician wannabees say that is how he does his stuff. when people don't understand they get pissed off and act like little kids and get jealous.

He uses camera tricks. So what? He's still an incredibly skilled magician on stage or closeup. He uses any advantage he can get. It's like a mentalist using preshow work or a card magician using a DL. It's an advantage we have over the specs. He didn't make the show for us, he's making it for the laymen.

I guess your right. The laymen are the ones he's really trying to impress.

His levitation and building walk are awesome, though. Im trying to figure out where I can buy instructions or gimmick (if there is one).

i am currently working with criss to release his wall walk and the gimmick will be somewhere around 1900 dollars. i have no idea what the gimmick looks like or anything all i know is that i on behalf of E can say is it will be released around 2008
and the entire mindfreaks series does not include as much camera work as people think. most of his effects i personally own (around 224 effects) and are not camera effects.

Whether he uses cam editing or not is not the issue to me. But he does appear to be a "Blaine wannabe."

The only real similarity between he and Blaine are that they both perform for people on the street and have sponsors that are pretty high in the magic community. Blaine has Paul Harris, Angel has Banachek, Jermay, Thompson, and a few others. Their looks are completely different. They perform differently, with Angel concerned with presentation. Not to mention, Angel starting out with a stage show.

ingestedpain, GIVE IT UP. You dont know Criss Angel... Oi.

you'd be suprised, i work for E and have worked with criss on marketing MANY of his effects. so until you know what your talking about or who you are talking to
SHUT YOUR MOUTH