Hi.

I'm trying to determine what will be the best DVD to kickstart a killer mentalist routine that does not use cards.

Of the followin DVDs, which is the best and at the same time most powerful that will always work.

Emotional Intelligence [E.I.] by Luke Jermay and Into the Abyss by Oz Pearlman.

What exactly is cold play?

Start with a good book, like 13 steps you can build many entire acts of that one book. If you have a urge to get a dvd I can't help you now, because I dont know what type of routine you want to have, strolling, parlour ect..

Also their is no such thing as cold play in mentalism, I think you mean cold reading, but I can't tell you what it is, due to exposure. Cold play is a UK band.

The gentleman is right. 13 steps to mentalism is the way to go!
If you really meant cold reading then I recommend that you would look for ian rowland's stuff.

"cold play is a UK band"

My Bad! I did mean Cold Reading ad NOT Cold Play!!

I don't want to know how it's done, just more info on what it is. I don't want to buy something without knowing what I'm buying. Is there any performances that involves cold play...just kidding...cold reading?

Cold reading is a technique used by mentalists and fortune tellers that makes it look like they are revealing details about a subject/participant that they could not possibly know. Read some horoscopes and you'll get the idea.
The EI routine does not include cold reading but it contains room for you to practice your coldreading so that if it works you look like a miracle worker and if it doesnt work you still look like a miracle worker.
As for dvds, once you have studied 13 steps (notice the word 'studied' was used not just 'read'), my personal favourite Mentalism dvd is Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries Volume 1. So much useable material on one dvd. Other than that, another favourite of mine is Wayne Houchin's "Stigmata" - Gauranteed reaction.
Out of 'EI' and 'Into the Abyss', ITA is hands down my favourite. Fantastic jawdropping routines that get laughs, applause and screams. In order to do them well, you need to know PCT which is taught on Osterlind's Mind Mysteries Volume 1.

I wasn't much a fan of ITA, one of those instances where you notice it's not really your style...after you've purchased it.

I'd say: start your mental career with 13 steps, and then once you learn the basics and fundamentals, you can move onto the the golden stuff: Derren Brown, Luke Jermay, and others..

My recommendation is to:
1) Read 13 steps
2) Read it again (cause you've missed stuff)
3) Read a book like PRISM (something to give you more knowledge on how mental effects are created, or how a professional mentalist thinks)
4) Read some Derren Brown stuff (it's expensive but well worth it, I recently got Pure Effect and I'm loving it)
5) Read some Luke Jermay stuff (don't buy his single effects, go for the books)
6) Read Ian Rowlands the full facts of cold reading
7) Find additional resources from the books you have already read, I personally know some of them have "other books to look into" sections. Those can point you towards more resources.
8) From here, look at books, decide what you like, buy it and experiment.

Once you are at step 8, you should be well practiced. That's the other thing, you should practice a lot of the stuff before moving on to the next step, master each step. That way once you get to 8, you will have a good to great working knowledge of mentalism and cold reading, and you will be knowledgeable enough to decide which books to read on your own.
Hope this all helps.

Send Blitzmagic a personal message

From what i hear he is crazy with his mentalism

and also i would go with 13 steps to mentalism as its only $25 but the material is gold. . . unfortuanately its out of stock at the moment

http://trickshopmagic.com/13sttome.html
I like these guys... Free Fed-Ex with a $50 order.

i would suggest to get 22 blows to the head