This material is strong and economical. To put together the entire routine is super inexpensive. I
like this because it is really a MacGuyver mentalism set. However, the material itself is not the
strongest and has it's problems. You will see an example of this in the dvd when Maven has someone
add up some numbers. Para-sight is excellent, but after that I can't think of any other reasons that
the material stands out. The best part in my opinion is the panel discussion with Maven, Eugene
Burger and several other great psychic entertainers. This is a good collection, but it is not for
me.
9 of 12 magicians found this helpful.
It's Mentalism 101.The tricks are very basic. Its the equivilant of a kids magic set for someone
thats just getting thier feet wet in mentalism. A couple tricks do leave room for spectator error.
If you follow Max's Career he strikes me as the guy who sells the tricks that are a little more
dated and keeps the really good stuff to himself. Nobody will accuse you of being a "Gifted
Telepath" after studying this dvd, However if you are making a seriouse transition from magic to
mentalism its worth checking out. You will get some good info in the bonus features. If you've been
doing mentalism for a while I'd go ahead and skip this one.
6 of 7 magicians found this helpful.
There were a lot of supporters for this DVD, unfortunately, I can't be counted as one of them. I
was very disappointed. It is very expensive to boot. I did not think that ANY of the effects were
that hard-hitting. Max Maven has good delivery and knows how to present his tricks, but I can't
honestly say I'll use the effects on this DVD. Disc #2 has interesting conversation, but does not
justify the price. Sorry----definitely not for me.
5 of 6 magicians found this helpful.
The premise is simple: Max Maven spends a few minutes in the supermarket and comes out with a
complete act. And believe it or not, that's exactly what happened.
If you're into
mentalism, then you've heard of Max Maven. Actually, even if you aren't, you've probably heard of
him. Max is somewhat famous for his sinister-looking appearance, which actually covers an incredibly
intelligent man with a passion for magic. This DVD set shows you exactly what can be done when you
have to come up with something quickly and can only use the items on hand.
There are
several effects taught here, and the amazing thing is that the teaching DVD (the second in this
2-DVD set) is so in-depth you'll know every nuance of Max's routine and why he chose every
particular action. This isn't just "here's how it's done", but is more like "here's why it's
done"--which helps you as a magician to create your own effects later.
Most everything here
can be done within a few minutes of watching it. While you probably won't do his complete routine,
you'll probably find parts that immediately resonate with you. He does a sort of book test with
magazines that I particularly liked.
This is an expensive set, but worth it.
4 of 5 magicians found this helpful.
I have a great day job and magic is hobby that I get to perform in a variety of venues. This set
has added substantially to my repertoire along with my ability to put together a great “topical”
show when on the road.
I love the simplicity and elegance of the effects in this series.
Don’t skip the “In-Depth Explanations” with Eugene Burger, Brandon Combs, Gene Matsuura, Stephen
Minch & Jan Rose. The comments Max shares on the psychology of magic and why the effects work and
how each participant might experience unique effects are fantastic. (I would buy the tape just for
this discussion never mind the effects) My first exposure to his magic many years ago left me
unimpressed; mostly do the persona he uses. I purchased his three volumes of Max Maven's
“Videomind” (Also a highly recommended) for the great effects and I was hooked. “Nothing” shows the
real Max, his passion for the subject shines so brightly it can not be ignored.
I hope he
keeps these coming.
His comments on history are right on. As a hobbyist I only wish he
would have added suggested reading/videos worth exploring; however the lovely Easter egg he left was
wonderful.
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
Please be aware that this is not a rapid pace collection of tricks. This DVD is more of a tutorial
in creating & presenting a powerful mentalist act. Sure Max goes over 7 and 1/2 effects (some
really good), but this isn't really the point of this DVD. Instead it teaches you how to take
risks, think on your feet, mind the details and interact with your audience. Don't let the Internet
demo video make you think Max is boring his audience to tears, the full performance is MUCH better.
Overall a very good DVD to take you to 'the next level' in your performance abilities. Minor
quibbles: the DVD is kind of pricey and Max didn't use his 'guest stars' to their fullest.
Otherwise, lots of educational value here from one of the great thinkers and historians of magic.
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
When I saw the title the first thing that came to mind is how the show Seinfeld was suppose to be a
show about nothing, yet we all know it was a show about everything and anything.
There is
an old saying, "give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach him how to fish feed him for life".
The first dvd is just the show itself, the second is a world of info, it teaches you the effects
itself, but more than that it opens up your mind so you can take what you learn and build your own
stuff, come up with your own ideas, and seriously its unlimited.
2 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
I got this when it was first intoduced and it is GREAT!! I was able to use some of the effects
within minutes and brought them into my show. the audience response to the "new" effects was huge
and as a resuld I have been using them for well over a year. People who have seen my show before,
still come up and ask "How did you do that??"
2 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
This is a good starter dvd for anyone interested in mentalism. Thia isn't a "gere is your next show"
but you could use these effects. If you actually watch both disks you will learn a lot about magic
and stage craft.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
At first, I did not care for the material. However, after watching it again I can really appreciate
it. It uses every day objects that I do not think will arouse any suspicion. Max is a very gifted
performer who thinks on his feet, so if you're looking for cut-n-dry effects, you won't find many on
here. A lot of his patter is in response to what the spectator says, so it's not easy. Sure, the
spectator messes up the time prediction but Max is such a seasoned performer that he still saves the
effect.
As everyone has mentioned, the discussion section is absolutely wonderful! He goes
in-depth as to how and why he could use these effects and why they're in the order that they are.
I really don't think you'll be disappointed with this DVD set. I highly recommend it!
1 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
Today, when you order "Nothing by Max Maven", you'll instantly be emailed a Penguin Magic gift certificate. You can spend it on anything you like at Penguin, just like cash. Just complete your order as normal, and within seconds you'll get an email with your gift certificate.
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Good but not for me
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Luke warm at best.. C+
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Nothing by Max Maven
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The entire act costs less than the DVD!
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