Ron Jaxon: Almost Impromptu Vanishing Car

Reading through Ron Jaxon's Almost Impromptu Vanishing Car e-book is a bit like reading through the Conversations from the Edge sections from Paul Harris's Art of Astonishment books. The ideas are a little offbeat but are designed to get your mind running. Here's the effect: "Cause someone's car to vanish, change, or travel to another location." Sounds like a blockbuster, doesn't it? Well it is... sort of.

I might as well warn you right now that I can't describe what actually happens in this effect without giving away the secret. In other words, the effect is what you're buying here. There are no revolutionary gimmicks or techniques to speak of; it's just a silly idea that could provide a moment of astonishment or at least an entertaining memory for someone you perform for in the future.

If you're looking for a big time illusion, you are going to be disappointed. If, however, you're looking for a fun item to use to entertain friends, you may find this useful. The downside to the effect is that, most often, you will need a stooge to pull this off. When performing for friends, this usually isn't too difficult to arrange, but keeping the stooge quiet after the fact is something you really can't control. Ron explains a few methods that don't require the use of an accomplice, but the main method requires outside help.

In short, it's a mix between a practical joke and a magic trick. It begins as a magic trick, because your spectator will be genuinely shocked, at least initially, at the disappearance of his or her automobile. It becomes a practical joke when, after the initial shock wears off, the spectator correctly deduces that a stooge must have been involved. It is so impossible that the spectators will have no choice but to try to disect the events that led up to the disappearance. Once they do, they will realize that the vanish of the car was a bit dodgy. After all, if it were real magic, they would be taken outside to witness their car vanish before their eyes. This is not what occurs.

This is not to say that the trick is bad, however. In fact, it has a lot of things going for it. It's entertaining, easy to do, and extremely memorable. Years down the line, your spectators won't remember your Ace Assembly or Ambitious Card Routine, but the time you made their car travel to a different location, even if they know it wasn't pure magic, will remain fresh in their minds.

With everything I've said so far, I must mention that Ron explains one method for visually causing the spectator's car to vanish that negates the use of stooges or trickery. It is difficult to pull off and timely to set up, but when compared to other methods for visually vanishing someone's automobile, it is really pretty practical and affordable.

At any rate, this is the kind of thing that would certainly entertain friends or family when the situation arises. And since, there isn't much advance preparation, when the situation presents itself, you're set to go. Be warned that this is not an impenetrable mystery, but for $10 it's worth finding out the secret.

-Available from http://www.lybrary.com/almost-impromptu-vanishing-p-382.html