past bedknobs and broomsticks
Two nights ago we vowed to stay away from the internet and the tv room in order to spend quality time having a talk before dinner. We started out fine, but five minutes into it, Mike looked up the Fearless DVD we ordered from Amazon seven years ago. So gathered in our bedroom, munching on crunchy apple-mango wedges dipped in sugar and soy sauce, we watched David Blaine.
Off from its impressive opening scene, we savored the street magic of Blaine, American illusionist and stunt artist. He let a girl pick a card and place it in the middle of the deck to ultimately find it in her backpocket. He twisted his hand around five times. He bit into a coin and spewed the other half to put the coin back together again.
He looked into a girl's eyes and told her what playing card she was thinking about. He borrowed a woman's diamond off her ring, swallowed it and returned it to the owner after he removed the gem from his eye. He spent seven days buried inside a glass coffin at the bottom of an open pit. He stood in a closet of ice for 62 hours. He brought a dead fly and dead bird to life. He levitated.
A few scenes allowed the audience a peek into the person and life of Blaine. Co-hosted by that guy from Titanic Leo DiCaprio, the intermissions provided enough break from the three magic shows put together in the disc. And though I watched those before, it was a whole new great experience wowing and screaming with my daughters.
Last night, with the urge to upgrade ourselves from those old feats, Mike and I referred to You Tube (which we think is the ultimate in videos) and found some new tricks from Blaine. In 2002 he stood on a pillar 105 feet high for 34 hours. In 2003 he endured a stunt being sealed for 44 days inside a transparent plexiglas case suspended for 30 feet. In 2006 Blaine submerged himself in a water-filled sphere for 7 days and 7 nights.
Street in-your-face magic, it's what they call it. But here comes Criss Angel. His bid to stardom includes floating or "flying" between two buildings, walking on water from one side of the pool to another, walking through glass, and slicing a woman into two. Though he sports a dirtier demeanor, he performed in the same style of Blaine - with a crude camera crew, in the streets, wearing a drab shirt and interacting with the handful of audience.
At first you shriek. It's mind-boggling. Whatever it is, it's exciting! Then you get all-grownuppy and say there has to be a reason.
Mike is sure. "Put together a man skilled with playing cards, a little research and good camera tricks, and you get a very good magic show."
8-year-old Gela is succinct. "It's bogus."
But 9-year-old Nika is full of wisdom. "You should never trust a man who knows magic."
Oh.
