David Blaine

[pallidin]

If the professional magician inspires upon his audience that "this is not possible" or, "there must be a mystical force involved" than the magician has done well.

[Dando Kast]

Thanks for the link here Black Ops. Seems I may have helped your readers of THIS thread out.

For sure, the bigger the discussion the better!

[pallidin]

One of the greatest pleasures of my life is watching a good magic show. I am often taken back by the artistry and the creativity of the magicians.

There could be five Academy award winning shows on TV, along with one professional magic show, and I will always choose the latter.

[mycarmen]

Didn't hear about that. Did anyone see the documentary about a magician who was used in a war to hide tanks and stuff?

I was not able to watch the david blaine documentary but I'm hoping to see it on youtube if possible, does anybody have a link of the video?

[myalex4]

Like so many of his predecessors, Jackson Rayne loves to push the physical and mental extremes required to execute escape illusions. Like magicians such as Criss Angel, David Blaine, even Houdini, the Willamette University graduate draws an audience by putting his life on the line in the pursuit of entertainment and record-breaking.

Returning to his roots, Rayne hosts a show on December 12 at the Historic Elsinore Theatre in Salem. He will present a 90-minute lineup, incorporating comedy into his routine of magic, illusion, and escape. Rayne also plans to follow in the tradition he set at his Salem show five years ago: performing a new escape stunt.

The man’s interest in magic didn’t begin with any illusion of grandeur or the rushing adrenaline of a daring escape, but the simple fun of learning and showing off new tricks.

“Every kid goes through that phase. We get bitten by that bug. When I was 10 years old I went to Disneyland and my grandmother bought me a couple of magic books,” Rayne said. “They were simple tricks, but I used to put my family through shows. I liked what it could do to people.”

As childhood began to progress into adulthood, a pastime turned into a passion. Rayne soon began to put on stage shows, earning money.

In 1999 Jackson gained national media attention through the Associated Press for attempting a deadly underwater escape in Salem. From then until 2004, Rayne was the opening act at the Elsinore’s Silent Movie Series. Near the end of his collegiate career, Rayne performed on Willamette’s campus a stunt that garnered him more national attention.

Shackled by 13 locks and 10 feet of chain inside a 7-foot coffin that was placed 10 feet underwater, Rayne had 90 seconds to free himself and rise for air.

Though he pulled off the stunt and others since then, escape is not his favorite part of the acts he puts on.

“I like to get personal with the audience and perform from a comedic side,” Rayne said. “I don’t really like doing them, but it gets people in [the door] when I do escapes. I wanted to give them a reason to see my show.”

Although he has an economics degree, Rayne describes his magic career as good business sense because it is what he does best.

“I enjoy it,” Rayne said “There's no greater feeling.”

The 27-year-old works with his friends and family to construct his tricks and build his shows. While he cultivates most of his ideas from research, Rayne relies on those outside of magic for support, even the local theater community.

“I do have a team of friends and family that help me develop [my escapes,]” Rayne said. I'll come up with ideas and they work out the kinks.”

Rayne was recently selected as a featured variety performer for Spellbound – The Greatest Magic Show on Earth. One of the most famous magic productions in the world, it has taken Rayne across the globe to packed arenas of thousands of people.

Coming back to the Northwest this December, Rayne has undertaken preparation for a new escape he calls the fire cage. The new stunt will premiere at his Vancouver show in Skyview Auditorium on December 7.

Not unlike his coffin escape, the magician will be chained inside a cage with only 60 seconds to escape. However, during this stunt he will be doused in lighter fluid and if he doesn’t make it out on time, he will erupt into flames.

Despite the danger involved, he insists that preparation is adequate.

“We're pretty careful,” Rayne said.

A three-month duration is necessary for Rayne to train his escape stunts. It is imperative that he keeps his body in good shape. For his coffin escape, Rayne had to practice open diving in extremely cold water.

“I had to get my mind and body into a place where it wouldn't panic,” Rayne said.

Like the coffin, his new fire cage escape demands that his body rely on muscle memory to pick open the myriad of locks.

The dangerous escape will come at the end of his show. Rayne will entertain the audience with a variety of tricks and routines beforehand.

“I'm still low-budget, so I don't have a lot of large props, but I will be building a table float and have a big prediction with several people on stage,” Rayne said.

In part of his show, he will escape a straitjacket. As for a trick of illusion, Rayne will interact with the audience by handing out numerous empty envelopes and play a game of hot potato. He turns the fun into magic by making something appear in one of the envelopes. His show is suitable for all ages.

After these Northwest shows, Rayne looks to move on to other daring stunts in hopes that he will soon break a world record in the escape category.

“Criss Angel has performed an escape hanging upside down in a straitjacket. I can already beat that,” Rayne said. “I plan on performing it in Vegas in the future.”

[Enigma wrapped in a puzzle]

I know how Blained does almost eery one of his tricks. And Chris Angel for that matter. If you post the trick I will tell you how he did it. I am no magician I just know how they did them.

[Lord*Kur]

i think everyone pretty much knows now. this thread was started like 4 years ago and there's tons of explanations on youtube among other places.