Criss Angel/David Blaine..Disturbing much?

[ChristianKitsune]

Ok I saw a David Blaine thread but I didn't want to grave dig..and this is mostly about Criss Angel..and his show Mind Freak.

On Wednesday night, my sis makes the entire family turn it to his show...and we caught the tail end of it...and in this particular stunt He walks on water!

now...this was the very first time I have ever seen this show..and I was was really disturbed..how can..a mere mortal walk on water? I want to believe it was an allusion..but there were people swimming under him and he even dropped his shoe... and it fell to the bottom..

I gotta say..as I watch this..I get a creepy feeling..and I almost want to cry....

David Blaine is no different...

The bible says to watch out for stuff like this...so...what I am asking is your opinions on this show...and stuff like that..

btw here is the addy

http://www.aetv.com/criss_angel/index.jsp

[Jingo Jaden]

I've seen much of this Criss Angel on metacafe. Among them I think it was things like levitation and such. Though I have no ansver to your question somebody decribed him as the worlds no.1 magician.

[Nate]

Magicians are by nature illusionists. A good magician also never reveals his secrets. I can understand your distaste and even uncomfort with this stunt, but like all other magicians, there is a trick to it that we don't know, and never will.

To quote Wikipedia

Magic, including the arts of prestidigitation and conjuring, is the art of entertaining an audience by performing illusions that baffle and amaze, often by giving the impression that something impossible has been achieved, almost as if the performer had magic or supernatural powers. Yet, this illusion of magic is created entirely by natural means.

Unlike in the past, almost no performers today actually claim to possess supernatural powers (although there are exceptions to this, they are regarded as charlatans). It is understood by everyone that the effects in the performance are accomplished through sleight of hand (also called legerdemain), misdirection, deception, collusion with a member of the audience, apparatus with secret mechanisms, mirrors, and other trickery (hence the illusions are commonly referred to as "tricks"). The performer seeks to present an effect so clever and skilful that the audience cannot believe their eyes, and cannot think of the explanation. The sense of bafflement is part of the entertainment. In turn, the audience play a role in which they agree to be entertained by something they know to be a deception.

I can understand your unease and discomfort at such a thing, and don't watch it if it bothers you, I cannot fault you for that. But you can rest assured he has no supernatural powers, and there is a trick to it we don't know.

[the_lizardqueen]

I find Criss Angel to be way, way too far over the top to be threatening. His illusions are so theatrical that I tend to automatically roll my eyes and dismiss them as really fancy tricks and special effects.

David Blaine on the other hand, is slightly more convincing. Especially back in the day when he mostly stuck to card tricks, now those were convincing, or at the very least impressive. But now he's too busy living underwater and enclosing himself in ice to worry about practical illusions *shakes head*

[Yojimbo]

You can find out how to do most of David Blaine's tricks with a quick search. Me and my cousin a year back or so tried alot of them. Even the "levitation" one I could do and still look convincing.

Yes it is kind of discomforting but I would not get too worried over this. After all they're not claiming to have supernatural powers. They know what the things they're doing are illusions.

[Linksquest]

That's weird. I have never heard of these guys, but the walking on water thing is understably strange. I think it was definately illusion... there is such a clear thing as glass! I would have to see it... but these people are masters of illusion; they try to make it look real. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Eastkun]

Yeah, all of their stuff is obviously fake. I'm not disturbed by it. Sometimes I watch Mind Freak just for the entertainment.

[Pent]

Illusions only, but still bewildering.

[dyzzispell]

David Blaine freaks me out, but I still know he's an illusionist. The bigger tricks are, to me, obvious illusions. Some of his smaller stuff is creepy though...

As for Criss Angel, although he is impressive, he doesn't scare me so much. I notice the handy camera editing, and sly camera angles that would easily hide anything that would give the trick away. Besides, I would have to see him in person on the street do one of these tricks before I believed them. I have trouble believing anything I see on TV, despite the crowd response. I try REALLY hard not to be gullible about stuff (for example, chain emails!).

I've always had a problem with magicians - tell me if I am the only one here. Their whole profession is built on deceiving people. Am I the only one who has a problem with that?

[mechana2015]

[quote="Linksquest"]That's weird. I have never heard of these guys, but the walking on water thing is understably strange. I think it was definately illusion... there is such a clear thing as glass! I would have to see it... but these people are masters of illusion]

It would have had to be really strong actually, since there were people swimming under him... though I would vote for tricky editing and camera work right now unless I saw it live.