David Blaine?

[Nick]

Hi Adrian,

David Blaine has been on tv here in the US a number of times. He also has released dvds. I have a dvd of his called Fearless which is quite entertaining. However, in my opinion he is an excellent illusionist. That is to say, he is very good at sleight of hand and diverting attention.  

There was another program on tv by another illusionist demonstrating many of the tricks and then revealing how Blaine did them. It was on tv about a year ago, I believe. For example, he does a "levitation" on his dvd to the amazement of onlookers. However, this is known as the "Balducci levitation" and the description of how it is done can be found on the internet. I found it with a Google search.

Also, there have been some recent threads here on Blaine. Most recently was one by Peaceful Warrior http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5667

He is very good as an illusionist. Although without some supporting evidence or information, I would be somewhat reluctant in accepting he is more than that.


Very best,

[Adrian]

Greetings Nick,

Thanks for the information and pointers to the other topics - I should have checked []

It seems to me he is an excellent illusionist from what I have read - obviously I have never seen him so I don't know for sure - but I am still wondering how he can be suspended in a small perspex container for six weeks without food? The only illusion in that case would be to create the an illusion he is there, when in fact he is elsewhere. It would need to be a good trick though as he is being televised being sealed in the container and then monitored for six weeks.

Should be interesting!

With best regards,

Adrian.

[goingslow]

There are a few aspects to him.  There are his illusion stunts which Nick pointed too but when he is buried alive, or stood on that tower.. or was in that ice thing those are actually real and test his endurance.

He is actually into Mystical stuff and he did things like take baths filled with ice to prepare for the ice stunt.  He is about showing what can be done.. what is possible.  Its not as cut and dried as saying he's an illusionist nothing more.

[Nick]

If anyone's interested, here's a news link to the upcoming UK Pespex box feat:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3164029.stm

David Blaine certainly does have that Houdini-like endurance quality with respect to the feats goingslow mentioned. I have no idea how he could stay in that box for so long, but I'd sure like to. Below is a picture of him on a 22 inch wide 10 story high pillar for 35 hours without food, water or a safety net. He also fasted for four days before getting up there.

[PeacefulWarrior]

You should check out his book, it's titled "Mysterious Stranger."

I recently borrowed it from a friend of mine and it's a very interesting read.

I would try half.com to get a good deal on it.  It's a handsome hardback book with many photoes and images.  In it he talks a lot about the history of magic and how it has influenced him.

Dan

[Adrian]

Greetings,

What do people know about David Blaine?

Below is a news extract which speaks for itself:

David Blaine plans to be suspended from a crane in a small Perspex box without food for more than six weeks in his first UK stunt.

Blaine will have no communication or any distractions. His only source of nourishment will be a tube feeding him water.

Blaine, who has a third eye tattooed on his palm, said: "There will be no trickery and no means of escape."

Explaining his reasons, he added: "We are all capable of infinitely more than we believe. We are stronger and more resourceful than we know, and we can endure much more than we think we can.

"My next performance will demonstrate these ideas through the most extreme exercise in isolation and physical deprivation ever attempted."

I don't know much about David Blaine except he is an illusionist type. Presumably however, to survive for six weeks on water only he is going to have to slow his metabolism down dramatically. Is it possible he is capable of Astral Projection so he spends most of his time in the Astral while his physical body rests in its perspex box?

With best regards,

Adrian.