Dynamo: magician impossible

[cu3ed]

Prove he's using stooges.

I'm not saying he doesn't, I just haven't seen anything to suggest he does. Of course he has assistants etc but that isn't a stooge. A stooge is specifically someone who is pretending to be THE spectator the trick is being done on, but in reality isn't.

Imagine when it first came out how many lifting forums it went about on, turned out the black dude was a member and the gym was identified at the time, said he and all the other guys where all in on it.

I remember a few then went on to ask the black dude to film himself benching the same weight ( which is a rarity actually to bench that kinda weight ram in gyms), never came back after that.

But before that...just the lift from the black dude on the initial lift is hilarious.

 

[estebanrey]

It's not an illusion because it's not remotely believable that he's moving 150KG.

Eh? Do you know what illusion means.

It isn't remotely believable that David Copperfield can make the Statue of Liberty disappear either, that is WHY it is called an 'illusion'.

An illusion where you do something humanly possible wouldn't be a very good one would it?

The guy pressing the weight before him will be a stooge. The bar might be real, but the weights on it are fake and the guy lifting it before him will know that.

Just because that is the only way you can think the trick is done doesn't mean it is. As I said, the light then heavy object trick is a standard magic routine and the stage version does NOT require a stooge.

I can think of a couple of ways this could be done without the black guy being in on it. I'm sure 5UB could think of ways he could be done too without the need for an actor.

It MAY have been done that way, but it is possible to do what he did without needing a stooge using OTHER methods.

Again, as I said, that was my point. He wasn't using 150KG and it's clear watching the video that he wasn't, so people who are right in front of him are going to be aware that he's not pressing 150KG either, so they will be stooges.

Of course HE wasn't lifting 150KG, but that doesn't automatically equal the use of stooges or that the weight didn't weigh 150KG. He can't walk on water either but that doesn't mean everyone in London that saw him do it that day was a stooge.

That's not really how illusions work. The point of an illusion is to get the viewer to think "how the hell is he doing that?". With the bench press thing, that's NEVER going to happen because of how ridiculous it is.

Those two sentences contradict each other.

The way he very slowly moves it off the rack, when anyone who's bench pressed before knows if you're pushing something that's relatively heavy, you don't slowly push off, you push it off with a jolt.

The noise it DOESN'T make when the first guy puts it back in to the rack, it just makes a metallic rattle, again, if those guys are genuine gym goers they'd be suspicious straight away from that.

The way they play about with the camera angles when the first guy is doing the weight to try and hide the fact that it's a fake weight.

All very true. Still doesn't mean the other people are stooges though.

You are making the assumption that Dynamo is lifting the object by himself without mechanical aids.

 

[zenf]

There is something called instant stooging, whereby you get someone up on stage and either using clever language like "Would you like to help play a trick on the audience" or even just a blatant stage whisper you get them to stooge on the fly for you.

<snip>

Interesting... I stand corrected, I would classify that as using stooges.

However Derren doesn't use blatant instant stooges, but it could be argued that 'hypnotised' people are, sort of.

Good point, but at least it's a skill and a more interesting effect which can add to the mystery of the trick.

 

[estebanrey]

Imagine when it first came out how many lifting forums it went about on, turned out the black dude was a member and the gym was identified at the time, said he and all the other guys where all in on it.

I remember a few then went on to ask the black dude to film himself benching the same weight ( which is a rarity actually to bench that kinda weight ram in gyms), never came back after that.

But before that...just the lift from the black dude on the initial lift is hilarious.

That could be true, or it could be some guy who claimed to be the black guy but never was.

I'm not saying he definitely didn't stooge it. I'm saying it could be done without the need.

Obviously this isn't exactly the same but take this for example....

http://www.worldmagicshop.com/Light_and_Heavy_Chest_Trick_p/lightheavychest.htm

It's a trick where the box seems to go from easy to lift to impossible. Whilst the principle of the trick would be hard to convert to a gym situation it's not the case that light then heavy tricks are all done by using a stooge.

 

[mithrandir]

It's all good entertainment but sometimes can get samey esp David Blane.

Criss Angel done some crazy stunts such as with large crowds freezing and levitating randoms.

 

[Housey]

A good close in magician is great to see work. Ive experienced a few over the years at events and dinners and have usually been appreciative of what a good magician can do. I had one chap do a card trick where the card ended up under my watch on my wrist and to this day I have no idea how he did it, very clever.

 

[spoffle]

Eh? Do you know what illusion means.

It isn't remotely believable that David Copperfield can make the Statue of Liberty disappear either, that is WHY it is called an 'illusion'.

An illusion where you do something humanly possible wouldn't be a very good one would it?

Are you misunderstanding on purpose again?

I never said anything to suggest that's the case.

An illusion is supposed to be done mysteriously, the audience is supposed to be in "wonder" on how it was done, regardless of whether they're supposed to believe it's real or not.

Things like sleight of hand, distraction techniques, attention manipulation and that sort of thing are all illusions. A barbell with fake weights on it being lifted by a guy who looks like he weighs about 50KG isn't an illusion.

If you educated yourself on the proper definition of illusion you'd stop making these silly replies.

Just because that is the only way you can think the trick is done doesn't mean it is. As I said, the light then heavy object trick is a standard magic routine and the stage version does NOT require a stooge.

I can think of a couple of ways this could be done without the black guy being in on it. I'm sure 5UB could think of ways he could be done too without the need for an actor.

It MAY have been done that way, but it is possible to do what he did without needing a stooge using OTHER methods.

No, it's not because it's the only way I can think it's done, it's because I can see that they're using fake weights and camera angles to make it look real, which also means that all the others are in on it because their sight of what's happening isn't controlled.

If you were in that room at the time of him doing it, you would KNOW that it wasn't 155KG on that bar, it doesn't behave as a loaded up bar should.

It'll be a 20KG bar with fake weights on.

Of course HE wasn't lifting 150KG, but that doesn't automatically equal the use of stooges or that the weight didn't weigh 150KG. He can't walk on water either but that doesn't mean everyone in London that saw him do it that day was a stooge.

The weight definitely didn't weigh 155KG. It's extremely clear as I've said. The way the bar moves, the sound it makes when it's put down, it's not 155KG, and the people who are all there will have to be in on it because that will be even more obvious to them than it is to someone watching it on TV.

Those two sentences contradict each other.

No they don't. There isn't any mystery around how he's achieving it, it's very clear that the weight is fake.

It's obvious that real illusions are fake, what isn't obvious is how it's being done. In this case, it's very obvious how Dynamo is lifting 155KG, he isn't and it's a fake bar.

It's clearly a fake bar as I've said.

All very true. Still doesn't mean the other people are stooges though.

You are making the assumption that Dynamo is lifting the object by himself without mechanical aids.

I'm not, it's very clear that neither of them are bench pressing 155KG. It's laughable to suggest the first guy's lifting it, never mind Dynamo.

 

[Helios1234]

He's clearly a better wizard than Gandalf.

 

[R-evans]

He is the only Magician I have ever seen where I can explain how he did some of his tricks. Terrible! and annoying!

 

[pitchfork]

A lot of his tricks are fairly basic things to do, ask anyone who has ever experimented with magic, he's a fairly standard magician but well practiced and he was lucky enough to go viral on youtube. That is the only reason he is on television, he's run out of things to do so many more of his tricks are horrifically staged.
Theres a point where it's not magic, it's just a special effect in front of some stooges.

Most of his props are readily available online.

 

[estebanrey]

No, it's not because it's the only way I can think it's done

Are you the oracle of magic? Can you explain every single trick ever done except this one.

As I keep saying just because YOU can't figure out how something is done, doesn't mean you have to leap to "well it must be stooges then".

If you were in that room at the time of him doing it, you would KNOW that it wasn't 155KG on that bar, it doesn't behave as a loaded up bar should.

It'll be a 20KG bar with fake weights on.

The weight definitely didn't weigh 155KG.

I'm not, it's very clear that neither of them are bench pressing 155KG.

Question. Where IN the video does he claim it weighs 155 KGs? Only in the title of the video does it claim that.

Your whole argument is based on the idea that everyone in the room is supposed to think it weighs 155 KGs, but I can't hear where he, or any of the onlookers claim that.

 

[spoffle]

Are you the oracle of magic? Can you explain every single trick ever done except this one.

Oh look, the logical fallacies are coming out. I didn't say that, I'm talking about this specifically.

As I keep saying just because YOU can't figure out how something is done, doesn't mean you have to leap to "well it must be stooges then".

We're not talking about "stuff" we're talking about this specifically.

Question. Where IN the video does he claim it weighs 155 KGs? Only in the title of the video does it claim that.

Your whole argument is based on the idea that everyone in the room is supposed to think it weighs 155 KGs, but I can't hear where he, or any of the onlookers claim that.

Look at the bar, it's set up to look like it's 155KG.

Olympic bars weigh 20KG, it has 6x 20KG olympic plates on it, 2x 5KG and 2x 1.5KG.

But even still, if it was real it would have to weigh at least 140KG.

It seems like the issue here is your ignorance to weight lifting and standardised weights.

The onlookers are presented as gym goers, and from their perspective, at the very least it has to weigh 140KG (because the bar weighs 20KG, and it has what are being presented as 6x 20KG standard plates on it) which would still be impressive for the first guy to bench press.

 

[estebanrey]

Oh look, the logical fallacies are coming out. I didn't say that, I'm talking about this specifically.

We're not talking about "stuff" we're talking about this specifically.

It's not a logical fallacy. If you have an encyclopedic knowledge of magic and how certain effects are done then you would be in a better position to say "I can't think of any other way it was done".

But I'm assuming you aren't. So just because you cannot think of any other way it could be done without using stooges doesn't mean much unless you have that knowledge of how similar effects have been achieved in the past.

Look at the bar, it's set up to look like it's 155KG.

Olympic bars weigh 20KG, it has 6x 20KG olympic plates on it, 2x 5KG and 2x 1.5KG.

But even still, if it was real it would have to weigh at least 140KG.

It seems like the issue here is your ignorance to weight lifting and standardised weights.

I do have an ignorance to weight lifting sure. But you have an ignorance to how magic effects can be done.

P.S There is a graphic in the bottom of the screen that flashes up with the 155 KG so yes they are claiming that weight. I still maintain this can be done without using stooges though. There are ways of making it 'heavier' when the black guy lifts it and lighter when Dynamo lifts it.

 

[dowie]

a lot of it must be fake.

learning 90 degrees backwards whilst still stood up, walking the thames, flying, balancing a chair on a sword tip.

Yeah.....

Seriously?

I had a magician for my 10th birthday (many years ago) - he used magic to cut a woman in half in a box - are you saying that it wasn't real magic but must have been fake, like it was all just a trick or something?

 

[Morba]

As someone who can bench more than that I can tell you it's not 155kg when either of them lift it. You need to be pressing a near maximal weight of around this to understand how a bar moves from unracking to lowering to pressing and then re racking.

Estebarey - instead of talking crap feel free to offer explanation, a proper one, that could be done instead of fake weights.

 

[estebanrey]

As someone who can bench more than that I can tell you it's not 155kg when either of them lift it. You need to be pressing a near maximal weight of around this to understand how a bar moves from unracking to lowering to pressing and then re racking.

Estebarey - instead of talking crap feel free to offer explanation, a proper one, that could be done instead of fake weights.

Where did I claim they aren't using fake weights?

My claim is the effect can be done without the need for stooges. I'm not even claiming they aren't using stooges, it just irks me when people can't figure out how something is done so immediately jump to the easy "must be stooged" explanation.

 

[zenf]

I don't think he was saying that they're not fake weights, rather that fake weights don't necessarily mean the guy was a stooge. Having said that, I don't see how the weights could lose any weight... Incredibly strong magnets hidden somewhere? I've looked up how the light to heavy box thing is done and you couldn't transfer it to this.

 

[Morba]

Where did I claim they aren't using fake weights?

My claim is the effect can be done without the need for stooges.

Well stop talking **** and actually say them then? Might be a good idea.

 

[spoffle]

Where did I claim they aren't using fake weights?

My claim is the effect can be done without the need for stooges. I'm not even claiming they aren't using stooges, it just irks me when people can't figure out how something is done so immediately jump to the easy "must be stooged" explanation.

The first guy would KNOW that they're fake weights.

There's no way that weighs more than 50KG, and that's being generous.

The guy lifting first would know this, so he has to be a stooge.

You might think there's ways of making it feel heavier, but as I've said, it's clear that the first guy didn't ACTUALLY feel that the bar was heavy.

He was very clearly acting as if it was heavy.

All the others also have to be stooges too, because as I've said, if it's obvious to me that the first guy is acting like it's heavy, everyone in the room is going to see that more plainly.

 

[TurnipHead]

Too many stooges/actors and editing. I've yet to be fooled by any of his tricks.