5 Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed
Magic is a funny thing.
As much as the audience wants to be tricked or fooled, they also usually want to know
exactly how the trick was done.
It’s a weird balance – where people want to believe in or see real magic, but at the
same time feel the need to see the truth behind the trick that proves that magic is not real
after all.
The world of magic has evolved a lot over the years from highly theatrical stage magicians
to death defying escape artists and even on to the street/internet modern day illusionists.
The one thing that hasn’t changed however, is people’s desire to be tricked and then
let in on the secret right after.
The magicians who are most loyal to their craft and the sacred Magician’s Circle won’t
reveal how their tricks are done, but luckily, that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Here is our list of 5 Amazing Magic Tricks Revealed To The World.
Levitation In The Street With his hit TV show Mind Freak, Criss Angel
became the hottest commodity in magic with his flashy street magic that seemed to ignore
physics, logic and the capabilities of the human mind.
One of the things that made him most famous were his levitation tricks.
He even levitated on the street, with audiences just a few feet away from him, making it seem
impossible that he’d used any kind of prop or mechanical device to rise off the ground.
Rumors began to spread that Angel might actually possess supernatural power and that his audience
had witnessed a real life miracle.
Unfortunately, No.
Angel himself has explained his levitation techniques and it simply involves nothing
more than keeping audiences behind him while he removes one foot from his shoe and slides
it out of the slit in the front of his pant leg.
He then uses his free leg to lift himself up on a stool placed in front of him, while
his now empty pant-leg and shoe remain.
Angel appears to be floating as the illusion of levitation is created by this shockingly
simple trick.
Run Over By A Truck Penn and Teller are one of the most famous
magic acts of all time and they even have their own television show, Fool Us, where
contestants attempt to stump the duo with their tricks.
Penn and Teller have given audiences some pretty amazing tricks but when Penn ran over
Teller with a truck, it made Objective Productions’ list of the Fifty Greatest Magic Tricks ever.
The weird thing about the trick, is that Penn and Teller actually revealed the secret behind
the trick themselves.
The truck that Penn ran Teller over with was in fact a real truck, and Teller really did
lay unprotected on the ground as the truck’s tires rolled over him, all of which ending
with Teller popping up unharmed.
The secret to the trick was a set of counterweights on the far side of the truck, not visible
to an audience or even a camera focused on the action.
The weights shifted the balance of the truck, forcing the weight of the vehicle onto the
far-side tires and allowing those on the lighter side to roll over the top of the magician
without putting any of the weight on his body.
Some magic tricks require incredible slight of hand, but this one is all about expert
engineering.
Walk On Water If a man can levitate, it only stands to reason
that he could walk on water, right?
Criss Angel did his best Jesus Christ impression when he demonstrated his water walking in
a Las Vegas pool.
He even went to the extra length of “dropping” a shoe to the bottom of the pool to make it
clear that there was nothing but water below him.
This trick looks very magical but according to sources, the explanation was simple: he
was walking atop Plexiglass pillars.
But why did the trick look so good?
Well, Plexiglass has a refraction index very similar to that of water, and is so nearly
invisible in water that it’s used to reinforce shark cages without interfering with the “up
close and personal” experience so it makes for the perfect surface to sell this trick.
Criss Angel does a great job of selling the trick with his careful steps and magical personality
but at the end of the day, he is not above human ability.
The Death Saw The most successful magician in history, David
Copperfield has racked up $1 billion in career earnings, busted ten world records and amassed
a whole host of awards for his work as a theatrical entertainer.
Perhaps his most famous and amazing trick of all time however is The Death Saw.
Similar to the classic “saw a girl in a box in half” trick, but much improved, this
world-class illusion features the magician lying flat on his stomach on a board as a
whirring saw-blade swings towards him.
The blade bisects Copperfield at the midriff and he is carted away in pieces.
Afterwards his assistants push the two halves back together and Copperfield re-emerges,
you guessed it, unscathed.
But How is this amazing trick done?
Despite the elaborate staging, this trick is actually pretty simple and it is Copperfield’s
showmanship and the enormous spinning blade that really sell the illusion.
The Death Saw trick all comes down to timing.
Where Copperfield appears to lie flat on his stomach, he actually folds his legs tightly
underneath his body, concealed in a hidden compartment in the front half of the board.
His ‘legs’ are actually those of an assistant, whose body is concealed in the rear half of
the board and whose legs are sticking in the air.
The timing between Copperfield and the assistant must perfect to really sell the illusion that
they are one cohesive body.
This trick comes down to a lot of practice, a well engineered box and some world class
theatrics.
Needle Through The Arm.
In one of his most amazing performances in his TV special Real or Magic, David Blaine
sticks a huge needle straight through his arm right in front of famous comedian and
actor Ricky Gervais.
He starts pushing it into his arm on one hand, and after some time in comes out on the other
side of his hand.
Blaine has Ricky help him pull the needle back out of his arm but he pulls the entire
needle out, there is no blood and no signs of injury anywhere on Blaine's arm.
Gervais is left visibly stunned by this seemingly superhuman act.
There have been many theories as how David Blaine was able to pull this trick off but
it seems that there is only one reasonable explanation, he is an undead demi god.
Just kidding, but the real answer might be just as weird.
It seems that Blaine has made use of a medical phenomenon called a fistula.
In this case, a fistula is simply a path of scar tissue that goes through Blaine's arm
and this is what allows him to pass a needle straight through his body without any mess.
He likely created this fistula, basically a scar tissue tube for the needle to go through,
by repeatedly stabbing a needle through his arm until it formed.
We’re not sure if this one qualifies as an illusion or real magic – but it certainly
requires some seriously insane devotion to your craft.
Bravo, Mr. Blaine.
So there’s our list revealing the secrets behind 5 of magic’s most amazing tricks.
If you are from the sacred Magic Circle, please don’t turn us into rabbits.
For everyone else, are there any other magic tricks you would like us to explain?
Let us know in the comments section below and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel
for more fun videos – like this one!