What does the term "Bizzare Magic" mean? I've heard it being thrown around the forums and other sources. Thanks in advance.
Bizzare Magic
- Thread starter Silver Ace
- Start date
Well I guess it depends on your interpretation of the word "Bizarre" I just learned a new trick where any card is selected or chosen in the mind, I burn my fingers with a lighter and in the newly formed blisters are the card, On my finger there is lets say a 10 and then on my thumb a spade in blister form.
I guess you can say that is a form of bizarre magic
Or maybe putting a 5 inch rusty nail through your shoe and foot.
It all depends.
Bizarre: very strange or unusual, esp. so as to cause interest or amusement
Magic: AWESOME
I guess you can say that is a form of bizarre magic
Or maybe putting a 5 inch rusty nail through your shoe and foot.
It all depends.
Bizarre: very strange or unusual, esp. so as to cause interest or amusement
Magic: AWESOME
Actually, while those effects may seem "Bizarre" they are not technically "Bizarre Magic." They would probably be classed as "Shock Magic." In terms of generally accepted magic definitions Bizarre Magic is magic that focusses its presentation around story telling. Tony Addruzzi (another Wyoming boy!) is generally accepted as one of the founders of the art. Bizarre magic is commonly used in Seance' shows but any effect used primarily to enhance the impact of a story could be called Bizarre Magick.
Overall the key is in the presentation. How important is the story versus the effect. For example, a 30 mn. magic show may include 10 effects or more. And some of those effects may have multiple magical moments. A Bizzarist show that lasted 30 minuts may have as little as 5 effects.
Many people confuse Bizarre magic with shock magic. They think about things like stigmata and a lot of sean fields' stuff (tricks like Saw). Those things can be a part of bizarre magic, but merely shocking and freaking people out is not bizarre magic.
Bizarre magic often involves greatly emphasizing the theatrical aspects of magic. There are few performers who actually do this as it requires a lot of work to set the stage and the environment where the magic can happen. A seance that is well done is a good example. You don't walk into somebody's house and just do a seance. You would set the scene very carefully, make sure the environment is conducive and the process would involve a few ritualistic elements. Presentation is very imprtant in order to "sell" this kind of magic.
Eugene Burger has done some interesting work in this kind of magic. I have also heard of Tony Andruzzi and a couple of european performers (people like Punx and Christian Chelman) but I'm not familiar with their work.
Bizarre magic often involves greatly emphasizing the theatrical aspects of magic. There are few performers who actually do this as it requires a lot of work to set the stage and the environment where the magic can happen. A seance that is well done is a good example. You don't walk into somebody's house and just do a seance. You would set the scene very carefully, make sure the environment is conducive and the process would involve a few ritualistic elements. Presentation is very imprtant in order to "sell" this kind of magic.
Eugene Burger has done some interesting work in this kind of magic. I have also heard of Tony Andruzzi and a couple of european performers (people like Punx and Christian Chelman) but I'm not familiar with their work.
I forgot to mention, but you could ask steerpike for more about bizarre magic. I'm sure he could give a more detailed explanation of what bizarre magic is and what it isn't.
Bizarre magic is a form of magical presentation that focus more on the theatrics then the magic itself. Basically, the magician makes an emotional contact through story telling more then the magical effect. OR, the magical effect invokes the emotion connect to doubt, or even faith. Was the story about Jack the Ripper's spirit following this man true? No no that can't be right, but then how did this happen, maybe, it is true? That sort of thing. Quiet reactions are better then the screaming reactions.
While bizarre and shock magic may been considered the same they aren't. If you look at any bizarre magician, they are well versed at theater . A lot of bizarre magic tells a haunted or a history lesson to lead to something bigger. Shock or geek magic is the stuff that just grosses you out. But bizarre is a theater type of scenario.....
Bizarre Magic had its roots in England in reaction to the triviality of mainstream conjuring (which was largely relegated to children's entertainment.) While Tony Andruzzi is an important figure in the history of Bizarre magic (originally dubbed goetic magic), Tony Raven and Charles Cameron as well as Doc Shiels probably collectively earn the paternal title (though Raven's Invocation was truly seminal).
Early Bizarre magic was heavily influenced by the work of HP Lovecraft and often had occult themes.
Of course, many who found Bizarre Magic interesting also had tastes that ran to sideshow, freakshow, and other creepy things.
Ultimately, Bizarre Magic was about making magic more than a series of tricks about objects; it was about asking the question, "why should they care?"
Stephen Minch posits that Bizarre magic in it's inceptionary form was essentially a failed literary movement.
On a practical level, happenings such as the Invocational and later The Mystery School either proved or disproved this assertion depending on what you felt about long stories at the end of which something moved mysteriously by use of a black thread.
In truth, I think the ritual theater performed at The Mystery School was probably one of the better practical incarnations of the traditional approach to Bizarre magic, but it led many to what I feel is the stronger revelation that magic resonates when it transcends the props and becomes a reflection of the larger issues of life. Max Maven wrote: "tricks are about objects. Magic is about life." While I think that has always been true, sometimes it seems magicians tend to loose sight of that fact.
We tend to think of this "transcendant" notion as commonplace today, but it was not always pervasive. There was not a small amount of furor at McBride's experiment, and few magicians dared discuss theory or philosophy in their books and lectures lest they be met with derision. Now, everyone has a "philosophy" and the concept that magic could have artistic connotations has become so pervasive that the term "artist" has become synonymous with "dealer."
The reactionary Bizarre Magic(k) movement was a necessary step on the road which has produced some very important thinking on the theory of magic.
When I produced the first Bizarre magick event ever held at a mainstream convention, I encouraged Craig Snader to produce a bibliography of Bizarre magic. The document which may be available from H and R is really a must have for anyone interested in the genre.
Also, for an important historical perspective, check out Minch's recently released Book of forgotten Secrets available form Hermetic Press.
Early Bizarre magic was heavily influenced by the work of HP Lovecraft and often had occult themes.
Of course, many who found Bizarre Magic interesting also had tastes that ran to sideshow, freakshow, and other creepy things.
Ultimately, Bizarre Magic was about making magic more than a series of tricks about objects; it was about asking the question, "why should they care?"
Stephen Minch posits that Bizarre magic in it's inceptionary form was essentially a failed literary movement.
On a practical level, happenings such as the Invocational and later The Mystery School either proved or disproved this assertion depending on what you felt about long stories at the end of which something moved mysteriously by use of a black thread.
In truth, I think the ritual theater performed at The Mystery School was probably one of the better practical incarnations of the traditional approach to Bizarre magic, but it led many to what I feel is the stronger revelation that magic resonates when it transcends the props and becomes a reflection of the larger issues of life. Max Maven wrote: "tricks are about objects. Magic is about life." While I think that has always been true, sometimes it seems magicians tend to loose sight of that fact.
We tend to think of this "transcendant" notion as commonplace today, but it was not always pervasive. There was not a small amount of furor at McBride's experiment, and few magicians dared discuss theory or philosophy in their books and lectures lest they be met with derision. Now, everyone has a "philosophy" and the concept that magic could have artistic connotations has become so pervasive that the term "artist" has become synonymous with "dealer."
The reactionary Bizarre Magic(k) movement was a necessary step on the road which has produced some very important thinking on the theory of magic.
When I produced the first Bizarre magick event ever held at a mainstream convention, I encouraged Craig Snader to produce a bibliography of Bizarre magic. The document which may be available from H and R is really a must have for anyone interested in the genre.
Also, for an important historical perspective, check out Minch's recently released Book of forgotten Secrets available form Hermetic Press.
If only this were true.
Often, those who think they are the finest actors, aren't. Speaking slowly with a faux english accent is not acting. But it certainly is Bizarre
This is very interesting. I've never thought of any form of magic as being related to a literary movement (other than drawing some inspiration from certain genres of literature). Out of curiosity, what were Stephen Minch's arguments in favor of this hypothesis?
I wonder if many magicians who are out there thinking about theory acknowledge this?
Excuse brevity.
Minch's ideas are in the forgotten secrets books. As to the influence of bizarre on theory: smart magi have been thinking about theory for years, but it was never a popular or respected topic in the mainstream. Books might address the subject in a preface. The idea of a book of theory was practically unheard of and not commercially viable. Burger did a lot of theory. Not only did he present a rather controversial lecture at a major nagic convention where he taught no tricks, his writing gave the theory approach legitamacy. But his early works were very polarizing. Same w mystery school. I think the acceptance of both mcbride and burger as popular magicians did a lot to making this type of thought mainstream and commercial
Minch's ideas are in the forgotten secrets books. As to the influence of bizarre on theory: smart magi have been thinking about theory for years, but it was never a popular or respected topic in the mainstream. Books might address the subject in a preface. The idea of a book of theory was practically unheard of and not commercially viable. Burger did a lot of theory. Not only did he present a rather controversial lecture at a major nagic convention where he taught no tricks, his writing gave the theory approach legitamacy. But his early works were very polarizing. Same w mystery school. I think the acceptance of both mcbride and burger as popular magicians did a lot to making this type of thought mainstream and commercial
If only this were true.
Often, those who think they are the finest actors, aren't. Speaking slowly with a faux english accent is not acting. But it certainly is Bizarre
*Chuckle chuckle*
Awesome post Brad, you also gave me a new person to research, Stephen Minch.
You've been given some good answers but I'll toss in this link for you...
DRAGONSKULL
For some reason Google is posting warning signs around it but I've been involved with that site for at least a decade and never had a single problem with anything.
DRAGONSKULL
For some reason Google is posting warning signs around it but I've been involved with that site for at least a decade and never had a single problem with anything.
You've been given some good answers but I'll toss in this link for you...
DRAGONSKULL
For some reason Google is posting warning signs around it but I've been involved with that site for at least a decade and never had a single problem with anything.
NOOOOOO The secret is out!
JkLove the site and it is full of secret little gems that are obvious yet not so obvious to find.
COME on! bizarre magic is just magic that freaks people out. It is that simple. What other level of expertise plays into it?
I've read it. It sucks. [Edited] I really haven't read it, but given one I did read... It sucks.