The Essentiel by Aldo Colombini (3 DVD set )

For decades, Aldo Colombini’s name has been synonymous with powerful yet commercial magic. His brand of conjuring is always knock ‘em dead strong but his methodologies rely more on subtlety and cleverness rather than difficult sleight of hand. In this exciting series, you’ll see Aldo perform his favorite effects. Every item is something you’ll want to add to your repertoire immediately. It’s all commercial…it’s all great…it’s all Aldo!

The Essential Aldo Colombini – Volume 1

• JOKER DILEMMA – A spectator selects a card, which is shown to match the performer’s prediction. The audience suspects that the cards are all the same which the performer confirms. However, they’re all Jokers!
• DRAW A BLANK – A card, freely thought of by a spectator, is found to be the only printed card in an otherwise-blank deck. An amazing piece of magic and no, there are no switches or rough and smooth cards!
• HOLLOW HOLE – A card is selected from a pack with a hole through it. The card is replaced and all of the cards are secured in the box with a ribbon. A balloon is inflated and when it’s burst by the performer, the selected card appears—with its hole intact!
• JUMBO COINCIDENCE – Two packets of jumbo cards that have been cut in half are introduced. A half-card is selected and its mate is found to be at the same numerical position in the other half. In fact, they are the only two halves that match. For a finale, the rest of the cards are shown to have rearranged themselves so that all of the halves now match!
• THIS GOES ON – Aldo’s very funny take on Stewart James’ classic “Further Than That” with magical surprises that just keep on coming. You won’t believe you can get this many effects out of a single card trick!
• BLEACHED – A monte routine with a difference and in the end, the cards all turn blank—in the spectator’s hands!
• MAGNETIC – Two cards are selected and shuffled back into the pack with some cards face up and others face down. When the pack is spread, all of the face-up cards are red except for one lone black card—a selection. When the spread is flipped, only black cards are face up except for one red one—the other selection!
• MISSING LINK – Two differently-colored pieces of rope link and unlink in the spectator’s hands. No magnet is used and it’s suitable for parlor, stage or strolling situations!
• RINGING AROUND – Aldo’s classic four-phase ring and rope routine. Learn it and you’ll perform it for the rest of your life.
• APACHE – Four of a kind are shown. After a startling and visual transposition, two cards are selected by a spectator, who discovers that the cards have welded themselves together (and yes, this strange object can be examined!) The performer then restores the cards to their normal condition.
• TAKE OFF – A card is placed into an envelope with a hole in it. Though the card is clearly visible, it suddenly vanishes and reappears face up in the middle of the deck!

The Essential Aldo Colombini – Volume 2

• POCKET REPEAT – Aldo takes the best elements of the Six Card Repeat and Card to Pocket and combines them into a new magic classic.
• 4’WAVE – Aldo’s version of Phil Goldstein’s neo-classic “B’wave” with regular cards. This also features a forcing system that you’ll find dozens of additional uses for.
• HYPNO-CARDS – Two spectators each select a card. The performer removes some cards from the pack and each spectator claims to not see their selection. But, then they do. Then, they don’t! An incredible routine with a surprisingly simple handling.
• GRAND PRIX – This is a complete award-winning act with playing cards. Dozens of effects are combined to leave your audience breathless and spellbound!
• OIL AND WATER – Aldo breathes new life into this time-honored plot as red and black cards repeatedly separate under impossible conditions…and at the end, only black cards remain!
• PROBABLY KNOT – An amazing and amusing sliding knot routine that requires absolutely no set up! You’ll also learn Aldo’s simple and effective One Hand Slip Knot.
• ELEVON – Aldo’s version of Marlo’s “Elevator” plot. Cards magically pass right through the pack. Your spectators won’t believe their eyes when the last card moves visibly from the middle of the pack to the top!
• SHENANIGANS – A classic piece of magic for young and old! Green-backed cards emblazoned with leprechauns magically turn face up and face down. For the unforgettable finish, the cards turn out to have the colors of the rainbow on their backs or the legendary pots of gold on their faces.
• ONE FOR ALL – Three cards are selected and the magician divines what they are from a single card. To finish, the selections all appear face up in the middle of the pack.
• FAST FOOD – Two cards, interlaced between three Jokers, vanish suddenly and reappear reversed in the middle of the pack. You’ll gasp at the vanish of the cards!
• BALLS & CUPS – Aldo’s two cup and ball routine that’s easy for you to do and for your spectators to follow. In addition to the traditional big loads at the finish, there’s a complete surprise for spectators and magicians alike—the production of a third cup!

The Essential Aldo Colombini – Volume 3

• HAVE A NICE DAY – Sure to be one of the most talked about effects in this series, a card is signed and returned to the pack. Several cards are removed and the spectators are shown that the selected card is not among them. A smiley-face sticker is attached to the back of a card but soon, there are smiley-faces on the backs of all the cards! Just as suddenly, the smiley-faces disappear from all of the cards save one—the spectator’s signed selection. A great walk-around item!
• FOUR RED CARD TRICK – The classic Homing Card done with jumbo cards. A black card continuously reappears among four red cards and at the finish, the cards are shown to be all black – and then all red!
• BAREFOOT IN THE PARK – Three cards are selected in what seems to be a very strange game of Poker. Then, a spectator who never saw the original selections chooses three cards—they turn out to be the chosen cards!
• MINI-MAXI – A standard gag that produces two astonishing predictions. This is an effect that you’ll put right into your working repertoire!
• GET THE BALL ROLLING – Aldo’s version of the classic ball routine that’s performed entirely in the hands without the need for a table or handkerchief. It looks like difficult manipulation but you’ll be doing it in no time!
• RUBBER ILLUSION – A Queen stretches to twice its length and then—if you blink, you’ll miss it!—it visibly changes into a miniature card. You’ll fool yourself with this transformation!
• PACKED BAGS – A card is freely selected and even though the spectator shuffled the deck beforehand, the selection is seen to match the performer’s prediction.
• THROW IN THE SPONGE – Just when you thought all of the entertainment potential had been wrung out of sponge balls, Aldo will delight you with his routine, full of comedy and audience participation.
• THAT’S AMORE – The performer and spectator become two Cupids as they magically pair the Kings and Queens and, appropriately, a message of love appears on the backs of the cards.
• ANOTHER’S BET – Two coins travel between the performer’s hands and even back and forth from his pocket until, as a finale, a jumbo coin appears. A great coin routine for close-up and stand-up performances.
• PERPETUAL CALENDAR – A spectator shuffles a pack of cards and uses them to determine a specific day. A pocket calendar with playing cards printed next to every day is introduced and the spectator is asked to look up the card next to their day. The card matches the prediction!
• ULTI-MATE-M – Jumbo playing cards, cut into quarters, are introduced and four spectators each select a random quarter. When the pieces are assembled, it’s found that three match but one is part of a completely different card. Not to worry, however, as the performer’s prediction matches exactly—including the mismatched piece!
• HEART TO HEART – A Two of Hearts is shown and the performer apparently plucks off the pips, producing two sponge hearts and leaving behind a totally blank-faced card! After some magical by-play with the hearts, the performer miraculously merges them into one jumbo heart! This is a routine guaranteed to warm the real hearts of your audience!