Extreme Dean By Dean Dill - Volumes 1 & 2

Dean Dill intrigues me. He is one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met. He is trusting to the point that “punking” him is no fun at all; I feel way too guilty to ever play magical practical jokes on him anymore. On the other hand, this gentle person would like to fool you to such an extent that your brain explodes. His two most successful marketed effects, Blizzard and Dean’s Box, will bother anyone for a long, long time.

Dean loves coin magic. The new DVDs Extreme Dean Volumes 1 & 2 contain some old favorites and some new creations. The production values of the DVDs are very high. Dean performs seated at a beautiful table. There is no audience. Two different explanations are offered: one shows the same viewpoint as the performances, the other gives an overhead shot of the action. The performances are well done, and the explanations are very clear. Dean performs while seated, but many of these effects can also be done standing. However, for most of them you will need a soft surface to perform on.

There are three main types of effects offered here: Matrix effects (coin assemblies using playing cards), Shadow Coins effects (coin assemblies using only the hands as cover), and Coins Across effects. While Dean’s methods are good, I don’t know if you need more variations of these effects. Having said that, there are two items on the DVDs that I think are outstanding and break new ground. The first is The Dinner Napkin Part 1, which is on Volume 1. In this version of the classic Coin Assembly four coins are covered by each of the folded corners of a cloth table napkin. The coins assemble in one corner. This looks like real magic and I guarantee that you are going to get fooled by it. You only need a soft surface (a table with a tablecloth is fine), a dinner napkin, and four quarters, so this is an almost impromptu miracle. The other standout effect is on Volume 2. Titled 81 Cents, it is a barehanded assembly using four different objects. You can use four different coins, or any small objects (key, lifesaver, ring). This appeared on the Lee Asher/Paul Wilson On the Road DVD, and was one of the highlights of that project. In addition to the routines that are explained, each DVD contains some bonus items. Volume 1 includes Dean’s performance on the Tonight Show and a performance of the marketed item Explosion. Volume 2 includes a photo slide show and a performance of Dean’s Box.

If you don’t already have a favorite version of the plots mentioned above, you’ll find that Dean’s versions are as good (if not better) than anything out there. The Dinner Napkin Part 1 (in Volume 1) and 81 Cents (in Volume 2) may be worth the price of admission all by themselves. Lovers of well-crafted coin magic will find Extreme Dean to be worth their serious consideration.