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Mentalism
Mentalism is the term generally accepted as encompassing feats of the mind. These include reading, influencing and predicting the thoughts of others. In the case of predicting - or precognition - mentalists have been known to extend this beyond the choices of others to events in the wider world. Another aspect of mentalism is Psychokinesis which involves affecting inanimate objects with the mind. Examples of this include making objects move without touching them and bending metal such as keys and spoons.
Mentalists differ from magicians in that they typically present their demonstrations as legitimate. Certainly audiences are often far more open to the idea that they are genuine, due in part to the lack of props employed in performances. Some mentalists make the distinction between mentalism and mental magic, with the former involving few to no props and no magical occurrences. The latter may make use of items such as cards and similar items, with the effects performed having a magical element to them. An example of mental magic is Derren Brown's "Smoke" in which the performer divines the name of a merely thought-of card, which subsequently disappears from the tabled deck and is seen to have taken the place of the cigarette the performer has been smoking, suitably charred...
In recent years mentalism has seen a popularization, thanks largely to Derren Brown, who debuted on British television in 1999 with his show Mind Control. Proclaiming the use of Psychological techniques such as suggestion and hypnosis this lead many performers to study and adopt a similar approach to their mentalism. It is worth noting, however, that the use of psychology as a presentation is not new.
Books
- 13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda
- Practical Mental Effects by Theodore Annemann (1944)
- Self-Working Mental Magic by Karl Fulves (1979)
- Mind, Myth and Magic by T.A. Waters (1993)
- The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading by I. Rowland
- Mentalism Incorporated, Vol. 1 by C. Hickok
- Mentalism Incorporated, Vol. 2 by C. Hickok
- Theatre of the Mind by Barrie Richardson (1999)
- Paramiracles by Ted Lesley (1994)
- Psychololgical Subtleties 1 by Banachek (1998)
- Psychololgical Subtleties 2 by Banachek
- Prism by Max Maven (2005)
- Al Koran, Professional Presentations by Hugh Miller (1968)
- Building Blocks by Luke Jermay
- Pure Effect by Derren Brown (2000)
- Absolute Magic by Derren Brown (2001)
- Tricks of the Mind by Derren Brown
Videos
- Adrian Sullivan - Eliminator, V2.0
- Alexander De Cova - Enigmatic, vol. 1 & 2
- Andrew Normansell - 100% Commercial, vol. 2 mentalism
- Anthony billian - MINDBENDER
- Dan Harlan - Pack Small Play Big - Mentalism Show
- Dave Jones - Seriality
- David Eldridge - Fundamentalism
- Derren Brown - Devil's Picturebook Disc 1
- Derren Brown - Devil's Picturebook Disc 2
- Derren Brown - Inside your Mind
- Derren Brown - Trick of the Mind
- Derren Brown - Trick of the Mind 2
- Doc Shiels - An Evening With Doc Shiels
- Docc Hilford - Cassandra Deck
- Docc Hilford - Weerdist on Stage
- Eugene Burger - Eugene Goes Bizarre (the chicago tapes)
- Falkenstein & Willard – Masters of Mental Magic - vol. 1-3
- Gerard Bakner - Esoteric
- James Biss - Being Extremely Mental
- Jay Sankey - Boris Pocus
- Jay Sankey - Hemispheres
- Jay Sankey - Astral Projection
- Jez Roze - You Can Be Mental Too
- John Riggs - Gods With Feet of Clay Vol 1 - 4
- Joseph Atmore - Dunninger Mentalism Show
- Kenton Knepper - Mental Influence With Cards
- Larry Becker - Desert Brainstorm Vol. 1-3
- Larry Becker - Mental Masterpieces
- Larry Becker - Standing Ovation
- Larry Becker & Lee Earle - Sunshine Boys
- Larry Becker and Lee Earle - Insight Credit Card Wallet
- Lee Earle - Syzygy's Best Vol. 1-3
- Luke Jermay - Skullduggery
- Max Maven - Nothing Vol 1-2
- Max Maven - videominds vol. 1 - 3
- Mel Mellers Tickling The Mind Vol.1 -2
- Michael Murray - Submodalities The ESP
- Morgan Strebler - Liquid Metal
- Patrick Kuffs - mind stunts Vol 1 - 2
- Paul Hallas - Mind Stuff Vol. 1 - 2
- Pavel - Creative Magic Vol. 3 - Mental Magic
- Richard Osterlind - Challenge magic
- Richard Osterlind - Easy to Master Mental Miracles Vol. 1 - 4
- Richard Osterlind - Mind Mysteries 1 - 7
- Richard Osterlind - No Camera Tricks Vol 1 - 4
- Stuart Cumberland - Annemann, Act Vol. 1 - 3
- Stuart Cumberland - Inside Secrets Of Contact Mindreading Revealed Vol. 1 - 2
- Ted Lesley - Cabaret Mindreading
- The Greater Magic Video Library - Teach In Series: Mentalism
- Thomas Baxter - A Card Merely Thought Of...