"Gallerian Bend" DVD by Erick Castle
Suggested Retail USD$30.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

"Gallerian Bend", a DVD by Erick Castle, is a great bending method that is sure to excite benders everywhere and win over more than a few who considered bending beyond them. This one, just on sheer appearances, became my all-time favorite bend.

It's a silverware bend, which is what it is, of course, and you can see it in a demo here. As such, it contains all the features we've come to expect from good bends: it's impromptu, without a gimmick or gaff in sight, and it's extremely visual. But what Castle brings to the table is a handling that, while appearing to be just slightly different from other version at first blush, is actually much slicker than that, allowing for some startling visuals and a level of cleanliness that is welcome.

Now, it should be said that "Gallerian Bend" will have you doing a lot of practice. You've got to work on producing the best visuals possible and a mirror will come in handy. Then there's the whole timing issue you'll need to get comfortable with, as well as the presentation itself.

Castle does a fantastic job of teaching most of that. The bend itself is fairly simple to explain; it's the other parts that get difficult. Castle, though, is up to the task and teaches all the nuances clearly and concisely. You'll have no problem getting this one down.

But at the end of the day "Gallerian Bend" is another bend, albeit a great one. It's going to work best inside a framework of other bends -- you've done a bend here or there and then you throw this one at them. That's when it's going to absolute slay a spectator. Done as a one-off, it's going to throw them for a loop. This is what we refer to as a "win-win situation". But for my money, I'd use it as a part of a larger routine and go for the gold.

So if it's so good, what's the problem? Not to be too brutal here, but this is one DVD that never should have been released. As an instant download (which "Gallerian Bend" originally was) and at $20, you can overlook a lot of things. A 20-minute video, looking as if it were shot by phone through a black gel filter and using sound that reminds me of the best of the Jacques Cousteau special, at $30 is a bit much.

I don't want to go on a rant here because it's just not fruitful in the case of "Gallerian Bend" -- Castle's idea is really good and, with a few rewinds here and there, learning it is no problem -- but I have to wonder how in the world someone releases a DVD with absolutely no production values at all and expects to be paid so much for it. You see, I'm a simple guy: when I buy a DVD I expect it to be done with at least a modicum of professionalism because that helps anyone watching it learn from it (remember that's supposed the be The Big Thing about learning magic from videos; it's easier than with books). When I see something like this, something of such inferior quality, I just shake my head and wonder "why", knowing full well the answer and not liking it a bit.

Okay, I'm picking up my soapbox and going home. But not without a final word:

Regardless of the lack of any professional production work or attempt thereof, "Gallerian Bend" is a powerful tool for mentalists looking to add a powerful bend to their arsenal. The handling is slick and elegant, the optical components mindblowing, and Castle shows a genius for putting everything together so well. All of that makes it easy to overlook the rest of the stuff.

"Gallerian Bend" by Erick Castle
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

Material: 9
This is an incredibly slick and extremely visual bend. It will require some practice -- and some alteration in thinking -- to get right, and really works best as part of a larger bending routine, but with that behind you this is a very good piece of work.

Practicality: 10
You need a spoon or a fork... that's it. It's all in the hands and when you do what you do from that point on, like all of the best bends.

Quality of Production: 1
Simply put: there ain't no production values. The video looks like a poor Quicktime -- completely with pixelization and shot entirely too dark -- and the sound is about as good. Honestly, I can't imagine anyone would release a DVD of this incredibly low quality.

Quality of Instruction: 10
Castle covers all the details, that's for sure. Every detail of the work is laid out, including all the psychology and optical work involved.

Presentation: 5
There is little in the way of presentation except what you would expect. No harm, no foul there: Castle is teaching a single method that needs to be incorporated with other things to get the most bang for the buck.

Shane

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