Criss Angel

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Reality is Just an Illusion


This lens is designed to keep you abreast of the latest Criss Angel episodes as well as to provide information on some of his most fascinating magic, such as levitation and helstromism. I have also provided some links to where you can learn some of this magic for yourself!

 

LATEST EPISODES

Skeptic 

Placing several advertisements and postings seeking those who are skeptical of Criss's abilities, Criss invites these skeptics to be part of a deadly challenge. These skeptics' get to lead a blindfolded Criss to four elevator doors, one of which hides an empty shaft. Using mentalism, Criss must predict which three of the four are safe to enter. If he is wrong, he will likely fall to his death.

Being easier to find fans than skeptics, Criss invites his most loyal fans to spend some time together. Skating with fans at an ice rink Criss has a fan remove a card, sign her name on it, shuffle it and put it back in the deck. The deck is spread onto the ice and the spectator's card is instantly revealed embedded in the ice! Later, at an autograph signing, Criss accidentally tears a fan's poster. With a swipe of his hand, he magically restores it to its original condition.

This was a great episode. Not only did he prove that what you see is what you get, he opened the minds of a few folks who until then, did not believe.

Nail Gun Demonstration 

Failure or trickery?

I love Criss Angel. But why oh why does he choose these types of demonstrations. I think he is addicted to pain. Must like the adrenalin rush or something.

So, in this episode, Criss was supposed to catch a nail that was shot out of a nail gun 14 feet away from where he was standing. If he misses, well you know.

They put a piece of glass between Criss and the path the nail would take. The idea was that the glass would slow the nail down enough so that Criss could grab it.

Apparently, his consultants didn't use common sense or do their homework regarding this theory about using glass.

The nail gun was shot, the nail flew out the of gun and through the glass, shattering the glass to bits, spraying pieces of glass in Criss's eyes and face causing him to turn away and lose his position. What happened next was pretty horrifying ( at least for an artist like me).

The nail ended up going through the palm of his hand - not exactly what anyone expected. Of course he yelled out and ran to an ambulance which was waiting for him. He was rushed to the hospital, or at least that is what we are led to believe.

Nail guns can be very dangerous (duh); so much so that Criss' insurance company would not insure him for the demonstration. Apparently, nail gun accidents are quite common. In the United States, about 37,000 people every year go to emergency rooms with injuries from nail guns, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Because this demonstration left everyone totally freaked out, Criss posted this response on his website:

August 8, 2008: A message from Criss Angel about the Nail Gun demonstration

As an artist I try to blur that line between reality and illusion and nail gun was no different. Like many of my demonstrations, was it real or just illusion? Was I hurt or not? These are the questions and conversations I want to provoke as an artist who wants to redefine what the art of magic is and how you will forever experience it.

I want to thank you for your sincere love, concern and support. I love you all.

Loyally yours,
Criss Angel

Hmmm, it looked pretty flippin' real to me, ya'll.

Building Implosion Escape 



Criss Angel Mindfreak: 67/68 - Building Implosion Escape
Wednesday, July 30 10:00pm EST

As the #1 magician in the world, Criss Angel has done more magic on TV than any other magician in history and continues to up the ante in this one hour action filled special. Broadcast LIVE, Criss must escape from a building before it implodes into a pile of mass wreckage!!! From within a 9-story former hotel outside of Clearwater, Florida, Criss will attempt to escape a building that is loaded with explosives and set to detonate. He will invite bystanders present and walk them through the building about to be demolished and allow them to shackle, cuff, and leave him behind as they watch a live feed from a safe distance away. Criss must escape the bindings and any other obstacles and make it to the roof to a waiting helicopter before the entire building implodes.

So I watched this episode of course, and he did not make it in time to reach the helicopter that was waiting to lift him to safety. As the building imploded, collapsing into and onto itself, the audience was silenced waiting for any sign of Criss. Moments after the building toppled to the ground, Criss came stumbling out of the pile of rubble, covered in dust and debris. Then, that was the end opf the episode.

WAIT!!! What happened next? How did he get out of the building when he missed his helicopter ride? What were his thoughts about the stunt? This episode did not address any of that, which left me feeling a bit slighted. As usual, it was impressive that he escaped unharmed, but I still would have liked to hear something about what happened when his master plan failed.

So, I went to his site to see what I could find. Apparently there is a limited edition video due out in September featuring the building escape. And, this is what the website said:

"July 30, 2008: Criss Angel Survives Building Implosion

Master Illusionist and Mystifier Criss Angel narrowly escaped a building implosion tonight in Clearwater, Florida. The event was broadcast live for the first time ever in the series' four season history on A&E network. In addition to North America, the episode was also broadcast live in Australia on Fox 8 and on A&E in Latin America. Watch all-new episodes of the fourth season of Criss Angel Mindfreak at 10 PM ET/PT on A&E."

Whatever. I still don't have my questions answered.

Complete Schedule for MindFreak 

  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 77 - Nail Gun
    Saturday, August 9 3:30pm EST

    You've seen Criss catch an arrow with his bare hands. In this episode, he attempts to catch a razor-sharp nail traveling at 1400 feet per second with his bare hands. Onlookers include Anthony Michael Hall. While giving a tour of Criss' secret warehouse, Criss uses a jigsaw to cut through a fan's arm. At a park, Criss' crew is late for a game of football so Criss makes two players appear from thin air. When the crew arrives, Criss makes a football levitate creating the perfect pass.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 69 - Skeptic
    Saturday, August 9 3:00pm EST

    Placing several advertisements and postings seeking those who are skeptical of Criss's abilities, Criss invites these `skeptics' to be part of a deadly challenge. These `skeptics' get to lead a blindfolded Criss to four elevator doors, one of which hides an empty shaft. Using mentalism, Criss must predict which three of the four are safe to enter. If he is wrong, he will likely fall to his death. Being easier to find fans than skeptics, Criss invites his most loyal fans to spend some time together. Skating with fans at an ice rink Criss has a fan remove a card, sign her name on it, shuffle it and put it back in the deck. The deck is spread onto the ice and the spectator's card is instantly revealed embedded in the ice! Later, at an autograph signing, Criss accidentally tears a fan's poster. With a swipe of his hand, he magically restores it to its original condition.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 41 - Underwater Car Escape
    Saturday, August 9 1:00pm EST

    Criss takes Sully from Godsmack's watch, and smashes it to bits with a hammer; he then produces that same watch, undamaged, to the relieved Sully. More mayhem in the arcade when Criss draws a picture that starts talking to startled kids. Criss convinces Carrot Top that a trick has gone wrong and mistakenly chops off his finger. Then he shows an adoring Luxor employee his superhuman strength as he levitates a heavy manhole cover hovering below one hand. The episode culminates as Criss remembers his uncle who drowned as his car slid off the road into a watery ditch. In a tribute to his uncle, Criss is tied and locked in the trunk of a car as it is lowered into a lake. Criss must escape or face the same doom as his uncle.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 67/68 - Building Implosion Escape
    Saturday, August 9 2:00pm EST

    Broadcast LIVE, Criss must escape from a building before it implodes into a pile of mass wreckage!!! From within a 9-story former hotel outside of Clearwater, Florida, Criss will attempt to escape a building that is loaded with explosives and set to detonate. He will invite bystanders present and walk them through the building about to be demolished and allow them to shackle, cuff, and leave him behind as they watch a live feed from a safe distance away. Criss must escape the bindings and any other obstacles and make it to the roof to a waiting helicopter before the entire building implodes.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 01 - Burned Alive
    Saturday, August 9 1:30pm EST

    Facing one of our biggest fears, Criss attempts to be burned alive. With the assistance of Hollywood special FX wizard and "burn master" Mark Chadwick, Criss sets up a spectacular stunt where he is set ablaze two different times. First a partial body burn test by the Aladdin Hotel pool in Las Vegas, that lasts over 20 seconds. Then a full 46 sec. body burn with no hands or face protection that shoots 20 ft. flames off Criss at temperatures above 1500 degrees in front of a huge crowd on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 70 - Cremation
    Wednesday, August 13 10:30pm EST
    Thursday, August 14 2:30am EST

    In a very somber setting Criss is laid to rest on a wooden slab. Spectators watch in horror as they see Criss cremated alive. In the past, you may have seen Criss walk through solid objects such as walls and windows. In this episode, Criss astonishes bystanders as he walks through a steel door. We also get an insider's peak at Criss' warehouse where an employee accidentally impales Criss with a forklift.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 64 - Mexico Barrel Escape
    Wednesday, August 13 11:30pm EST
    Thursday, August 14 3:30am EST

    Inspired by those who attempted to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, Criss is suspended hundreds of feet above the ocean in a barrel before being dropped. The barrel crashes to the sea. Will Criss survive? While walking on the beach Criss makes a sandcastle appear from thin air. He also becomes a psychic bartender when he makes drinks for people solely by reading their minds. That evening, we go with Criss VIP style on a crazy night out in one of Cancun's hottest clubs.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 63 - H2O Teleportation
    Wednesday, August 13 11:00pm EST
    Thursday, August 14 3:00am EST

    Summer's here, so join Criss and the crew for a fun beach-filled day in Mexico. At a beach campfire, Criss casts shadows in impossible places. Criss establishes a psychic link with a dolphin, using the mammal to assist him in a card trick. He effortlessly links the beer can tabs of unsuspecting beach-goers and predicts a person¹s card using a sea-shell that hears more then just the ocean waves. Later, he magically trades earrings with a shocked bystander. Finally Criss vanishes from a yacht to instantly reappear on the beach in front of beachgoers.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 76 - Barrell Drop
    Wednesday, August 13 10:00pm EST
    Thursday, August 14 2:00am EST

    Criss is handcuffed and placed in an 85-gallon drum, which is then secured in a wooden box and hoisted 100 feet above spectators. Once the box reaches its peak, the box is set to automatically release the barrel and contents, regardless if Criss has escaped or not. Criss must escape the handcuffs, barrel, and box before crashing to the ground.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 65 / 66 - Most Memorable Mindfreak Moments
    Wednesday, August 20 11:00pm EST
    Thursday, August 21 3:00am EST

    Some of Criss' greatest illusions have been done with the help of some pretty famous people. Criss repays them all by counting down their favorite moments from past shows. Howie Mandell kicks off the episode while Dave Navarro reflects back to the time Criss walked on water. Tito Ortiz remembers Criss pulling a quarter out of his bleeding arm. Other famous faces include Dog the Bounty Hunter, Gene Simmons, Flavor Flav and Carrot Top. Many other unexpected guests make appearances.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 86 - Spirits of New Orleans
    Wednesday, August 20 10:00pm EST
    Thursday, August 21 2:00am EST

    Criss visits New Orleans and trances bystanders utilizing the mysticism & culture of the city. On a tour of the outskirts, Criss pulls up to a girl hitchhiking who disappear's from the side of the road and instantly reappears in Criss' car. On a stormy night in a Voodoo shop, Criss has a spectator select a word in a book and he predicts that word by writing it on her arm. Stopping by local restaurants Criss makes a girls' ring disappear and reappear in the salt shaker across the table and transforms rice in a bowl into a variety of items.
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak: 87 - Escape over Bourbon Street
    Wednesday, August 20 10:30pm EST
    Thursday, August 21 2:30am EST

    Acknowledging the devastation from Katrina and admiring the city's ability to overcome such travesty, Criss decides to bring the town together to witness as he attempts to break another record. With thousands on Bourbon Street, Criss is secured in two straight jackets, shackled, and hung upside down above the crowd before attempting to escape. We continue follow Criss and his team as they enjoy New Orleans. Performing various feats along the way, we follow as Criss enjoys local cuisine, visits local favorites including historic buildings, a casino, and much more.

Burning Man 

This week, Criss rescues a bag of chips by putting his hand through the glass and pulling them out. You've seen it before, he covers a spot of the window pane with a cloth or piece of paper, and somehow he gets to the other side without breaking the glass (seemingly). How does he do that? I haven't a clue.

Then, Criss and crew venture away from the hustle and bustle of city life to visit a dude ranch in the Nevada desert. Criss plays with the animals and shovels manure, and entertains everyone with his usual shenanigans. One thing he attempts to do is to hypnotize a chicken. And yes, he is successful. Couldn't tell you how he did that one either, but then that's not my job, is it?

Oh yes, we mustn't forget that he brings a scarecrow to life and levitates one of his buddies around a campfire.

The highlight of the show is when fellow illusionist Jeff McBride takes Criss on a right of passage with drums, dancing, and a dangerous feats involving fire.

To download Free Magic Tricks And Watch Videos Of Magic Tricks click here!

Naked Jail Escape 

CRISS ANGEL MINDFREAK THIS WEEK
Naked Jail Escape

Tuesday, August 14 10:00pm ET
Wednesday, August 15 2:00am ET
Sunday, August 26 7:00pm ET

The greatest and most famous magician ever, Harry Houdini, remains one of Criss Angel's significant influences. Criss pays homage to the master by recreating some of his most incredible escapes and fantastical feats, but with a Mindfreak twist. In one, Criss is completely disrobed to show there are no hidden keys or picks and must escape a jail cell before a mob of fans busts in on him in his birthday suit. Criss will also attempt some of Houdini's favorite tricks, ones that have baffled the masters, and will even teach the viewers a trick from the Houdini spell book. For the first time, Criss runs into serious trouble attempting Houdini's famous water escapes.

http://crissangel.com/news.html

BELIEVE

CRISS ANGEL® Believe 

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/believe/en/show/intro.asp

CRISS ANGEL® Believe will be a haunting exploration deep inside the inventive mind of mystifier Criss Angel® as he hovers between the land of the living and a surreal world uniquely woven together by the distinctive imaginations of Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil.

Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, CRISS ANGEL Believe transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion. Imagine a fantasy, an allegory, a highly theatrical tableau of mood, reverie and emotion set against a backdrop of dreamlike darkness and light.

Criss Angel stars as a surreal, enigmatic Victorian Noble. Along a path of imaginative exploration, he encounters Kayala and Crimson, two women who represent different aspects of femininity, four bizarre Ushers, who will introduce the audience to the baroque theater of Criss's mind and a high-energy troupe of characters and dancers who mix a multitude of styles into a high-energy visual feast, punctuated by moments of grace and sensuality.

The stunning illusions in CRISS ANGEL Believe will not be presented as standalone elements, but as interdependent components using heightened imagery, fantastical creatures and impossible feats of legerdemain, all of which will be integrated into the dazzling, colorful fabric of the story.

The following images are from
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/believe/en/show/photos.asp

Cirque de Soleil - Believe

Believe - Ravens

HELLSTROMISM

Hellstromism 

The Fine Art of Muscle reading

Muscle reading is a technique used by mentalists to "read" the responses of their audience or an individual by carefully observing their motor reactions.

This is sometimes done through physical contact, for example by holding the audience member's wrist. The theory behind the technique is that the unconscious mind will reveal what the subject is thinking about through involuntary physical reactions (i.e., will display ideomotor effect responses to their mind content), and by feeling/observing and interpreting those responses correctly, the mentalist can get a clear glimpse into what the subject is thinking. Supposedly, by coming into physical contact with the subject, a mentalist can gain a better link with the person's mind, usually by allowing him to read more subtle reactions in the subject's motor functions, such as muscle control and heart rate.

Because it relies so heavily on the subject's subconscious reactions to their environment and situation, this technique is a common one used when performing tricks dealing with locating objects, and as such, can be done 'clean' by the magician skilled in reading body language.

It's also reportedly a method (without the mysticism) used by champion poker players to better hide their reactions to different hands, as well as to read the other players for potential bluffs and/or better hands.

It is also known as Hellströmism, Cumberlandism, and contact mind reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_reading

Criss Angel Freaking Out Jonathon Davis 

korn jonathan davis

korn jonathan davis

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Great Hellstromism on Amazon 

Hellstromism unveiled: The truth about mind reading, fact vs. fiction, ridiculous claims of bunk vendors exposed

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"Hellstromism"

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Becoming A Master Student: Muscle Reading

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LEVITATION

Levitation 

Levitation: Levitation is one of the oldest practices of conjurers and fakers, but "The Worlds Greatest Illusionist", Criss Angel, takes it to the streets in a 360-degree demonstration of the power of defying gravity. He will take a random stranger off the sidewalks of Downtown Fremont Street in Las Vegas and float them right in the middle of a crowd.

Building Float: In a new twist to the old levitation trick, Angel attempts to float safely from one rooftop to another, inspired by the mysterious levitating feats of the 19th century spirit medium Daniel Dunglas Home.

Harry Houdini

Criss Angel Levitates 

Criss Angel - Levitates From Building to Building

Get In First http://www.hymoo.com

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MENTALISM

Mentalism 

One of the things one can see Criss Angel routinely do is perform acts of mentalism. Mentalism is an ancient art that gives the illusion of mind reading, psychokinesis, precognition, clairvoyance or mind control. Mentalists use finely tuned mental perception, principles of stage magic, hypnosis and/or suggestion to present the desired illusion.

Historically, mentalism can be traced back to tests of supernatural power that were carried out by mediums, spiritualists and psychics in the 19th Century. One of these tests still used today, and which anyone watching MindFreak will have seen, is the book test. In this test, a book is chosen at random by an audience member and opened at any given page. The audience member chooses a word or sentence and concentrates on it, and the mentalist discovers the thought-of word, apparently using only "mental powers". If he/she does so successfully, he/she passes the test.

Another test is the living-and-dead test, whereby the name of a deceased person is mixed in with the names of people still living. All of the names are written on identical slips of paper. By sheer mental powers alone, the mentalist separates the names of the living from the dead.

In my opinion, this is one of the most fascinating illusions. To learn the secrets behind mentalism, click here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentalism

Criss Angel Mentalism on YouTube vids 


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Criss Angel - Double Card Prediction Explanation

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MAGIC

New Mindfreak Link List 

Criss Angel
Official site. Images, music clips, video, tours information, merchandise and forums.
Criss Angel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Criss Angel (born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos on December 19, 1967) is an American magician, illusionist , musician, mentalist, hypnotist, escapologist, ...
YouTube - Criss Angel Walks on Water
3683 clicks from http://www.sinn-frei.com/criss-angel-geht-ueber-wass. .... Criss Angel - Levitates From Building to Building 04:10. From: SeanMaster150 ...
YouTube - Criss angel
Criss Angel - Levitates From Building to Building ... Criss Angel - Mindfreak - Cement Block Escape Last 5 min 06:53. From: Densloe Views: 118993 ...
Criss Angel MindFreak
Watch Criss Angel Mindfreak videos of exhilarating stunts and illusions at AETV.com. See exclusive pictures, learn more about the show and get the Criss ...
MySpace.com - Criss Angel - 100 - Male - NEVADA - www.myspace.com ...
MySpace profile for Criss Angel with pictures, videos, personal blog, interests, information about me and more.
Criss Angel Walks Through Glass Video
This guy is good, I do not know how he does it. Anyone has a clue?
Criss Angel And Half A Woman Video
Criss Angel pulls a lady apart and then half of her crawls away! This will shock you. He does it in the middle of Sunset Park in Vegas.
Learn Street Magic| Criss Angel Revealed
Discover the secrets behind David Blaine and Criss Angel! Learn street magic trick secrets for free.
Believe - A Criss Angel Fan Site - Welcome!
Fan site for Criss Angel. Photographs, chat forums, song lyrics, wallpaper.
Criss Angel trick exposed - TV Squad
I've always respected Criss Angel for being an engaging performer, but magic and illusions have just never done much for me. ...
Levitation secrets
2 min - Mar 21, 2006. video.google.com. info No ratings yet Avg: small full star small full star small full star small full star small half star 858 ratings ...
E! News - Criss Angel's Wife Wants to Conjure Cameron Diaz ...
Estranged spouse of Mindfreaker sues illusionist for divorce, claiming he had affair with Cameron Diaz earlier this year.
Criss Angel
The greatest and most famous magician ever, Harry Houdini, remains one of Criss Angel's significant influences. Criss pays homage to the master by ...

CRISS ANGEL MERCHANDISE

Criss Angel on eBay 

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eBay

RUMOUR MILL

New Link List 

Criss dating Britney Spears
Criss and Britney?
Criss Angel and Lyndsey Lohan
Criss and Lyndsey??
Cirss Angel Believe
CRISS ANGEL Believe is a haunting exploration inside the mind of Criss Angel. The show is presented at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
CRISS ANGEL VMA Inside Scoop
Excited to watch the VMAs from the comfort of his home, Criss Angel, magician extraordinaire, has Britney's back while discussing his involvement with her highly anticipated comeback performance at the awards show this year.
Criss Angel Divorced
Cameron Diaz denies divorce claim
LAS VEGAS Escape Sweepstakes
WIN BIG WITH ULTIMATE VEGAS ESCAPE SWEEPSTAKES Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance to Meet Criss Angel and Chef Kerry Simon, Get Exclusive VIP Access to Hot Events, Celebrity Makeovers, and Much More

The Bearded Enigma 

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New Access Hollywood Gossip News! 

Searching for an Angel 

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