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David Blaine Magic
Everyone likes to see a spectacle and try to work out how it was done. David Blaine magic and endurance performances leave the audience bewildered. The magician and illusionist began his career doing 'close up magic' tricks in the street. This kind of performance relies on sleight of hand. Instead of someone doing a card trick on a distant stage, the magician is right in front of you.
In 1997, Blaine toured the country and stopped pedestrians to perform his card wizardry. His performances were aired on his debut TV special, David Blaine: Street Magic. Everyone was impressed and audiences knew that he had a superior talent. However, doing David Blaine magic tricks was not enough and he embarked on a series of death defying stunts that would stun the world.
The first stunt took place in 1999 in New York City and involved the magician being entombed in a small plastic box placed under a tank filled with water for a duration of seven days. Blaine had a hand buzzer just in case he got into difficulties and needed help. He did not eat anything and he drank very little water.
The next stunt was called Frozen In Time and this was televised from Times Square. Blaine stood, encased in a block of ice with tubes supplying him with water and air. He endured this for more than 63 hours. Was this David Blaine magic or did he have incredible powers of endurance? He stated that his hero was Harry Houdini.
The Vertigo stunt followed and this one was in Bryant Park in New York City. Blaine stood on top of a pole, 100 feet (30m) in height and a mere 22 inches (55.88cm) wide. He did this for a remarkable 35 hours, often in high winds. He went to London for Above the Below where he was sealed inside a transparent plexiglas box, suspended 30 feet (9m) in the air, close to the River Thames.
It was back to New York City for his Drowned Alive stunt. He was submerged in a water filled sphere at the Lincoln Center for seven days. He then attempted to beat the record for holding breath under water but had to be pulled out after seven minutes as he was showing signs of distress.
Revolution was a stunt performed close to Times Square when he was in shackles to a spinning gyroscope and extricated himself after two days. The Dive of Death was an attempt to hang upside down above Wollman Rink in Central Park for 60 hours. Unfortunately, this one did not go to plan.
The magician turned author with the publication of Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic. It is partly an autobiography and it also explores the David Blaine magic card tricks with instructions on how to perform some of them.
Summary
David Blaine magic is a lot of fun to watch. This magician has been astounding people all over the world for years. He started with simple street magic and has evolved to death defying stunts to amaze the audience. He has an autobiography out called Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic.
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