Description

It’s been 30 years since the initial release of Revelations, the monumental video set that immortalized the life and work of perhaps one of the greatest magicians who ever lived – the Professor himself – Dai Vernon.In celebration, L&L Publishing is releasing the Revelations 30th Anniversary Box Set which features all 17 volumes of Revelations digitally remastered on 8 DVDs. Also included are three bonus DVDs that contain extremely rare footage of Vernon lectures from the 1970’s – almost six hours of material that almost no one has ever seen before. Included also are four audio CDs of Vernon lectures from the 1960s and two commemorative booklets. The first is a facsimile of the original Videonics Revelations catalog with comprehensive commentary on each volume by Sid Lorraine while the second contains Dr. Gene Matsuura’s original notes made at Dai Vernon’s farewell lecture in 1976. Everything is packaged in a full color slipcase that is sure to make this set one of the most desirable magic keepsakes ever released.David Ben’s introduction that appears in the beginning of Gene Matsuura’s notes booklet:”Will wonders never cease?When it comes to Dai Vernon, apparently not.This celebration of the 30th anniversary of Revelations, the series produced originally in 1982 by Hans Zahn in Newfoundland, attests to that amazing legacy and it provides yet another generation of magicians – old and new – the chance to experience Dai Vernon and his magic.This compilation is much more than just a repackaging of the original discs. With additional footage from the celebrated $1,000 Lecture Tour in the mid-1970s, private videos shot by Bill “The Prez” Larsen at The Magic Castle, and supporting documentation and ephemera, magic aficionados and historians now have an accurate portrayal of perhaps the most celebrated thinker and performer in magic during his “Late Period.”Only then, it is time to revisit the monumental series that is Revelations. Recorded in 1982, when Vernon was 88, it is the Late Period, Third Wave. Here, Vernon provides more coaching and commentary than actual performance. Michael Ammar, Gary Ouellet and Steve Freeman are there to assist, performing and demonstrating magic, and to spark the conversation. We see how things are meant to be done, and how not. The breadth of material is staggering. Fortunately, this commemorative package of discs and other material includes a reproduction of a booklet that provides a detailed description of each section so that viewers can zero in on their particular area of interest.If I can offer one final word of advice, it is to heed what Vernon said to a young Albert Goshman: take one trick and learn to do it better than anybody else. Goshman did exactly that, and built his initial reputation with “Spellbound.”With this 30th anniversary celebration of Revelations, you have that same opportunity.I look forward to seeing your magic.”- David Ben, TorontoVernon Revelations – Volumes 1-17 (on 8 DVDs):History was made September 2-6, 1982 in a filming studio in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, as the life and magic of Dai Vernon was permanently recorded for future generations. Inspired by Bill Larsen, the project was undertaken by Videonics, owned and operated by Hans Zahn. The co-hosts of the filming project were Michael Ammar, Gary Ouellet and Steve Freeman.The format is that of a jam session, with Vernon discussing his tricks, moves and routines, and generally holding court. All the moves, techniques, routines, tips and handlings discussed are actually performed by Vernon or one of the co-hosts, along with a complete explanation. Roughly half of the subjects covered relate to the published record; half the material was new and disclosed for the first time (at the time of the video shoot). You’ll learn important new techniques regarding the Vernon classics and important revelations about the Erdnase techniques, which Vernon has spent a lifetime studying. There’s a lifetime of magic study in these eight discs.