I, like many others, have recently received the “Slydini by Slydini” USB video set. Thank you again to Georges Proust for making this set available to the magic community. And thank you to Christian Fechner for having the vision to videotape Slydini’s magic. I have carefully reviewed all of the included footage and read the accompanying materials. I believe I am in a unique position to comment on this project as I am the only student Tony ever authorized and formally sponsored, in writing, to lecture and teach his magic.
The Set
Overall, the set is beautifully assembled and presented. No complaints there. There is, however, one caveat to this presentation. I wish the person who originally made the mistake of saying that Slydini was born in “1901” would stand up. That error, that I have seen in numerous places for many years, unfortunately lives on in this set as its logo (which is on the included medallions, envelope, keychain, etc) and misstates Slydini’s birth year. Slydini was born in 1900. Not 1901. While this might seem trivial to some, Slydini would have been very upset seeing that error in the final product. My good friend Karl Fulves, whose passing was a tremendous loss to the magic community, could’ve told you just how detailed Slydini was. So detailed, in fact, that after Karl finished working with Slydini, he (with a smile and a wink) wryly confided in me that “I will NEVER do that again!”
The Footage Featuring Slydini
It should go without needing to be said that any footage of Slydini on video is worth watching. Always. This is not a review of Slydini’s teaching, camera angles or footage. Slydini himself was, and always will be, the best voice for his magic. In these videos, he performs and teaches magnificently. It brought back so many memories of my one-hundred and twenty plus lessons with him. Many times the angles shown are the exact angle I had sitting across from him in his studio. Seeing Tony teach again is truly magical and worth the price alone to any former student. Tony really loved his magic and you can see that love come through in his teaching.
There is a total of 2 hours 4 minutes and 36 seconds of explanations and instruction from Slydini himself in this set. The rest of the 5 hours of footage comprises of the performances of his effects before his explanations, a lecture, a dinner performance, other silent film as well as additional commentary from Juan Tamariz, Gaetan Bloom, an explanation of the “Paper Balls Over the Head” from Jean Merlin and a bonus website with instruction by Henry Pou and Bernard Bilis.
In my opinion, Georges and the team at Musee De la Magie could have been more transparent with how much footage featuring Slydini is available for each routine. Some routines are taught in more detail than others. For instance, Slydini’s Knotted Silks, sit down version, includes 23 minutes and 12 seconds of total instruction (split into 3 parts). Slydini’s Paper Balls to the Box includes a 3 minute and 37 second “silent explanation” (which is really a reverse angle performance) and the section entitled “Misdirection” should have been included in the Paper Balls to the Box explanation but was kept separate. This makes total instruction on the Balls to the Box come in at 7 minutes and 1 second total with only 3 minutes and 24 seconds of it including verbal direction. Obviously this is not a lot of instruction on the effect. For a set of videos that is of such historical importance, not including a specific table of contents that includes the amount of instruction included for each separate routine is, in my opinion, inexcusable.
Throughout the literature in the set, it is stated numerous times that this set represents Slydini’s entire magical legacy. In the accompanying letter, it reads, “You are now the owner of the ‘Slydini by Slydini’ box set, which contains Tony Slydini’s magical output – technical and theoretical – in its entirety.” This is not true. Many of you are aware that Tony allowed me to record my lessons with him; some thirty-eight hours plus of footage. My
complete lesson index can be viewed on YouTube (see video below). There are many routines of Slydini’s that were not filmed by Christian for this set or where the footage did not survive.
With regard to the routines that survived and are included in this project, there are many details and instructions that are sadly missing from Slydini’s explanations. On Page 11 of the accompanying book, Juan Tamariz states, “Slydini offers us explanations of every effect, down to the last detail, covering little subleties, occasionally repeating moves two or three times from various angles to show how they differ, explaining the theoretical and practical foundations of his outstanding method.” This statement by Tamariz is also misleading. After my review of the footage, it is clear that some routines have more instruction than others. It is my opinion, however, that no routine included in this project is explained, “in its entirety” like Slydini explained to me and I had in my lessons with him.
At the 9:00 minute mark In the “Slydini Project” Introductory video, (named “The Slydini Tapes” in the video itself), Tamariz says, “Now you have the Slydini magic not only the (inaudible) but the splanations, step by step by Slydini himself. Of course, there are some moments that are not in the tapes because it’s not all the magic of Slydini but it’s the most important things, Coins Through Table, the Handkerchief, the Balls errrr Sponge Balls, everything, everything.” Here, we see that Tamariz does in fact state that it's not all the magic of Slydini, but this is stated only at almost the very end of the introductory video.
Bill Wisch's Index of "The Slydini Tapes" - 2022
This lack of material is certainly by no means the fault of Georges Proust or anyone else involved in the project. My understanding after a careful read through of the accompanying book is that most of the footage was lost due to many unforeseen circumstances (a fire, a change of company who had the original tapes, etc). While I am incredibly grateful that the surviving footage has now been made available, I believe that the team could have been more transparent in their marketing of the project as to what is included and what is not.
Additional Instructors
In the set, Jean Merlin, Henry Pou and Bernard Bilis are included as additional instructors. Merlin covers the Paper Balls Over the head, Pou covers Slydini's Knotted Silks and Bernard Bilis does what is called Slydini's Safety Pins and Slydini's Ambitious Card.
Unfortunately, I would not recommend anyone learn the Paper Balls Over the Head from Jean Merlin’s instruction. Jean’s instruction, while well-intentioned, is severely lacking. I will not go into further detail except to say that Jean is making many assumptions about the routine which are not true. Slydini did not teach his students to use the index finger to propel the ball. I have 1 and ½ hours of audio tape of my personal lessons of this routine and Slydini does not mention the index finger to me a single time. Jean may believe he has seen him perform the routine this way, but it certainly is not something the serious student of this routine should add as a permanent fixture of its performance.
Henry Pou is included in seven additional videos that the website says is "Slydini's Knotted Silks". These videos are an introduction, the fake back knot, the fake side knot, the fake "convincing" knot, the fake two-silk knot, the square knot tied by a spectator and the granny knot. The introductory video is very basic information already covered by Slydini in the set. The fake back knot has nothing to do with the Slydini knot routine. Slydini did not use this knot. The fake side knot is a substitute for Tony's handling. The fake convincing-knot is the same square knot that Tony would make but is not Slydini's handling. The fake two-silk knot is also a substitute. Pou says at the 00:08 minute mark, "Now Slydini also performed the two-silk knot using a rather complex method, in my opinion. So here is a much simpler method." The square knot tied by a spectator is how to upset a square knot but is not Slydini's handling at all. And finally, the Granny Knot is the upsetting of the granny knot but also not Slydini's handling at all.
Bernard Bilis's demonstration and explanation of "Slydini's Safety Pins" is a good routine that uses the Jerry Andrus pin but is not Tony's routine. Finally, Bilis offers Slydini's Ambitious Card effect. I never saw Tony do the effect with the method he uses here. In my lesson index on page "4A" Tony demonstrated his version of the Ambitious Card Routine to me where he used double lifts. Not the method shown here.
Slydini’s Legacy And The Addition of the “Slydini by Slydini” Project
Throughout the accompanying book, the case seems to be being made that Slydini was waiting for this set to be released by Christian to solidify his “professional legacy.” I do not believe this insinuation to be factual or true. For instance, Page 23 of the “Slydini by Slydini” accompanying book reads, “Slydini stayed in touch with Christian, but could not understand what prevented him from releasing the videos that formed his professional legacy. Tony Slydini died in January, 1991, having never seen the footage. Christian was devastated.”
Now, it is likely true that Slydini was certainly excited to see the videos. But I do not believe that Slydini felt he had any need for these tapes to be released at all for his “professional legacy” to be cemented in magical history. Let us not forget that Slydini was already a legend before Christian taped him. And Slydini had already taught numerous students his magic. If, as the book says, Slydini was keeping in touch with Christian, then one must believe that Christian would have told Slydini about the fire and other problems with the tapes. Slydini was an extremely understanding man; he would have been horrified to hear of such a fire. If Christian chose not to relay this information to Slydini, then his disappointment would have been Christian’s fault.
On one occasion in 1979 after I toured for him, at a lesson, Slydini said to me, “You knowa Christian Fechner? He havea all of of mya magic ona video tape. He going to make a lotta money.” He did not bring up the importance of these tapes, other than to say that they were worth money, which was obvious to anyone without any explanation needed from Tony. He never talked to me about the importance of these videos to his “professional legacy.”
Slydini’s Attitude Towards Television and Video of His Magic
I asked Slydini one time during a lesson in early 1974 what his thoughts were on video being taken of his magic. At that time, Slydini made it clear that he was very opposed to video being taken of his magic. Below, for the first time, I include a portion of unreleased audio of my lessons where Slydini states his opinion on why he did not want video taken of his magic. I have included a transcript below:
Slydini Bill Wisch Audio Lesson - Slydini Praises Bill and Reveals Why He Does Not Want Video Taken of His Magic - Clip and Transcript
Slydini:You know this guy, he went everywhere, everyplace and say to all the magicians “How wonderful Slydini, you will never believe.” I gave him his money back because he cannot learn. I asked him to (practice) and do the move. Because if I didn’t do… (give him the money back… then he would never learn).
Bill Wisch: Well that’s nice of you. You didn’t have to do that you know. That’s too bad though. It’s a shame. He wanted to learn it and he couldn’t.
Slydini: Yeah. I tell him. That’s why I say, you (Bill Wisch) learn so fast. Very seldom do you find someone... Maybe one, two (students).
Bill Wisch: I think a big part of that is that I have a lot more time to practice than most people. See I work maybe sometimes, two days or three days a week (as a drummer).
Slydini: If you practice wrong, all the time and still they (other students) don’t go anywhere. You comea here and have to start all over again. You’re just blessed with it. You’ve got a lot of knowledge I guess.
Bill Wisch: Well, like I said, I’ve only been in it for a little less than three years.
Slydini: It’s possible. It’s possible.
Bill Wisch: I just love this stuff that’s all. It’s terrific.
Slydini: Then you read. You understand things.
Bill Wisch: I try. Well you’re a good teacher.
Slydini: People you know, they try they never show me before. They try to get from the book. That’s a mystery.
Bill Wisch: Well, it’s very hard, very hard (to get it from the books).
Slydini: No, it’s so… funny! And people see and say, “That’s the way Slydini (teach), I’ll never take a lesson! Exactly, that’s right! They do the paper ball in the hand…. It’s crazy. This is serious thing. serious (his magic). Beautiful. The misdirection. But they don’t know.
Bill Wisch: Oh; It’s beautiful when it’s done right.
Slydini: Because you can’t tell em from the book. You gotta see the move! The book can’t tell really everything.
Bill Wisch: Do you have a movie on the book?
Slydini: No I don’t want it.
Bill Wisch: I remember I read in one book you said you were going to make a movie or a film script. Or something but you never did.
Slydini: True. When I find out that the dealer, they can make the duplicate it and sell it and make so much money.
Bill Wisch: No. Not good for you.
Slydini: For what?
Bill Wisch: You don’t have to do that.
Slydini: Course not. I even looka went through so much trouble I wanted to buy you know a projector. So I can get it cheap. So I can buy a film. Oh no right awaya they copy. So that’s why see, See that’s why see people spend the money to learn. And then they try to get from nothing, they just, go slow…. They never get the move. (inaudible)
Bill Wisch: Oh no you never learn it from a movie anyway. Never.
Slydini: But they chop em offa. They, now supposa they somebody try to learn a move. Lot of things, you know now people a see. You do the same trick. They say oh no no no you drop it (in the lap). You know what I’ma talkin about? They say, yeah yeah, you drop em in your lap. But they don’ta see.
Bill Wisch: They don’t see it but they know it from the…. (video). That’s no good. That’s not fair.
Slydini: Why I don’ta wanna work on television? I could work television many times. Say you work a couple times but for money, two, three time, four time. What do you get? Millions of people get to see.
Bill Wisch: Yeah, and no… (business).
Slydini: And other peoplea saya, “No, that don’t mean nothing!” (That they’ve seen the effect on TV).
Bill Wisch: Well I think, you know, I don’t know I don’t want to disagree with you, but I think in your case, I think that if you worked on TV, this is my opinion now. I don’t think it woulda ah, I don’t think people would say I don’t want to go see Slydini because I saw him on TV. I think they would say….
Slydini: No, no, I’m talkin about students. Not myself.
Bill Wisch: Oh, well, I see.
Slydini: No, not myself.
Bill Wisch: Because I know the people would want to see you.
Slydini: The people woulda comea see. The student they are unhappy, because if they go someplace and say, “Well I saw this thing on television”… (inaudible)…. But they aren’t even going to remember.
Bill Wisch: Well you’re a very remarkable person.
Slydini: Well, I don’t know about that.
It is clear from the footage that there were several reasons Slydini was opposed to videotaping his magic:
1) Piracy
2) He felt that his magic being on camera would expose the secrets of his effects.
3) He felt that lessons were the only way to really learn his magic.
4) He felt it unfair to show his magic on video when his students were learning the magic from him.
I believe all of the above were valid reasons, but that it was his students that Slydini was most concerned with. As you can hear on the audio footage, Slydini was so concerned with his students getting value from his lessons that if Slydini felt a student was not capable of learning his magic, he would refund their money. Slydini was putting his students first. You can even hear me say at the end that, “You’re a very remarkable person.” He always felt that if a student was going to come and take lessons from him, that they should get his undivided attention and that his material should not be available in any video taped format.
Now it needs to be said that I am very happy that Slydini changed his mind about putting his magic on video. If it wasn't for Dick Cavett, and now, Christian Fechner and Georges Proust, Slydini's magic would not be available for us to enjoy and review. But I must again reiterate that I do not believe Slydini felt that it was necessary for the solidification of his "legacy" to record these videos. Slydini cared much more about his students then the little fame he did receive from recording the Cavett shows and others. So, if his magic was to live on and Slydini was to preserve his legacy, what do I believe formed and today still forms Slydini's Legacy?
Slydini’s Students: His True Legacy
I believe if Slydini himself were here to speak, he would say that he never viewed his legacy to be his magic or any video project. It was his students. Slydini loved teaching magic. And he loved his students. Slydini and I spent literally countless hours together discussing magic theory, going through effects and simply having fun. No matter if a student took one lesson, five lessons or one-hundred and twenty plus lessons like I did, Slydini’s motto to them was always, “If you are happy, then I am happy.” Many of his students viewed Slydini like a father: Slydini was teacher, confidant, mentor and friend.
I was the only student chosen by Tony to lecture his magic in his place and I felt so indebted to the man and respected Slydini so much that I chose to never brag about this fact. It was literally decades of my magic career that I never once mentioned that I had the only existing letter from Slydini authorizing me to lecture and teach his magic. It took my son, Kevin, to point out to me the fact that being the only student to take Slydini’s place on tour was, indeed, a huge honor that sets me apart from any other student. The fact that it took so long for me to accept Slydini’s confidence in me, should speak volumes of how much I respected him. And just as I respected him, his other students did as well.
In addition, I believe Tony saw his students as his mouthpiece. He regularly told almost all of his students, in some way or form, to “Go out and never let people forget my magic.” Some students, cough they shall remain nameless but you know who they are cough, choose to embellish their experiences with Tony a little (or MUCH) more than others, but all of his students, regardless of time spent with Tony, are Slydini’s legacy.
Final Thoughts
With all of that said, if you can, you should absolutely purchase the set. And of course I again thank Georges Proust and Christian Fechner for their vision and work on this project and bringing it to us. You will learn a tremendous amount from Christian Fechner’s video recordings of the “maestro.” Just remember that Slydini’s magic is meant to be learned, meant to be taught and meant to be performed. Don’t buy this set and just put it on the shelf. Buy it and fall in love with Slydini’s magic. Force yourself to perform one of the routines in public that is clearly explained in the videos. And, for the routines that lack more detail from Slydini in this set, supplement your learning with other resources. Then, after studying, learning and performing Slydini’s routines, and only then, will you be as close as one can be to being a part of Slydini's real legacy: his students.
May Slydini’s Legacy live on in each and every one of his students. I wish you all a wonderful journey through Slydini’s magic.
With much respect,
Bill Wisch
Thank you Bill for this wonderful write up to the forthcoming new Slydini material.
Your perspective and insight is very valuable.
Truly appreciate it, you lucky dog!
Magically
Tim Flynn