Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries
I have the whole DVD set. I find the effects quite amazing and very impressive. However, due to the fact that I prefer mentalists to be more mysterious than amusing, I would rather look forward to those from Max Maven. Here is the excerpt of the effects from MagicProShop.com. I will give my own personal ratings based on the 4 dvd volumes.

Volume 1 The Act

It's a rare thing when one of mentalism's leading minds divulges the secrets to his professional act-the material he's been earning a living with for decades. Yet, on this volume of an extraordinary video series, that's exactly what Richard Osterlind does - sharing not only the methods, but the fine details, of the powerhouse effects he's been wowing corporate and trade show audiences all over the world with.

Bank Night (4/5)- Osterlind's original, tried and proven version of a classic, complete with a commercial kicker that will endear you to any audience. A great opener for any act!

The Perfected Center Tear (5/5)- Complete instruction in the ultimate version of Osterlind's legendary center tear, which can be done in slow motion and completely surrounded. You rip up the paper...and return all of the pieces!

Radar Deck (4/5)- Four spectators just think of a card and the performer names them all! The full workings and never-before-disclosed handling tips are here, including instructions on how to make your own Radar Deck.

Watch Routine (5/5)- One spectator thinks of a time while another turns the hands of a face-down watch. When the watch is turned over, it's found to display the first spectator's thought-of time. Perform this miracle anywhere, anytime...and with any watch! Thought Scan - Originally marketed for $250.00, Osterlind's version of the classic Q&A routine is an act in itself. If one could actually read minds, it would look like this!

Magazine Test (5/5)- In this never-before-released miracle, the performer predicts the word a spectator will circle on a freely-selected page in a magazine. This was the finale for Richard Osterlind's act for many years.

Linking Finger Rings (5/5)- Wedding bands borrowed from three spectators are linked together in the fairest manner possible. This routine has been called the very best version of this classic effect ever conceived and this is the clearest and most-detailed explanation of the real work.

*In the first volume of the DVD, Osterlind showed a variety of tricks. Although there are some which needs some extra handling. I give it a total of (5/5) for the first volume.


Volume 2 - The Osterlind Breakthrough Card System

In this volume of Richard Osterlind's landmark video series, he shares perhaps his greatest contribution to magic and mentalism-the Breakthrough Card System, considered by many to be the most ingenious playing card stack ever devised. The spectators could look at the cards for hours and never discover its devilish secret.

Card Calling - A group of cards are removed from a shuffled jumbo-sized deck and the performer names them all. This effect, one that will play to the largest audience, has been a staple in Osterlind's stage show for over two decades.

Two Cards in Pocket - A spectator places two cards in his pockets from a deck he's been mixing. Not only does the performer name them but also divines which one is in which pocket. This is a true killer!

Challenge Mind Reading - A thought-of card is named without the performer ever touching the deck. Quite possibly the most impossible-looking card trick ever!

Corinda Effect - The performer names a card that was reversed in the deck by a spectator while he was holding the deck underneath the table. This is the trick that started it all!

Blackjack Demonstration - Your spectators will be convinced that you are the greatest blackjack player ever! You not only know their hole card but also instruct them, quite successfully, on how to play their hands!

*Tricks are not rated because I find the whole volume very useful. Osterlind appears to be able to read the minds of the spectators like a book without any card handling knowledge. This kind of mentalism is powerful as it shows the spectators that the mentalist apparently does not know any card manipulations and is only using his mind. Of course, we know the opposite...


Volume 3 - Assorted Mysteries

In the third volume of this groundbreaking video series, Richard Osterlind shares some of his most treasured Mind Mysteries. There are impromptu miracles to perform for friends at the dinner table along with more elaborate pieces suitable for large stage audiences.

Sweeter and Lower (4/5)- Osterlind updates his classic Sweet and Low effect. A signed packet of sweetener is torn and restored under extremely fair conditions.

Change of Mind (5/5)- This novel routine allows you to predict the coins that spectators will remove from their pockets. Complete instructions are given for making the ingenious gimmick and Osterlind supplies handlings for both close-up and stage.

Spoon Bending (5/5)- Learn how Richard Osterlind bends spoons in the fairest and most visual way. A knockout technique that amazes audiences.

Radio Sum Total (5/5)- Osterlind's version of Larry Becker's basic effect where the audience forms the problem to a mathematical answer that's already on display. Suitable for a live audience and even more amazing to perform on the radio!

Uncanny (3/5)- An ordinary playing card slowly turns over by itself to reveal it's the thought-of card. No threads, magnets or other gimmicks are used!

The Nail Writer (4/5)- Osterlind's personal handling, plus additional tips, for this ingenious tool.

Lottery Effect - The performer predicts the winning lottery number that 3 spectators freely form.

Cell Phone Effect - An audience member with a cell phone calls anyone they know and asks them to select a number. It matches the performer's prediction.

Bill in Cigarette (4/5)- A spectator's signed bill is destroyed and found inside a borrowed cigarette. An incredibly easy and astounding way to perform this classic effect.

*This volume is rated 4/5. This is due to the tools needed to perform most of the effects in this volume. However, they are simple and it provided killer effects in some places. One person I really hate is one pesky and noisy audience from the L&L Studio. Annoying!


Volume 4 - More Assorted Mysteries

In this final volume of his amazing video series, Richard Osterlind performs some of his most well-known routines in addition to some new, astounding effects that have never been revealed before. You'll see how strong this material is in front of a live audience.

Glass of Water Production (5/5)- Osterlind's classic glass of water production from an empty and examined paper bag. Paul Daniels and many other stars of magic have featured this on their television specials.

Imp Pad (5/5)- Duplicate one of Dunninger's Brain Busters! This is the real way to get information before the show. Plus, complete instructions are given on how to construct the ingenious pad.

Marked Coin in Bottle (3/5)- In this version of one of magic's classic effects, the coin is marked by a spectator before being magically passed into a soda bottle by the performer. The spectator's marked coin is actually in the bottle, which must be smashed in order to retrieve the coin.

Signed Torn and Restored Post-It Note (4/5)- An ordinary Post-It Note is signed and torn to pieces. The performer restores and returns the signed Note in the fairest possible way.

Spike Bending (5/5)- Metal bending for a large stage audience! The performer passes out huge spikes for examination and then apparently bends them with the power of his mind in full view!

S.O.S. Pseudo-Psychometry Bag (3/5)- Five spectators drop personal items into a black cloth bag without the performer knowing which person the items belong to. The performer returns each item to its proper owner while giving a psychometric reading for each.

Signed Torn and Restored Newspaper (5/5)- This is the most guarded secret in this video series! Any page is selected from a newspaper and signed by a spectator. The paper is torn in half five times and then restored. The signed paper is then returned to the spectator to keep as a souvenir. What's more, the performer is totally clean at the effect's conclusion. This effect has been fooling the best minds in magic for over 15 years and is finally being released!

*A whopping 5/5 for this volume. The effects of some of the tricks overcome the lesser ones. It is spectacular and although the tricks sound really hard, its actually quite simple and easy to perform.

Most of the tricks give out killer effects and are quite easy to perform. However, there are times when preparations are needed. But then, around 50% of the tricks can be performed impromptu. Trust me, the DVD is good for beginner mentalists.

Absolutely agree with you there :lol: Richard Osterlind's DVD set is excellent!!! I like Max Mavern too (if anyone's looking out for his newly released PRISM hardcover book on mentalism you can email me) but they've both got very different styles...

For those who don't already have Mind Mysteries 1- 4, I'd strongly recommend you getting it (you know who to look for, for affordable ORIGINAL DVDs)... it'd be a worthy investment and something which you can really learn and not just wtch once and let it collect dust bunnies! ^_^

Cheers,
Ning
ning@thelittlemagicshop.com

PS: mindfreak, were you irritated by the spectator who was so "kua-zhang" and always very over-reactive? :lol: he's such a comedianne!!! But undeniable, Richard Osterlind is goooooood...

I completely agree with you both.
Richard's work is outstanding and surely worth picking up and learning.
The tricks aren't too difficult to learn and not at all hard to perform.
His techniques are powerful and if you don't have them by now, pick them up.
Very Very Good.