How to READ MINDS?
 Nov 18th, 2005
Advantages:
Cheap, Entertaining . . . ummm learn how to make people forget things? : P
Disadvantages:
Alot of this was from the C4 series, maybe already seen
Recommendable:
Yes
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  Tha-Flash
About me:
• × • Thank you all for RRC/Trust • × •
Member since:05.10.2005
Reviews:17
Members who trust:14
Review rated by 25 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
It's not exactly mind reading, but it looks like it... I hope the title got your attention anyway :)
***SO, WHO IS THIS DERREN BROWN ANYWAY? ***
I'm sure you've heard of Derren before, you know… the guy who did the 'Mind Control' and 'Trick of the Mind' series on Channel 4. He also did the controversial 'Séance' which received the most complaints ever in C4 history. I would say Derren is a psychological illusionist, many people would say he's a mind reader although he doesn't claim to be a mind reader. He's actually using "a mixture of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship."
"Derren was born in 1971 in Croydon. It was a difficult birth: his mother was in Devon at the time. A precocious and puzzling only child for some years, he liked to paint, foster obsessive habits, and once set fire to a neighbour's boat by accident. Later, after his brother was born, Derren went to study Law and German at Bristol University and fell in love with the city. This was still at the time when marriages between man and city were frowned upon, so rather than risk public derision, Derren decided to just live there after graduating and vowed never to leave. During this time he didn't have two pennies to rub together, which was a shame as it was his only way of keeping warm. He began to perform magic in bars and restaurants, and gave occasional hypnosis shows. Meanwhile he continued to paint unflattering portraits of the rich and famous."
*** DERREN'S PERFORMANCES
& TV ***
TV Specials
• DERREN BROWN: MIND CONTROL 1 first shown 27 December, 2000
• DERREN BROWN: MIND CONTROL 2 first shown 25 August, 2001
• DERREN BROWN: MIND CONTROL 3 first shown on 1 January 2002
• DERREN BROWN plays RUSSIAN ROULETTE LIVE broadcast 5 October, 2003
• DERREN BROWN: SEANCE broadcast 31 May, 2004
• DERREN BROWN: MESSIAH broadcast 7 January, 2005
• DERREN BROWN: THE GATHERING broadcast 29 May, 2005
TV Series
• Series One: Derren Brown Mind Control six episodes shown on E4 from November 2002, and on C4 from March 2003
• Series Two: Derren Brown Trick of the Mind - Series 1 six episodes shown on C4 and E4 from April 2004
• Series Three: Derren Brown Trick of the Mind - Series 2 six episodes shown on E4 and C4 from April 2005
*** TELL ME MORE ABOUT 'INSIDE YOUR MIND'? ***
This DVD contains all of the best bits from the 'Mind Control' series, including insight to how some of his techniques are done. You can also see how he does most of what he does by just watching it over and over while listening to exactly what he's saying, and how he says it, notice the body language also. The DVD contains "How to" guides and has a feature on how to spot when Car Salesmen are lying, great demonstration on how liars give themselves away without even realising it. The DVD has some interviews - one with Mr. Brown himself and celebrity fans. I think what adds to Derren's performance is his subtle, sharp humour. Derren Brown narrates throughout the video explaining what's going on...
Inside Your Mind starts out on the London underground… Derren approaches this guy on the tram and causes him to forget what stop he's getting off at. It's all done so naturally but if you listen closely to what's actually being said you can work out how it's done… I know there are some other subtle tricks he used but I'll leave that a mystery for you. The amnesia on the train clips are shown throughout the DVD, He plays the "Which hand is it in?" game with some psychologists, wins at Black Jack way too much… He also shows you how he does this using mnemonics. He doesn't cheat at the game yet he's banned from so many casinos. He also does a great card trick with the croupiers after winning at Black Jack. Next he really scares the sh** out of a guy who works on a ghost train, I think he hypnotises him while he shakes his hand. When the guy gets back out at the end of the ride, his facial expression is just priceless, you can tell he's so scared. Great stuff. Then Derren takes Chris Ryan (a guy who's difficult to read), a guy who worked in the SAS for 10 years. Derren has to walk over a set-up assault course without hurting himself while being. This part takes up way too much of the DVD I would say, I don't really like this part. He then "mind reads" women and tells them the qualities they would like in a guy, it's pretty good how he does it. Derren then gives this girl a crazy trip in her mind and she gets so scared… This part is weird, shows us just how great our imagination really is. Another great part is where Derren goes to a library and remembers a whole book in like twenty minutes, this is really amazing… Makes me want to learn photo-reading.
After, he makes these girls imagine and actually see forks that they're holding bend while it's just their imagination. Derren is then in some big Oxford hall and he chooses a person at random and has to guess the drawing Derren has had in an envelope all evening… This part is pretty good, watch it from the start and LISTEN then you'll see how it's done. The next part, the dog racing track is my favourite and I know everybody wants to know how to do this… he gets two cashiers to pay out on LOSING tickets, you can see how this is done also, so naturally. Next, Derren performs a trick known as Dual Reality, with three strippers… How this is done is pretty silly once you realise what's going on. Another great part is where Derren is with three medical students and induces toothache in all three of them, intensifies the pain and suddenly stops it then he anesthetises one of their hands and the student cannot feel his own hand… He then sticks a needle through it and NO PAIN or blood, very weird and great example of how language patterns can control our feelings/behaviour… I thought this was great.
Derren is then with a group of people in an art gallery, a guy has to "guess" what portrait Derren is hiding and Derren tells him to change his mind several times and still manages to come up with the correct name. Towards the end, Derren demonstrates how advertisers are just as susceptible to subliminal influence as everybody else, brilliant work. ****************************************************************
*** OTHER INFORMATION ***
Amazon price is £6.97 - usually dispatched within 24 hours.
Mine came pretty fast.
Release Date: October 6, 2003 Classification is 15.
**************************************************************** I strongly recommend this DVD for the Derren Brown fans who haven't seen this before, it's awesome. I don't think gimmicks/stooges/actors are used either because most of his effects are achieved through psychological manipulation, you can see how most of it's actually done when you pay close attention.
I can't wait for Derren's next series, they've been excellent so far. If you're going to buy this then I hope you will enjoy it
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by (84%):
by (16%):
02.06.2007 13:40
Great review! And I agree, Derren Brown is just as good as you say. Him freaking that girl out was amazing. I'm baffled as to how he does it. Jooleybooley x
26.11.2005 12:50
Great review. Gayna x
24.11.2005 17:35
Some of his stuff is really good. Great review. Scott