Like many, magic has always held a fascination for me.  The combination of the overall illusionary effect and the challenge of trying to work out how it was achieved makes a mixture that I find very hard to resist.  As a result I was keen to dip into the box labelled Marvin's Magic Freaky Body Illusions.  Of course, having read the first two sentences of this review, you will appreciate that my interest has more to do with the magic element rather than a desire to immerse myself into an exploration of a freaky body - as if.

This box of tricks has been put together as part of a range developed by Marvin Berglas, a world-class magician (who I have to admit has totally escaped my notice up to now).  Designed to appeal to those aged eight and upwards, the various illusions featured in this collection all have a highly visual impact with gore and apparent body-part mutilation to the fore.  Along with the various props, the kit includes an instructional DVD to help budding illusionists give the optimum performance to impress the audience.

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As no other type of instruction is provided, you will need to run the DVD to discover how to perform the various tricks.  Separate sections are available on the disk showing the tricks being performed by a professional and an explanation as to how each illusion is achieved.  Obviously the more practice the child put in, the better the performance will be in mystifying an audience.

While the Marvin's Magic box does contain various props, not all the different tricks require anything other than the performer's own body parts.  Into this latter category falls the tricks involving stretching various digits; removing fingers and thumbs; plus pushing a finger through your cheek   I did mention earlier that an element mutilation played a part with this product. 

However if you want to appear that you can twist your head round 360 degrees, you will need the supplied box and the secret of the trick.  Other props included in the kit allow you to give your brain a quick floss; manipulate a severed arm and hand with moveable fingers; stretch your ear; crack your bones; and make a disembodied hand appear from a box or from behind a cloth.

For an explanation of how to carry out any of these feats you will need to purchase Marvin's Magic Freaky Body Illusions as I am under the threat of some freaky body tortures if I reveal any of the secrets involved in this magic collection.  One thing I can say is that the various props have been designed for use by a child rather than an adult.  All the tricks in this box should appeal to the targeted young audience.  Marvin's Magic Freaky Body Illusions has been priced at £24.99 although I have seen one retailer pricing it higher.  This product should be available from stores such as Harrods, Hamleys, John Lewis and Toy R US and would go down a treat for Halloween.

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