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Derren Brown

bob_3 said:
Why though?

Basically, because this latest tv series is complete crap. Ok, I suppose it's a bit unfair of me to write him off based on one rubbish series.

It's a bit like when one of your favourite singers releases a crappy album I suppose. It's the latest music which is fresh in your mind and you're left wondering if they've lost it and we've seen the best of them. Just hope it's a one off and that they pull it back together for the next one.
 
Has anyone else being watching the Science of Scams? It's really interesting.
I really want to do that PSI Wheel thing now. :p
http://www.scienceofscams.com/

Also an interesting section on the Pepper Ghost Effect which is of course used in rides such as Phantom Manor.
 
Rather than starting a new topic might as well bring this back up.
As most of you will know. Hero at 30,000 was on last night.

Still disappointed with all these 'big' stunts he's trying to do. Would LOVE another series of Trick or Treat and see him do more of what he's good at. It's hard to show of how clever and great he is with what he's doing now.

I loved the guys face when he was tied to the tracks and he said the next train was due. :p
Was still an alright watch. But for those who have maybe just started Derrens shows won't know how amazing he is. :)

...Still waiting for Enigma to be broadcast. Was amazing seeing him live doing what he's best at.
 
I found the stunt last night a good bit of mindless entertainment, but it was so far fetched it was rediculous.

The taxi left on the driveway moved for the policeman to get in???... the train track stunt... the cock pit screens were night time when *in theroy* he was walking from a daylight lit cabin. The list probally goes on...
 
I was quite mislead by the whole thing. Each advert for the programme stated by Derren Brown the programme would be live - Ok, it was live for about 30seconds after each break and for the final minute at the end, but I kind of felt that the whole thing would be live? I may sound stupid and silly, but I was a tad annoyed.

The stuff itself I have studied in Psychology before, so I knew what he was on about, but it was simple stuff and it wasn't his best.

Disappointed.
 
I hate Derren Brown, everything and anything he does is all fake and set up.

Remember when he "predicted the lottery" and the "you won't be able to get out of your seat after watching this" thing? What a load of bull. He needs a good slap
 
Derren Brown is probably the single biggest cock working in television. He is a genuinely awful, awful person.

So no, I did not watch his latest load of bull**** and chips.
 
I have a love/hate (viewing) relationship with Derren Brown.

I love the acts he does. I think the stuff he does is exceptionally clever and it's a good twist on the traditional "magic act".

I also love the way he's willing to go head on against alleged mystics, etc. His cynical, sceptical way and ability to approach these plonkers head on and expose them for what they are should be applauded.

However, he's a smug, self-satisfied and annoying twat. So it's a real trade off between being amazed by some of the things he does, and loving his acts; and finding him really annoying to watch.

I recorded "hero", but haven't watched it, may not do...
 
I feel like Brown is using years and years of trust built up with viewers and literally tossing it all down the toilet with his unbelievable Americanised stunts of recent times. And that's a shame, because he is very clever, very interesting and genuinely capable of some impressive stuff.

His "twatishness" has increased recently, and I find that during his shows he's less likely to talk in that spur of the moment (fake or otherwise) jittery way to people on the show like he did in his old stuff. Now it seems far more rehearsed and far more fake.

Maybe that is all part of a bigger plan. I don't know. At first I assumed it must be, but now I'm not so sure.

Hero was okay. At numerous times I felt like the man who became the hero consciously acting.
 
Joey said:
Hero was okay. At numerous times I felt like the man who became the hero consciously acting.

In essence, he was. Hypnotism (which is essentially what Brown is using) isn't some great mystery. It's simply hooking into a person's need to feel wanted and to fit in.

They fool themselves into doing the things the hypnotist requests of them. It's a form of self-denial.

Anyone who is hypnotised is completely aware of what they are doing. They are simply "talked" into a state of inhibition. They then (as they don't want to upset or de-friend their hypnotist) deliberately ignore what has happened to them. It's not quite as vulgar as that, we're very good at pushing things out of mind.

Anyway, the point is, he IS acting. He knows everything is a lie, and that it's all stuff he really does know and remember really from his "night-time meetings" with Derren Brown. He just chooses to ignore it.

It's psychology and it's very clever really which is what I find fascinating about Derren Brown's work. He doesn't hide what he's doing, and he's open (in his books and stuff) about how a lot of what he does is accomplished. It doesn't detract from how good he is at his "job".

So yeah, it's interesting, but annoying at the same time.
 
I enjoyed the show and, like most, had some doubts to it's authenticity.

Derren Brown has answers to many questions *here* on his blog.

I appreciate that many may not believe his answers anyway, but it's an interesting read. I'm still not convinced either way...
 
furie said:
However, he's a smug, self-satisfied and annoying twat.
With his past few shows that may come across but Derren is actually a really nice guy. When I met him after Enigma he said that he was in a hurry so apologised if he seemed like he was rushing signing peoples stuff. But even then he spent ages talking to people and stopping for photos with them and signing multiple items.

His book is a brilliant read as well Furie and I think you'll be the kind of person that would find it interesting. In it he even said he's had multiple offers from bigger TV companies like the BBC to do larger TV shows but has turned them down as he doesn't want to become a huge celebrity and wants to keep focussed on his shows. It also details a lot about some of the work he's already done and teaches you some of the techniques he uses for memory, hypnotism and talks about the signs and body language he looks out for in shows.

Anyway like I said his last few shows make him seem a bit big headed and trying these huge stunts. But he just needs to go back to his old stuff and show everyone what he's good at.
 
furie said:
Joey said:
Hero was okay. At numerous times I felt like the man who became the hero consciously acting.

In essence, he was. Hypnotism (which is essentially what Brown is using) isn't some great mystery. It's simply hooking into a person's need to feel wanted and to fit in.

They fool themselves into doing the things the hypnotist requests of them. It's a form of self-denial.

Anyone who is hypnotised is completely aware of what they are doing. They are simply "talked" into a state of inhibition. They then (as they don't want to upset or de-friend their hypnotist) deliberately ignore what has happened to them. It's not quite as vulgar as that, we're very good at pushing things out of mind.

Anyway, the point is, he IS acting. He knows everything is a lie, and that it's all stuff he really does know and remember really from his "night-time meetings" with Derren Brown. He just chooses to ignore it.

It's psychology and it's very clever really which is what I find fascinating about Derren Brown's work. He doesn't hide what he's doing, and he's open (in his books and stuff) about how a lot of what he does is accomplished. It doesn't detract from how good he is at his "job".

So yeah, it's interesting, but annoying at the same time.
I used the word "consciously" because what I mean is it seemed like he literally was a professional actor who wasn't just playing along under hypnotism. I felt it a bit coincidental how well his family played along as well. You know what I mean I'm sure.
 
Joey said:
I used the word "consciously" because what I mean is it seemed like he literally was a professional actor who wasn't just playing along under hypnotism. I felt it a bit coincidental how well his family played along as well. You know what I mean I'm sure.

Yeah, I watched it and I know what you mean. However, I think it really was the way that he'd been "groomed" by Derren Brown.

The issue is really this... If you were going to go through all that effort and have it "made up and put together", you'd produce a much better piece of entertainment surely? :lol:

Ollie said:
With his past few shows that may come across but Derren is actually a really nice guy. When I met him after Enigma he said that he was in a hurry so apologised if he seemed like he was rushing signing peoples stuff. But even then he spent ages talking to people and stopping for photos with them and signing multiple items.

It's certainly been in his last few shows (the last couple of years really) he's become annoying "smug twattish". He always was to a degree before, but there was always an air of uncertainty about him. Like he was finding his feet and proving himself. Now he has, he's changed... Not saying he's unfriendly or anything, anything but to be honest. I'm sure he's really nice, but his "show front" isn't good any more. Maybe it never was, but you were so busy being bamboozled before you never noticed?

I've read his books, many years ago (on release). I've been an avid follower of his for years and years since he first came into the limelight.

I'm not anti Derren Brown at all. I just have gone off him a bit over the last couple of years because of his slight change of "on stage persona".

Having seen the program now, it was another anti-climactic disappointment. Lots of bluff and build up leading to a very short, silly ending.

I think the problem is simple where does Brown go next? After being able to tell you were you come from by sniffing your shoes, to show encompassing live tricks, to a superb fake seance... How does he top his previous shows? He can't keep doing the same parlour tricks, so he's trying to find something a bit different. However, his new ideas can't compete with the past things he's done. So he's pushing and pushing, but what he's pushing at is actually worse entertainment.

The problem with "hero" is the end premise. That only "the hero" would stand up and save the day.

Hands up who here watched it and though "I wish that was me, I'd be up like a shot and taking control. I'd love to be the hero!".

We all (certainly the real men amongst us :p ), have a hero complex. We all think and fantasise about being given the chance to step up and be the hero. So the premise is flawed. In reality, we rarely ever do, but in our heads, we ARE the hero. We can't see what is so special about getting up and taking the controls. If asked "will YOU take the controls of an aeroplane out of control and save the lives of everyone?" we'd all say, "yes!".

Where is the "magic" in making somebody do it? It's a flawed concept. Psychology experts may say that in reality everyone would back down, but in our heads, we're Superman and would do it without flinching.

So yeah, it's a big fail. For somebody who is really into psychology, Brown seems to have missed something important there.
 
As most of you know Enigma was on TV last night. It soon became the most talked about thing on Twitter and Facebook last night.

The show was just as amazing as I remembered it. It may have started a bit slow but the second half after the interval was amazing and just got better and better until the end. I personally reckon Enigma is easily the best stage show he's done and he's making me even more excited until I see his next show Svengali in March. :)

I love his stage shows. His specials seem to be getting more over the top and ridiculous but here he goes back to what he's good at. There's no landing planes or guessing lottery numbers. :p

Did anyone else here watch it? If you missed it you can catch it again on Saturday or you can watch it on 4od.
 
I was washing my hair. [/lamejoke]
 
I wathced it, and whilst I enjoyed it, and found it interesting to watch, I found the whole thing far too predictable. I guessed the ending, both the video clip and the thing with the letters in the set, during the first 20 mins.

|It's because all his shows follow the same format, and it just becomes easy to work out what he's going to claim at the end. Of course, what he says at the end is complete rubbish as well.
 
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