The majority of this 110-minute video was captured during a
live lecture with extra footage later shot in a studio
setting to capture the intricate details and necessary
camera angles. The two sessions have been pieced together to
provide the view with a combination of high-quality
entertainment and detailed instructional material.

Included are audience-tested, commercial effects that are
perfect for mentalists and magicians alike, along with
Carlyle's famous "Mediums Grip" which is shown in complete
detail for the first time ever on video.
Running Time: 110 Minutes

NOTE;  THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD AND WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASES ON VIDEO. 

MY COMMENTS: Unfortunately, I keep missing opportunities to
see this elegant performer in person, but this tape
certainly showcases all the charm and experience that I've
heard about Carlyle. The DVD can pretty much be summed up
the same way: elegant and charming and experienced. The
routines are solid and contain some very clever and
practical handlings of classic mentalism effects, handlings
that I'm adapting to my own work. However, there are no
unique and original effects on the tape, just handlings of
classic stuff. This is not a criticism or a drawback of the
fine material on the tape, just an observation so that you
know what to expect. The Medium's Grip, though, is the
exception.

The blurb does not list the nine routines, but I will.
Carlyle supplies his version of a dollar bill serial number
divination (An Opener...My Way), a word test (An Opener), a
word/book test (Carlyle's Book Test), an ESP Symbol test
(Think of an ESP Symbol), the haunted key (Mental Key), the
add-a-number routine (Carlyle's Add-A-Number) and 7 Keys To
Baldplate (When You Wake Up Tonight...). I especially
enjoyed the directness of "An Opener ...My Way," his
"Haunted Key" routine, and the "When You Wake Up Tonight."
Many have subtleties which are well worth learning and
adding to your routines, if you already use them. Two other
effects (Did I Send You A Thought? and CreditCard
Portation), a mental card trick and credit card trick
respectively, are both suited more to the magician than the
mentalist, and as such aren't quite as strong. They're nice
effects and, like the others,well-thought out, but it is
doubtful you will use them.

I should also add that Carlyle's word test and 7 Keys To
Baldplate cannot be done unless you purchase the necessary
props from Carlyle himself. You could, though, adapt them
with the similar props you may already have. He also sells
his ESP Symbol Test and the CreditCard Portation, but it is
not difficult to make the materials yourself. You will also
need to make the gimmick for the add-a-number routine. The
bottom line here is that, unless you already have the props
in your collection, such as the Haunted Key, you will only
be able to practice the serial number effect and the Medium's
Grip immediately after watching the DVD.

Which brings me to the final item on the DVD -- Carlyle's
Medium's Grip. This enables the seance worker to make the
two participants on either side of you believe that each
hand holds another, when really one of your hands is free to
do the dirty work. If you do seances, then this section
alone will be worth the price of the entire disk. If you do
seances, then don't even hesitate, buy this. I highly
recommend it. You'll enjoy the other effects, though they
pale in comparison to the brilliance of The Medium's Grip.

Finally, a couple of gripes: The portions of this DVD
were shot over two different sessions. One was a lecture
and one was the studio-shot explanations. Due to this,
Carlyle repeats information quite frequently. It did bother
me a bit, but it's hardly a serious matter, just a minor bit
of criticism.

If you do seance work, this is highly recommended. If you
do mentalism effects, then this is a product containing some
fine work by an elegant performer and is recommended.