The Blue Room illusion

[@vimisi]

To see this performed so well is priceless.. And although I suspect it has been edited or the POV adjusted (Tina Lennart coming out of Tina Lennart), I also believe and respect the fact that no trick photography was used at any time. This ranks in my top 10 favorite magic viewing experiences of all time.

[@TheOriginalSindini]

I own this illusion. Nothing has been edited !

[@fantasticanomaly838]

It's SO well done, that I can't get it out of my head that it isn't a camera trick! It looks too much like a scene from a movie, maybe an audience would have made it more realistic. That woman appearing was amazing!

[@tykralin756]

I worked this illusion at a fair one year, It was owned by a Peruvian family, turning a girl into a skeleton. I was so honored to work it for them, on stage, early in my career. I can attest there are no mirrors involved.

[@dryrotdryrot9908]

US Patent 211605 by John Henry Pepper and James J. Walker does mention mirrors specifically.

[@jssherrard]

I am fortunate to know how this is done. For those who insist that this is accomplished by video or camera tricks... it is not! This is a theatre effect that can be and has been performed entirely live. If you are unable to figure out how it is done, that does not mean it is impossible. :) If you are dying to know the secret, you might try researching back issues of Magic Magazine from the mid 90's.

[@TheOriginalSindini]

"It is the joint invention of Prof. John Henry Pepper, of Ghost illusion fame, and James J. Walker, both of Eng- land. It was patented in the United States by the inventors. The object of the apparatus is to render an actor, or some inanimate thing, such as a chair, table, suit of armor, etc., visible or invisible at will. "It is also designed," says the specifica- tion in the patent office, "to substitute for an ob- ject in sight of the audience the image of another similar object hidden from direct vision without the audience being aware that any such substitu- tion has been made." Quote from the solution of the Illusion.

[@edmundokentwell7267]

Beautifully staged - and, as you say, no camera tricks. I have to disagree with those who are saying this is a Pepper's Ghost effect. It's a very distinct effect in its own right, though it's true that John Pepper was involved in its creation. Interestingly, unlike Pepper's Ghost, there seem to be very few online descriptions of this effect. A magical secret that is being kept (for the moment!)

[@TheOriginalSindini]

I'm reading the solution right now.

[@Jourell1]

Thank you!!! i saw this some time ago and have been looking for it since. I have a strong innterest in magic particularly older forms as i also have an interest in the time period this was invented in, ie turn of the last cerntury. Its incredible how effective something as simple as The Ghost can be if done correctly.

[@TomBarrister]

This illusion was created by magician Howard Pepper around 1858 and was made popular by Howard Thurston, who referred to it as the "Blue Room". It doesn't involve any video trickery (which didn't exist in that day), and most versions don't involve what is commonly known as a "mirror". Thurston's illusion differed slightly from Pepper's. The video is from Lance Burton's "Secrets of Magic," and Mr. Burton follows Pepper's version faithfully. Unfortunately, the lighting work is very sloppy.

[@TheOriginalSindini]

It is the joint invention of Prof. John Henry Pepper, of Ghost illusion fame, and James J. Walker, both of Eng- land. It was patented in the United States by the inventors. The object of the apparatus is to render an actor, or some inanimate thing, such as a chair, table, suit of armor, etc., visible or invisible at will. "It is also designed," says the specifica- tion in the patent office, "to substitute for an ob- ject in sight of the audience the image of another similar object hidden from direct vision without the audience being aware that any such substitu- tion has been made. Quote from the solution.

[@coolaun]

Just look up Pepper's Ghost on Wikipedia: you'll see how this is done without any video trickery. The only problem with this version is that the way it's filmed makes it look as if there could be camera tricks involved, although that's not the case. It would be lovely to see this done live.

[@kingrobert1st]

No camera tricks except that TV is one big camera trick!

[@Jaydoggy531]

+King Robert This is possible live, actually. Not often done on stage,

[@cliffordhodge1449]

Some of the image disappearances reminded me of Etch-A-Sketch erasing.

[@Trumagmur]

@TomBarrister The illusion was invented in 1862 by Henry Dircks, but he was unable to sell the idea to theatres. John Pepper later watched the illusion and came up with his own, more practical way to perform it. Because Pepper made the illusion popular, his name is attached to it, although he tried many times to give the credit to Dircks.

[@minäkönarkomaani]

How do you know that? Have you read it from somewhere

[@dryrotdryrot9908]

Pepper's name is on the patent. Where does your info about Dircks come from?

[@SeanMorgan2]

This is quite a classic, I saw it on the special hosted by Robert Urich about 10 years ago. The effect is pretty convincing.

[@mercurio0000]

I also know how part of this illusion is done and I just think it is amazin! I love it! And the ending was very cool to. Very creative. I wish they had done it with a better choice of music, but that would have been a plus. 5 start rating for this video is the minimum I would give.

[@nidgesolly17]

Jim Steinmeyer. Hiding the elephant. Too complicated to be a standalone pepper effect.

[@JOELDSDLR]

a lovely illusion none the less

[@ianmacm]

The Blue Room is similar to Pepper's Ghost, but it uses a sliding mirror to reveal the hidden room. The room is painted blue and lit dimly in order to prevent changes in the shadow angles from giving the game away.

[@minäkönarkomaani]

I got the impression that there were no mirrors at all involved while making this illusion. Better luck next time, ok?

[@dryrotdryrot9908]

@@minäkönarkomaani US Patent 211605 by John Henry Pepper and James J. Walker does mention mirrors specifically. You may Google it at your convenience.

[@MavisRileyJunior]

Secrets Of Magic DVD with Lance Burton.

[@NewMJ]

This illusion is a good 100 years old and was created by Harry Keller. It's related to Pepper's Ghost and the ballroom in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.

[@Moonsyne]

If you want to prove to yourself that this works, go into a room with a window looking out on a nighttime scene, with objects visible. Bring a flashlight with you, and turn out all the lights in the room. Stand facing the window, then shine the flashlight on your face. You'll discover that the brighter the flashlight, the less transparent the reflection of your face seems to be. This is the balancing act required to make the effect look natural - or should we say supernatural.

[@themightythor1160]

Wish it weren't cut off at the end :/ Thanks for uploading though!

[@minäkönarkomaani]

I think that they show how the trick is done at the end, so it's better that way..

[@puncheshippies623]

Love the music in this

[@mooneyesplays7]

Pepper's Ghost indeed.

[@MagiCaleb]

@DannyJosephMagic not peppers ghost. Out our mistaken for that since he collaborated on it. Look it up in the April edition of magic magazine.

[@MagiCaleb]

This is also performed in the broadway production of ghost

[@runningsandwich]

No. This can be performed live.

[@nidgesolly17]

Harry Keller is up there for the idea of this

[@ASSO74]

A very hold trick!!! In modern key presentation.

[@awimagic]

no camera tricks ??? wow its really hard to believe

[@mysticcatstudios6683]

that is so cool!

[@haxanthrobo]

My kind of magic!...

[@iLikeTheUDK]

But how are the reflections opaque?

[@jhniscolV2]

I saw this live. This definitely isn't camera tricks

[@egamer25]

Um... if you didn't want to know how it was done why did you come look for it here?

[@MavisRileyJunior]

I promise you it isn't a camera trick.

[@MrPisster]

@fur4scott now on hulu.com too.

[@MavisRileyJunior]

I know this because I know how the illusion is done.Simple.

[@MavisRileyJunior]

Maybe you can spot the Dead NASA dude.

[@allynchavira5519]

They didn't have cgi when this aired on TV in the late 80s early 90s

[@TimeTravelinc]

Allyn Chavira Oh no, they did. But it wasn't as good as it is now. This however is practical effects or illusions from long ago. Either way, no visual tricks and no CGI.

[@RickMcKeeMusic]

What was the name of this special?? I remember watching in the 90s. Beautifully done!!

[@MavisRileyJunior]

Oh blimey erm Ill find out and let you know.

[@MavisRileyJunior]

Not sure if its on other shows but its on Lance Burton - Secrets of Magic DVD.

[@Jaydoggy531]

I remember seeing it on "The Art of Performing Magic."

[@iLikeTheUDK]

What do you mean by "fake"? Of course they're not real ghosts.

[@Moonsyne]

Yes, just Wiki Pepper's Ghost.

[@jkmtennispro]

very true, I've known one of the creators who helped recreate this very same illusion on t.v. The illusion does use a technique know as peper's ghost, (the same effect in Disney's Haunted Mansion) sadley, the video that you've posted uses the aid of camera tricks in some parts of the illusion. So technically it uses a little bit of both.

[@bondjames628]

It's called an illusion, and yes it's possible

[@MavisRileyJunior]

Its based on Peppers Ghost as someone else has written.You don't believe me,sorry.Just becasue you don't know how it's done doesn't mean it has to be fake.

[@justinlaw77]

i bought it on amazon

[@155chipmunkz]

neither do i

[@MavisRileyJunior]

This isn't a camera trick.

[@Max058028tingle]

I don't get it...

[@MavisRileyJunior]

It isn't fake.

[@mOntaLex]

fake bur reaaaaaally nice video...

[@westsidebakehouse]

It is T.V., I mean that can't be possible.

[@rathnabhatt2456]

dr gururaj karjigi

[@mOntaLex]

sorry but i cant believe you,you give me zero reasons to believe you.its not enough for me that u r saying to me"it isnt fake." so and i tell you "its fake".and then what?give me arguments.

[@lego398]

ITS DEFINETLY CAMERA TRICKS! hahha

[@patrickoriley8382]

CGI. No other way.

[@Jaydoggy531]

There definitely is a way. You could see this live, but it's rare to see it.

[@zizimugen4470]

There's a way. I know what it is, and even though I know it, the performance is still beautiful. Maybe more beautiful now that I can focus more on that than the trickery that's being done live. But this was not CGI. I was actually a kid when this segment aired in its program, the World's Greatest Magic, on abc family back then (dunno what that channel is now. It's the network bicycle.).