David Copperfield's laser illusion is an

illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may o ...

performed by

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

in several

magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...

shows. The

magician Magician or The Magician may refer to: Performers * A practitioner of magic (supernatural) * A practitioner of magic (illusion) * Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context Entertainment Books * ''The Magician'', an 18th-ce ...

or his assistant is cut by a "

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

" into two or more parts and starts walking.

Illusion description

As performed during the 2001 TV special ''Copperfield: Tornado of Fire'', Copperfield was "cut in half" by his assistant or assistants, wielding the laser beam. Sparks and flames flew where the beam "hits" his body. Copperfield then demonstrated to the audience that he was truly in two pieces by lowering the top half of his body onto a chair while the lower half of his body (waist down) remained visibly standing. As the finale, Copperfield, still separated from the waist, held on to his legs as he walked and hopped to the front of the stage, where he lifted the upper half of his body onto the bottom half and "re-connected" himself.''Copperfield: Tornado of Fire'', CBS (2001). The illusion is not currently featured in the live performances of David Copperfield, who rotates effects in and out of his repertoire as new material evolves and is developed.

References

*Dawes, A. E., et al. ''Making Magic''. London: Multimedia Books, Ltd, 1993. Magic tricks 2001 establishments in the United States 2001 in American television Laser art Television shows about magic {{magic-stub

Illusion description

See also

References