"Trans-Euro Express" by Reed McClintock
Suggested Retail USD$40.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 8 Out of 10

"Trans-Euro Express", a manuscript and DVD combo by Reed McClintock, is a very neat idea that moves the "Shadow Coins"/"Chink-A-Chink" plot up a level or two and demonstrates some inspired thinking about the theme. Unfortunately, because of its roots, performing it will be a problem except under exacting circumstances.

First, though, I've got to ask this: what is the problem with actually -- oh, I don't know -- describing what "Trans-Euro Express" is? No dealer ads actually talk about the effect itself, or what you're getting, sacrificing that useful information for tons upon tons of hype about McClintock and how you too can win awards with "Trans-Euro Express" and become a god among mortals and... well, you get the idea. I like Reed McClintock's work most of the time, I know he's a grand creator when he's hitting his stride. I don't need to have all of that shoved at me. I do, though, as a consumer, need to know what I'm plopping down my shekels for. That is comes from Reed McClintock is not enough, sorry.

So much for my lecture to future marketing whizzes. Back to "Trans-Euro Express".

The booklet teaches you Reed McClintock's move (more accurately moves but for simplicity's sake we'll use the singular form) and is foundation for accompanying four routines. Let's hit the routines first and come back to the move.

First up is the titled "Trans-Euro Express". This is a three-phase routine that begins with three quarters in a row and, beneath them, three pennies in a row. A card is placed over one of the pennies and changes places with a quarter. This is repeated with each of the pennies. Next, all three quarters are covered and the three pennies placed in a row. One at a time, the pennies change to quarters. When the card is lifted, all three pennies are found underneath. In the last phase, three pennies are placed in a group and the three quarters are placed in a group. The quarters are covered with a card and instantly change places with the pennies.

Next is the routine "Like is Like", another three-phase routine. Two pennies and to quarters are placed in two groups, a quarter and a penny in each group, with the quarters to the left and the pennies to the right. One of the groups is covered with a playing card. A wave of the hand over the visible pile and the quarter is now to the right and the penny to the left. The card is lifted and it's seen that the position of those coins has changed as well. In phase two, one group is covered with a card. A wave of the hand and the uncovered coins are now both quarters. The card is lifted to show the two pennies. Finally, the pennies are covered with a card, a wave of the hand over the quarters, and the quarters change to pennies. Lifting the card reveals the two quarters.

In "The Power of the Penny", a penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter are used. The penny is covered with a card. The hand is waved over the nickel and it turns into a penny. A wave over the dime and it becomes a nickel. A wave over the quarter turns it into a dime. A wave over the penny turns it into a quarter. Lifting the card shows the penny still underneath.

"Matink" is the last effect, another three-phase piece. Four pennies are laid out in a diamond and a card placed over the one closest to you. The left hand covers the penny on the left, the right hand the penny on the right. When the hands are lifted, the penny on the left is gone and there are two pennies to the right. The left hand covers the top penny, the right hand covers the two pennies and when the hands are lifted there are two pennies at the top and one to the right. In a bit of a sucker moment, the right hand knocks a coin to the left. When the spectator is asked if they saw the coin travel, the right hand is lifted and the penny is still there. The left hand covers the coins at the top, the right hand covers the penny to the right. When the hands are lifted, there are now three pennies at the top. The right hand now covers the three pennies, the left hand covers the card and when the hands are lifted there are four pennies under the right hand and the card is lifted to show nothing there. In the next phase (yes, all of that was "phase one"), the pennies are put back in their original diamond formation and again the card is placed over the one on the bottom. The right hand covers the penny at the top, the left hand covers the penny on the left. When the hands are lifted, the penny on the left has traveled to the top. The top two pennies are covered, along with the penny on the right, and it's shown that the penny on the right has also traveled to the top. The three pennies are covered, along with the card, and then it's shown that the three pennies have traveled underneath the card. The last phase begins with all four pennies covered with a card. Both hands are held over the "top" of the diamond and a penny appears. The right hand is held the right, the left to the left, and a penny appears under each hand. The card is turned over and there's now just a single penny under the card.

Okay, that's a lot to read, but considering no one else seems to what to tell you exactly what you're going to be capable of doing with "Trans-Euro Express", I thought I'd go into a bit of detail.

Anyway, the effects are slick. Boy, are they slick. If you've ever done "Shadow Coins", "Chink-A-Chink", or variations thereof, you know how simply cool all of this looks.

Ah, but there's the rub.

The move McClintock employs is neat. It's really, really neat. But it's based on the moves used in the aforementioned routines and those have certain requirements. McClintock states specifically that his move doesn't require special surfaces, having done it on glass, steel, wood, etcetera, but the truth of the matter is that you're going to run into sound trouble on anything other than a covered surface. Working with other surfaces is possible, but there is sound to worry about (depending on background noise and the like... you know how that goes). Personally, this is one I wouldn't touch without close-up mat or the like under me. That means real estate at a table and that further restricts the times I'd whip this one out.

The move itself is simple. Yes, simple coin work from the master of the zillion-coin palm. Honestly, this is one of the simplest coin pieces McClintock has produced. Most of the work you'll be doing is making sure the movement of the hands is natural, making the move blend into your movements. After that, you're pretty much set.

When it's all said and done, what either does or does not justify the purchase of "Trans-Euro Express" is the same as for every other trick on the market: how much will you use it? Personally, the routines are very sweet, play well enough, and are easy enough to do that I found it worth the money. The times when this can be done may be scant, but when it is done, maybe as an impromptu piece, it's worth every penny.

"Trans-Euro Express" by Reed McClintock
In A Blink: 8 Out of 10

Material: 7
McClintock's ideas are solid, that's for sure. And this is a stellar collection of routines based around a very neat move. You're in "Shadow Coins" territory, though, and that means you're looking at all the pitfalls there, which makes performing this problematic except under the best of circumstances.

Quality: 10
McClintock's instructions are very clear here. You'll have no problem picking up the mechanics of the routines.

Illustrations: 8
A ton of photos accompany the writing. Sometimes the photos are hard to make out, given their small size, but for the most part they make learning this much easier.

Presentation: 9
Nothing much goes toward the verbal piece of this, but the visuals are very slick and, done correctly, stunning.

Shane