It was on Channel four at 9:30. I normally really like Derren Brown but this time I felt he went too far.

Did anyone else watch it?

What did you think?

I missed it Ollie; which one was it?

Derren Brown had made some sort of video game that he got some poor unsuspecting chap to play. THe video game was in a pub and was able to leave the player in a catatonic state as if they had been hypntised.

THe chap then went in a trance and Derren and his workers moved him on a trolley up the road to a building which was an exact replica of the game. They woke him up with a gun next to him and in a locked room with actors pretending to be zombies. The guy was clearly terrified and didnt have a clue what was going on.

He kept trying to shoot the zombies and was crying out for help. Derren then put him back in a trance and on the same trolley moved him back to the pub. He was then re-postioned next to the video game and was awoken.

He had no idea that he had left the game and thought that the whole experience was from playing the game. Derren then appeared and told him what had happened. The chap seemed very happy about it all but I still think it was ethically dubious to give someone that much terror.

I do think Derren Brown is a very talented man and normally really enjoy his programmes but I felt that he went too far this time.

I watched it and really couldn't make up my mind as to whether it was a set-up or not. How were the crew to know he wouldn't just start beating the hell out of the actors instead of trying to shoot them. It was definatly a very scary looking experiance if it was real though.

It sounds as though he's really gone too far with this stunt. I like a laugh, but this just sounds cruel.

If I ever see derren brown I'm just running away!! That sounds really scary!

If the guy had been a horror film fanatic, he would have known that you have to destroy the brain - would have been fun trying to explain that to the local plod !

I love DB but really thought he went too far this time. What long lasting psychological effects is something like that going to have? If, as the programme bumph says, he uses people, stranagers her has never met before, how does he know that the guy doesn't suffer from somek ind of mental illness?

I dread to think what effects it will have long term.

Having said that, I can't help but watch him!

I thought it was genius!! That fact that someone could pull this off just goes to show how talented (and scary) Derren Brown really is. The man in question obviously was happy for it to be shown on national TV, so I doubt the whole incident affected him that much.

All the same though, I suppose the fact that Derren didn't get the man's permission beforehand is questionable. I expect quite a few complaints will be recieved.

Not wishing to be too cynical. But I’m amazed at how people respond to the current crop of magicians (Derren brown and Blaine et all). They are very talented and whatchable magicians but they’re doing nothing which hasn’t already been ongoing for the past 100 years.

Surely you don’t think that when a magician saws a women in half, that he really is cutting her in twain (hard to believe I know). Fact is you know its a trick.

But when Derren Brown comes on screen wearing a smartly dressed black coat and talking very very s-l-o-w-l-y, somehow you think it ceases to be a trick and becomes something more scary and real....he’s playing with peoples mind!!!

He even admits that what he’s doing is just simple magic tricks (only with a modern spin), but despite this some people really do think that he’s seriously messing with someones head.

For those that are old enough: Derren Brown is just Ali Bongo with a goatee

Originally posted by super_pie
but despite this some people really do think that he’s seriously messing with someones head.
You obviously didn't watch it then?

Must have had agreed it with the "victim" before hand: Logic:

1. The two friends with him - how did they know that there would be two friends and have two chairs and two sets of headphones?

2. Genuine bloke off the street could now claim depression, real or imagined, say that DB caused it and sue his ass off. Must have signed a waiver beforehand - C4 legal dept would have had kittens otherwise.

Originally posted by Sidla
You obviously didn't watch it then?

I did, I also saw him at the city hall last year (talked to him about nietzsche while I got his autograph, top bloke). I'm not saying he's not good, he's an excellent magician. But thats all he is!!


BY the way, you're thinking of the 7 of spades, right?

Just bumping this because i found a web-site with the item on.

http://www.alldumb.com/item/11984/

Originally posted by A_Partridge
Just bumping this because i found a web-site with the item on.

http://www.alldumb.com/item/11984/
That won't play properly for me.

Originally posted by super_pie

Surely you don’t think that when a magician saws a women in half, that he really is cutting her in twain (hard to believe I know). Fact is you know its a trick.



:o
well that's spoilt that for me then
oh well least i'm happy in the knowledge that i've been good so far this year - Can't wait for santa :D