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| Studio: Wgbh Boston
Buy Used: $67.89
Used (3) from $67.89
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 27886
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 3.8 x 1.1
ISBN: 6304463189
UPC: 783421272033
EAN: 9786304463185
ASIN: 6304463189
Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1974
Release Date: March 28, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-8 of 8
 Perfect for Skeptics May 6, 2006
rantboi (Dayton, OH United States)
1 out of 23 found this review helpful
If you're a skeptic when it comes to psychic matters and believe that the world we see around us is all there is, then this is the perfect video for you.
James Randi, while likable and interesting to watch, might be one of the most closed-minded people in the world. He says in this video that the only reason people have "psychic" experiences is because they believe in them. He also goes on to say that the successes attributed to psychic research are probably because the researchers are completely open-minded and want to believe that it is real. I agree with that. I also think there need to be people who are totally objective to this kind of thing doing the experiments. Randi is NOT one of those people. His whole purpose is to *disprove* psychic phenomenon, rather than find out if it's for real or not. That's just as dangerous as going into a study with a completely open mind and belief that it will be a success. Another problem with Randi's experiments is that he doesn't do enough of them! Proving that two "psychics" are con-artists does NOT prove that EVERY psychic is a con-artist. (Well, it does for completely closed-minded people like Randi, which is basically every reviewer on this page!)
Another problem with Randi is that he focuses on very trivial things like spoon bending. Of course you can recreate that using tricks! That's a no-brainer. Why doesn't he try to recreate other psychic phenomenon?
Anyway, while this is the perfect video for the skeptic, it will likely leave a sour taste for those who have had psychic experiences. If you've been out-of-body or have woken up in a dream, fully conscious of what was going on, then Randi's conclusions that science is the source of all that's good and that the only thing that is real is the material world might seem a bit ridiculous.
Good luck to Randi on his million dollar challenge, but I don't think that he will ever have a psychic experience or meet a real psychic. Why, you might ask? Because he is so intent on disproving psychic phenomenon, that even if it happened right in front of him (or to him), he would not know it. If you're so closed-minded about something, you will never be able to experience it--or accept that it happened once you HAVE experienced it. ("My mind must be playing tricks on me.")
I like to keep an open mind. That does not mean that I believe everything I hear/see. The first time I heard about out-of-body experience and astral projection, I did not believe in it 100%. I kept an open mind and thought to myself: "Wow, this is interesting. What if it's true? Well, let's find out!" And I did. The point being if you don't try something out for yourself, you'll never know if it's real or not--you can just THINK about it and form your own OPINIONS, but you will never really KNOW anything for sure until it has happened to you.
Randi tries to figure out how to make it look like the spoon is bending, rather than trying to bend the spoon. Therein lies his problem.
Once again, if you're a closed-minded skeptic, then this is probably a good video to add to your collection.
-Ater
 Skeptics who fear and tremble October 4, 2006
Stratiotes Doxha Theon (Richmond, Missouri)
Mr. Randi has done a great service in exposing frauds. It can be rather like when you first discovered the truth about the Easter Bunny in that you will become not just skeptical but perhaps over-cynical at the same time. The line between the two can be very fine. But truth is always better than believing a lie. Always challenge what you believe to be true by taking a step back and observing from the outside as much as possible. Those of us who are naturally skeptical need to avoid the "I told you so" attitude and leave the door open for things that may be beyond human understanding - never lose the wonder or believe that science always has the answers. As sure as science has brought us medicine and flights to the moon, it has also brought us the ability to destroy our world many times over in a matter of minutes. Seek the truth but never assume you have found all the answers or that there is not some corner of the world you have not yet explored. Take Mr. Randi's inquisitive mind as an example of always seeking and questioning. But balance a healthy skepticism with a healthy humility that allows that there may be things our senses cannot observe and therefore cannot explain.
Open your eyes March 25, 2007
Russell Thorburn (California)
I love this video. It should be a required part of the science curriculum in our schools. This video shows "critical thinking" in action and the world would be a much better place if people would learn this very important skill.
As the video graphically illustrates there as those people who, when smacked in the face with reality, will still ignore the facts. This is yet another important lesson that people need to learn (sad as it may be).
In summary, it's highly entertaining and exceedingly educational. My only beef is that it's not available on DVD.
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