Drill of Death
Encyclopedia
The Drill of Death is a large-scale stage illusion in which a performer appears to be impaled on a giant drill. It was created by magician André Kole
and illusion designer Ken Whitaker for magician Melinda Saxe
. It was one of Saxe's signature tricks and featured as a highlight in her various First Lady of Magic shows.
The illusion featured in several network television magic specials. It was first shown on television in November 1995, when Melinda performed it on The World's Greatest Magic II
broadcast by NBC
. It later served as one of the big set pieces in Melinda's own Melinda, First Lady of Magic special produced by Disney and broadcast on CBS
in March 1997. The television special Fifty Greatest Magic Tricks, broadcast by Britain's Channel 4
in May 2002, named Drill of Death as number 41 in its list of the 50 greatest magic tricks of all time.
During Melinda's performing career she was the only magician presenting the illusion. Melinda ceased performing in 2002 in order to raise a family and since then the drill has been performed by two illusionists in Europe. The German illusionist Jan Rouven and the Dutch Christian Farla. It featured in the 2005 edition of the annual German television special Stars in der Manege, in which actress, model and TV presenter Arabella Kiesbauer
played the role of victim.
, although Drill of Death is larger and features additional elements. It can be presented either as a straightforward penetration illusion or as an "escape gone wrong" piece, in which the audience are first given the impression it is an escapology
act of the "predicament escape
" type and then given the shock of seeing it appear to go wrong with apparently fatal consequences for the performer.
The apparatus consists of a massive drilling machine mounted on a framework that is a little like a short section of railroad track. At one end of the track, nearest the audience, is a raised frame large enough to hold a person. At the beginning of the performance the drill is positioned at the far end of the track with its long helical drill bit pointing horizontally forwards. The performer is chained to the frame with her torso in line with the drilling axis. A cover, consisting of translucent paper stretched on a circular frame, is attached to the apparatus in front of the performer, obscuring the centre of her torso. The machine is then started: the drill bit rotates and the machine begins advancing slowly towards the performer. Then the device appears to go out of control and speed up (sometimes with pyrotechnics
for added drama). The drill appears to penetrate through the struggling performer, whose legs, shoulders, arms and head remain in full view and whose lower torso is seen in silhouette through the translucent cover. The tip of the drill emerges and rips through the cover, at which point both the forward motion and rotation of the drill bit stop. The cover is removed to show the limp body of the performer seemingly impaled on the end of the drill. The machine then begins to tilt the drilling axis upwards, in the process pulling the performer from her restraints and raising her high into the air. When the drill's axis is vertical the bit begins to rotate again, spinning the performer's limply spreadeagle
d body around. The drill then stops and lowers the performer back onto the frame, where assistants cover her torso with a blanket and seemingly push the drill back out of her. The performer then appears to revive and steps from the apparatus to take a bow.
André Kole
André Kole is the stage name of Robert Gurtler Jr., an American magician and inventor of magical effects. He is also a committed Christian and is a public speaker for the evangelical group Campus Crusade for Christ International....
and illusion designer Ken Whitaker for magician Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe is a magician from Las Vegas, Nevada, best known for network television performances and Las Vegas stage shows in which she was billed as "The First Lady of Magic". She is often associated with the "Drill of Death" illusion which was a signature trick developed for her by Andre Kole...
. It was one of Saxe's signature tricks and featured as a highlight in her various First Lady of Magic shows.
The illusion featured in several network television magic specials. It was first shown on television in November 1995, when Melinda performed it on The World's Greatest Magic II
The World's Greatest Magic
The World's Greatest Magic was a series of American television specials showcasing magic acts.The first of five shows was broadcast by NBC in 1994, and continued with annual editions through 1998. These shows were most often first telecast during the Thanksgiving holidays when special programming...
broadcast by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. It later served as one of the big set pieces in Melinda's own Melinda, First Lady of Magic special produced by Disney and broadcast on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in March 1997. The television special Fifty Greatest Magic Tricks, broadcast by Britain's Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in May 2002, named Drill of Death as number 41 in its list of the 50 greatest magic tricks of all time.
During Melinda's performing career she was the only magician presenting the illusion. Melinda ceased performing in 2002 in order to raise a family and since then the drill has been performed by two illusionists in Europe. The German illusionist Jan Rouven and the Dutch Christian Farla. It featured in the 2005 edition of the annual German television special Stars in der Manege, in which actress, model and TV presenter Arabella Kiesbauer
Arabella Kiesbauer
Cosima Arabella-Asereba Kiesbauer is a TV presenter, writer and actress. She grew up in Vienna with her grandmother after her mother Hannelore and her father Sammy Ammissah separated.While she studied journalism and dramaturgy she started to work as presenter with the Austrian public service...
played the role of victim.
Description of the effect
The effect is similar in some ways to the illusion ImpaledImpaled (illusion)
Impaled is a classic stage illusion in which a performer appears to be impaled on or by a sword or pole. The name is most commonly associated with an illusion that was created by designer Ken Whitaker in the 1970s and which is sometimes also referred to as "Beyond Belief" or "Impaled Beyond...
, although Drill of Death is larger and features additional elements. It can be presented either as a straightforward penetration illusion or as an "escape gone wrong" piece, in which the audience are first given the impression it is an escapology
Escapology
For the Jessica Mauboy song, see Inescapable.Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks and other perils, often in combination.-History:The art...
act of the "predicament escape
Predicament escape
A predicament escape is any form of magic trick or escapology stunt in which the performer is trapped in a dangerous situation and is required to escape from it...
" type and then given the shock of seeing it appear to go wrong with apparently fatal consequences for the performer.
The apparatus consists of a massive drilling machine mounted on a framework that is a little like a short section of railroad track. At one end of the track, nearest the audience, is a raised frame large enough to hold a person. At the beginning of the performance the drill is positioned at the far end of the track with its long helical drill bit pointing horizontally forwards. The performer is chained to the frame with her torso in line with the drilling axis. A cover, consisting of translucent paper stretched on a circular frame, is attached to the apparatus in front of the performer, obscuring the centre of her torso. The machine is then started: the drill bit rotates and the machine begins advancing slowly towards the performer. Then the device appears to go out of control and speed up (sometimes with pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
for added drama). The drill appears to penetrate through the struggling performer, whose legs, shoulders, arms and head remain in full view and whose lower torso is seen in silhouette through the translucent cover. The tip of the drill emerges and rips through the cover, at which point both the forward motion and rotation of the drill bit stop. The cover is removed to show the limp body of the performer seemingly impaled on the end of the drill. The machine then begins to tilt the drilling axis upwards, in the process pulling the performer from her restraints and raising her high into the air. When the drill's axis is vertical the bit begins to rotate again, spinning the performer's limply spreadeagle
Spreadeagle
The term spreadeagle can mean:*Spreadeagle , a figure derived from a heraldic depiction of an eagle*Spread Eagle , an 18th century Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 1795 Epsom Derby...
d body around. The drill then stops and lowers the performer back onto the frame, where assistants cover her torso with a blanket and seemingly push the drill back out of her. The performer then appears to revive and steps from the apparatus to take a bow.