The card magic that made a mind-bender legendary—before he was famous.
Released in 1999, The Devil's Picturebook is a stunning collection of card material that was years ahead of its time. The card magic that Derren performs and teaches offers a rare glimpse into how he thinks about his magic, and how he constructs routines. Then, as now, the audience's emotions are always Derren's primary focus. Over the course of three hours, The Devil's Picturebook gives the audience a detailed insight into this rare Derren Brown material. The first half explains in detail some classic card routines from his early career as a conjurer, all of which rely on sleight of hand, misdirection, and audience management. The second half features his incredible, pioneering psychological card routines and shows a distinct move towards the mentalism for which he is now known.
Direction
Raw, unpolished access to a genius at work.
Production
1999 VHS energy adds underground authenticity.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Derren privately loathes being called a magician—this tape captures his awkward halfway house between conjurer and psychological illusionist.
Before Netflix specials and arena tours, this underground VHS circulated among magic nerds like contraband—pure cult status.
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