From balloon-request@cvs.rochester.edu  Fri Nov 24 20:23:52 1995
	id AA25619; Fri, 24 Nov 95 20:19:39 EST
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 1995 20:19:33 -0500
From: LarryH49@aol.com
Message-Id: <951124201932_33035546@mail02.mail.aol.com>
To: balloon@cvs.rochester.edu
Subject: Blumbo's video review

Blumbo's Balloonology and more... - Vol. I
1991 -  about $30 and 94 minutes
Purchased from More than Balloons, Kissimmee FL   (407) 933-8888
  Overall this tape provides some good instructional material in balloon
sculpture and routines. This is recorded in slow speed which causes some loss
of sharpness and color bleeding.  There are some tracking problems on my copy
(white interference) but they do not detract from the instructional
 material.  There is music in the background (Scott Joplin) and the tape has
three parts.  The first is instructional in how to construct balloon
sculptures, the second is an entertainment routine with ideas and examples
while the third is a parade of balloons which are left to the viewer to
figure how to make.
  At the beginning, Blumbo appears in whiteface clown makeup (later he
appears as a tramp clown and in a 'keystone cop' costume without makeup) and
goes through the basics of types of balloons (260, 3221, 260W).  He
demonstrates shooters, how to tie a balloon, a flying mouse, numchucks and
swords.  He inflates some of them by mouth and has some pre-inflated.  For
the 130's he says you need a pump.  His technique is slightly different than
mine as he fully inflates the balloons and backs off.  He twists with a 'rule
of two' where the first twist is skipped and the third is made with the
first.  e.g. his first twist is between the ears of the dog and the second
twist makes the second ear and the nose at one time.  This has the advantage
of insuring that the two ears are exactly the same size, and I believe his
method is easier with more fully inflated balloons.  Also, for the lovebirds
he starts twisting in the center of the balloon while I work from the nozzle
to the nipple. 
  For the sculptures he makes a basic dog, dachshund, giraffe, rabbit, baby
turtle, Italian dog (with meatball inside), octopus, 3-balloon swan, tulips
in a 321 vase, ram (321 for the horns), fish with rod and reel, hummingbird
with 321 (mosquito and bee variations), parrot (321 body), love birds in a
heart, teddy bear on side of heart, flower (2-260), smaller flower (2-130),
monkey on vine, balloon clown (321 for head), and some hats: rabbit hat,
crazy hat (shows how to spiral 260), and jester hat.  On the crazy hat he
puts a round balloon on it and suggests that if you are working for a
commercial gig you could use balloons imprinted with the client's name.
  For the second part he does some entertainment routines where he constructs
items for 'volunteers' and exchanges patter with them.  Last he briefly shows
some multi-balloon creations including a pink panther (which he briefly
describes how it is made), a lobster (321 body), hot dog in bun, Snoopy on an
airplane, and a tricycle.  These last ones are without description.  
Overall, I liked the video although this is the first balloon tape I have
seen.  It gave me some good ideas for patter and a few for sculptures.