Curtis Lovell II - escape artist - buried alive
International escape artist Curtis Lovell II successfully escaped being buried alive in the City of Grand Terrace, California. Lovell has release the footage of the escape on Youtube.
Lovell's feat echoed an escape by the great Harry Houdini. In 1926, Houdini was shackled and lowered into a grave. Dirt was poured onto him. When he escaped alive, he vowed never to attempt such a stunt again. He died on Halloween 1926, this time not returning from his grave.
More than 1500 people watched Lovell recreate the Houdini stunt. Lovell was cuffed and shackled by Deputy Vaca, then placed into a pine coffin with a plexiglass front. Some 200 pounds of dirt were shoveled onto Lovell's "grave."
During the escape, audience members and city officials grew worried that Lovell might not be able to free himself. Said Acting City Manager Steve Berry, “I was worried; things took longer than I thought.”
Audience member Leticia Vinchuk, of Highland, California, said, "When his hand was digging dirt out, I was worried."
"It was great, very interesting,"
It took Lovell 16 minutes to free himself from his premature burial. After receiving hundreds of requests for video footage of the buried alive stunt, Lovell team member Chrix Lanier spent over 50 hours developing the video that is being released on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/
Lovell is planning his next stunt for 2009. He will be placed in a straitjacket -- and escape -- at least 194 times in a period of eight hours during a world record attempt. He is hoping for Cher to strap him in at least once.
Also, scheduled for 2009 is Lovell's Cube of Death, scheduled to appear on Masters of Illusion on MyNetwork-Tv, a weekly series beginning in January 2009.
To view a photo gallery and video of this stunt please visit www.CurtisLovell.com under the “past stunts” link.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
