Louis Theroux: Hypnotists

Louis Theroux: Hypnotists

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Ratings: 6.83/10 from 18 users.

HypnotistsLouis travels to Vegas to meet some of the leader's in the field of hypnotic self-improvement.

He signs up for a course with Marshall Sylver a hypnotist who seems to have a great deal in common with the likes of Jimmy Swaggart - he claims he can make you into a millionaire but when Louis asks to meet his successful clients things take a different turn.

Louis also hooks up with Ross Jeffries who's almost a clone of T. J. Mackey from Magnolia only creepier. He uses hypnosis to make members of the opposite sex feel more attracted to him but for some unknown reason Louis also starts to find him strangely attractive...

Another eye-opening inside look at an industry that seems determinedly unattractive after Louis has finished with it but also features some of the Louis' most cringe-worthy moments of the entire series...

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Me Bean
Me Bean
6 years ago

Did that guy who was the assistant to Sylver become a Millionaire ?? I think we all know the answer but Louis should provide the follow-up as a epilogue to the show from 17 yrs ago ..Lol

flash321
flash321
10 years ago

Louis does not get the philosophy because he doesn't want to get the philosophy. If you can chose to be happy or sad, why not chose to be happy? If you can chose a successful attitude, why not chose it? Those who are successful have certain attitudes. Why not model those attitudes so you can be successful?

Sal
Sal
13 years ago

Phil Atio = Ross Jefferies

Billy Bingbong
Billy Bingbong
13 years ago

Excellent viewing.
Those guys are spooky and a little evil.

Em
Em
13 years ago

I love louis theroux... But the wolf eats the sheep.. hehehe

deox
deox
13 years ago

The host sucks! He is so tight! Relax, bro!

Alexandrea
Alexandrea
13 years ago

Ughh, the dating guy is clearly a creep. I would slap him with my purse; talking about my "incredible energy blah, blah, blah..." Boo. He is a desperate & pathetic man who makes himself feel better by using "mind control" techniques to manipulate women.

MsJinxx
MsJinxx
13 years ago

I enjoy how Sylver's assistant said "I had the dubious honor of becoming a mentor in the Millionaire Mentor Program..." Firstly, why would someone want to to be mentored to become a millionaire by someone who was not, themselves, a millionaire? Secondly, and even more humorous .. he had the DUBIOUS honor? Clearly he has no idea what the word dubious means ... unless it was just some kind of parapraxis regarding how he really feels about his employer? In any case, hilarious!

No Con
No Con
13 years ago

That Marshall Sylver is definitely a conman, an ex-con, served a jail term for counterfeiting etc. Who are these people putting their trust and money in his hand? Does doofus come to mind???!

Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
13 years ago

That Marshall Sylver is definitely a conman, an ex-con, served a jail term for counterfeiting etc. Who are these people putting their trust and money in his hand? Does doofus come to mind?

anonyma
anonyma
13 years ago

as a woman, I felt very angry, that so many women have so little dignity and self-esteem, that they allow strangers to pick them up in the street. Are they really so stupid not to know, that they are just abused as prey in the bed of predators?

Steffanie
Steffanie
13 years ago

Hahaha! this is funny! Louis is always so funny!! I love his documents.. My fave part was the dating guy and when Louis tries to approach women.. that was classic!!

InedibleHulk
InedibleHulk
13 years ago

Mesmerism is not good or evil. Just a tool. But when it works well for long enough, a saint would be tempted to test the waters. After that it's a slippery slope.

Sylver is obviously a conman, and gives some of his marks hope, but only so they trust him with their money. But I can't deny he's very talented. He probably helped some people immensely early on.

Also, Mike, there is a big difference between being skeptical and aggressively opposed to an idea or ideal. The latter makes for terrible journalism, and stifles learning. Louis' approach is actually much more "standard" and fundamental than the type of thing you see on most North American cable, the "us vs them" slop. I hope he never changes.

mike
mike
13 years ago

I love this guys attitude towards these subjects. You can tell he IS skeptical but doesn't want to make it into such a big deal that he wont get the interviews. Wish this would have been a bit longer and showed a more skeptical point of view, but still a great doc!!!!!

Phil Atio
Phil Atio
13 years ago

I find this immensely interesting, I agree with the poster who says he wishes it were longer.

-The guy who went up to the ladies at the cafe is named Ross Jefferies and he is basically the person who is credited with compiling the first comprehensive set seduction techniques and bringing it forth to the mainstream. Every single professional male pickup artist, or dating coach ascribes to some theory discovered by Ross Jefferies. What is so amazing about it is that it is real and it works!

Think about it, anyone looking at Ross Jefferies realizes he is a bit of a creepy looking guy, yet he was able within minutes to get the phone number of a women he did not know and have her fall head over heals for him and agree with his every word.

-As for people I feel sorry for, it is for mr. sylvers assissant who I suspect is in some sort of homosexual relationship with Mr. sylver because he thinks he will be a millionaire soon.
-I don't feel sorry for those business people watching or paying for mr. sylver because this stuff actually works (think about it, a creepy guy like ross jefferies can get women to give him there phone number using like minded techiniques you don't think you can use the same technique to sell garbage to people?).
-I do agree with Louis that the techniques used by the likes of ross jefferies allow you to pick up women so easily that it is almost laughable, it feels wrong that it should be that easy to be honest which is why I stopped doing it. Come on, just think about it, when I was able to pick up like 7 hot girls and see everyone else watching it just got strange
-I also believe sylver helps people build self esteem and belief in themself, and that is something a psychologist would charge you far more than $500-$5000 for.

OrganicBeauty
OrganicBeauty
13 years ago

Very funny! I would watch this over, just to laugh...
good stuff!

NAD
NAD
13 years ago

I share your thoughts Will!

NAD
NAD
13 years ago

I luv this louis guy, very very entertaining, not so useful in terms of hypnosis, but rather enlightening on manipulation techniques!!

Will
Will
13 years ago

That guy in Vegas that Louis went to the coffee bar with, who picked up the blond lady... is CREEPY! How the hell does anyone fall for that bull****?!

This was painful...

rtm
rtm
13 years ago

hahahahahahhahahaha, that's really funny stuff, and at the same time very creepy.

Linda McGuigan
Linda McGuigan
13 years ago

I felt really sorry for all those poor people being sucked in, to spend thier hard earned cash on some thing that will never happen, as allway's Louis was brilliant at trying to expose these nut jobs who are just fleecing foks for thier money. The only millionier I saw was Mr Sylver but what a smooth talker, I could see how if you has low self esteem you could fall for this, but once again a good docu you can tell yourself every day that you are a good person and confident it work's for me and it's free.

Linda

Achems Razor
Achems Razor
13 years ago

This doc. was hilarious! A big, big, scam! just positive thinking stuff,
that would cost you a few bucks for a good positive thinking book instead of five grand!

But there was some truth in that one on how to pick up women. Still all you need is a book for a couple of bucks, and confidence!! did I say confidence.

lolwut
lolwut
13 years ago

Great video :) Very entertaining!

Here's my personal take on hypnosis:

If you want to kick back and relax, a hypnosis tape can be calming and enjoyable for some people. On the other hand, it is not magical, it will not make you richer, more confident, or more successful, and you can't subliminally program yourself to become a millionaire. The hypnotists in this video are all charlatans, performance artists, and/or really creepy.

Is it pseudo-scientific nonsense? Oh yeah. It can occasionally be relaxing, but it is certainly not worth spending money on.

LifeQuest
LifeQuest
13 years ago

HAH! This was an excellent documentary. I felt robbed at the end because it finished way too fast! However, there's much to learn here. Hopefully, as more watch, they increase their ability to discern and dispel maneuvers of hyper-suggestibility. Great share, Vlatko. =)

afly_on_the_wall
afly_on_the_wall
13 years ago

lmao this one should be under comedy hahahahahahahahaha...lol

Cliff
Cliff
13 years ago

Great documentary! Some really funny stuff.

Hesus
Hesus
13 years ago

Hypnosis or in this case manipulation training by manipulating the participants. Louis nailed it when he asked, that if teaching any person willing to pay the fee, in how to manipulate people is amoral and could be very dangerous. IMO you see it best with the correct guy. Self proclaimed wolf that thinks he has all the answers but alone the sheep fo Sylver... Very entertaining ********

john
john
13 years ago

Great doc from louis! Verrry entertaining... wish it was longer. Sometimes his interviewing style (playing dumb/naive) is annoying, but there was none of that here. Recommended watch!

krisota
krisota
13 years ago

guy doing it is over skeptical hence couldn't shed light on whole subject. I personally believe in mind training , seems like it works for me.

Capricious
Capricious
13 years ago

This documentary was very entertaining. I laughed out loud several times. My only disappointment was Louis didn't talk about the various techniques these people actually use - even the obvious element of peer pressure. I was really hoping that would be discussed and then bam, it ended. Doh.