Magic Film is a 1978 American psychological horror film directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, and Burgess Meredith. The film tells the story of a ventriloquist named Corky who begins to lose control over his dummy, Fats, after receiving widespread success in his career. As Corky battles with his own personal demons, Fats starts to take on a life of his own, leading to a series of chilling and violent events. The film explores themes of identity, duality, and the darker side of human nature. As Corky's mental state deteriorates, the line between reality and illusion becomes increasingly blurred, leaving the audience questioning what is real and what is a figment of Corky's imagination. Anthony Hopkins delivers a standout performance as Corky, displaying his range as an actor by effortlessly transitioning from a shy and timid individual to a man consumed by madness.
Corky heads to the Catskills, where he soon encounters his old high school crush Peggy (Ann-Margret) and her grouchy husband Duke (Ed Lauter). Meanwhile, Corky's agent, Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith), has pursued him and quickly becomes suspicious regarding his mental well-being. Before long, the situation begins to turn violent.
Failed stage magician Corky Withers Anthony Hopkins manages to rejuvenate his career with the addition of ventriloquism to his act; unfortunately, he also begins to manifest a split personality via his dummy, Fats, and just as he s about to hit it big with a television deal, chooses to flee rather than submit to the required medical exam. My sympathy for Corky started to wear off by the middle of the second act, when he seduces his married high school sweetheart, and tries to convince her to leave her husband and run away with him.
Anthony Hopkins delivers a standout performance as Corky, displaying his range as an actor by effortlessly transitioning from a shy and timid individual to a man consumed by madness. Ann-Margret also delivers a strong performance as Corky's love interest, offering a sense of stability and support amidst the chaos. Burgess Meredith steals the scenes as Fats, the chilling and enigmatic dummy who is as fascinating as he is terrifying.
Magic (1978)
A ventriloquist’s peculiar relationship with his dummy begins to affect his personal life.
My Thoughts:
In between his epics “A Bridge Too Far” and “Gandhi”, Richard Attenborough made this grounded little horror flick. “Magic” revolves around a ventriloquist Corky (Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”) and his dummy Fats. I feel like ventriloquist dolls/killer dolls are their own subgenre of horror flicks at this point, and while I’m a fan of Chucky’s “Child’s Play” movies (admittedly they aren’t all that good, but I still like them), I honestly don’t think killer doll movies are all that scary. The best ones, the most entertaining ones, are the slightly tongue-in-cheek films, the movies that acknowledge the ridiculousness of the plot. When you take a ridiculous premise like a living doll and try to make it realistic, you end up with movies like “Dead Silence”, which is a schmaltzy film filled with stupid and cheap jump scares. “Magic” is sort of on the fringe of the living dolls subgenre because we’re never really sure if Fats is actually alive or if Corky is just a crazy kook.
In a lot of ways this movie works: it’s far classier than most killer doll movies, that’s for sure. The directing in a few scenes is quite remarkable, the writing is pretty good, and Anthony Hopkins delivers a very solid a memorable performance. The problem is that this movie is just so serious, and it tries to be more of a slow-burn psychological thriller than anything else, and it never really won me over with it’s pacing and atmosphere. It’s just too slow and not at all scary for the first two thirds of the film, and then by the time something scary actually does happen, I was growing weary of waiting for something to happen.
The best parts of this film come at the beginning and the end; the middle part is a bit of a slog. The opening scene is a great introduction to both Corky and Fat’s characters. When we first meet Corky, he’s trying to be a magician on stage and failing horribly at it, the film then immediately flashes forward a year, and we see Corky performing a similar act, but this time he’s doing much better. The viewer is left to wonder how Corky has suddenly become so good at what he does, and it’s a rather intriguing way to start the film. The end of the film is, of course, where the bloodshed starts, so I wont go into too many details.
I had a hard time deciding whether to give this film 2.5/5 or a 3/5 simply because I think Attenborough’s directing is incredibly competent. Though I’ve complained about the middle portion of this movie being slow and slightly boring, there were a few scenes where Fats and Corky talk to one another, and those scenes are directed in a way that makes it so we’re not sure if Fats is actually alive or not; that veiled mystery sort of helps the film’s premise overall, but it doesn’t necessarily make the movie move faster or add a ton to the atmosphere. Anthony Hopkins was great in this film. He plays Corky with just the right amount of social awkwardness so that he’s simultaneously off-putting and sympathetic, for a while. My sympathy for Corky started to wear off by the middle of the second act, when he seduces his married high school sweetheart, and tries to convince her to leave her husband and run away with him. I think that was when I really started to loose interest in Corky’s character and doubt the plotting; are we supposed to believe a successful woman is going to run away from her established life to marry a guy that does magic tricks and makes dolls talk for a living? That’s a little silly.
Verdict:
In the end, I decided I’d give this film a 2.5/5 because it honestly just feels dated and slow and not at all scary. It’s competently acted, directed, and written, its just sort of boring at times, and that’s not what I want when I’m looking for a horror flick. Chucky still reigns king of the killer dolls in this critic’s humble opinion.
A ventriloquist’s peculiar relationship with his dummy begins to affect his personal life.
Magic Film effectively creates a tense and unsettling atmosphere throughout, aided by the haunting score and the claustrophobic settings. The film's script is well-crafted, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats while delving into the psyche of its characters. Richard Attenborough's direction adds depth and nuance to the story, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the psychological thriller. Despite being released over four decades ago, Magic Film still holds up as a gripping and thought-provoking horror film. Its exploration of the human mind and the fragile nature of sanity resonates with a modern audience, making it a timeless classic in the genre. Whether you're a fan of psychological horror or simply appreciate a well-made film, Magic Film is definitely worth a watch..
Reviews for "Magic Flim's Box Office Success in 1978: A Look at Its Reception and Impact"
- John Smith - 2 stars - I found "Magic film 1978" to be extremely slow and boring. The storyline was confusing and lacked any real substance. The characters were poorly developed and I didn't feel any connection to them. The special effects were also very outdated and didn't add anything to the film. Overall, I was disappointed and would not recommend it.
- Sarah Johnson - 1 star - "Magic film 1978" was a complete waste of my time. The plot was convoluted and made no sense. The acting was terrible and incredibly over-dramatic. I was expecting some sort of magical elements, but they were few and far between. The entire film was just a jumbled mess that left me extremely frustrated. I definitely do not recommend it.
- Mark Thompson - 1 star - This movie was a disaster from start to finish. The story was confusing and hard to follow. The acting was atrocious and I found it hard to believe any of the characters. The special effects were laughable and looked like they were from a low-budget film. The overall quality of "Magic film 1978" was extremely poor and I regret wasting my time watching it. Save yourselves and skip this one.