Magic (1978)

 

       Hello everyone! Hope your weekends were fantastic and full of rest. If not, I hope this film/review can provide it for you. I'm ahead of schedule this time which is a great sign for the near future.

    I do want to mention, thinking about the future of this blog, that it may one day turn into a podcast. It is not to say I don't like what I'm currently doing, but I'd like to open up my audience and provide an avenue everyone can have easy access to. Plus, I'm a little less boring behind a microphone than a computer screen. If this is of any interest, you all have my ears. Until then, the blog continues.

    Magic is a film I watched perhaps late 2020 or early 2021 when the pandemic was ravaging. I can't recall how I came across it but I believe I may have just stumbled upon it on Tubi. The film made its way back in my radar recently when I read Sam Raimi is currently working on the remake as revealed by producer Roy Lee. Sam Raimi is a prolific director and a remake by him is one I'd be very interested in learning more about. So far, there is no other news regarding that. After that, I decided to watch the film once again to jog my memory and, well, enjoy it!

    Magic was directed by Richard Attenborough and written by William Goldman, the author of the book the film is based on. The film was released in November 8th, 1978 and stars Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margaret, and Burgess Meredith. The majority of reviews and ratings I've read average between 6/10 - 9/10 making it mixed to positive reviews. Even so, the budget for the film was $7 mllion with a gross of $23.8 million at opening. Hopkins received a Golden Globe and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award following the release for his performance and a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Ann-Margaret. Despite the film taking place in New York, the film was shot in mainly Blue Lakes, California. The film runs for 107 minutes.

    After a failed first performance as a magician, Corky is told by his mentor he needs to find a way to charm his audience. He comes back with a ventriloquist dummy named Fats supporting his performances and wins the hearts of many. Corky, at the height of his fame, is thought to be afraid of his success and decides to disappear in Catskills, his hometown, where Fats begins to show who he really is.

    I'm a firm believer of either loving or hating Anthony Hopkins and depending on what end of the spectrum you are, this is a film held to the same standard. It's one of Hopkins' earlier films and a string of films he collaborated with Attenborough who called him "the greatest actor of his generation". It rings true as it certainly shows in his performance in Magic as a shy, introverted, serious Corky. While I have not seen any of Hopkins' earlier films, this arguably foreshadows what's to come in his acting career. Ann-Margaret's character as Peggy was the comedic, sensual relief the film needed and rightfully shined with her witty humor and warm presence. Seeing Meredith again post-Rocky portraying the concerned, ambitious agent not only gives the audience another familiar face but satisfaction for supporting another strong character. While the film is rated R, there are no crazy jumpscares or dramatic gore in the film, heavily relying on the endless psychological torture Corky endures. Ventriloquist dummies will forever have a special place in my heart as they are an underrated tool in the horror realm and Fats' character was superb. The voice of Fats was also done by Hopkins in his own eerie, cold way. If you don't mind some romance, you'll find it fits right in and does not distract the purpose of the film. The score, done by Jerry Goldsmith, was amazing. It was uncomfortable during high tension moments and supported every scene in the background. The ending was perhaps my favorite as it ended both perfectly and horribly. You'll know what I mean. 

    Here you have a classic psychological horror film that captures the descent of a promising performer with many crazy twists all throughout. There are a few scenes that leave one tightening their jaw and a few others that give the viewer some rest from the dramatic storyline. Magic is recommended to all viewers especially those who appreciate a slow, natural building plot and almost no violence or gore.

My overall rating is 8.5/10 based on:

-Original story

-Romance

-Casting

-Depth to all characters

-Natural building plot

-Multidimensional story

-Themes

-Ventriloquist dummy

    Thank you for reading! Please let me know what your thoughts are or if you're planning on watching. Curious to see what Raimi would do to this film but I'll be sure to provide updates on Facebook as they come. 

    Reminder that the Halloween Poll is still open and will close Thursday, October 27th. There is plenty of time to cast in your vote! 

You can vote here: Halloween Poll

    As of now, I have a few options for next week's film but perhaps we'll switch up with more...gore.

Stay safe and make wise decisions!

-CL