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Magic
DVD/APPROX. 107 MINS/1978/USA R18+
DVD/APPROX. 107 MINS/1978/USA R18+
7.5
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A technically brilliant but failing magician has reached the end of his tether. In a brilliantly realized opening sequence we witness him explode at an
amateur night in a cabaret club, berating his bewildered audience for not giving him the proper attention his talent deserves.
Flash forward a year and our protagonist, expertly played by Anthony Hopkins, is a hit. It's all thanks to a lewd, crude ventriloquist dummy called
Fats, who gives the magician a way of covering his shyness and lack of obvious charisma. Fats says the things he wishes he could say.
He is discovered by a typically slick and fast-talking showbiz agent, a career highlight for Burgess Meredith (TV's Batman and Rocky Balboas's
Trainer in the earlier movies). Together they are going to reach the big time, Vegas, network shows, TV specials, the works.
The only problem is that our magician friend is a complete wacko. He can't control Fats or his outbursts and when he is told that he must take a
medical exam in order to get a show on TV he panics and heads for his childhood home and a chance to see an old crush who runs a motel there.
Can he find happiness with his old flame? Will Fats take control of his very being?
Will it all end in... MURDER?
This is a fantastic piece of ‘70s thriller melodrama. All the actors ham it up in fine style and work together well. Burgess Meredith as the oily
manager is superb, all cigars and chutzpah. Hopkins excels in one of his best roles. He's easily as good in this as his is in the Lector movies.
The film, however, is very dated, with a comical love scene set to cheesy music which owes a debt to the sex in Don't Look Now. It seems to me
that all ‘70s thrillers had to have a realistic love scene after Don't Look Now hit, but this one doesn't reach the same intensity at all...still it's a
small gripe.
The puppet is creepy and evil-looking and you’ll start to question whether or not he's really alive. He's not a sophisticated piece of kit and this aids
the whole sideshow atmosphere of him and magician’s relationship. You never forget he's a doll but still...
Overall, this comes highly recommended for fans of ‘70s horror. It's fairly bloodless but makes up for the lack of shocks with a solidly built
atmosphere and great, sometimes creepy, performances with all the cast in top form. The DVD release is a 2-disc set with plenty of interviews,
both archival and contemporary, to put the movie in context. The picture quality is nicely restored and the disc comes with 5.1 and DTS options.
amateur night in a cabaret club, berating his bewildered audience for not giving him the proper attention his talent deserves.
Flash forward a year and our protagonist, expertly played by Anthony Hopkins, is a hit. It's all thanks to a lewd, crude ventriloquist dummy called
Fats, who gives the magician a way of covering his shyness and lack of obvious charisma. Fats says the things he wishes he could say.
He is discovered by a typically slick and fast-talking showbiz agent, a career highlight for Burgess Meredith (TV's Batman and Rocky Balboas's
Trainer in the earlier movies). Together they are going to reach the big time, Vegas, network shows, TV specials, the works.
The only problem is that our magician friend is a complete wacko. He can't control Fats or his outbursts and when he is told that he must take a
medical exam in order to get a show on TV he panics and heads for his childhood home and a chance to see an old crush who runs a motel there.
Can he find happiness with his old flame? Will Fats take control of his very being?
Will it all end in... MURDER?
This is a fantastic piece of ‘70s thriller melodrama. All the actors ham it up in fine style and work together well. Burgess Meredith as the oily
manager is superb, all cigars and chutzpah. Hopkins excels in one of his best roles. He's easily as good in this as his is in the Lector movies.
The film, however, is very dated, with a comical love scene set to cheesy music which owes a debt to the sex in Don't Look Now. It seems to me
that all ‘70s thrillers had to have a realistic love scene after Don't Look Now hit, but this one doesn't reach the same intensity at all...still it's a
small gripe.
The puppet is creepy and evil-looking and you’ll start to question whether or not he's really alive. He's not a sophisticated piece of kit and this aids
the whole sideshow atmosphere of him and magician’s relationship. You never forget he's a doll but still...
Overall, this comes highly recommended for fans of ‘70s horror. It's fairly bloodless but makes up for the lack of shocks with a solidly built
atmosphere and great, sometimes creepy, performances with all the cast in top form. The DVD release is a 2-disc set with plenty of interviews,
both archival and contemporary, to put the movie in context. The picture quality is nicely restored and the disc comes with 5.1 and DTS options.
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