Magic (film)
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| Magic | |
|---|---|
 Magic DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Richard Attenborough |
| Produced by | Joseph E. Levine Richard P. Levine |
| Written by | William Goldman (novel) William Goldman (screenplay) |
| Starring | Anthony Hopkins Ann-Margret Burgess Meredith Ed Lauter David Ogden Stiers |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Cinematography | Victor J. Kemper |
| Editing by | John Bloom |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | November 8, 1978 (USA) |
| Running time | 107 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Unknown |
| Gross revenue | Unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
Magic is a 1978 film starring Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret. Not strictly a horror film, Magic is more correctly categorized as a "psychological thriller." It was written by William Goldman, who also wrote the novel on which it was based.
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[edit] Plot
Magic tells the story of Charles "Corky" Withers (Hopkins), a man that has just failed his first attempt at professional magic. His mentor says that he needs to have a better showbusiness personality. A year later Corky comes back as a ventriloquist with a foul-mouthed dummy named Fats. His agent Ben Greene (played by Burgess Meredith) is on the verge of signing Corky on for his own television show, but Corky bails out for the Catskills, claiming to be afraid of success. In truth he doesn't want to take the required psychological testing because doctors might find out that he suffers from multiple personality disorder, and that he hears Fats talking to him.
In the Catskills he meets with his high-school crush, Peggy Ann Snow (Margret), who is stuck in an abusive marriage. Corky and Peg start up a relationship, which sparks the jealousy of both Fats and Peggy's husband Duke (played by Ed Lauter).
Meanwhile, Greene has tracked Corky down. After a tense confrontation where Greene discovers the truth about Corky's mental state, he demands that Corky get help. Fats convinces Corky to kill Greene. Fats also becomes even more possessive and jealous when Corky brings up the suggestion that he leave Fats behind so that he and Peggy can go away together.
When Duke discover's Greene's body, Fats kills him without the aid of Corky (suggesting that Fats does not need Corky at all). Corky convinces Peg to run away with him, but just when everything seems perfect, Fats manipulates Corky so that he will kill Peggy with his knife.
When Corky gets back, it is revealed that the blood on the knife is his; he has stabbed himself so that he won't kill anyone else. Fats also feels "faint", and as the two die, they wonder who will die first.
[edit] Reactions
The film received mixed reviews when released.
Vincent Canby for the New York Times wrote in a 1978 review "Magic is neither eerie nor effective. It is, however, very heavy of hand." [1]
"The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review" 1990 writeup of the film remarks that Hopkins appears stiff in the lead role, but the supporting cast is excellent. "But there are far better performances elsewhere - from Ann-Margaret who invests her role with a considerable sparkle. Particularly good is the great and underrated Burgess Meredith whose sharp and alert Hollywood agent is a real plum of a performance. Jerry Goldsmith also adds a fine nervy carnivalesque score." [2]
Goldman received a 1979 Edgar Award, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay.
The trailer for this film was pulled from TV due to calls from angry parents who claimed that it gave their children nightmares and frightened them. The trailer in question is less then 30 seconds and has Fats reciting the tagline, after which his eyeballs rolls into the back of his head. This is followed by a cast reading, then Fats opening his eyes and gazing to his left.
[edit] Tagline
- Abracadabra, I sit on his knee.
- Presto, change-o, and now he is me!
- Hocus Pocus, we take her to bed,
- Magic is fun...when you're dead.
[edit] Movie Trailer
[3]Magic - Original Movie Trailer
[edit] Origins
Though based on an original novel the story is similar to an episode from the film Dead of Night. Another possible influence is The Great Gabbo, a 1929 film directed by James Cruze and starring Erich Von Stroheim, which features the motif of a mentally-disturbed ventriloquist who has "conversations" with his dummy.
[edit] External links
- Magic at the Internet Movie Database
| Films directed by Richard Attenborough |
|---|
| Oh! What a Lovely War • Young Winston • A Bridge Too Far • Magic • Gandhi • A Chorus Line • Cry Freedom • Chaplin • Shadowlands • In Love and War • Grey Owl • Closing the Ring |
