Magic (1978)
Magic is a 1978 psychological suspense film directed by Richard Attenborough. Since its release, the picture has become a forgotten gem that contains plenty of scares, surprises, and tension to keep you on the edge of your seat. But, beneath the typical look of a psychological thriller lies a deeply unsettling dramatic horror film.
From the cover art, it looks like another one of those supernatural killer doll movies, but it’s not. It’s the story of a man losing his sanity and not being able to control his conscience. The film is about a killer mind rather than a killer doll.
In the opening scene, a magician named Corky is shown through flashbacks doing his magic routine in front of an audience that could care less. Frustrated with the audience’s disrespectfulness, Corky loses his cool and begins yelling at the audience. With this, we are able to establish that Corky is a failed magician desperate for success.
The next scene takes place in the near future, and Corky is shown climbing his way to the top as a magician. We are then introduced to Ben Greene (a talent agent who’s interested in Corky) waiting for Corky’s act. Corky begins his act, an act that looks like a typical magic show until Corky introduces the audience to Fats, the effervescent, vulgar-mouthed puppet that quickly becomes the corner stone of Corky’s show.
The talent agent, Ben Greene, gets in touch with Corky and tells him about his interest in Corky’s act. The two get together and discuss plans of what look like sure-to-be plans of a successful future for Corky on television. But, Corky becomes overwhelmed with the thought of failing the required physical and is sent in panic.
He flees the city to stay in a resort far away from home. The resort happens to be run by his former love, a married woman named Peggy Ann Snow. A few days after the two confront each other, they fall back in love. Peggy says that she is no longer in love with her husband, and she agrees to run away with Corky. As this happens, we are able to see that Corky has two personalities. His mental stability grows weaker and weaker as he is shown having conversations with Fats, his dummy.
The film gradually evolves from a love story into a tale of madness, murder, and insanity. Greene, Corky’s talent agent eventually finds out where Corky is staying. As he approaches Corky’s room in order to confront him, he sees Corky yelling at his doll. Already convinced of Corky’s insanity, Greene threatens to find mental help for Corky. In a fit of rage, Corky attacks Greene, killing him. He then dumps the body in the lake next to the resort.
The next day, Peggy’s husband, Duke, returns to the resort. Duke arrives with strong suspicions of Peggy’s affair with Corky. Duke asks Corky to go fishing with him in the lake next to the resort. Corky accepts. When they are both on the boat, Duke makes a teary confession that he’s losing his marriage and he wants his wife to love him again. This is sidetracked when Duke sees what looks to be a body washed up on the shore.
In addition to a riveting murder story, the picture contains an atmospherically creepy soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith and impressive direction from Richard Attenborough. But, the shining light of the picture is Anthony Hopkins, who portrays Corky fantastically. Magic isn’t a typical scare film; it packs plenty of genuinely suspenseful moments and a surprising abundance of emotional connection to the main character.
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Magic is a 1978 psychological suspense film directed by Richard Attenborough. Since its release, the picture has become a forgotten gem that contains plenty of scares, surprises, and tension to keep you on the edge of your seat. But, beneath the typical look of a psychological thriller lies a deeply unsettling dramatic horror film.
From the cover art, it looks like another one of those supernatural killer doll movies, but it’s not. It’s the story of a man losing his sanity and not being able to control his conscience. The film is about a killer mind rather than a killer doll.
In the opening scene, a magician named Corky is shown through flashbacks doing his magic routine in front of an audience that could care less. Frustrated with the audience’s disrespectfulness, Corky loses his cool and begins yelling at the audience. With this, we are able to establish that Corky is a failed magician desperate for success.
The next scene takes place in the near future, and Corky is shown climbing his way to the top as a magician. We are then introduced to Ben Greene (a talent agent who’s interested in Corky) waiting for Corky’s act. Corky begins his act, an act that looks like a typical magic show until Corky introduces the audience to Fats, the effervescent, vulgar-mouthed puppet that quickly becomes the corner stone of Corky’s show.
The talent agent, Ben Greene, gets in touch with Corky and tells him about his interest in Corky’s act. The two get together and discuss plans of what look like sure-to-be plans of a successful future for Corky on television. But, Corky becomes overwhelmed with the thought of failing the required physical and is sent in panic.
He flees the city to stay in a resort far away from home. The resort happens to be run by his former love, a married woman named Peggy Ann Snow. A few days after the two confront each other, they fall back in love. Peggy says that she is no longer in love with her husband, and she agrees to run away with Corky. As this happens, we are able to see that Corky has two personalities. His mental stability grows weaker and weaker as he is shown having conversations with Fats, his dummy.
The film gradually evolves from a love story into a tale of madness, murder, and insanity. Greene, Corky’s talent agent eventually finds out where Corky is staying. As he approaches Corky’s room in order to confront him, he sees Corky yelling at his doll. Already convinced of Corky’s insanity, Greene threatens to find mental help for Corky. In a fit of rage, Corky attacks Greene, killing him. He then dumps the body in the lake next to the resort.
The next day, Peggy’s husband, Duke, returns to the resort. Duke arrives with strong suspicions of Peggy’s affair with Corky. Duke asks Corky to go fishing with him in the lake next to the resort. Corky accepts. When they are both on the boat, Duke makes a teary confession that he’s losing his marriage and he wants his wife to love him again. This is sidetracked when Duke sees what looks to be a body washed up on the shore.
In addition to a riveting murder story, the picture contains an atmospherically creepy soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith and impressive direction from Richard Attenborough. But, the shining light of the picture is Anthony Hopkins, who portrays Corky fantastically. Magic isn’t a typical scare film; it packs plenty of genuinely suspenseful moments and a surprising abundance of emotional connection to the main character.
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