Retro Review - Magic (Trigger Warning: ventriloquist dummy in the poster)

Stream it on HBO Max 

Rent it on Amazon and Apple TV 

        Recently, I decided to renew my subscription to HBO Max. It turns out that there was a whole lot more content on this little streaming service that indeed proved its money's worth. One of the many classic films available is a little character-driven thriller from 1978 titled Magic, the story of a struggling entertainer with a dangerous psychological condition. I admit it is not an entirely original concept, but it is one of the earlier versions of the classic narrative and probably one of the best. While it suffers from a few technical aspects that bothered me a bit (more on that in a moment), its overall quality and charm were enough to overshadow them. This is one classic that deserves more discussion in film school than any of the usual suspects.

The story follows a young entertainer named Corky (Anthony Hopkins), a failed magician who, in a desperate attempt to reinvent his act in the hopes of achieving regular work, turns to ventriloquism with his dummy friend named fats: a foul-mouthed smart aleck with a charming voice. Think Jeff Dunham, but actually funny. Anyway, after he gets picked up by a renowned talent agent named Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith), Corky is on his way to fame and glory. However, after being confronted with the prospect of taking a medical examination, Corky panics and goes into hiding at a remote cabin resort in the hills. Where he hopes to rekindle a lost romance with his high school crush Peggy (Ann-Margret) and confront his real enemy...himself. 

This is an actors movie. The entire presentation is driven by the performances of the whole cast. And boy, does this entire cast shine. 

Anthony Hopkins especially demonstrates his considerable talent that comes to be recognized. His energy, commitment, and talent make every second he’s on-screen simultaneously fascinating and nerve-racking. A trait that would eventually earn him an Oscar for 1992’s Silence of the Lambs. His chemistry with Ann-Margret drives the midpoint of the story as they both feed off each other's energy incredibly well. 

My favorite performance of the film has to be Burgess Meredith. Having spent most of my life recognizing him as Micky from the Rocky movies, not to mention The Penguin from the 1960’s Batman show, it was refreshing to see him in a more subtle role. I got to enjoy watching Burgess showcase his demanding presence by just standing in a doorway with a simple expression that said volumes more than any amount of dialogue ever could. 

        The music is especially noteworthy. Composed by Jerry Goldsmith, the soundtrack adds a level of atmosphere not often heard in modern movies. Goldsmith had a talent for composing soundtracks that sounded, for want of a better word, “cinematic.” You can tell you’re watching a movie of great quality when Goldsmith’s music is involved. Not to mention his use of the Accordion in certain points of the story is genuinely perfect.  

Arguably, the scariest aspect of the entire film, likely more so for some than others, is Fats The Dummy, and not just for the reasons you might think. There is a documented natural fear of ventriloquist dummies known as “automatonophobia.” It’s the fear of objects, typically dummies and wax statues, that appear to be alive, even though they are very much not. This fear is taken advantage of full-throttle throughout the film, both in front of and behind the camera. In fact, according to IMDb’s trivia page on Magic, Anthony Hopkins took the dummy home to practice with and became so terrified of the object that he called the ventriloquist who was training him and threatened to throw it out the window if he didn’t take it away immediately. 

As much as I enjoyed this film, at least one aspect of its conception bothered me; its cinematography. 

For the most part, it’s alright. The framing is good, the camera movement is well-timed and appropriately planned, and the use of different lenses for specific shots is masterful. The only part of the cinematography that occasionally bothered me was the lighting. While I am aware that lighting technique was incredibly different for the time, and shooting on celluloid film typically requires more light than you might think, there were one too many shots where I found myself asking, “where is that light coming from?” A question I never want to ask while enjoying a movie. Admittedly, this is a minor nitpick, as it did not throw me out of the experience, but it was nonetheless a minor flaw that got my attention.    

Despite my tiny misgiving with the lighting, Magic is a simple yet highly effective thriller. It’s a perfect showcase of screen acting at its finest and deserves to be showcased in film school. Check this one out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.