Magic

The best meals and the best movies have this in common: they're filling. Hungry? Watch Magic. Goldman's intensely suspenseful, spooky novel shows up intact on the screen, featuring Mr Hopkins in the psychotic lead. I love Hopkins enough to have several favorite performances (Guilty Conscience, Silence of the Lambs, Magic, A Married Man); while additionally loving Goldman (Princess Bride, Magic, Marathon Man, The Hot Rock, Misery) enough for you to understand where I'm coming from. Our sympathy for Hopkins' character, Corky, a ventriloquist, is forced early on, as we begin to realize the relationship Corky has with his dummy named "Fats". So, there are two main characters...if you will. The other characters just get in the way...oops...I give too much away...

Look for the following scenes especially: 1) the card game; and, 2) Corky must remain silent for 5 minutes...

I have passed on this film several times in the past, and people told me it was better than I thought, so I gave it a try. I was amazed how great it was, Anthony Hopkins has never had a character with more energy, this was before he started playing rather boring characters. Although the film does have some plot holes, and there are some unintentional laughs(especially the death of Ben Greene, I couldnt keep a straight face), but Anthony Hopkins is so good he overpowers all of the weaknesses of the film. The film made over 40 million dollars at the time of release, and thats quite a lot for 1978, Im surprised the rating isnt higher, and that it doesnt have more votes. My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

This somehow has become a forgotten movie which seems odd that after the subsequent success and recognition of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs that more people didn't look back at his 1978 performance in this psychological/horror gem. William Goldman has quite a record of novels being adapted to film or screenplays by him which include No Way to Treat a Lady, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Stepford wives, The Great Waldo Pepper, All the Presidents Men, Marathon Man, Misery and A Bridge Too Far among other memorable films. Actor/Dirctor Richard Attenborough who is notable for directing Ghandi, Chaplin and A Bridge Too Far teams up again with Goldman to bring us Magic. Anthony Hopkins as the ventriloquist also provides the voice of his menacing dummy. Bergis Meredith turns in a great performance as usual as well as Ann Margaret. This is Hopkin's film though and he is superb in lead role. I saw this in the theater during it's initial release and have only seen it once since then. Don't know why this doesn't make on TV more often. I would give this an 8.0 out of 10 and recommend it.

This was one of the first films I ever saw that absolutely creeped me out as a kid; I hadn't seen it in years and just caught it recently on Bravo, and I have to say that it still gives me the willies! Anthony Hopkins's performance is nothing short of remarkable (he's a great Lechter, but really, his first Oscar nod SHOULD have been for this film); his scenes with Fats - and the voice he provides for the character - still make my flesh crawl. If you can get past the low production values, and hang in there past the first 15-20 minutes (plus if you can actually find this in a video store), you're in for a pretty frightening psychological ride. Hey, DVD distributors, somebody pick this one up (and get a commentary track with Hopkins, Attenborough and Ann-Margaret!)

Sir Richard Attenbourough does a fine job directing this film about a magician that has little charm, personality, or self-confidence who must take a dummy into his act to let himself become famous. The only trouble is that the fine line that exists between the dummy and the ventriloquist becomes much too fine. Anthony Hopkins is really good as this shy, awkward man slowly descending into a world of madness as great success looms over the horizon. Hopkins also does the voice of the dummy, Fats, and lends his unique voice talents to create a very disturbing, eerie screen presence. The dummy is in many ways larger than life, and he steals almost every scene he is in. No supernatural puppet coming to life here, yet the character of Corky(Hopkins) gives his life to this dummy in a very unique way. The film is suitably creepy with some very atmospheric shots. As one reviewer noted, the scene where Hopkins is to not speak through the dummy for five minutes is easily the best. Each moment of that scene passed with incredible tension. It is downright chilling in fact. The other actors do very well. Burgess Meredith is made out to be much older that he was at the time, and I think he did a fantastic job. What can I say about Ann-Margaret. Stunning. She does a credible job acting, and let's face it, she looks like a million bucks(she even shows us more than expected as well). A spooky film, and a great screen performance by a much younger Anthony Hopkins.