Magic [1978] dir Richard Attenborough

Magic (1978)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077889/






Magic is a 1978 film starring Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret. It was written by William Goldman, who also wrote the novel on which it was based.





Anthony Hopkins ... Corky Withers / Voice of Fats

Ann-Margret ... Peggy Ann Snow

Burgess Meredith ... Ben Greene

Ed Lauter ... Duke

E.J. André ... Merlin

Jerry Houser ... Cab driver

David Ogden Stiers ... Todson

Lillian Randolph ... Sadie

Joe Lowry ... Club M.C.

Bob Hackman ... Father

Mary Munday ... Mother

Brad Beesley ... Young Corky

Scott Garrett ... Corky's brother

Beverly Sanders ... Laughing lady

I.W. Klein ... Maitre d'hotel





The film received mixed reviews when released.



Vincent Canby for the New York Times wrote that "Magic is neither eerie nor effective. It is, however, very heavy of hand."



Gene Siskel, film critic from the television show Siskel & Ebert, gave the film a very positive review, and ranked it at #9 on his list of the 10 best films of 1978.



"The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review" 1990 writeup of the film remarks that Hopkins appears stiff in the lead role, but praised the supporting cast: "Ann-Margaret... 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."



Goldman received a 1979 Edgar Award, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay.



Hopkins received each a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for his role as the tragically disturbed Corky.



The trailer for this film was pulled from TV due to calls from parents who claimed that it gave their children nightmares. The trailer in question is less than 30 seconds in length. It features Fats reciting the tagline, after which his eyeballs roll into the back of his head. This is followed by a cast reading, then Fats opens his eyes and gazes to his left.



Abracadabra, I sit on his knee.

Presto, change-o, and now he is me!

Hocus Pocus, we take her to bed,

Magic is fun...we're dead.



This last assertion is from the documentary 'Fats and Friends' and from the Wikipedia article about the film, which was released when I was 19 years old. I recall seeing this very effective 30 second advertisement many times on television as a young man, but it was not included in the DVD I created this torrent from; I found it onand so have downloaded it here.