Magic
1978 · Movie · R · 107 min · ★ 6.8 · 68% critics
A ventriloquist tries to rebuild a romance with his high school sweetheart, but his vicious dummy pushes him into dangerous territory. As fame and outside pressure close in, his attempt to reconnect turns tense and unsettling, blending personal longing with creeping menace.
Based on Magic
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Details
- Years
- 1978
- Release date
- 1978-11-08
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 68/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (322 votes)
- Box office
- $23,800,000
- Budget
- $7,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy Magic if you like creepy psychological suspense and unsettling ventriloquist stories like Candyman or Needful Things; Not for you if you want lots of gore or constant jump scares.
Pros: Hopkins’ standout performance; creepy dummy tension; strong supporting cast | Cons: unsettling pacing; limited thrills; some plot doubts
Themes
- based on novel or book
- magic
- telepathy
- 1970s
- alter ego
- ventriloquist
- evil doll
- dead body
- madness
- split personality
- high school sweetheart
- ventriloquist's dummy
- +3 more
Cast & crew
Anthony Hopkins
as Corky Withers/Fats (voice)
Ann-Margret
as Peggy Ann Snow
Burgess Meredith
as Ben Greene
Ed Lauter
as Duke
E.J. André
as Merlin
Jerry Houser
as Cab Driver
David Ogden Stiers
as George Todson
Lillian Randolph
as Sadie
- JL
Joe Lowry
as Club M.C.
- RH
Robert Hackman
as Father
Directed by Richard Attenborough