Magic
Magic

Movie spotlight

Magic

1981
Movie
10 min
Italian

One of the early short films of Italian director Fabio Salerno.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes64%
Metacritic60/100
Google Users70%
Director: Richard AttenboroughGenres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural

Plot Summary

A deeply disturbed and lonely ventriloquist becomes dangerously obsessed with his dummy, Fats. As his grip on reality loosens, the lines between man and puppet blur, leading to increasingly disturbing and violent events. His struggles with mental illness are exacerbated by his desperate search for love and connection, which he believes can only be found through his sinister alter ego.

Critical Reception

Magic received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised Anthony Hopkins' chilling performance and the film's unsettling atmosphere. However, some found the plot to be predictable or overly bleak. Audiences were generally divided, with some appreciating the psychological horror and others finding it too disturbing or lacking in supernatural elements.

What Reviewers Say

  • Anthony Hopkins delivers a compelling and disturbing performance as a man unraveling.

  • The film effectively creates a sense of dread and psychological unease.

  • While atmospheric, the plot can be predictable and lacks a satisfying resolution for some.

Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be creepy and unsettling, with many highlighting Anthony Hopkins' performance as a standout. However, some viewers felt the story was too dark and depressing, and a few were disappointed by the lack of explicit supernatural events.

Fun Fact

The ventriloquist dummy 'Fats' was designed by the legendary puppeteer Jim Henson, though it was not operated by him or his team during filming.

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