Castle Vanian Halloween Special: Demonic Dolls and Creepy Toys: Magic (1978)

We went back and forth on Magic, eventually deciding to include it as a Wildcard choice. Want to explain why it almost didn’t make the cut, even though it’s an excellent movie?

Because there are so many other good movies in the category. I guess it comes down to personal preference as well. For me, it’s one of those movies that just stuck with me. I first saw it… must have been about 40 years ago. As a kid, I honestly thought the doll was alive.

Now, watching it again, there are moments when the doll does move on its own. As a kid I couldn’t have understood that Anthony Hopkins was controlling the doll but there are moments when he’s not.

According to IMDb, they’re supposedly “mistakes” that were left in…

Either way, those moments add to the mystique of the film.

Magic is very “of its time.” By that, I mean it feels very 70s. Do you think the production quality affects modern viewers’ enjoyment of the film?

I don’t know about that… It’s a good story anyway. We live in a world of high definition. Even the most well-filmed movie of the 60s or 70s can’t compete with a movie from today. It’s the difference between a movie made on film and a movie made digitally. If there was a hair on the gate, it could affect the whole thing. Now you can just go “Whoops, do it again,” and not lose any time.

So, yeah, it’s very of its time. Now, they can clean up a lot of these films so that would help. Look at the difference between the likes of Horror Express on VHS vs. DVD vs. Blu-ray. The quality can get better, which will always make it a better experience.

What about a teenager or a young adult watching it? Someone who grew up on Netflix and streaming services? Can they enjoy Magic?

Yeah, of course they can! I grew up on black & white Universal monster movies and loved them! I know kids today are spoiled when it comes to technology, but a good movie is a good movie – and Magic is a great movie.

The problem isn’t really the technology, but the choice. Whereas I would have been stuck watching whatever was on, kids can flick through a million different things before they get stuck watching an old movie like this. Would I have watched Magic if I’d had today’s choice? Maybe not… but I’m glad I did.

Think about how many movies we’ve seen. How many movies I’ve probably seen in my lifetime… I don’t know how many thousands. So, if a movie like Magic can beat all those to score a spot in my memory, it must be doing something right. Plus, the production value for its day wasn’t bad, don’t forget. It was clean and it was shot well. On top that, you had some excellent actors.

I want to come back to the acting but, first, talk to me about the plot of the movie.

It’s basically about a magician that’s incredibly gifted with cards but can’t get anywhere because people just won’t give him the time of day. At the beginning, he bombs on stage and loses it. It goes on a year, and he’s finally made it because he’s come back with this new gimmick, with Fats.

The problem is that there are two Corkys. You’ve got the magician who thinks he’s got no personality and the Fats who’s got all the personality. It’s like he’s become schizophrenic in that year that’s passed.

Is he, though? That’s kind of the point of the movie… they never tell you whether he’s got a mental illness or if the doll is evil. And, like you said, that fucker does move on his own!

Hah. Well, that’s it, isn’t it? And because Anthony Hopkins is such a good ventriloquist, you never get the lips moving to give the game away.

You were saying about the acting…

It’s just superb.

It’s such a good performance from Anthony Hopkins. There were better performances to come, obviously, but the fact that he learned ventriloquism for the role really sets it apart. I love the fact that he can still do Fats.

And don’t forget Burgess Meredith as Ben "Gang" Green and EdLauter and Ann-Margret.

Did you have a favourite moment?

Oh… There are a few I really liked. Like the scene where Gang Green is timing him to see if he can go five minutes without doing Fats and Corky is losing it.

What do you like about it?

It’s so well done. That, yeah, sure… then a minute later… and thirty seconds… and it gets shorter and shorter, and you know he’s not going to make it and he just goes nuts. And of course Burgess Meredith tells him he knew all along he couldn’t and, really, the audience did too.

What did you think of the doll? That little fucker creeps me the hell out!

I LOVE it. It’s just a ventriloquist dummy but there is a resemblance to Hopkins. I love it even more because it was deliberately done.

Did you think it was creepy?

Any ventriloquist doll is creepy!

Ventriloquist dolls, mannequins… any of those things. Anything that’s lifelike. It’s the “like” that’s creepy. Anything that mimics life but isn’t alive is just kind of… wrong.

What did you make of that ending?

It’s so sad. She’s changed her mind and she’s going to go with him but it’s too late. He’s already killed himself. It’s even sadder that as he’s dying, he’s still talking to Corky.

Her talking at the end, with that weird voice…

That’s the twist, isn’t it? Back in the 60 and 70s, that was the dawn of the big sequels, really. Did the doll jump into her? It’s very ambiguous.

Would you have liked a sequel?

No! It’s a stand-alone movie. Some movies demand a sequel, and you can go forever with it. Not Magic. You couldn’t have gotten Anthony Hopkins back in it and whoever you got to take his place would never have been as good. I’m glad they didn’t ruin Magic by trying to bring Corky back or by making her a ventriloquist too. It was perfect exactly as it was.