Review of Magic (1978) by Patrick K — 01 Nov 2009

Hard to beat for sheer creepiness. Anthony Hopkins is playing two roles here. First, he is Corky Withers, a struggling ventriloquist with some serious confidence problems. Second, he is Fats, an expression of Corky's deep-seated psychosis in the form of a dummy that steals every scene it's in. The struggle between these two aspects of Corky's personality lays the groundwork for the inevitable meltdown he experiences while in the company of a childhood flame, who has stirred up long-repressed feelings of inadequacy and despair.

The director, Richard Attenborough, achieves a very palpable sense of isolation. Great acting from all players contributes to the creepy factor.