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Magic

1978
8
Director: 
Richard Attemborough

SYNOPSIS: 

Corky Withers performs ventriloquism tricks with Fats the puppet. But he soon becomes dominated by the puppet, which begins to speak of its own accord, turning him into a murderer.

REVIEW: 

A disturbing psychological thriller that mixes horror and tension, with a sinister puppet and a young Anthony Hopkins in one of his most intense performances. To get into the role, the British actor immersed himself in the study of ventriloquism techniques, giving his character a tormented and vulnerable depth. His hypnotic gaze and his ability to convey complex emotions make the performance unforgettable.

Behind the camera, Richard Attenborough orchestrates the story with almost surgical precision, enhancing every detail and giving the story an unusual realism for the genre. The relationship between the ventriloquist and the puppet is charged with ambiguity, leaving the viewer balanced between doubt and horror. The result is a tense, refined film full of twists that defy expectations.
"Magic", released in the late seventies, is a forgotten treasure, often overlooked among Hopkins' great works. If you love creepy puppet stories and psychological horror that delve into the human mind, this little masterpiece definitely deserves to be rediscovered.

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