Magic (1978): Cast, Ratings, Plot & Where to Watch
Magic is a 1978 drama horror film directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Anthony Hopkins, Burgess Meredith and Ed Lauter. It is based on Magic by William Goldman. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes and was made on a reported $7 million budget. It won 1 award from 5 nominations, including Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards 1979. Critics gave it 49 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10. Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 47m (107 min)
- Director
- Richard Attenborough
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Budget
- $7M
- Based on
- Magic by William Goldman
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Magic About?
The premise of Magic without spoilers, adapted from Magic by William Goldman. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A struggling conjurer finds his self-assurance crumbling as his performances are met with ridicule. In a desperate attempt to recapture his audience's attention and reassert his dominance, he unleashes a series of increasingly elaborate and unsettling illusions. These mesmerizing displays begin to distort the perception of reality, creating a terrifying atmosphere where the boundary between magic and horror dissolves.
Magic Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- ventriloquist
- ventriloquist dummy
- dummy
- entertainer
- evil doll
- based on novel
- drowned in a lake
- psychotronic film
- jewish theatrical agent
- deck of cards
- playing cards
- jewish stereotype
+38 more Show fewer
- theatrical agent
- jewish manager
- sleight of hand
- card trick magic
- extreme close up
- new york city
- sex scene
- female topless nudity
- obsession
- lakeside cabin
- catskill mountains new york
- intruder
- pet cat
- death of protagonist
- psychological horror
- vacation resort
- knife as weapon
- reference to physical examination
- man in a shower
- stabbed in stomach
- taxi ride
- unexpected visitor
- high school yearbook
- puppet
- slasher
- slasher horror
- united states of america
- creepy cinema
- high school romance
- ventriloquist's dummy
- amateur night
- taxi driver
- psychological disorder
- reference to dolly parton
- corpse
- dead man not dead
- drowning
- bludgeoning
Where to Watch Magic
Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 23
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Amazon MX Player With ads
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Amazon Prime Video
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Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads With ads
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Amazon Prime Video with Ads
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AMC+ Amazon Channel
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Cineverse With ads
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Darkroom Free
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Fawesome Free
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Kanopy Free
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Midnight Pulp With ads
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Night Flight Plus
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Philo
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Plex With ads
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Plex Channel With ads
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Screambox Amazon Channel
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Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
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Shout! Factory TV With ads
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Shudder
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Shudder Amazon Channel
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Shudder Apple TV channel
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The Roku Channel With ads
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Tubi TV With ads
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YouTube Free With ads
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
Magic Cast
Anthony Hopkins leads the cast, with Burgess Meredith and Ed Lauter. Directed by Richard Attenborough; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Richard Attenborough
Also Starring in Magic
· 6 moreMagic Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Magic 49 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10.
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IMDb 6.8 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 49 Metascore
User score 7.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 68% User score
See on TMDB
Magic Plot Summary
What happens in Magic from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A magician named Corky struggles to find his footing on stage and faces harsh criticism from his mentor, Merlin. He discovers that to truly engage with his audience, he needs a unique hook. By incorporating ventriloquism into his act with a dummy named [Fats], he experiences an unexpected surge in his career.
As Corky rises to fame, performing in grand theaters and making appearances on talk shows, his manager, Ben Greene, presents him with a lucrative television opportunity. However, this comes with the unsettling requirement of a medical examination. Corky staunchly refuses, viewing it as a matter of principle, but his anxiety escalates to a hysterical point, forcing him to retreat to his old hometown to reassess his life choices.
Full summary
The whole story of Magic, scene by scene
Magic Awards & Nominations
Magic won 1 award from 5 nominations, including Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards 1979. Its biggest night was the Saturn Awards 1979, with 1 win from 3 nominations.
1 win5 nominations3 ceremonies
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Saturn Awards 1979 1 win · 3 nominations- Won Best Supporting Actor – Burgess Meredith
- Nominated Best Actress
- Nominated Best Music
-
BAFTA 1979 1 nomination- Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role – Anthony Hopkins
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Golden Globes 1979 1 nomination- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Anthony Hopkins
Magic Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 3 trailers.
- Trailer Magic (1978) - Trailer
- Trailer Magic (1978) - Trailer
How Well Do You Know Magic?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the role of the magician Corky in the film?
Cars in Magic
11 cars on screen, including the 1969 Checker Taxicab and the 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Drophead Coupé.
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1969 Checker Taxicab Important role -
1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Drophead Coupé Important role -
1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine Minor role -
1974 Dodge Coronet Background role
Magic Also Known As
14 alternative titles, including “Magia” and “Magia Negra”.
- Also known as
-
- Magia
- Magia Negra
- Магия
- Magic - Die Puppe des Grauens
- Magic – Eine unheimliche Liebesgeschichte
- A mágus
- Magic - Magia
- Ο Δολοφόνος με τα Δύο Πρόσωπα
- Magic: El muñeco diabólico
- Kúzlo
- 傀儡凶手
- 매직
+2 more Show fewer
- マジック
- Màgic
Seen Magic?
Movies Like Magic
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Magician, Magic Magic and Magic Man.
Magic FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, budget, ratings and the book behind it of Magic, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Magic?
Magic runs 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).
When was Magic released?
Magic was released on November 8, 1978.
Who directed Magic?
Magic was directed by Richard Attenborough.
More films by Richard Attenborough Who is in the cast of Magic?
Magic stars Anthony Hopkins, Burgess Meredith and Ed Lauter, among 10 credited actors.
Where can I watch Magic?
In the US, Magic is streaming on Amazon MX Player, Amazon Prime Video and AMC+ and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
What was the budget of Magic?
Magic had a reported budget of $7 million.
How is Magic rated?
Magic has 6.8/10 on IMDb, 49 on Metacritic and 68% on TMDB.
Is Magic based on a book?
Yes. Magic is adapted from Magic by William Goldman.
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