Magic (1978)

Happy New Year, everyone!

As a Christmas present to myself I signed up for a subscription to the Shudder channel. Did someone say a curated collection of some of the best known (and unknown) horror films out there? SAY WHAT?

Exactly.

The first movie I chose to watch on this channel was Magic. It somehow seemed appropriate.

Based on the book by William Goldman and staring Anthony Hopkins, folks. this movie is nothing short of awesome. 

Anthony Hopkins is crap your pants frightening - and that's only 5 minutes into the film! Apparently the ventriloquist doll in the film was also so crap your pants frightening for Anthony Hopkins that he demanded, in the middle of the night, that it be removed from his home RIGHT NOW (the one night he took it home with him). 

I picture the good folks making Silence of the Lambs saw Hopkins in those first 5 minutes and said, "That's our man."

This one is also a thriller with a capital T. There are plenty of bad doll movies out there but nothing quite like this one...

You'll cringe, you'll gasp, you'll curl up in the corner and quietly say happy thoughts aloud to yourself. That is my kinda horror movie!!

If it's not already obvious, this movie is about a man and his doll. When third parties try to get in-between these two, things get ugly right quick. Although there is very little blood or gore, there is plenty of gut-retching suspense and heart-pounding drama. Frankly, this movie blew me away.

And just when I thought it was over - just in the last few seconds of the film - Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margaret) said something that sent Eeegads What!? chills down my spine. The thing of nightmares, folks. I'm not entirely sure she intended that. Seriously, I don't think that was her motive - happy accident...?

In any case, the horror was thorough.

Check this film out! You won't regret it.

Pairings: great for a group or alone. Just be sure everyone is paying close attention. Bourbon in flasks or beer in bottles. Coffee (milk and sugar). Roasted asparagus and popcorn. Have a few cigars and/or a couple decks of cards hanging around...

I saw this film on my Shudder Roku channel. Use the links under Find It. Watch It. on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this incredibly terrifying film, and roll into the new year with some Magic...