Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video (both):

Audio:

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit

• Screenwriting For Dummies (15:58)

• Fats and Friends (26:43)

• Ann-Margret Make-up Test (1:18)

Bitrates:

 

Description: Academy Award®-winner Anthony Hopkins (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS) is Corky, a painfully shy, failed magician who finds overnight success as a ventriloquist. His brash, foul-mouthed dummy, Fats, becomes a huge nightclub hit. With his star on the rise, talent agent Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith) arranges an important shot at national TV. But the pressure of failing the network’s required physical sends Corky into a panic. With Fats in tow, he flees the city to a nearly-deserted resort in the Catskills run by the love of his youth, Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margret).

Peg’s spent years trapped in a loveless marriage with her high-school sweetheart, Duke. In Corky, she sees the chance for a loving relationship and accepts an offer to run away with him. After they make love, Corky confides to Fats that he may leave show business altogether. Fats becomes furious and lashes out at him, playing on his guilt and insecurity. Now under Fats’ control, Corky is manipulated into a series of violent and unexpected confrontations.

Based on the best–selling novel by William Goldman and directed by Sir Richard Attenborough (A BRIDGE TOO FAR, GANDHI), MAGIC’s stellar performances and shocking conclusion make for gripping suspense from beginning to end.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from Eric Miller at Horror located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.
 

Acceptable image on Blu-ray from Dark Sky Films showing some grain texture.  It is clean and reminds me of a Blue Underground transfer exporting the integrity of the film. This is dual-layered with excellent detail and some depth. Contrast and colors appear adept - perhaps a shade dull. There is a touch of noise here and there, has some yellow leaning but no unforgivable black-marks. This seems a healthy step-up from SD-DVD.  Magic probably didn't look too different over 35-years ago theatrically. This Blu-ray has a strong bitrate and pleasing, consistent, visuals. No harsh complaints.

Second Sight have improved the image quality of Magic with a max'ed out bitrate. The colors are richer and deeper and contrast significantly more layered. It looks superior in every visual aspect - it loses the yellow tinge of the Dark Sky, flesh tones warm and improve - 1.78:1 framing is the same. The UK disc wins the video transfer, handily.    

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

1) Dark Sky - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Dark Sky - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Dark Sky - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Dark Sky - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Dark Sky - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Dark Sky Blu-ray Captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like the image a similarly competent clean audio rendering with a lossless liner 2.0 channel. There is very little aggression in the film and the score only becomes notable a few times. Dialogue, including `Fats` is consistent and easily audible. There is no range or depth but bass can be prominent in few tense sequences but obviously this is no demo track. There are optional English subtitles and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region A-locked.

Second Sight also win the audio with a 24-bit linear PCM mono track (as opposed to 16-bit). This is notable in the, always impressive score by Jerry Goldsmith (Link, Breakout, Alien, The Salamander, The Mephisto Waltz, Seconds, Hoosiers, The Blue Max, Breakheart Pass, The Omen) sounds amazing in the lossless with plenty of depth - creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere. The Second Sight has optional white, English, subtitles and is Region 'B'-locked.      

 

 

Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Another example of a film that critics despised and many everyday film fans totally embraced. Attenborough does something 'magical' here although it is hard to pinpoint how this really works. Hopkins performance as a schizophrenic is intentionally quirky and mysterious adding an intriguing sauce to the mix. Margret, Meredith - both fabulous.... perhaps it's the whole ventriloquist milieu that has appeal - certainly for a horror-esque effort although the director keeps things within the realm of realism- a strong positive. Anyway, the Blu-ray is solid - looking and sounding better than expected - there are some viable extras - yes, we are recommending - an enigmatic film you should see at least once in your life. Then you may end up revisiting every few years...

 

Gary Tooze

October 10th, 2010

February 11th, 2020