Magic Soundtrack CD
Magic.
1978, 20th Century Fox.
Jerry Goldsmith.
Verese Sarabande CD, Collectors Club, 2003, VCL 0403 1018
Rating: 
‘Magic’ may not be one of Jerry Goldsmith’s best known scores, probably because it had never received a commercial release until now, but it remains an interesting and unsettling one. The fourth film project for director Richard Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins in one of his earlier roles, Magic was moderately successful on release and has since become something of a minor cult hit. Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins) is a failing magician whose career is on the slide until he incorporates a ventriloquist’s dummy into his act resulting in success. As Wither’s mental health deteriorates however he begins to believe that the dummy has something to say for itself and listens to it with terrifying results. This special release, limited to 3000 copies, contains the complete score including two tracks used as source material in the film. ‘Main Title’, is an elegant cue dominated by strings and including an unnerving harmonica motif written to represent the character of ‘Fats’, the dummy, that resurfaces throughout the score. In ‘Appassionata’, the film’s love theme, we get a melodic, sweeping, glimpse into Corky’s romantic life, as ‘Fats’ sits alone in the next room apparently jealous of his masters lovemaking. Like the fractured characters that inhabit the story, Goldsmith’s score is schizophrenic, making it an unsettling experience. This CD comes with full liner notes by Robert Townson and stills from the movie.
Magic Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Main Title
2. Corky’s Retreat
3. Didn’t Remember Me
4. Memories
5. What Can’t You Explain?
6. Appassionata
7. Let’s Take Off
8. One Chance
9. Stop The Postman
10. The Lake
11. The Ruse
12. Duke’s Catch
13. Blood
14. Duke’s End
15. Two Birds With One Stone
16. I’ll Tell
17. Fats Blows The Whistle
18. The Wooden Heart
19. Us Was You
20. End Titles
21. Previous Act
22. Next Act
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