The Magic Christian
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Movie Reviews of The Magic Christian
Movie Review: From Different Eyes.
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw this movie in the late '60's when it was made. I liked it then. I had not seen it since, but have been contemplating attitudes toward money lately and remembered the movie. It is interesting how 36 years (or so) can change one's perspective. Although the movie did not change (obviously), my attitude toward money has changed. I still have a certain amount of disrespect for money and for selling the days of my life for money. I still believe that people are much more greedy than they need to be. All of these things stayed the same, both in the movie (of course) and in my mind. I now have enough money to meet my basic needs and even a few "wants" that are not needs. When I first saw the movie, I was on the outside, not always knowing if I would have enough to secure basic needs. Either way, this movie is a biting satire and can allow one to step far enough from the current attitudes toward money that one might have and start to explore them from a different perspective.
Even if the viewer does not want to have that deep of an experience while watching a movie, it is interesting to see how many well known people, both living and (now) dead are in one movie; sometimes just walking through in the background, sometimes with important parts.
This movie is part of the culture and should not be missed.
Movie Review: Subversive comedy that probably won't appeal to the hoi polloi
Summary: 5 Stars
So what's wrong with this movie? Why are all of these people on Amazon say it's "boring" or only worth seeing as a historical relic? Perhaps they are just feeling a bit left out.
These people will immediately recognize that this humor is not to their taste. But you should take a look for yourself. You may find that all of the "flaws" that others see are actually effective elements here.
Exposition has been paired down to the minimum. Do you really want all of that exposition in your screwball comedy? I'd rather skip ahead to the larfs.
There are a lot of laughs. Everyone who likes this movie picks a different favorite moment.
I enjoy the absurdist tone of the scenes. The intimidating social order is shown to be made up of individuals who don't so much support that order, but just follow it. Our protagonist is just trying to help them to let it all hang out.
So there's my stuffy analysis, but do you want to see it? No? What if I told you it had:
Psychedelic train freak out
Raquel Welch surrounded by topless women
proof that all Asian people don't look the same to old white people
the most obnoxious car ever imagined(40 years before its time)
how to talk your way out of a parking ticket
how to cultivate an appreciation for the fine arts
Movie Review: Excellent remastering of this mess of a comic masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
For what is basically a "bargain" DVD, the video remastering is a tremendous improvement over the ghastly quality of the "middle-speed" LP VHS version I popped for a couple of years ago. It must be very close to the original film's colors, with highly natural skin tones and great overall dynamic range. Saturation is a tad underdone, which is to my taste.
Audio is another matter. It's all over the map, ranging from quite clear to "telephone" quality, but I suspect the original was essentially beyond meaningful repair. Still, it is readily decipherable throughout.
Considering that it includes one of the funniest scenes EVER filmed -- the "mystery" singer performing "Mad About the Boy" for the "mystery" listener at the ship's bar -- this DVD is a must for anyone with a madcap sense of humor.
Movie Review: No, no....I only want the nose.
Summary: 5 Stars
McGrath's film adaptation differs considerably Southern's novel. Relocated to London in the 1960s, it introduces an orphan whom Sir Guy Grand picks up in a park and on a whim, decides to adopt. The role was written with Ringo Starr (who plays it) in mind.
The Magic Christian is an unrelenting and often heavy-handed satire on capitalism, greed, racism and other human vanities. Notable are the appearances of (pre-Monty Python) John Cleese and Graham Chapman (uncredited), who had written an earlier version of the film script, of which only the scenes in which they appear survived.
This movie is great fun, I only wish there had been some remastering on the CD, rather than just a core dump to different media. But that quibble aside, it's still one of my very favorite movies.
Movie Review: Hail Eris!
Summary: 5 Stars
I do not believe this movie is to be seen in a straight forward manner with actors, a story, etc. This is a psychedelic-symbolic film depicting discordian experimentation with capitalism using humor and not-so-subtle inferences to motivate the viewer to see things their way. If you are looking for linear narritive with quick modern MTV style cuts and action, you will be sorely disappointed.
If you are looking for a strange series of vignettes exploring the outer limits of capitalism with iconoclastic and psychedelic humor... then you've found your film.