Have you seen The Magus? I hadn’t but as it stars Michael Caine I thought I should take a look seeing it’s recently had a Blu-ray release. So without further ado here’s my The Magus Blu-ray review.
- The Magus (1968)
- UK Rating 12
- Discs: 2 (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD)
- Released By Signal One Entertainment
- Blu-ray Released: 24 April 2017
Plot
A school teacher moves to take up a position on a small Greek Island following the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend. He meets a strange man whilst exploring the Island and becomes entangled in his mind games.
Written by John Fowles.
Style / Direction
Filmed in Majorca the Island location is breathtakingly beautiful and had I not known I would have thought it was in Greece. The cinematography is simply stunning. Make no mistake the film is very well made and the pacing is good. The only issue being the director and writer were unsure of the plots meaning.
Directed by Guy Green.
Music / Audio Effects
A strange mix of mystery and romance, it does indeed fit the rather confused plotline well.
Acting / Characters
The film boasts an excellent cast and all the performances are extremely good.
Michael Caine as Nicholas Urfe delivers an outstanding performance which helps somewhat to cover the confusing plot line to some degree. Anthony Quinn is also exceptional as Maurice Conchis the director of the game. Indeed it’s largely his performance that manages to keep you invested in what can only be described as a rather perplexing story. Both Quinn and Caine complement each other’s performance enriching the overall experience.
Candice Bergen plays Lily a strange yet attractive woman whom Nicholas Urfe finds himself drawn to. She plays the role well and the scenes between the two work particularly well with a definite chemistry between them.
The other main character is Anne played by Anna Karina. She is Nicholas’s former love interest and the reason he moves away to a remote Greek island to escape her. Anna is a somewhat needy character and unfortunately for her she just happens to be in love with a guy who is really only interested in himself.
Conclusion: The Magus (1968) Film Review
An incredible confusing plot that takes us on a journey or exploration but fails to express just what we are exploring or what we the viewer are supposed to take away from it. That said the film is an intriguing one that just happens to be extremely well made.
I’d say The Magus is worth a look but don’t be surprised if you don’t fully understand it as the author Jon Fowles apparently didn’t either.
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Conclusion: The Magus Blu-ray Review
The picture quality is pretty much perfect its sharp and the colours are vibrant. There are one or two little specks of dirt but these are few and far between. Overall this is an excellent Blu-ray release and if you are a fan of The Magus this version is the one you need to purchase.
Extras
- John Fowles The Literary Magus (23 mins)
- Enchanted Island (22 mins)
- Guy Green: A Life Behind The Camera (22 mins)
- Billy Williams Talks About The Magus (12 mins)
- Tim Hutchinson Talks About The Magus (10 mins)
- Stephanie Kaye Talks About The Magus (6 mins)
- Original Film Trailer
An very good set of extras giving enough insight into the making of the film. However if you were hoping for some explanation as to what the plot is really all about I’m afraid no-one really knows.
Popcorn Cinema Rating: The Magus (1968)
MOVIE RATING: WORTH WATCHING
BLU-RAY RATING: VERY GOOD
Amazon UK Links
The Magus (1968) blu-ray is available now.
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The Magus (1968) Film Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip may not be representative of the Blu-ray version
That concludes The Magus blu-ray review, check back soon for more reviews.
Summary: The Magus (1968) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: The Magus (1968)
Duration: 117 mins
Director(s): Guy Green
Actor(s): Michael Caine, Anthony Quinn, Candice Bergen, Anna Karina, Julian Glover
Genre: Mystery, Drama
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Picture Rating
- Extras
Summary
A beautifully looking film with a great cast, however it struggles from an incredibly perplexing plot.
