The Magic Christian

Rating:
Summary: An Overlooked Classic
Review: As many times as I've seen this film - and it's more than I can recall - I've never grown tired of it. Without a doubt, I'd rank this right up there with "Blazing Saddles," "Little Big Man" and "Dr. Strangelove" as a contender for funniest movie of the last forty or fifty years. And like those its social comment is still relevant. The hunting scene is akin to the charge of the scarecrow in "Singing Detective" - unexpected, over the top and outrageously funny. The scenes with Yule Brenner and the two body-builder dancers outdo any smack at homophobia I've seen since and are worth the price of this movie alone. Raquel Welch's bit part is priceless. The only thing keeping me from giving this more than a four-star rating is its lack of any extras, but then who needs 'em? Do yourself a favor and see "The Magic Christian."

Rating:
Summary: Tom Keogh's Review Is Almost Right
Review: ...but he's wrong when he says the final sketch shows "a bunch of aristocrats feeding from a vat of blood and manure." There are two major misstatements here: (1) The people were not "feeding" from a vat of blood and manure. Instead, lured by a sign advertising "Free Money" they were diving after 5-pound notes that Sir Guy and Youngblood Grand had mixed into the revolting mess. (2) Since this horrific joke was set up in the middle of London, there was a fairly representative mix of economic classes wallowing in the offal, not just aristos. Be aware, though, that this is the grossest scene in the movie, but at least it's at the end. (I feel they were belaboring the point, anyway.) This movie contains some absolute gems, as good as anything the Python boys ever produced.

Rating:
Summary: Capitalism Commentary
Review: A great double-bill to view with the classic "Bedazzled," is this darkly humorous, sadistic freakshow starring Peter Sellers as Guy Grand, a gazillionaire Brit bachelor who happens upon a scruffy, homeless guy (played eerily well by Ringo Starr) in a park one day and promptly adopts him, renaming him Youngman Grand. New dad and son set out on an endless journey to torment the populace, particularly the high society snobs who travel in Guy's posh circles, culminating in a finale that will leave you both breathless and nauseous. Pic also spawned a #1 hit for its title track "Come And Get It," (which is a real kicker when taken in context with the final scene) as performed by the McCartney-produced Apple act, Badfinger.

Rating:
Summary: A wickedly eccentric stab at life.
Review: A movie about the nasty little truths we all work so hard to deny, but still feel so amused when anothers are exposed. Each scene brings out what we all think is below us but succumb to as greed wins out. The last segement(The USS Magic Christian) should awake us to where our reality is based, and on how non-open minded we often are. Of all the fantastic stars in this movie, I am stil surprised how many have never even heard of it. I have introduced it to alot of my friends and still enjoy their shock at who appears. If you haven't seen it make sure to settle in before it starts, it has a very important lead-in as the credits roll, without which the rest of the story becomes hard to follow.

Rating:
Summary: A very good and funny film
Review: A very good and funny film. I`ve seen it many times and I still like it

Rating:
Summary: A seriously funny movie
Review: As a fan of British surrealistic comedies, I loved the film, but one has to remember that Southern is an American who worked with such greats as Kubrick (Dr. Strangelove). The novel is far funnier, but doesn't have the song "Come and Get It" as part of the package. I found Southern on a whim while book shopping and love his style. Read some of his other works like Candy and Flash and Filigree before watching this film.

Rating:
Summary: Idiotic.
Review: As one who has read and loved the book, I was disappointed by this mindless adaptation. It should have been better--Terry Southern was, first and foremost, a screenwriter and the book itself is a series of hilarious visual images. Read it and skip the video

Rating:
Summary: Searching for contemporary redeeming value
Review: Certainly this was of a piece with the time it was made and so serves a historical purpose. Perhaps there were many of this sort and there are certainly aspects that point at things like the MP's and the Beatles' own movies -- heck this is Ringo after all. Peter is not the same as many of his other films and that might make for an interesting discussion. My hope was that it would be useful in a classroom situation but I am left searching for a contemporary redeeming value other than remembering how weird things could get, or can get. I can use "Being There" but not "The Magic Christian". Is it just my own lack of imagination?

Certainly the message is not lost on anyone today but neither does anyone need to hear it. Pierre Bourdieu "Firing Back" may be ignored as easily. This message is lost to "Losing Ground".

It at least completes my Peter Sellers collection.

Rating:
Summary: nice to watch after some cheeba
Review: Confirmation that the rich are as bad as we poor folk think. Sellers' performance is excellent, so dry and yet endearing. Must see for any Monty Python or Pink Panther fans.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent remastering of this mess of a comic masterpiece
Review: 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 Roman Polanski at the ship's bar -- this DVD is a must for anyone with a madcap sense of humor.