The Finest Family Film Since E.T…To Watch When The Drugs DON’T Work

February 8, 2011 by Editor
Filed under Film Reviews

Carnival Magic (1981)

Directed By: Al Adamson

Written By: Mondo Justin
Mondo Film & Video Guide Editor
IMDb.com Link

Upon receiving the new to Blu Ray/ DVD combo pack in the mail for the once thought lost cult film classic, CARNIVAL MAGIC (1981) I noticed something interesting…

The artwork on the case showcases a qoute from a one WWOR-TV that exclaims the film as “THE FINEST FAMILY FILM SINCE E.T.” This doesn’t make sense, since CARNIVAL MAGIC came out in 1981, and E.T. came out in 1982… This set my mind in a fury, a cinematic rage that convinced me that I needed to watch this film immediately. Was CARNIVAL MAGIC really the greatest family film since Spielberg’s landmark of cinema and movie tie in commerce? I’d find out.

Directed by schlock master Al Adamson [HELLS BLOODY DEVILS, DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN] and released in 1981, CARNIVAL MAGIC is an ethical tale of a down and out, dis-enchanted magician who is promptly kicked out of the circus as he is deemed by others to be weird, creepy, and too mysterious. In an attempt to save his livelihood, Markov the Magnificent [Soap Opera Legend - Don Stewart] unveils his secret to the circus community. He’s been hiding in his trailer all this time – a talking chimpanzee named Alexander The Great, whom he has taught, cared for and loved for many years after the sad loss of his mysterious wife. Stunned by this animal wonder, the circus owner and it’s PR agent immediately sell the magician and monkey duo out, and put them to work, and the results are financially successful for the circus.

As always, success gives way to jealously. The former star of the circus, a drunk Italian lion tamer grows angry with the duo’s success and sets up a coup de tat that has Alexander the talking monkey being kidnapped and sold off to an evil doctor for scientific testing.

Markov the Magnificent acts quickly, and puts together a plan to break into the lab to save his best friend before it’s too late. With the help of some of the other circus performers, they reach Alexander as he takes his dying breath. It’s only with the touch of Markov that the monkey magically comes back to life, and the best friends are happily reunited…And It Feels So Good, cause the magic came from the carnival.

The only way one could deem 1981′s CARNIVAL MAGIC as a family film would be if your family regularly enjoys films while under a mass dosage of LSD. The voice of Alexander The Great sounds like a distorted Scooby Doo gargling Tom Waits on a 12 day bender, trying to record some new songs. The entire female cast of the film showcases disturbingly wonderful Russ Meyer approved breasts, and in tight angora sweaters no less. This makes one, forget the scene with the monkey behind the driver’s wheel of a car going down the highway.

As with almost all Al Adamson films, the film is brutally paced, the production value low, and the plot line almost nonsensical. But does this suffering make CARNIVAL MAGIC a bad film? No.

CARNIVAL MAGIC is one of those film anomalies. The film has a element to it, a “something’s gonna happen any minute”. attitude. Anyone familiar with Adamson’s work should be readily expectant of a monster bursting out of nowhere, or a biker gang fueled by psychedelics and sexual urges to create deadly havoc. It’s doesn’t pay off on that level, and it gives one a strangely perverse set of cinematic blue balls.

Perhaps it would’ve been a good idea to leave this Adamson film unreleased, continuing it’s mythic hype amongst cult film fans across the world. CARNIVAL MAGIC is one those ‘ultimate head-scratchers’, a film that begs one to ask, “What the hell was that?” So, is it worthwhile? Is CARNIVAL MAGIC worth a watch? Yes. Cause it’s so weird, and so bizarre that it forces one to have it on stand by in your collection for those instance’s when the drugs aren’t doing there job for you. As WWOR-TV said upon the film’s release, “The Finest Family Film Since E.T” – I’ll agree, but add – “To Watch When The Drugs DON’T Work.” For Adamson collectors, and deviants with talking monkey fetishes. Buy This movie..