Entertainment
The 1970s, Extremely R-Rated, Thriller That Inspired An Entire Franchise
By Robert Scucci
| Published
If you’re a fan of the Child’s Play franchise, you owe it to yourself to look back a decade before it launched and check out 1978’s Magic. Often cited as a direct inspiration for the franchise’s infamous Chucky, Magic leans more into psychological thriller territory, though its story still centers on a ventriloquist dummy that may or may not be possessed by a murderous entity. Half the fun of Magic is figuring out whether the puppet itself is responsible for a string of killings that seem to happen nearby, or if his unstable puppet master is the real culprit.
Even better, the deeply unstable man at the center of Magic is portrayed by none other than Anthony Hopkins, who clearly knows a thing or two about playing total psychopaths (Hello, Clarice!). The dynamic between Hopkins and the puppet he’s constantly lugging around turns the film into a disturbing trip into the Catskills, where isolation becomes its own kind of antagonist and late night screams are guaranteed to go unheard.
A Magician, Turned Ventriloquist, Turned Psycho
When Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins) endures yet another heckler-infused open mic night as an aspiring magician, he realizes it’s time to change his act. That realization leads him to introduce a talking dummy named Fats (voiced by Hopkins) to his routine. Almost overnight, Corky and Fats dominate the comedy circuit, eventually catching the attention of Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith), a seasoned talent agent with deep industry connections.
The cracks in Corky’s personality start to show once he’s offered a television pilot, under the condition that he undergo a full medical evaluation before any contract is finalized. To Ben, this is standard practice, as networks want to avoid pouring money into talent whose health may be deteriorating. Corky, however, sees the evaluation as a threat and refuses the offer outright, since he and Ben both know his mental health is far from stable.
The core issue Corky faces is that he cannot turn Fats off, even when he’s not on stage. The two are constantly bickering, and Corky can barely go five minutes without slipping back into his act, even when doing so actively makes things worse. Fully aware that he needs to get himself together if he wants to take his career any further, Corky retreats to the Catskills, where his former high school crush, Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margret), runs a quiet bed and breakfast.
A Budding Romance, And A Brutal Weekend
Magic takes a darker turn once Corky and Fats settle in and reacquaint themselves with their old stomping grounds. Peggy confides that she always had a crush on Corky and admits that her marriage to Duke (Ed Lauter) is falling apart. With some help from Fats, Corky quickly charms Peggy, and for a brief moment, things seem to be going his way. He’s getting the rest he needs before planning his next move back in the city, but that calm is shattered when Ben arrives unannounced to smooth things over, an encounter that ends fatally. Corky begins to spiral, confiding in Fats when alone while keeping up the ventriloquist routine whenever he’s around Peggy and Duke.
Teetering on the edge of a psychotic break, Corky grows increasingly fearful of what he and Fats might do next, especially after Duke starts to catch on to Corky and Peggy’s shared past. Tensions rise further when Duke notices Ben’s car on the property but can’t find Ben himself, leading him to suspect Corky is involved in his disappearance.
With no agent, no one he can trust, and a menacing puppet that appears to be calling the shots, Corky is forced to confront what’s really happening. Is he splitting his personality in two, allowing his violent impulses to live through Fats? Or is the puppet genuinely possessed by a malicious spirit, leaving Corky to reckon with the destruction he’s leaving behind?
Magic does an excellent job exploring Corky’s fractured psyche and the personality inhabiting Fats, ultimately leaving viewers with far more questions than answers. More importantly, Magic’s legacy can’t be overstated, as it directly inspired screenwriter Don Mancini to create 1988’s Child’s Play, which quickly became a full-blown media juggernaut. If you want to see the film that helped kick it all off, you can stream Magic for free on Tubi as of this writing.
Entertainment
BookCon 2026: Authors Rachel Reid, Stephanie Archer talk hockey romance and how it could change the sport for the better
With the fervor of Heated Rivalry, there’s a fierce desire among book readers for even more hockey. On Sunday, April 19, at BookCon, the “You Had Me at Hockey: A Look at One of Sports Romance’s Hottest Genres”, authors Rachel Reid (Heated Rivalry, Game Changer), Emily Rath (Pucking Around), Ngozi Ukazu (Check Please), Stephanie Archer (The Wild Card), and Kate Cochrane (Wake Up, Nat & Darcy) were joined by moderator and fellow author Bal Khabra (Collide) to discuss the rise and continued success of hockey romance.
Khabra kicked off the panel, asking just how hockey became so popular. Ukazu joked that it was as if the genre “escaped containment,” like when the Omegaverse went mainstream, while Reid described the mystery around hockey, saying, “what [the players] are doing seems impossible.” Archer also added that the sport itself is exceptionally hard on the body, and the celebrity around players, especially in Canada, is fun to play with.
But there’s more to the genre’s success than the tropes. “It has to be said,” Rath argued, “that the cornerstone of why this is so popular in publishing is racism.” She went on to say that straight, white women’s voices dominated the romance genre for so long, pointing out that hockey is also the whitest sport. Among major league sports, the NHL is the most predominantly white. In 2022, ESPN reported that 83.6% of league players and staff were white, compared to the NFL, where 25-27% of players are white, or the NBA, where white players make up 17.5% of the league.
Mashable Top Stories
Zooming into the genre, the authors also spoke about the writing process. They dove into the deeper aspects of their work, even the smut. Rath said, “I think the least sexy thing you can ever do is write a sex scene.” A similar sentiment came up during Reid’s Saturday panel, where she described using the sex scenes to further the emotional arc. When readers ask authors if they can skip the spice, Archer says of her own books, “No, you can’t skip the sex scenes. You’re missing so much character development if you don’t go on the journey with them.”
The panel turned to the future, too. Many of the authors write BIPOC and queer representation into their novels, in a genre that often centers on whiteness and homophobia. “We’re writing the world as we want it to be,” Rath said.
Reid has found that there is progress toward a future that these authors and their readers want to see, saying that the NHL is interested in working with them. “People on the inside, they really want to work toward change and want to make this happen.”
With the hockey fandom at an all-time high, there’s a whole team behind these authors ready to drive change.
Entertainment
Save on gas (and everything else) with a $15 BJ’s membership
TL;DR: Score a one-year BJ’s membership for $15 (reg. $60) and save up to 20¢/gal. on gas through April 30 — just in time for spring shopping and road trips.
Credit: BJ’s Wholesale Club
The warmer weather tends to sneak up fast, and so do those grocery bills and gas receipts. A one-year membership to BJ’s Wholesale Club is one of those simple upgrades that can make everyday shopping feel a little more manageable.
You can currently grab a Club Card Membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal for just $15 (reg. $60) through April 30, which opens the door to savings across groceries, household essentials, and even your weekend cookout prep.
Mashable Deals
Let’s start with the obvious, though. Gas prices. Members already get everyday savings at BJ’s Gas, but during this promo window, you’ll get an extra 15¢ off per gallon stacked on top of the usual 5¢ discount — bringing your total to 20¢ off per gallon through April 30.
Inside the club, it’s all about stretching your dollar further. BJ’s is known for offering competitive pricing on national brands, plus a wide selection of fresh produce, meats, bakery items, and deli favorites. Whether you’re planning a backyard BBQ, stocking up for a party, or just trying to cut down on weekly grocery runs, buying in bulk can help simplify things.
Mashable Trend Report
There’s also something to be said for convenience. Fewer trips to the store, more options in one place, and access to seasonal items that make spring and summer feel extra special.
Get a one-year Club Card Membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal® for just $15 (reg. $60) and enjoy an extra 15¢ off per gallon at any of the 199 BJ’s gas stations through April 30.
Grabbing this deal? Build your cart to $100+ and score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 free with code GWP4MAC (for Mac) or GWP4WIND (for Windows) through April 19.
Gift with $100+ purchase promo ends April 19, 2026. Exclusions apply. Only one promo code applicable per order. Prices subject to change.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
This $43 bundle quietly upgrades your entire PC experience
TL;DR: This rare Microsoft bundle deal gives you a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro for only $42.97 (reg. $418.99) through May 17.
$42.97
$418.99
Save $376.02
Looking for an affordable way to make your old PC feel new again? If you don’t have the funds to buy a brand new computer, don’t worry. The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro Bundle is the next best thing, offering your computer a total upgrade for only $42.97 through May 17.
Don’t count out your dusty old PC. This Microsoft bundle is here to give it a total facelift for less than $50. It kicks off with a lifetime license to some of the brand’s most popular tools — Microsoft Office, which you’ll pay for once and enjoy without any subscription fees.
Mashable Deals
You’ll get permanent access to a suite of eight helpful apps with Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows. It includes staples that have been around for decades, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. You’ll also get newer favorites like Teams, OneNote, Access, and Publisher.
Once you’ve loaded the apps onto your device, you can upgrade your OS to Windows 11 Pro. It’s an operating system made for modern professionals, with tools that support your workflow. Enjoy a more powerful search experience, improved voice typing, a seamless interface, snap layouts, and much more.
You can rest easy knowing Windows 11 Pro takes your cybersecurity seriously. You’ll have biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and advanced antivirus defenses to keep your data secure.
Mashable Deals
Show your PC some love with the Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro bundle for only $42.97 (reg. $418.99) now until May 17.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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