Grade: C-
Synopsis: An illusionist (Vincent Price) resorts to murder when his employer cheats him out of an opportunity to perform.
Shot in 3-D, The Mad Magician is somewhat of a gimmick movie bolstered by the always-solid Vincent Price. On the non-3-D prints, several shots will seem superfluous, as they exist solely to highlight the 3-D experience, but fortunately, these are few and far between.
The meat of the film deals with Price’s descent into madness as the bodies begin piling up. While Price isn’t as gleefully over the top as some of his later roles such as The Abominable Dr. Phibes (Phibes would have killed Lenita Lane’s character too, and that’s why Phibes is the better film), he’s entertaining enough to easily pass the film’s brief 72 minute running time, despite some absurd dubbing and a rather weak supporting cast.
Bottom Line: Campy fun, especially for Vincent Price fans.
