Thursday, December 9, 2010

Talking Chimp


CARNIVAL MAGIC-1981-In this low budget family oriented film a struggling carnival is given new life when their main attraction becomes magician Markov the Magnificent (Don Stewart) and his talking chimp named Alex (played by Trudi the chimp). All goes well until a jealous lion tamer sells Alex to a doctor who wants to dissect him! All the circus rubes get together to rescue him. The chimp (who grumbles more than talks but considering the low budget that's about all they could do) drives a car. There's some romantic sub-plots but the acting and script are below average. It was filmed in North and South Carolina.

This was one of the last films directed by Al Adamson (who was killed in 1995) and features his real life wife Regina Carroll (about the only "name" in the cast) in her last role (she died in 1992). I don't think it has ever been released on VHS or DVD making it one of Adamson's least seen films but once again TCM came through and showed at 2 am one night! Adamson made his last film LOST 2 years later.

It ends with the promise of MORE CARNIVAL MAGIC but alas it was never to be...

Thanks for reading!

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