Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (1996)

In the multi-layered narrative of Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (1996), a young boy's mundane evening is transformed when an unexpected power outage catapults him into a world of storytelling with his grandpa, a seasoned screenwriter. As the flickering candlelight dances off the walls, Grandpa weaves an enthralling tale about a magical shop nestled in a contemporary strip mall. The shop, a fascinating blend of the mystical and mundane, is run by the legendary Merlin, his jovial wife, and a cavalcade of magical creatures - gnomes, serpents, dragons, and more. With this captivating premise, the film segues into two intertwined narratives of ordinary lives changed by extraordinary encounters with items from Merlin's shop. The first tale plunges into the life of an arrogant newspaper critic who stumbles upon Merlin's spell book. As he recklessly casts spells, the line between critic and sorcerer blurs alarmingly. The second narrative, a reimagined segment from the movie, The Devil's Gift, spins a chilling tale of a malevolent monkey doll. With an eerie grin and a pair of clanging cymbals, the doll becomes a harbinger of death, striking doom with every clap of his tiny, sinister hands. As the grandpa's stories unfold, the seemingly disparate world of Merlin in the 1990s and the 1980 movie are expertly interwoven, creating a cinematic tapestry that is as enchanting as it is chilling. This movie, a film within a film within a film, is a captivating exploration of the mystifying power of stories and the magical potential of ordinary lives.

Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders is a fantasy movie directed by Kenneth J. Berton.

Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Shout! Factory TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Night Flight Plus.

It is also possible to buy Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.