Directed by : Christopher Nolan
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/
Another of Nolan's masterpieces, thrilling and full of mysteries.
Read at your own risk, this post is full of spoilers...
This film easily falls into the 'Memento' and 'Inception' category, because this one makes you think what happened there, did that character actually meant something else, what was the intention of that character, and did that really happen or it was just to fool the audience. Too many questions come up, and the only reason for that is a narrative that confuses you because you are so much involved in whats happening to the plot. You get almost no time to think except when the end credits roll.
Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) work with illusionist Cutter (Michael Caine) who helps them in their acts for the magic show. One of those acts involves Angier's wife Julia (Piper Perabo) with her hands (tied by Alfred) and legs (tied by Angier) to go into a locked water tank and come out of it alive (through tricks). But, Alfred's mistake of putting wrong knot on her hand, takes her life away. Angier now seeks revenge from Alfred who has started his own show with help of a financer Fallon. How their rivalry affects the people around them, and what personal losses they both go through in this obsession.
Nolan uses non-linear narrative very effectively, making both Alfred and Angier read diaries of each other, narrated to us. The flashback is time and again mingled with the present.
When I watched the movie 1st time, I was totally engaged to the extent that I didn't care to check how much more is left, as I just didn't want it to end. I wanted to see the rivalry go on and on. Another point to note is that the secret of Alfred at 1st watch for me was that he has a split personality, specially the scene where he says to Olivia (Scarlett Johansson) that a part of him loved Sarah (Rebecca Hall) and the other part didnt. Just like he says same to Angier about the death of Julia.
Now, the 2nd watch when its known that the secret is he had a twin brother, Alfred (Freddie, one who dies) and Borden (who kills Angier). Hard to believe how well they change the look of the actors. It made the film even more interesting. It was time to look out for the scenes which involved Alfred and ones that had Borden. With Nolan as director, even knowing the secret doesn't help.. just like knowing the keyword for the cipher written diary wasnt enough for Angier. Because he just directs it skillfully leaving doubts and numerous possibilities.
Here's how I tried to decipher some of the key scenes of film ...
Whenever Sarah replied to 'I love you', if she felt it was true, it was a scene with Borden who loved her. And if she felt not true, it was Alfred who loved Olivia. Other clue Nolan gives is that Borden hates being called Freddie while Alfred likes it.. two occasions for it. Another is when Sarah says Mr Borden, and gets reply that its 'Alfred', and just when he leaves, she enters her room.. she finds Alfred inside, which was Borden.
The main difference in both characters of Alfred and Borden was, their nature. Borden was reserved, intelligent to crack the tricks of rival party, talks less, and probably didn't like too much of violence (just assuming, though its he who shots Angier or his clone to death in climax). While Alfred was short tempered (most of the loud fights involve him and not Borden), keen to take revenge from Angier.
I am again assuming that Julia was killed by Alfred, while Borden came to say sorry for it. And Angier shoots Alfred fingers (this one I am not fully sure), means Borden has to sacrifice his fingers later. This is in reference to the scene.. where Borden tells Angier 'this is total devotion to art, sacrifice'.. because Borden believed in it. In another scene, Alfred tells the nephew of Sarah 'secret impresses no one, the trick you use it for is everything'. Both Borden and Alfred followed these two principles throughout, which is why I loved these two scenes a lot.
That was one part of mystery in film, other is Angier's obsession of creating duplicates from the teleporter machine given by Tesla (David Bowie) Now I have to admit, this is the one that I feel like not giving importance, as its very difficult to tell whether the drowning or shot person was Angier or the duplicated Angier. And how did the conscious mind of original and the duplicated Angier work at the same time. Just like he says in the final dialogue, 'It took courage going into the machine, not knowing if I will be the one in the box or the prestige'. I read one interesting youtube comment of a guy, that holds true to Angier's and film's plot - the magic trick of bird where one of two brother's die, but no one knows whose turn it would be.. same was the case for Angier, he won't know if he will die or his clone.
Nolan even gives three characters their own magic tricks in the form of narration. Cutter does it to the girl of Borden, taking bird (Act1), hiding it (Act2) and bringing it back (Act3). Angier does it when he makes Alfred read his diary (Act1), upto the point where he goes into the machine and vanishes (Act2) and then he comes in front of him in the jail as Lord Cardlow (Act3). Alfred and Borden do it together, Alfred makes Borden's daughter look at the rubber ball (Act1), Alfred before being hanged says the magic word 'Abracadabra' (only time its shown in movie, but at a perfect time), and he is gone (killed, Act2), and Angier sees a rubber ball coming towards him, Fallon takes his hat off, and reveals himself as Borden (Act3). This was the most fantastic part that I realised much later after having seen the movie.
Other interesting aspects in the movie are :
• The opening shot, which is actually the one where in latter part of movie Angier realises the tesla machine is working. But Nolan takes that shot to warn the audience how much confusion they may face in the narrative to follow 'Are you watching closely'. And I so loved this line, which is used later in jail by Alfred twice.
• The idea of showing the final magic trick in parts before going to the flashback of both rivals through diaries was also good one. Nolan could had chosen to directly begin the story from the court scene, but that scene before adds extra edge to the rivalry where we would soon reach in the narrative. Also, it makes you take a initial side, who are you supporting. At that scene, I was with Angier.
• The character of Cutter adds to the drama and mystery, because its never clear whose side he is with, and whether he is looking for his own profit, when he demands the Tesla machine to be sold to him. But, Nolan keeps it a very small sub-plot if you can call it, never gives it extra importance.
• Fallon never talks, even when its turn of the short tempered Alfred to be fallon. Nolan wanted to tell that Alfred was devoted to his art, and he wont make a mistake of revealing his identity. Only word Fallon says is 'Good-bye', also Nolan made sure there are no long close up shots of Fallon, though to be frank I doubt if I would had still got that it was Alfred only, the disguise was too fantastic.
• Both Angier and Borden take turns at getting one up to each other, one kills Julia (a accident I assume, not something he intended) then other revenges with shot at him. One spoils the bird magic act, and other steals the transporter magic trick idea but with Cutter's illusion. And then the Root (double of Angier) revealed to audience, with Angier's death act (which could be one of his clone). So, Nolan never tried to favour one character..
• When Tesla warns Angier about obsession which may lead to his downfall, Nolan gives a hint where Angier's character is leading to, his obsession to be better than Borden and destroy his happiness was going to go against him only. He lost Julia, then Olivia, then his broken knee, and later he gambled with his own life.
• Nolan keeps both Angier and Borden characters grey, both make mistakes. Its only that Angier commits bigger ones.. the scene where he says that now he doesn't care about his wife, all he cares is about the trick. Thats where I took side against him because more than revenge of his wife Julia, he was after Borden's failure in magic shows. Angier in another scene hates Root getting the applause, so much that he asks Cutter to interchange the roles, Angier is keen to see the praise of audience after fooling them which he was missing while doing it with Root as double. It would be tough to say that only Alfred was wrong, because even Borden allowed Sarah die by not giving her full love she should had got. Alfred did the same with Olivia, but he made up for it by not letting Sarah's daughter get affected by parts of love.
The background score is very light, and adds extra mystery layer.. I specially love the one that is used where Julia dies, and the one that intercuts Borden/Alfred act in the last scene involving Alfred in jail, Angier in theatre and Cutter leading Borden to Angier.
Both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman deliver outstanding performances, it would be wrong to pick best among them. While Michael Caine added more mystery even with his small role. And good supporting performances by both female leads. Also, special mention to how Hugh Jackman played Root, as well as David Bowie's portrayal of Tesla.
There are two aspects that I haven't understood yet.. (correct me if anywhere I interepreted the plot wrong)
• Who wrote the diary that Angier reads.. was it Borden or Alfred.. or both wrote a part of it.
• What does Angier in final scene want to convey to Borden when he says 'You really don't know, it was the look on their faces'. Was it a routine before death confession, or he meant something more with that ?
If there is a single thing I have to say against hte movie... then it would be the choice of song at end credits... it looked totally misplaced, a simple background theme would had been better option.
Overall, The Prestige adds to the long list of Nolan movies that I love.. and probably new secrets will keep getting revealed with each watch.. there's a lot in the movie, that comes across the more you think about or pay attention or in Bale's words 'Watch closely'.
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/
Another of Nolan's masterpieces, thrilling and full of mysteries.
Read at your own risk, this post is full of spoilers...
This film easily falls into the 'Memento' and 'Inception' category, because this one makes you think what happened there, did that character actually meant something else, what was the intention of that character, and did that really happen or it was just to fool the audience. Too many questions come up, and the only reason for that is a narrative that confuses you because you are so much involved in whats happening to the plot. You get almost no time to think except when the end credits roll.
Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) work with illusionist Cutter (Michael Caine) who helps them in their acts for the magic show. One of those acts involves Angier's wife Julia (Piper Perabo) with her hands (tied by Alfred) and legs (tied by Angier) to go into a locked water tank and come out of it alive (through tricks). But, Alfred's mistake of putting wrong knot on her hand, takes her life away. Angier now seeks revenge from Alfred who has started his own show with help of a financer Fallon. How their rivalry affects the people around them, and what personal losses they both go through in this obsession.
Nolan uses non-linear narrative very effectively, making both Alfred and Angier read diaries of each other, narrated to us. The flashback is time and again mingled with the present.
When I watched the movie 1st time, I was totally engaged to the extent that I didn't care to check how much more is left, as I just didn't want it to end. I wanted to see the rivalry go on and on. Another point to note is that the secret of Alfred at 1st watch for me was that he has a split personality, specially the scene where he says to Olivia (Scarlett Johansson) that a part of him loved Sarah (Rebecca Hall) and the other part didnt. Just like he says same to Angier about the death of Julia.
Now, the 2nd watch when its known that the secret is he had a twin brother, Alfred (Freddie, one who dies) and Borden (who kills Angier). Hard to believe how well they change the look of the actors. It made the film even more interesting. It was time to look out for the scenes which involved Alfred and ones that had Borden. With Nolan as director, even knowing the secret doesn't help.. just like knowing the keyword for the cipher written diary wasnt enough for Angier. Because he just directs it skillfully leaving doubts and numerous possibilities.
Here's how I tried to decipher some of the key scenes of film ...
Whenever Sarah replied to 'I love you', if she felt it was true, it was a scene with Borden who loved her. And if she felt not true, it was Alfred who loved Olivia. Other clue Nolan gives is that Borden hates being called Freddie while Alfred likes it.. two occasions for it. Another is when Sarah says Mr Borden, and gets reply that its 'Alfred', and just when he leaves, she enters her room.. she finds Alfred inside, which was Borden.
The main difference in both characters of Alfred and Borden was, their nature. Borden was reserved, intelligent to crack the tricks of rival party, talks less, and probably didn't like too much of violence (just assuming, though its he who shots Angier or his clone to death in climax). While Alfred was short tempered (most of the loud fights involve him and not Borden), keen to take revenge from Angier.
I am again assuming that Julia was killed by Alfred, while Borden came to say sorry for it. And Angier shoots Alfred fingers (this one I am not fully sure), means Borden has to sacrifice his fingers later. This is in reference to the scene.. where Borden tells Angier 'this is total devotion to art, sacrifice'.. because Borden believed in it. In another scene, Alfred tells the nephew of Sarah 'secret impresses no one, the trick you use it for is everything'. Both Borden and Alfred followed these two principles throughout, which is why I loved these two scenes a lot.
That was one part of mystery in film, other is Angier's obsession of creating duplicates from the teleporter machine given by Tesla (David Bowie) Now I have to admit, this is the one that I feel like not giving importance, as its very difficult to tell whether the drowning or shot person was Angier or the duplicated Angier. And how did the conscious mind of original and the duplicated Angier work at the same time. Just like he says in the final dialogue, 'It took courage going into the machine, not knowing if I will be the one in the box or the prestige'. I read one interesting youtube comment of a guy, that holds true to Angier's and film's plot - the magic trick of bird where one of two brother's die, but no one knows whose turn it would be.. same was the case for Angier, he won't know if he will die or his clone.
Nolan even gives three characters their own magic tricks in the form of narration. Cutter does it to the girl of Borden, taking bird (Act1), hiding it (Act2) and bringing it back (Act3). Angier does it when he makes Alfred read his diary (Act1), upto the point where he goes into the machine and vanishes (Act2) and then he comes in front of him in the jail as Lord Cardlow (Act3). Alfred and Borden do it together, Alfred makes Borden's daughter look at the rubber ball (Act1), Alfred before being hanged says the magic word 'Abracadabra' (only time its shown in movie, but at a perfect time), and he is gone (killed, Act2), and Angier sees a rubber ball coming towards him, Fallon takes his hat off, and reveals himself as Borden (Act3). This was the most fantastic part that I realised much later after having seen the movie.
Other interesting aspects in the movie are :
• The opening shot, which is actually the one where in latter part of movie Angier realises the tesla machine is working. But Nolan takes that shot to warn the audience how much confusion they may face in the narrative to follow 'Are you watching closely'. And I so loved this line, which is used later in jail by Alfred twice.
• The idea of showing the final magic trick in parts before going to the flashback of both rivals through diaries was also good one. Nolan could had chosen to directly begin the story from the court scene, but that scene before adds extra edge to the rivalry where we would soon reach in the narrative. Also, it makes you take a initial side, who are you supporting. At that scene, I was with Angier.
• The character of Cutter adds to the drama and mystery, because its never clear whose side he is with, and whether he is looking for his own profit, when he demands the Tesla machine to be sold to him. But, Nolan keeps it a very small sub-plot if you can call it, never gives it extra importance.
• Fallon never talks, even when its turn of the short tempered Alfred to be fallon. Nolan wanted to tell that Alfred was devoted to his art, and he wont make a mistake of revealing his identity. Only word Fallon says is 'Good-bye', also Nolan made sure there are no long close up shots of Fallon, though to be frank I doubt if I would had still got that it was Alfred only, the disguise was too fantastic.
• Both Angier and Borden take turns at getting one up to each other, one kills Julia (a accident I assume, not something he intended) then other revenges with shot at him. One spoils the bird magic act, and other steals the transporter magic trick idea but with Cutter's illusion. And then the Root (double of Angier) revealed to audience, with Angier's death act (which could be one of his clone). So, Nolan never tried to favour one character..
• When Tesla warns Angier about obsession which may lead to his downfall, Nolan gives a hint where Angier's character is leading to, his obsession to be better than Borden and destroy his happiness was going to go against him only. He lost Julia, then Olivia, then his broken knee, and later he gambled with his own life.
• Nolan keeps both Angier and Borden characters grey, both make mistakes. Its only that Angier commits bigger ones.. the scene where he says that now he doesn't care about his wife, all he cares is about the trick. Thats where I took side against him because more than revenge of his wife Julia, he was after Borden's failure in magic shows. Angier in another scene hates Root getting the applause, so much that he asks Cutter to interchange the roles, Angier is keen to see the praise of audience after fooling them which he was missing while doing it with Root as double. It would be tough to say that only Alfred was wrong, because even Borden allowed Sarah die by not giving her full love she should had got. Alfred did the same with Olivia, but he made up for it by not letting Sarah's daughter get affected by parts of love.
The background score is very light, and adds extra mystery layer.. I specially love the one that is used where Julia dies, and the one that intercuts Borden/Alfred act in the last scene involving Alfred in jail, Angier in theatre and Cutter leading Borden to Angier.
Both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman deliver outstanding performances, it would be wrong to pick best among them. While Michael Caine added more mystery even with his small role. And good supporting performances by both female leads. Also, special mention to how Hugh Jackman played Root, as well as David Bowie's portrayal of Tesla.
There are two aspects that I haven't understood yet.. (correct me if anywhere I interepreted the plot wrong)
• Who wrote the diary that Angier reads.. was it Borden or Alfred.. or both wrote a part of it.
• What does Angier in final scene want to convey to Borden when he says 'You really don't know, it was the look on their faces'. Was it a routine before death confession, or he meant something more with that ?
If there is a single thing I have to say against hte movie... then it would be the choice of song at end credits... it looked totally misplaced, a simple background theme would had been better option.
Overall, The Prestige adds to the long list of Nolan movies that I love.. and probably new secrets will keep getting revealed with each watch.. there's a lot in the movie, that comes across the more you think about or pay attention or in Bale's words 'Watch closely'.
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