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“The Prestige” is, for my money, the best Nolan film ever and my favourite movie of the twenty-first century to date.
It’s one of those “big” movies, in which I always find new books and crannies. It’s a staggering accomplishment.
It’s one of those “big” movies, in which I always find new books and crannies. It’s a staggering accomplishment.
The beauty of “The Prestige” is that it is, like something like “Casino” or “The Big Lebowski”, a movie that is big enough to be about everything.
It’s a movie about masculinity, about class, about religion, about capitalism, about cinema, about devotion, about modernity.
It’s a movie about masculinity, about class, about religion, about capitalism, about cinema, about devotion, about modernity.
“No one else can do my trick.”
“Any trick can be duplicated.”
“Wrong.”
Among other things, “The Prestige” is a story about the monstrosity of capitalism.
It is a story of the horrors to which a rich man will go to mass produce something individual and unique.
“Any trick can be duplicated.”
“Wrong.”
Among other things, “The Prestige” is a story about the monstrosity of capitalism.
It is a story of the horrors to which a rich man will go to mass produce something individual and unique.
“You’re the lucky one today.”
This process of horrific industrialisation is played out in manners large and small in “The Prestige.”
It begins with the birds in the cage, but scales upwards to the men in the tanks.
This process of horrific industrialisation is played out in manners large and small in “The Prestige.”
It begins with the birds in the cage, but scales upwards to the men in the tanks.
“It’s the only way out of all this.”
Of course, Angier’s industrialisation of Borden’s trick is just an escalation.
Borden’s already has to literally sacrifice half of his life in order to commodify and package himself as “The Original Transported Man.”
Of course, Angier’s industrialisation of Borden’s trick is just an escalation.
Borden’s already has to literally sacrifice half of his life in order to commodify and package himself as “The Original Transported Man.”
Of course, one of the horrors of capitalism is that too often people are reduced to functions and roles, to their economic prospects and status.
Borden is a very literal represents of that, his entire life defined by a single trick that he performs to escape poverty.
Borden is a very literal represents of that, his entire life defined by a single trick that he performs to escape poverty.
This consciousness of class and wealth plays through Nolan’s work, notably in his “Dark Knight” trilogy.
But you see it in “The Prestige” in Borden’s striving, right down to his choice of alias as “the Professor.”
But you see it in “The Prestige” in Borden’s striving, right down to his choice of alias as “the Professor.”
“I have fought with myself over that night. One half of me swearing blind that I tied a simple slipknot, the other half convinced that I tied the Langford double. I can never know for sure.”
“How can he not know?!”
“The Prestige” gets at one of those core existential fears.
“How can he not know?!”
“The Prestige” gets at one of those core existential fears.
“The Prestige” obviously literalises this existential fear in interesting ways, but at the heart of the film - and a lot of Nolan’s work in general - is the question of whether we remain mysteries to ourselves.
Are there things even we don’t know about ourselves?
Are there things even we don’t know about ourselves?
This is obviously a core central theme of “Memento” and “Insomnia”, and arguably “Inception” as well.
But it’s clearest in “The Prestige.” It’s easy to make the world mysterious and hostile, but it’s something more to make the self alien and unknowable.
But it’s clearest in “The Prestige.” It’s easy to make the world mysterious and hostile, but it’s something more to make the self alien and unknowable.
This is quite apparent with Angier himself. He spends the movie *wanting* to know the unknowable - Borden’s trick, what knot Borden tied, what Julia’s last moments felt like.
However, no matter what Angiers does, no matter how monstrous, these are things he *cannot* know.
However, no matter what Angiers does, no matter how monstrous, these are things he *cannot* know.
“The Prestige” is a story about obsession, but it’s also a story about faith.
Angiers cannot bring himself to believe on faith alone or even to accept that there are simply things beyond his capacity to know.
And this drives him to madness and monstrosity.
Angiers cannot bring himself to believe on faith alone or even to accept that there are simply things beyond his capacity to know.
And this drives him to madness and monstrosity.
“If anybody really believed the things I did on stage, they wouldn't clap, they'd scream.”
There’s a cynicism at the heart of “The Prestige”, which makes it a nice companion piece to “Inception.”
In that it is a movie about how we construct narratives to fill these lacunae.
There’s a cynicism at the heart of “The Prestige”, which makes it a nice companion piece to “Inception.”
In that it is a movie about how we construct narratives to fill these lacunae.
As such, “The Prestige” becomes a story about religion and about art.
It’s similar to the way that “Inception” focuses on the weaponisation and manipulation if the need for catharsis in the most cynical manner possible.
It’s similar to the way that “Inception” focuses on the weaponisation and manipulation if the need for catharsis in the most cynical manner possible.
“... it was the greatest magic trick I’ve ever seen.”
The artistry of “The Prestige” is amazing.
Note how Nolan cuts together Angier’s account of the first performance of “The Transported Man”, so you don’t actually see the trick performed - just the reaction to it.
The artistry of “The Prestige” is amazing.
Note how Nolan cuts together Angier’s account of the first performance of “The Transported Man”, so you don’t actually see the trick performed - just the reaction to it.
It’s a masterful piece of editing and construction, and it works like gangbusters.
Nolan spoils the entire movie in that sequence, but because he doesn’t *show* you it, you miss it entirely.
It’s staggeringly artful.
Nolan spoils the entire movie in that sequence, but because he doesn’t *show* you it, you miss it entirely.
It’s staggeringly artful.
On that note, it’s worth acknowledging just how *good* “The Prestige” is. David Julyan’s score is amazing.
It features fantastic performances from a cast including David Bowie, Michael Caine and Christian Bale. I still think this is a career-best performance from Hugh Jackman.
It features fantastic performances from a cast including David Bowie, Michael Caine and Christian Bale. I still think this is a career-best performance from Hugh Jackman.
Incidentally, the episode of @thetwofifty that I recorded with Andrew and Philip on the film remains one of my favourites that we’ve done.
(It’s also one of our most popular episodes.) https://soundcloud.com/the250/92-the-prestige-49
(It’s also one of our most popular episodes.) https://soundcloud.com/the250/92-the-prestige-49
