The Prestige

[jack]

I think dragonwoodshed summed it up with "I liked it. I keep telling myself that." (It was great to meet you *cuddle*.)

That is, it was very good, but hard to pigeonhole.

Two stage magicians have a long rivalry that gets grimmer and grimmer. They're both enjoyable, thought I got all the people in dashing tails muddled up for a bit. It's hard to decide who becomes most psychotic by the end.

It's beautiful to watch, the actors, the clothes, the effects. A lot of the grimmest things are portrayed with the briefest of glimpses.

The various twists are fun to follow. I think I caught most of them coming, sometimes only by moments, except for the big ones at the end.

Fascinatingly, we discover Nichola Tesla built a *real* magic trick, but the world won't accept any more great discoveries from him. I love the boldness of having a film superficially realistic, with this slowly coming out.

This in actual fact duplicates the magician. And Danton uses it as a teleportation trick -- each copy falling into a escapist's tank of water to drown. He says it took much courage to do it every night, "not knowing if he's be the one in the tank, or the one with the prestige". I thought this was an interesting perspective on duplication -- you will be both, but in retrospect, the "I don't know which" is an accurate view.

It made me rethink the "would you duplicate yourself" poll. I think I still would -- but by the five gods not by drowning!

Comments

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Spoilers! I took me a while to realise it was the original Danton who drowned each night. *squick*

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Oh, this did hve a cut. Doh, it's too early in the morning. It's the Bond post that has spoilers - though you could've guessed them anyway ;)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Sorry. I nearly wanted to have the last paragraph of this under *another* spoiler tag, but I didn't think anyone would actually stop there.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Ack, yes. Though I'm not sure if it makes a difference which one it was.

[sunflowerinrain.livejournal.com]

I so much want to see this! *makes note to threaten housemates with Curses if they go without her*

[despotliz.livejournal.com]

I especially liked the way that it is possible to see what is actually happening to Angier each night before they actually show it to you, but it doesn't really seem to hit you until you see the boxes full of dead "prestige materials"[1], even though the first shot of the whole film is the pile of hats.

I've read the book anyway, so I knew what was coming, but I really really liked it. Best review I have read is on Brisingamen's journal.

[1] Although it does seem quite silly to be buying all those tanks. Why not take the bodies out and put them in one big receptacle?

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, exactly.

I had vaguely heard of Priest, but didn't know anything about him.

[1] Yes, more for effect than sense. You could say he had plenty of money and going to warehouse every night could lead people there, and taking the bodies out at all adds a chance the blind porters might stumble on to it. OTOH, *buying* a tank every night is surely suspicious too.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

You're right, that was an ever so insightful review. I remember in English classes reading analyses that were supposed to describe themes than explain why a book feels like it did, but always seem made up. But then I learnt that some reviews *did* make me say "Oh, of course!" :)