Christopher Nolan is one of the most feted filmmakers in the world and for good reason. He
blends the cerebral with the spectacular in fine fashion, creating blockbusters
with brains and creating compelling characters – a rarity in a world where
tent-pole summer releases rely on relentless action rather than any sense of
plot of character development. Yet somehow, The
Prestige has become Nolan’s forgotten film. An amazing cast and intricate plot
proved spectacularly successful for Inception, but here the presence of Bale,
Jackman, Caine (and even David Bowie) did not have nearly the same impact.
Perhaps this
can be attributed to the Victorian setting: in all regards this is an old
fashioned film. There is little CGI, with the film relying on traditional
mechanical effects where possible (an approach Nolan continues to employ) and
the art of storytelling to create its impact. Even the performances (particularly
Hugh Jackman’s vaudevillian) are pleasingly old school.
Based on the
novel by Christopher Priest, The Prestige tells the tale of two stage
magicians: American showman Angier (Jackman) and his working class rival Borden
(Christian Bale). Their enmity is born of a tragic stage accident which sees
Angier’s wife perish on stage and is fuelled by a dangerous sense of one-upmanship.
The desperate desire to outdo one another becomes centred on a stunningly
simplistic trick: The Transported Man.
Michael
Caine’s charming explanation of the three part magic trick - the pledge (the
set-up), the turn (the twist) and the prestige (the unbelievable finale) –
opens the film, playing over the thrilling denouement of The Transported Man
and the conclusion of the film itself. What follows is an explanation of how we
came to this point in a multi-layered narrative which moves backwards and
forwards in time and across countries.
Of course,
the real intrigue in the film is in the magic. The mechanics of the craft are
discussed and revealed, the science explored and debated. But above all else
the audience is reminded that this is all a trick. From the outset Nolan asks
his audience, “Are you watching closely?” – suggesting that there is a
deception lurking beneath the surface sheen of his film. And as an observer you
know you are about to be fooled – but how?
It’s a
daringly devious trick from Nolan which, if discovered partway through the tale
might ruin its telling. But having failed to spot it the first time, a second viewing
serves only to confirm just how audacious the sleight of hand really is. Subtle
it ain’t, but like all the best magic tricks the art is not in the trick
itself, but in the misdirection which disguises it.
Perhaps the film’s (relative) lack of success can be attributed to the
unsympathetic characters – neither Angier nor Borden are particularly likeable.
Perhaps the twist which sees magic become science (courtesy of Bowie’s Nikola
Tesla) was too hard to swallow. But for sheer showmanship, The Prestige is a
film which deserves to be seen. And then seen again – so you can work out what
you’ve just seen!
I'm going to download it later. Ward, do you have any recommendations for BBC dramas?
ReplyDeleteMike
I don't tend to watch much telly, but The Fall was excellent on BBC. I've heard Top of the Lake is good too, but i haven't watched it yet.
ReplyDeleteLuther is an enjoyable mixture of dark horror and silliness - i'd highly recommend it.
Not sure about all those Scandinavian dramas (Borgen, The Killing, etc) but apparently they're worth a watch. I'm pretty sure they were on the BBC.