The Prestige was fuck awesome! or How I learned to love NetFlix

[MrAngryFace]

First off Netflix rocks. Second, wtf didnt the Prestige get more buzz. Did the jerks who saw it first reveal the Prestige?!??!?! OMG AWESOME MOVIE. Memento sucks its glorious cock! OMG OMG OMG

[Ichirou]

There's already a Prestige thread!!! AT THE TOP OF THE FIRST PAGE!!!!

Ahhhh, I'm just jealous of you 'cuz I haven't seen it.

[Phoenix Dark]

DOES WHAT HE WANTS, MAF DOES

[MrAngryFace]

FUCK YOU GUYS! THIS IS THE PRESTIGE OF THE PRESTIGE THREADS!

[Ichirou]

FUCK YOU GUYS! THIS IS THE PRESTIGE OF THE PRESTIGE THREADS!

The most prestigious one of all? 

[Flannel Boy]

FUCK YOU GUYS! THIS IS THE PRESTIGE OF THE PRESTIGE THREADS!

The most prestigious one of all? 

 
Good show

[Stocky]

Shit movie. Too fucking predictable.

[Phoenix Dark]

Shit movie. Too fucking predictable.

You're still alive? Fuck

[MrAngryFace]

Its not predictable at all f u

[Catz]

I watched The Prestige the day before yesterday. I was really suprised at how good it was. A movie about battling magicians didn't sound very good at first so I wasn't too interested in watching, but the sci-fi stuff definitely gave it an interesting edge (and of course Hugh Jackman was in it ). The acting was great too.

Some questions I had about the movie though, if anyone can answer:

MAJOR SPOILERS

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Why did Christian Bale's character give Jackman the name "Tesla" and then act so suprised to see a clone of Jackman later? Bale must of known about the cloning process in order to tell Jackman the name Tesla, right?

Also, was Bale's "brother" really his twin brother or actually just a clone? This never made much sense either, because Jackman was all like "Twin Brother!" at the end, even though he know Bale gave him Tesla's name for the machine. So that made no sense. Also, the "brother" had to cut his fingers off to look like his counterpart. Then again, I rationalized that Bale could of made his clone before losing his fingers, and that didn't necessarily mean that it was his twin brother.

[close]

I don't know if I'm even making sense anymore, lol.

[Human Snorenado]

Shit movie. Too fucking predictable.

Really, is there a reason for you to exist in my reality?

And Catz

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Borden/Fallon saw Angier at the Tesla exhibition earlier.  I always thought that he gave him that hint as a red herring to occupy his time, and it just happened to work out the way it did.  As far as I can tell, Borden and Fallon were actually twins.

[close]

[Solo]

The Prestige for dummies:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

- Borden has a twin, plain and simple
- Borden never met Tesla, nor did Tesla build anything for him. He saw Angier at the expo, at Tesla's show, and used that for his wild goose chase
- Just by sheer luck or by Tesla's brilliance was he actually able to build Angier a machine, which cloned him
- Angier killed himself every show via drowning, while the clone became the prestige/the new Angier

[close]

[Catz]

spoiler (click to show/hide)

So it was just some wild coincidence that Tesla actually *could* clone, lol. Well, that is a bit deux ex machina, eh?

[close]

Anyways, good movie regardless.

[Solo]

Indeed. Theres quite a bit in this movie. I guess its where suspension of disbelief comes in. Since this is a movie about magicians, Im willing to suspend it.

[Catz]

Oh and MAF, I think Blockbuster online is better than Netflix. You can bring in your mail-in movies to the store and exchange it immediately for a new movie. They'll scan it out and start mailing you new ones at the same time. Double the movies! It rocks!

[The Fake Shemp]

David Bowie as Tesla was genius.  Anyone think it was funny that Tesla and Edison had kind of a Borden/Angier rivalry going on?  Tesla and Angier were very much similar in a lot of ways.

[G The Resurrected]

David Bowie as Tesla was genius.  Anyone think it was funny that Tesla and Edison had kind of a Borden/Angier rivalry going on?  Tesla and Angier were very much similar in a lot of ways.

Well that made me take a double look. I didnt even notice that it was him. Holy shit.

[MrAngryFace]

I hate blockbuster. FOOL ME ONCE BLOCKBUSTER SHAME ON U

[The Fake Shemp]

Also, Tesla was an awesome dude in real-life.  For some odd reason, many textbooks and teachers still tell students that Marconi invented the radio, which is just not true.  I remember getting into an argument with my Social Studies teacher, who was adamant about Marconi being the inventor of the radio.  I brought in paperwork, because in 1943, the Supreme Court did acknowledge Tesla as the inventor of the radio.  Will Federman fought the school system, and Will Federman won.

[Cheebs]

That movie made me do some reading up on the Tesla/Edison stuff. I have came away with a feeling that Edison was bit of an egotistic ass and Tesla was much more the humble honest inventor.

Though Tesla's freaky alien ideas were a bit out there.

[MrAngryFace]

Yeah but if people didnt exist to think up freaky alien ideas we'd be pushin carts around still.

[Cheebs]

wait...what?

[MrAngryFace]

this is where I normally would log on as MemeMachine and post a meme.

[Cheebs]

Do it one more time, just for me. Remember I like Godzilla. 

[Janus]

If you liked the Prestige, it would be worth your time to watch The Illusionist.  At least do it for the sake of Jessica Biel's ass.

[Flannel Boy]

Movie was okay.

Hey look another twist... no wait another... wait I know you know another one is coming... here it is... okay another one... but that is it... okay one more... wait... here's one more... and... another 

[Human Snorenado]

Movie was okay.

Hey look another twist... no wait another... wait I know you know another one is coming... here it is... okay another one... but that is it... okay one more... wait... here's one more... and... another 

You hate fun, sir.

[Stocky]

Movie was okay.

Hey look another twist... no wait another... wait I know you know another one is coming... here it is... okay another one... but that is it... okay one more... wait... here's one more... and... another 

That would've been okay if it wasn't so fucking predictable.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Once he copied the hats, you knew exactly what the fuck was going on.

[close]

[MrAngryFace]

Shut up NIght Watch lover. Night Watch is a stupid fucking movie. lol

[Stocky]

Shut up NIght Watch lover. Night Watch is a stupid fucking movie. lol

Still better than The Prestige.

[Flannel Boy]

Movie was okay.

Hey look another twist... no wait another... wait I know you know another one is coming... here it is... okay another one... but that is it... okay one more... wait... here's one more... and... another 

That would've been okay if it wasn't so fucking predictable.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Once he copied the hats, you knew exactly what the fuck was going on.

[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Yeah I thought it would have been better if we didn't see the cat clone or hats, obviously we knew what was up after that

[close]

[The Fake Shemp]

You guys totally missed the point of the movie.

[Flannel Boy]

You guys totally missed the point of the movie.

And it was?

[The Fake Shemp]

First off, the information was deliberately given to you to piece together.  It wasn't really an out-of-left-field secret.  The movie is not about the twist; its purpose isn't to shock you with surprises.  Which, by the way, there was a grand total of two, malek.  Your counting skills leave much to be desired.

The point was the cost at which two men pay for each individual's prestige.  Angier does truly evil things and ends up losing his humanity, and one can argue that the last time you see him, he's not human to begin with.  Borden's sacrifice to his craft is so great that he ends up destroying his own life.  It's about the journey both men take to that exact point, and why they're so different.  The most telling point in the film is how they both react to the Chinese magician.  I think that sets up a lot of the character development in the movie.

If you can't enjoy the movie on that level and are upset by so "many" twists (of which there are technically two), you missed the point.  The film is even set up like a magic trick, and it shows you the prestige at the very end.

[MrAngryFace]

I love the prestige so much, excellent film, will watch again

tonight actually lol

[Flannel Boy]

The point was the cost at which two men pay for each individual's prestige.  Angier does truly evil things and ends up losing his humanity, and one can argue that the last time you see him, he's not human to begin with.  Borden's sacrifice to his craft is so great that he ends up destroying his own life.  It's about the journey both men take to that exact point, and why they're so different.  The most telling point in the film is how they both react to the Chinese magician.  I think that sets up a lot of the character development in the movie.

I missed that? It was all pretty clear.

I just thought there were too many twists, even if they were telegraphing the twists in advance. Yeah, even the clones were a twist as you thought he died through the first half of the film.

[The Fake Shemp]

There are two twists; one prestige for each magician.  If you can't handle that, well, then that's just silly.  I think some people had some odd complaints with the film, but I guess they have merit depending on how you walked into it (too sci-fi is an oft repeated one)... this one makes no sense.

[MrAngryFace]

MALAK AM TOO SMART FOR TEH MOVIES

[Van Cruncheon]

This was a really fun flick. Willco's actually spot-on in his assessment: Angier's very definition of magic is something inhuman and staggering; Borden's is something all too human (lol Dyack) and unexpectedly simple. Borden in his humanity was the better magician; Angier, in his ambition, was the better "wizard". The "prestige" was how the truths of these two men -- so outwardly similar -- are revealed to us, the audience.

Also, Bowie was an AWESOME Tesla.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, David Bowie was excellent casting.  I just wrapped up a second viewing with CrystalGemini and she didn't even realize it was him as Tesla until after the credit started rolling!

I will probably add this to my collection.  Drinky's right in that it's a really fun film, but it's also a really well executed film.  Technically, this is probably Nolan's most polished endeavor to date.  Gives me hope walking into any Dark Knight sequels.

[Solo]

I am fully supporting this thread. I have watched the film 4 times now -  once in theatres, 3 times on DVD - and my opinion of it has gone from "meh" to "hey, this is actually pretty good" to "fracking sweet" to "this is Nolan's best film by a landslide, and one of the best films of 2006!". It is, for me, the definition of a "grower". I gain newfound respect and discover more layers with each viewing.

Also, I too loved the Chinese magician bit. I really loved how Angier was looking for something supernatural or overtly complex, while Borden picked out the gag straight away. That was the difference between the two, as was shown repeatedly throughout the film. As Cutter said perfectly, Angier was a decent magician and a great showman, while Borden was no showman, but was a fantastic magician.

[etiolate]

Okay I just watched this. 

I'll add some thoughts.

More than just the difference between the two magicians, and inhuman vs human, in the end they both have to sacrifice.  Getting back to the overbearing bird theme in the movie, they both squash the bird so to speak. But they don't let anyone know, because that would ruin it, that would hurt Borden's daughter. So they keep the lie/illusion to the grave. Angier's isn't inhuman all the way, he avoids squashing the dove, but eventually turns.  BUT they both turn by making themself the bird, and sacrificing themselves, which is a whole idea of itself.

And there were more than two twists. Beside the two magician's prestiges at the end:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

There was the whole twist with the Tesla journal and how the girl turned on him.

[close]

Unfortunately for my viewing pleasure

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I figured Borden had a twin when he started up the Transported Man trick and Cutter said the only way was a double AND his seemingly dual personality that Sarah kept going on about.

[close]

Didn't ruin the movie for me though, because I cared more about the point of it all rather than the twist.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I approve of this thread, I especially approve of the Nolan love, the guy is becoming a much better technical director each time out while not losing any of his skill for character portrayals.

I just plain love the guy, and I will always be looking forward to a new film from him.

[Bacon]

BOWIE

[Mr. Gundam]

I finally got around to watching my Blu Ray copy of this tonight.

Bloody brilliant film, but man was it ever so predictable. I mean, it was clever and I really enjoyed it, but I saw everything coming a mile away.

[Smooth Groove]

First off, the information was deliberately given to you to piece together.  It wasn't really an out-of-left-field secret.  The movie is not about the twist; its purpose isn't to shock you with surprises.  Which, by the way, there was a grand total of two, malek.  Your counting skills leave much to be desired.

The point was the cost at which two men pay for each individual's prestige.  Angier does truly evil things and ends up losing his humanity, and one can argue that the last time you see him, he's not human to begin with.  Borden's sacrifice to his craft is so great that he ends up destroying his own life.  It's about the journey both men take to that exact point, and why they're so different.  The most telling point in the film is how they both react to the Chinese magician.  I think that sets up a lot of the character development in the movie.

If you can't enjoy the movie on that level and are upset by so "many" twists (of which there are technically two), you missed the point.  The film is even set up like a magic trick, and it shows you the prestige at the very end.

Good interpretation.  I think that's why I found the Prestige less enjoyable than expected.  I felt like I got tricked into watching a drama.  I'll watch it again though since I paid $30 for the blu-ray.