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"Are you watching closely"
11. The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006)
Good gosh. That Nolan fella is truly a man who has a taste for theatrics. And in 2006, no film felt more theatrical and operatic than this thought provoking, spellbinding mystery drama based on the Christopher Priest novel of the same name. For those who have seen the film, I want to discuss my feelings regarding it's now infamous ending. I'm aware that at least 85% of the members who have seen the film felt robbed at the climax. I mean, most people seem content with Borden's revelation but, clearly, Angier's reveal riles people up. However, to write the ending off as cheap and unfathomable is to overlook the key themes of The Prestige.
The film is consistent in suggesting that very often, the spectator finds themselves so obsessed with trying to decipher the trick that when the inevitable happens, the trick is thus disappointing. That's what people miss with The Prestige. It's not really about unraveling a mystery but more of a film that is designed not to necessary deceive the spectator, but make us complicit in the illusion. So y'see, it is a film that is very much defined by the spectator's response to it.
It may seem odd to people that Nolan would purposefully conjure up a disappointing trick, but I find it cryptically masterful and particularly daring because Nolan DOES manage to manipulate our feelings so that our reactions reflect the reactions of all those little boys and girls who find out the method of a trick they have been obsessed about for ages. So, if anything, Nolan manages to prove his point really well. A bit arrogant of him, true, but very skillful imo. Something more is at work here, though..
Nolan has often stated that he doesn't like DVD commentaries and even making of's and such (He only did commentaries for his first three films because he felt it would help film students) because he feels that there are certain aspects of filmmaking that should be hid from the audience. That revealing too much about the illusion of film damages the appeal of those illusions ultimately. While I don't necessary agree with his point of view, I understand and respect it. Obviously I have already said that this is a strong theme in the film, and even stronger when you consider Angier's reveal. Nolan's basically saying how 'film magick' doesn't always have to be deconstructed and explained. And I guess that's true to an extent.
Another idea that really excited me was the metaphor of the magician as director. Angier and Borden represent different types of magicians: The Showman who happens to lack genuine skill and talent (Angier) vs the technically sound yet rather boring and unappealing magician. It's when the film dives into these themes of the disparity between showmanship and substance that it really starts to shine and stand out. These are dilemmas that Nolan and most other talented filmmakers have to deal with on each project - the purist aesthetic vs the more flashy flamboyant way of approaching a film. Nolan is clearly predominantly the former, but this film and his Batman efforts suggest that he can be a bit of a show off when he wants to. Now THAT'S magic.
11. The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006)
Good gosh. That Nolan fella is truly a man who has a taste for theatrics. And in 2006, no film felt more theatrical and operatic than this thought provoking, spellbinding mystery drama based on the Christopher Priest novel of the same name. For those who have seen the film, I want to discuss my feelings regarding it's now infamous ending. I'm aware that at least 85% of the members who have seen the film felt robbed at the climax. I mean, most people seem content with Borden's revelation but, clearly, Angier's reveal riles people up. However, to write the ending off as cheap and unfathomable is to overlook the key themes of The Prestige.
The film is consistent in suggesting that very often, the spectator finds themselves so obsessed with trying to decipher the trick that when the inevitable happens, the trick is thus disappointing. That's what people miss with The Prestige. It's not really about unraveling a mystery but more of a film that is designed not to necessary deceive the spectator, but make us complicit in the illusion. So y'see, it is a film that is very much defined by the spectator's response to it.
It may seem odd to people that Nolan would purposefully conjure up a disappointing trick, but I find it cryptically masterful and particularly daring because Nolan DOES manage to manipulate our feelings so that our reactions reflect the reactions of all those little boys and girls who find out the method of a trick they have been obsessed about for ages. So, if anything, Nolan manages to prove his point really well. A bit arrogant of him, true, but very skillful imo. Something more is at work here, though..
Nolan has often stated that he doesn't like DVD commentaries and even making of's and such (He only did commentaries for his first three films because he felt it would help film students) because he feels that there are certain aspects of filmmaking that should be hid from the audience. That revealing too much about the illusion of film damages the appeal of those illusions ultimately. While I don't necessary agree with his point of view, I understand and respect it. Obviously I have already said that this is a strong theme in the film, and even stronger when you consider Angier's reveal. Nolan's basically saying how 'film magick' doesn't always have to be deconstructed and explained. And I guess that's true to an extent.
Another idea that really excited me was the metaphor of the magician as director. Angier and Borden represent different types of magicians: The Showman who happens to lack genuine skill and talent (Angier) vs the technically sound yet rather boring and unappealing magician. It's when the film dives into these themes of the disparity between showmanship and substance that it really starts to shine and stand out. These are dilemmas that Nolan and most other talented filmmakers have to deal with on each project - the purist aesthetic vs the more flashy flamboyant way of approaching a film. Nolan is clearly predominantly the former, but this film and his Batman efforts suggest that he can be a bit of a show off when he wants to. Now THAT'S magic.