The Prestige (A Film by Christopher Nolan)
Written by: Lee Fenton
Intro:
The Prestige, an eloquently crafted piece by acclaimed director Christopher Nolan. It is about the struggles and tribulations of two rival magicians (played by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, respectively) who begin as peers, but quickly become mired in each other’s lives. We watch as they perpetually worsen their relationship - through a habitual pattern of deceit, one-ups man-ship, and unabated jealousy. In the end - they become mortal enemies, hell-bent on destroying one another's legacy.
The Pledge
As the tale unfolds we are treated to an authentic period piece – one that pays close attention to detail; showcasing the correct architecture and fashions of the era. I am not one to nitpick a film for having slight errors when attempting period specific visuals, however it can be challenging to immerse yourself into a film that outright ignores or does not attempt this facet of filmmaking. A common example of this; contemporary clothing that sticks out like a bad thumb. Making an effort to have attire that's believable for the time period: goes a long way towards crafting a film that allows the viewer to truly lose themselves for the duration.
The Prestige's cinematography is grand and sweeping at times, utilizing wide shots to showcase the huge opera houses and theaters that Robert Angier (Jackman) performs in - throughout the film. At other times the cinematographer opts for quick cuts; eliciting a frenetic energy, so that scenes with passion; like when Alfred Borden (Bale) and his wife are arguing, come off as authentic and immersive. The cinematic style changes to match the emotion of the film, which is an excellent way to make your themes stand out. This fast paced shooting is an interesting choice for Nolan, one that I feel we don’t see enough of.
A great example of this same style of cinematography is seen in Memento — Nolan's first film — sans the grandiose wide shots. In the Prestige he introduces these cinematic wide shots (his trademark IMAX style being born?) as a way to elevate this new film and create a more bombastic piece than his previous entries (Batman Begins, Insomnia, Memento, etc). I like this dichotomy – the two opposing shooting styles contrast and yet compliment each other. And the addition of Michael Caine to the cast adds a certain prestigious quality to the film; allowing it to properly convey the majesty of the spectacle of magic. At times, you truly feel like you’re in the audience of one of these awe inspiring magic-shows, enthralled from the feats performed by our main characters Alfred Borden and Robert Angier. Caine's narration is delightful, as always – and even though, a commonly touted rule of screen-writing is to show, not tell: this is one of those movies that delivers in-world narration (through the use of Borden's diary, which Angier reads) as well as classic narration and it pays off. Nolan manages both expertly, elevating the film and giving it an ageless quality that lends its self to a classic tale based in Victorian literature.
The Turn:
I find this film reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera, not in plot similarities - but in style and aesthetic. The Prestige feels like a large production stage-play that has been brought to the big screen without losing its style and flair, and I love it! I’m a sucker for Wes Anderson movies and he is very much in this vein of filmmaking, the performances in his movies are far from naturalistic – in fact, they are largely expressive and exaggerated, as to allow the person in the back row of a stage-play to take in the expression and meaning from an performers accentuated (and sometimes over-the-top) acting. This is something - I feel The Prestige accomplished, and it allowed the movie to to do well in foreign markets, gaining a warm reception over-seas. When a filmmaker utilizes this thespian style of acting, his actors convey a lot more emotion then they would if only dialogue was relied upon. Although naturalistic acting can be very effective, under-acting (melodramatic acting) means that your facial expressions are subtle, gestures downplayed, and therefor the performance is not easily read by people that happen to not speak the native tongue of the film.
If you would like to learn more on the subject of different acting styles:
See article here on Theatrical Style & Form (theatrecrafts.com)
The Prestige
The dialogue and action are well paced, allowing the correct amount of time for the scenes that drive the plot forward - but also dwelling on those small character moments, that will give the piece greater depth and emotional resonance. Proper focus on pivotal moments in a story; is not only essential but really it is the foundation of any successful screenplay. The chronological order of scenes and proper pacing (editing can make or break a film!) is what allows the viewer to connect the pieces of your story, and empathize with the main characters. Even if the acting is stellar, the dialogue is convincing and entertaining, and the effects/action are well blocked, or choreographed - your film will not make a lick of sense – if the pacing and order of events doesn’t coalesce. Can you imagine if Pulp Fiction had been sequentially ordered like any other film of the time, instead of inter-cutting the stories, and allowing the narrative to be woven between multiple points of view?
Sure it might have done alright, or it might not have – but there is little chance that it would have had the affect on filmmaking it did and it probably wouldn’t have propelled Quentin Tarantino to the level it did.
The Prestige manages to pull of this same technique (non-linear storytelling) with as much finesse as Tarantino did. Every time I re-watch Christopher Nolan's film; it’s rather pleasant to realize, that the order of events do not occur in a linear fashion. I always expect the first scene to be the one that is chronological (Borden and Angier's unfortunate mishap with the assistant, Angier's wife), yet the film actually starts with Angier's eventual demise - Borden's role in it - and the subsequent court case against Borden who’s been charged with murder.
Similar to Tarantino; Nolan starts his film at the end – something that he did with Memento, but to much different results. I think, that one of the most enjoyable things about this film is the narrative, and Jonathan Nolan deserves a mention seeing as he did an exceptional job co-writing this with his brother. Also it is worth noting the screenplay is based on a book written by the novelist Christopher Priest, so the core story existed prior to this film being made. I myself have not read this novel, so I have no idea what was changed for the big screen adaptation.
Towards the end of the film - it takes a turn for the surreal, involving Nikola Tesla (played by David Bowie) and utilizing some steam-punk elements in a way that’s truly inventive. Some viewers had a problem with this and upon my first viewing, I felt the departure from realism detracted slightly from the film. But over the years my taste has evolved and in subsequent re-viewings - I find this choice actually adds a layer to the thematic elements of the film making you feel more for Angier - since he is a man that strives for perfection in his craft, but only achieves this by breaking himself down - again, and again.
Although the act is literal, it allows for a deeper metaphor then just a critique of show business, and the narcissism it breeds. It actually deals more with the existential dread of every man, and his fruitless search for meaning.
And now as the lights dim, (and the curtain falls),
I will leave you with the words of Angier - one who chased greatness at a superb cost to himself.
"You never understood why we did this. The audience knows the truth: the world is simple. It's miserable, solid all the way through. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you... then you got to see something really special."
9.5/10
A well-done Hare braised in red wine…. It was pulled from a hat.
PS:
I know. I didn't touch on acting much - this is more of a directorial analysis.
All five main actors (Bale, Johansson, Jackman, Caine, and Rebecca Hall) deliver exceptional performances and have an abundant amount of natural chemistry. The two stand-outs are Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Both men seem to be playing wonderfully off of each other – competing for screen time, but still allowing the other actor emotional space to innovate. Scarlet Johansson and Michael Cain, as well as Rebecca Hall have scenes where they get a chance to really shine, and all three are quite convincing in their roles. There are many emotional moments in the film and this star studded cast is well equipped to deliver the goods.
Hat’s off to all these actors. Without their exceptional performances this film would have fallen flat.
