50th movie! Halfway through!!
Winner of six awards in 2007, The Prestige (2006) received two Oscar nominations for Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Art Direction. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Christopher Priest, it was adapted for the screen by director Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan Nolan (the creator of Person of Interest and Westworld). Despite its few accolades, the movie places relatively high on IMDb's Top 250 List, sitting on the 48th spot. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier and Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, supporting performances from Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo, Andy Serkis, Rebecca Hall, and the late David Bowie.
Production designer Nathan Crowley and his crew searched Los Angeles for almost seventy locations that resembled fin de siècle London. Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and surrounding areas; however, Osgood Castle in Colorado was also used. The film follows the story of two stage magicians in 1890s London following a tragic accident. Angier and Borden battle to create the ultimate illusion and sacrifice everything to outwit each other. With the movie's central themes being obsession and illusion, how does Alfred Borden's character fit into the mess of The Prestige?
Alfred "Freddie" Borden grew up with magic in his blood. He always wanted to be a magician, and he started learning about the tricks of the trade as early as he could remember. After Julia's death on stage, Angier and Borden split up, taking two completely different routes. While Angier takes the showy magician route as "The Great Danton," Borden lives a secretive life as "The Professor." The two agree that Borden is the more extraordinary magician; however, Angier understands how to make a magic trick into a whole show. Angier watches one of Borden's first shows where he comes up with The Teleporting Man. Dumbfounded and starstruck, Angier seeks to copy his trick, using a body double. When Borden uncovers the truth behind Angier's trick, he humiliates him at the show, advertising his show "The Original Transporting Man" across the street.
Alfred becomes known for his death-defying stunts. He realizes that sacrifice is the price of a good trick, making a name for himself by doing a trick in which he catches a bullet. He maintains that the bullet catch is not risky because the shell isn't even in the gun. However, it grinds to a halt when Angier sneaks into the show and places a real bullet in the gun. He fully intended to kill Borden with the bullet catch trick, but Borden deflected the shot, taking off two of his fingers in the process. In total commitment to his art form, Borden cuts off the same fingers as his twin. The obsession with being the best magician in the world consumes Borden completely, to the point where he would be hung in prison for murder than tell the world the secret to his tricks.
The obsessive behaviors push both characters to test the limits of their identity and the meaning of self. The introduction of Tesla as the scientist Angier hires to build his secret transport machine introduces the real-life historical rivalry between Tesla and Thomas Edison. Their rivalry serves as foils for Angier and Borden, showing that theft and showmanship can secure your place in history. Obsession, secrecy, and sacrifice fuel the conflict, as both magicians contribute to a deadly duel of one-upmanship. Angier's obsession with beating Borden costs him Cutter's friendship while providing him with a collection of his own dead clones. Borden's obsession with maintaining the secrecy of his twin leads Sarah to question their relationship, eventually resulting in her suicide when she suspects the truth. Angier and one of the twins both lose Olivia's love because of their inhumanity. Finally, Borden is hanged, and the last copy of Angier is shot. Their struggle is also expressed through class warfare: Borden as The Professor, a working-class magician who gets his hands dirty, versus Angier as The Great Danton, a classy, elitist showman.
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