Rewatch: The Prestige

[snick_backup]

Introduced the housemate's husband (also technically a housemate) to The Prestige tonight. I hadn't seen it since the theater release. It's one of those films where the first viewing blows your mind, and it's the repeated viewings that make you appreciate just how careful, how brilliant the writing and directing are. Absolutely a movie to watch unspoiled-for.

Unpleasant characters, stage magic, faux science, train-wreck psychology, hits my structure kink like whoa.

Also: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman (twice), Michael Caine, Andy Serkis, David Bowie (as Tesla!).

Brilliant stuff.

(Funny story: a friend and I had seen previews of this, so we went to the theater to see it. During of the previews we saw ads for... this movie. Which left us looking at each other wondering what on Earth we were about to see instead.

It turned out to be The Illusionist, also about stage magic and also enjoyable. We'd somehow gotten the titles mixed up. It was a bit bizarre sitting in the theater and realizing I had no earthly idea what sort of movie I'd just bought a ticket for...)

Comments

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

Hee - I remember that The Prestige and The Illusionist came out around the same time. I am a fan of magic and magicians, and I enjoyed both of them, though The Illusionist appealed to me more. Probably because it was more romantic.

That, and I would pay good money to hear Edward Norton read the phone book. :-)

[snickfic]

The Illusionist is definitely nearer the light/fluffy end of the scale. (Although I still feel a bit sorry for Prince Leopold, controlling jerk though he was.) Plus, yes the Edward Norton appeal. (OTOH: Hugh Jackman. Twice!)

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

I loved The Prestige and later read the book, which is structured slightly different from the movie although it tells the same overall story.

It's a great exercise to see how the limitations and possibilities of both media influence how the story needs to unfold.

I didn't realize Bowie was Tesla until I Wiki'ed the movie after watching it. It blew my mind that the man who was Jareth the Goblin King was also responsible for this understated performance.

Then again Tesla is an icon, and who better to play him than another icon, with the theatricality dialed way down?

[snickfic]

I just read the Wikipedia synopsis of the book, and yes, it sounds like it was as much an exercise in structural complexity as the movie was, though, as you say, with different limitations.

Confession: practically my entire concept of David Bowie come from Labyrinth and The Prestige. I realize he also made music at some point, but it was clearly before my time...

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

I know he sang "Under Pressure" with Queen, and I'm told I'll probably like his music, but that's the extent of my familiarity with him too :)

[silverusagi]

It was a bit bizarre sitting in the theater and realizing I had no earthly idea what sort of movie I'd just bought a ticket for

This amuses me more than it should, LOL.

[snickfic]

Heh. It was very strange indeed. It turned out all right, though. :)

[next_to_normal]

LOL at your Prestige/Illusionist mix-up!! I personally liked The Prestige a lot better.

[snickfic]

I liked The Prestige better, too. The Illusionist was very pretty fluff, it seemed to me. I enjoyed the Philip Glass score and Paul Giamatti, but I came away just not caring all that much.