The Prestige

Christopher Priest's The Prestige (1995) is the novel from which Nolan's The Prestige was adapted. Although worth studying in its own right, our primary concern for the purposes of this course is to examine the ways Nolan infused his adaptation of the novel with his own unique style and vision.
As you read the novel think about the following questions, which I introduced in unit 1:

What is the particular Nolan style, stamp, or vision? In other words, what makes this film a classic Nolan film? What are the questions that preoccupy him? What are his obsessions? What is his view of human nature and the forces that drives us?  What about the film style, the mise en scene, the montage, the cinematography, the editing is classic Nolan? (See Film Primer and Film terms for definitions and more tips on watching film).

You might also want to consider what it is about this novel that attracted Nolan.

In the novel, Alfred Borden claims:

Audiences know well that a magician will practice his illusion for years, and will rehearse each performance carefully, but few people realize the extent of the pretidigitator's wish to deceive, the way in which the apparant definace of normal laws becomes an obsession which governs every moment of his life. ... My deception rules my life, informs every decision I make, regulates my every move. (Priest 36)

We could, arguably, apply that claim to Nolan himself.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/synopsis?ref_=ttpl_pl_syn

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity_interviews/Christopher+Nolan-31488.html

Unlike some of my fellow classmates, I have found the book to be more interesting than the movie. Although it is easier to re-watch a movie rather than re-read a book, I find reading enjoyable, and the storyline remains distinct. For The Prestige (book and movie), the main viewpoints are consistent: obsession, rivalry, love affairs, misdirection, and open perspectives. By open perspectives, I mean the audience is allowed to take what they want from the story and interpret its meaning in different ways.

The obsession for Angier and Borden to discover each other’s secrets is obvious enough, for each magician desires to know how a performance is done, and to improve their own form of the trick. The rivalry with each other may stem from that obsession, but in the end, each man was his own worst enemy. A magician’s life is full of secrecy, clearly presented in the book and movie, and that secrecy completed ruled their lives with dire consequences. Happiness was attainable, but as long as the feud continued, the men were never completely satisfied.

The love affairs in the movie were slightly different from the book, which makes the rivalry between Borden and Angier different. But I’ll explain more in the critiquing post of this unit next week.

Misdirection is essentially the main point of the story. Both Nolan and Priest guided the audience as a true magician would. First, the “pledge” is presented, which is showing the audience something seemingly ordinary; this piques the audience’s curiosity. Priest provides a simple story, and Nolan provides a simple magic trick. Second, the “turn” is performed, making the ordinary object in the pledge do something extraordinary; this baffles the audience, drawing them completely into the act. In this case, Priest and Nolan both show different accounts of the same story, in separate timelines. What seemed like a simple story becomes confusing to readers and viewers, making them pay more attention to what’s actually happening, which brings us to the final part of a trick: the “prestige.” In a series of twists and turns, the true secret is hidden, but you are allowed to see the final product of a trick, something shocking and awe-inspiring. Again, Priest and Nolan unveil small portions of the story, only revealing what they want you to see at that moment. While reading/watching, not much makes sense. But over time, pieces come together like an intricate puzzle, and in the end, you feel you have figured it out!