The Prestige [WS]

Director: Christopher Nolan Christopher Nolan

Overview

Obsession, jealousy, and deceit define the tense relationship shared between two turn-of-the-century magicians in Memento and Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan's dizzying tale of sleight of hand. Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are London-based magicians of the highest order, both blessed with spectacular powers of deception and both cursed with unrelenting envy for one another's skills. When Alfred performs an awe-inspiring trick for which there seems no logical explanation, the friendly competition shared between the pair turns to deadly rivalry as the enraged Rupert determines to uncover his rival's deepest secrets. In the world of illusion, however, nothing is ever quite as it seems, and the rules of the physical world simply don't apply. Now, as bitter competition quickly begins to consume the souls of both performers, the firestorm birthed by their anger threatens to consume all who surround them. Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, and David Bowie co-star in a feature that finds director/screenwriter Nolan reuniting with brother and Memento story author Jonathan Nolan to adapt author Christopher Priest's original novel.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/20/2007
UPC:	0786936705157
Original Release:	2006
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Touchstone / Disney
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:10:00
Sales rank:	5,397

Special Features

The Director's Notebook: The Cinematic Sleight of Hand of Christopher Nolan; Conjuring the Past; The Visual Maze; Metaphors of Deception; Tesla: The Man Who Invented the Twentieth Century; Resonances; The Art of the Prestige gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Hugh Jackman	Robert Angier
Christian Bale	Alfred Borden
Michael Caine	Cutter
Piper Perabo	Julia Angier
Rebecca Hall	Sarah Borden
Scarlett Johansson	Olivia Wenscombe
Samantha Mahurin	Jess Borden
David Bowie	Nikola Tesla
Andy Serkis	Alley
Daniel Davis	Judge,Carriage Driver
Jim Piddock	Prosecutor
Christopher Neame	Defender
Mark Ryan	Captain
Roger Rees	Owens
Jamie Harris	Sullen Warder
Monty Stuart	Stagecoach Driver
Ron Perkins	Hotel Manager
Ricky Jay	Milton
J. Paul Moore	Virgil
Anthony De Marco	Boy
Chao-Li Chi	Chung Ling Soo
Gregory Humphreys	Policeman
John B. Crye	Voice
Sean Howse	Man
Julie Sanford	Elegant Lady,la dame élégante
Ezra Buzzington	Ticket Hawker
James Lancaster	Moderator
Olivia Merg	Jess Borden - Toddler,Jess Borden - Toddler
Johnny Liska	Scalper
Russ Fega	Man in Hotel No. 1
Kevin Will	Man in Hotel No. 2
Edward Hibbert	Ackerman
Christopher Judges	Burly Stagehand
James Otis	Blind Stagehand No. 1
Sam Menning	Blind Stagehand No. 2
Brian Tahash	Blind Stagehand No. 3
Jodi Bianca Wise	Glamorous Assistant
Nikki Glick	Housekeeper
Enn Reitel	Workman No. 1
Clive Kennedy	Warder
Robert Arbogast	Leonard,Leonard
Chris Cleveland	Will
Dawn Upshaw	Actor
Inna Swann	Actor
Gary Sievers	Actor
Mark Bryan	Actor
Jesse Wilde	Actor
Deanna Walsh	Actor
Wendy Rosoff	Actor
Tim Pilleri	Actor
Ernest Heinz	Actor
Erin Cipolletti	Actor
Marty Carroll	Actor
Basilina Butler	Actor
Rock Anthony	Actor
William Morgan Sheppard	Merrit
John Crye	Voice
Sean Francis Howse	Man
David Julyan	Composer

Technical Credits

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Priest

Christopher Nolan	Director,Screenwriter,Screenwriter,Producer
Christopher Ball	Executive Producer
Valerie Dean	Executive Producer
Charles J.D. Schlissel	Executive Producer
William Tyrer	Executive Producer
Aaron Ryder	Producer
Emma Thomas	Producer
Christopher Priest	Screenwriter
Florent Andorra	Special Effects
Jessy Bender	Sound Effects
Paul Berolzheimer	Sound Effects
Andrew Bock	Sound Effects
Rick Canelli	Sound Effects
Christopher Flick	Sound Effects
David Blitstein	Special Effects
Joni Avery	Stunts
Ray Garcia	Key Grip
Paul Lacavara	Stunts
Steve Hart	Stunts
Meegan Godfrey	Stunts
Mike Avery	Stunts
John Papsidera	Casting
Rick Marcus	Stunts
Richard King	Sound/Sound Designer
Ed Novick	Sound Mixer
Alan Meyerson	Sound Mixer

Editorial Reviews

When released theatrically in 2006, Christopher Nolan's lovingly crafted adaptation of Christopher Priest's novel about rival magicians in the Victorian era suffered by comparison to The Illusionist. Even though the latter was a superior picture, this splendid film deserved better. On the basis of star power alone -- the cast includes Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, and David Bowie -- The Prestige merits reevaluation, and plot intricacies that befuddled some theatrical audiences won't hinder home viewers, who have the luxury of repeating scenes they may find confusing. Jackman and Bale play flamboyant prestidigitators Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, who are constantly striving to outdo each other. Their feud threatens to turn deadly, and Jackman's assistant, Olivia Wenscombe (Johansson), adds fuel to the fire by falling in love with Borden after being sent to spy on him. Caine adds yet another terrific supporting role to his resume, portraying Cutter, the craftsman whose mechanical skill aids Angier in creating his mind-boggling illusions. Real-life scientific wizard Nikola Tesla, superbly played by Bowie, figures in a subplot that only slightly exaggerates his genius and depicts some of his pioneering accomplishments. In his zeal to keep viewers as befuddled as the onscreen audiences watching the dueling magicians, Nolan indulges in a bit too much narrative trickery, but all is made clear at the end.