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The prestige - Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Christopher Nolan

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Are you watching closely?

A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy - full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. From the time that they first met as young magicians on the rise, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) were competitors. However, their friendly competition evolves into a bitter rivalry making them fierce enemies-for-life and consequently jeopardizing the lives of everyone around them.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film crime drama London UK magic secret trick murder magician Victorian thriller

Persons of interest

Rob Arbogast .... Leonard
Christian Bale .... Alfred Borden
David Bowie .... Nikola Tesla
Michael Caine .... Cutter
Chris Cleveland .... Will
Rebecca Hall .... Sarah Borden
Jamie Harris .... Sullen
Hugh Jackman .... Rupert Angier
Ricky Jay .... Milton
Scarlett Johansson .... Olivia
Samantha Mahurin .... Jess Borden
Andy Serkis .... Alley
William Morgan Sheppard .... Merrit
Christopher Priest .... Author
Jonathan Nolan .... Screenwriter
Christopher Nolan .... Screenwriter
Christopher Nolan .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

The prestige official movie site
The prestige film production notes
The prestige QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS - Oscars) 2007: Nominated: Art direction, Cinematography
Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards 2007: Nominated: International Award For Best Actor (Hugh Jackman)

FYI: Nikola Tesla is a real person
See also The Illusionist, Death defying acts
Studios and distributors:

Roadshow Films

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

I've always had a thing for Victorian mechanical design: it is big, strong and solid, like a giant, clunky Mechano set. It is also a statement of the British Empire's belief in its own permanence. "Here I am. Here I stay." Unfortunately, the Victorian Age also marks the end of romance: hereafter, science will disseminate knowledge until the lowliest cobbler will be as well-educated as the highest lord. Logic and illumination are the enemies of romantic thought. Stage magic is the last gasp of mystery: you know it's fake but you can't see how.

That rambling rant leads into The prestige. A Victorian tale of mystery, adventure, exploration, science, romance, tragedy and betrayal, this film wraps you up in that other age, capturing perfectly the struggle between hearts and minds in a time of ever-increasing knowledge of exotic discovery. Oy. I think I've accidentally swallowed a verbosity pill.

Anyway, the point that's being made [Ever so slowly... - Director of Intelligence.] is that The prestige is the kind of movie that you can jump into and enjoy as it carries you downstream. The leads are talented and handsome/pretty, the story is as twisted as a turning of the screw and the theme is as universal as it is universally decried. This is a dark tale of obsessive revenge and the depths to which its perpetrators will descend. This is one of those "just when you thought he could sink no lower" films.

If you want a bit of history with your insight into the human dilemma, this is one for you.

The crime drama movie The prestige is directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine.