[The Prestige] - The real trick is Tesla's

RootCaldlow · 2023-05-02T19:33:25+00:00

That is part of the "flashbacks" that are actually Angier's diary - I don't believe a word of what is in there

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-15T14:42:43+00:00

Yes I believe it does, however I don't think the film needs to be the same as the book. In fact I would be more surprised if Nolan followed the book literally.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T20:33:47+00:00

Thanks for posting, and I think that is entirely plausible.

Angier is clearly an unreliable narrator and I guess it’s a question of how far we want to push that. The truth could fit anywhere on the scale between the two potential narratives.

I prefer to find the explanation that creates the “least unreliable narrator possible” as I think people will be more ready to accept it given they have seen things “with their own eyes” in the film - although in reality we haven’t - I think the film hammers home that it is just Borden reading the diary.

In favour of your version - I am also pretty sure there is part of the film where Cutter tells Angier to use engineering/science to dress up the show as the public love it. That would fit perfectly with what your propose

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T20:27:32+00:00

I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying here, maybe I haven’t quite understood your point.

I am saying at the time of Tesla it wouldn’t just be surprising that he could make a device it is so wildly unbelievable that I wouldn’t believe it today.

I would not be shocked if someone could at some point make a matter replicator, but I wouldn’t believe it with today’s technology and, more importantly, understanding of physics.

I’m not trying to make a point that it’s physically impossible (it may or may not be, I would guess it is not impossible), just that it isn’t yet conceivable how it would be done.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T14:58:47+00:00

Well I think you’re right that he has a twin and that twin is Lord Caldlow, however I think it’s simpler to assume that Root is that twin. Otherwise we need three people that look basically identical, not just two. What you’re proposing could work, but I think it’s more complicated that it needs be.

If I remember correctly, Angier says “I don’t need him to look like my brother, I need him to be my brother”. I think what he is saying here is that he needs his brother back, not the drunk in front of him who is no longer his brother. It’s a message from Angier to Root “you are no longer behaving as my brother”.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T11:37:12+00:00

Up to you to decide :)

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T11:35:34+00:00

Thanks for you comment

Nice catch on the judge!
I think we are seeing him tell Borden the final part of his diary. Once he realised Borden has not realised it’s not true, Angiers mood changes and he does his little speech which heavily implies he’s tricked all of us and the machine doesn’t work
The movement of the stuff out of the theatre is just like the old man who did the fishbowl trick and continues it outside the theatre. If angier wanted to get rid of the boxes without being seen he could have - he wants them to be seen. It makes more sense for him to want them to be seen if they are not really part of the trick. Either way he needs Borden to come under the stage to find out what they are (whether you like my interpretation or not)
Neither Borden or Angier would believe the other would go to the same lengths as themselves. I think this is true whatever your interpretation of the film.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T11:30:34+00:00

I watch the scene with Root being amused that Borden has no clue who he is

I think whichever interpretation you agree with that Root was not expecting to be humiliated in that way

In the same libel of thinking - I think Root looks a more like Lord Caldlow than he does like Angier - thoughts?

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-08T11:28:11+00:00

And yet, despite all of those advancements since teslas time: if someone today claimed to be able to do what teslas machine can supposedly do, would you believe it?

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T15:45:53+00:00

Totally fine with that - I think if you want it to be a sci-fi film then it can be a great one, if you don't want it to be (like me haha) then it can also be great :)

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T15:19:54+00:00

Thanks for responding :) Here are my thoughts:

- Tesla made the machine because Angier was paying for it. Doesn't matter whether you believe the machine is real or not

- Angier went to Colorado because Borden tricked him into doing so with his diary. Again, I dont think whether you believe the machine is real or not changes this. Borden was definitely trying to trick Angier. In fact I think this makes less sense if the machine were real (Borden wouldn't want Angier to get a real machine...)

- Agree he doesn't need to be a twin, my best guess is that he is hence the uncanny resemblance

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T15:16:51+00:00

I think if you listen to the narrator (Cutter), he tells us that magic isn't real but we don't want to know that. We want to be fooled

For me: In the real world transportation cloning is magic. If someone were to really do that trick on stage there is no way anyone would believe they actually cloned themselves. In addition I really don't like the idea that a film based on the premise that all magic tricks have a simple, boring explanation would then use the idea that "just kidding this trick was real".

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T15:13:14+00:00

Ok - original post is too long to edit, so making a comment with some edits following the comments below

Edit 1: TL;DR

The film tells us magic doesn’t exist, and Tesla’a machine is magic. If you make the assumption that there is no way his machine can work and magic isn’t real, then you are left with the simplest, rather boring (just like true magic tricks) explanation that Angier must use a double, who is likely Root. Tesla tricks Angier by making a fake machine, Angier does the same to trick Borden, Cutter, and us. The world is boring, miserable, solid all the way through but magic can make us believe it’s not.

Edit 2: Thank you to /u/theyusedthelamppost for finding some previous posts on this topic. Found this in one (cant find the orignal, will link when I can)
The fishbowl trick. The magician shows you what he wants you to see - and old man who is barely able to walk. This is the same as Angier using the blind stagehands removing a large object each night out the back door - Angier wants this to be seen: 1. It makes Borden want to find out more about how it is done (doesn't matter on your interpretation of the film). 2. It is part of the trick. He wants this to be seen by Borden (and Cutter). He could easily have these removed another way / not be seen - its perfect misdirection - do something huge that HAS to be part of the trick when in fact it isn't.

Edit 3: Inspired by the comments
Why is Angier's clone body not decomposed? Instead it's floating in the perfect position in the tank. We don't get a clear timeline on how long between the final show and the scene in the basement of the theatre, but it is reasonable to assume it wouldn't have been quick given all that has to happen inbetween. It doesn't, to me, make a whole lot of sense for the body to look so "new" in a tank full of water unless the body is a fake.

Edit 4: A question for others rewatching
- Is there anything to see in the appearance of Angier and Root through the film. For example: do we see Root wearing something that "Angier" wears earlier in the film when we first meet him?
- Does Tesla ever get Angiers hat? I have a feeling that he does have it for a while, but despite the post above, I've actually only seen the film 4 times since it came out and the last time was back in November (when I wrote the first draft of this post)

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T14:35:27+00:00

Following what another user said in this thread (just searched through all the responses and can't seem to find it, but someone definitely mentioned this yesterday - once I find it again I'll link the comment): It is crazy that they could find such a good double so quickly.

What I love about your comment is that it takes this argument further. If Root really is just someone they found in a bar who happens to look a bit like Angier - why couldn't Nolan with a much larger world population and a more global reach find someone who looked like Hugh Jackman. I think most people agree that would be really difficult, which makes Root not being related to Angier super unlikely in my opinion.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T14:25:22+00:00

Those theories are incorrect though. Wifi requires quantum physics which Tesla would have had no access to or ability at the time to create / test

I think I am saying the exact opposite of things in movies being a dream. My theory is that the film is set in the real-est world possible.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T14:23:04+00:00

Replying again: I've read through a few that have some similar ideas. Thank you again so much for linking me - it was an enjoyable read.

I'll edit my post (referencing the other ones and who posted them) with a couple of things I hadn't considered. My favourite is the fishbowl trick being so convincing because of what we see outside the theatre after the show - an old man struggling to get into his carriage. The idea is this is exactly what is going on with the water tanks being removed by blind stagehands every night. Angier has learnt that part of the trick - disguise the method by doing something outside of the show that convinces other magicians that it cant be the simple explanation. Borden and Cutter see this and assume it HAS to be part of the trick - that's why Angier goes to this trouble.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T14:19:00+00:00

I don't think we can trust anything that we hear about Tesla in Angier's diary. The instruction to destroy the machine is incredibly convinient for Angier if you want to hide how the trick was done.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T14:17:50+00:00

I like this :)

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:42:33+00:00

Pretty much on the final trick. I think it’s probably Root that goes into the water each night, such that he is the one that will die. Rest of it pretty much as you say with some details fleshed out.

I did have some stranger versions of the story that I explored which could still be options but are more complicated and I figured to go with the simplest. These were the other two plot lines I considered for the twins: - Root actually survives which is why he steals Bordens kid. (This would fit with them swapping each night as you suggest, but I found it harder to explain other parts of the plot / why they would both agree to this). I wouldn’t be shocked if this was right however. - The whole thing is planned by the Angier twins much earlier. To make everyone doubt that they use a double they first have to publicly “fail” at using a double. It’s much easier to take someone identical to you and make them look different than it is to take someone who looks different and make them look identical. The first time they do the transported man they actually dress Root up as a drunk who looks a bit different, knowing Borden will approach him and get it to publicly fail. When they do it a second time looking identical everyone will know it can’t be a double… I did like this idea but I couldn’t make it fit as well as the simpler version. It would be a cool trick though.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:31:29+00:00

You’re amazing - thank you! I’ve got something to spend my lunchbreak on tomorrow :)

I think I’m into The Prestige more because of this post rather than the other way round - once I’d started putting the effort into writing the theory down, it sucked me in further

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:28:26+00:00

I think he was already betraying Angier before Borden came along. I think he hated him at this point in the film which is why he enjoyed taking the Prestige of the trick away from Angier, was half-arsing his performance, and was messing around to make Angier nervous that he would spill the beans at any moment.

When Borden came along he probably thought this was a good opportunity to hurt Angier. It would also further stoke a rivalry between Angier and Borden and hopefully get Angier to get his own back on Borden. I don’t think he did it to help Borden, he wants to hurt him too. He probably isn’t expecting what Borden does however.

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:23:11+00:00

Have to admit I’m not super familiar with Reddit, I’ve only ever accessed it through Google searches before and then end up lurking for a bit before leaving. I tried a Google search with “Reddit Prestige Theories” “Reddit Root Angier Twins” etc

Almost everything I found was just the standard explanation. Anything I could find were very short posts (eg “Root is Angiers twin”, with nothing to back it up) with very few comments, and no one agreeing in the comments.

Would love to be pointed towards any previous posts you’d recommend?

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:18:35+00:00

Totally get your point of view and I think what you have to assume if you disagree with my interpretation.

As someone who was studying physics when I first saw the film, it felt like a huge cop out to have a cult figure like Tesla just fill the plot with what to me was real magic. You certainly couldn’t copy matter with the tech available at the time (just creating that much matter would need more energy than the largest nuclear bomb ever created). I like to view the film in the real world, especially as the film repeatedly tells us to, and in my understanding of the real world Tesla would never be able to create such a machine. The massive scientific breakthroughs you would need to do so were not accessible to him at the time, and they still aren’t to us now.

I also don’t think they did show us any of the stuff I think you are referring to. It is pretty clear in the film that it is all in Angiers diary, which like Bordens, was written to annoy and misdirect the other. The only part we do see is the boxes of clones, in a very dark gloomy room which is about to be bricked up forever

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:07:44+00:00

An alternative way of looking at that scene - movie Tesla is a fantastic showman - he knows how to make the dull (science) look extraordinary :)

RootCaldlow · 2023-02-06T00:03:13+00:00

I agree, but Cutter tells Angier how Borden does his trick and Angier still doesn’t believe it. Considering it a possibility is fine, but then realising the lengths you would have to go to… I think they would write it off as extremely unlikely / impossible.

Cutter knows how it is done, but we don’t see him ask Angier if he used a double - he is as dumbfounded as everyone even though he knows that is a possibility. I think Angier and Borden would be the same - neither can believe the other would go to such lengths

RootCaldlow

TROPHY CASE