Analysis of Prestige Film - Essay Example

Analysis of Prestige Film Number Analysis of Prestige Film “The Prestige” is an interesting film whose release in 2006 has since boosted the British-American films falling within the mystery genre. The thriller movie is an adaptation from Christopher Priest’s screenplay published in 1995 under the same title. Co-produced by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan the movie builds around Alfred Borden and Robert Angier, the two major opposing stage magicians in England during the sunset years of the 19th century. The two characters are obsessed with building the finest stage illusion through one-upmanship, but with devastating outcomes. The Nolans use nonlinear narrative approach to capture the themes in the screenplay in a whole new fashion that not only entertains, but captures new aesthetics of a 21st century film. This paper analyses how different styles such as mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound design affect the overall outcome of the themes and aesthetics in “The Prestige.” The styles Robert Angier and Alfred Borden cut the image of two would-be illusionists working in harmony in Victorian London, but upon the unintended elimination of Angier’s wife, the two characters turn against each other; Bordwell (2013) noted that “with Julia’s death, the men become enemies.” Hell-bent on proving that the other is weaker and incapable, both parties discover a new center or focus in the elegant Olivia Wenscombe. By virtue of Wenscome, each of the two sinks deeper into mystery in an attempt to demonstrate that they he is the more powerful magician. “The Prestige” takes an atmospheric turn that seamlessly integrates magic’s natural mystery and secrecies with well-connected scenes that constantly ensure the audiences follow the story to the end while chasing unending solutions to the mysteries. Mise-en-scene Although, the storyline jumps from one time period to another in an effort to underscore the seriousness of the rivalry between the magicians, director Christopher Nolan clearly delineates the scenes to avoid any confusion among the audience. The carefully designed mise-en-scenes style featuring the two characters on the foreground at night in the outdoor scene, with lines of bulbs planted to the background, for example, not only creates an intriguing social life of the two characters at the beginning of the film, but also evokes a particular dreamlike value that is both attractive and mysterious (Bordwell, 2013). Neither of the two protagonists is predominantly likeable especially in the dark clothes they adorn and their shadowy movements. Both men have somehow criminal intentions and the audiences struggle to identify who between them is more moral as to identify with. The mystery alongside the fine cinematography and supporting storyline all contribute to the perception that no events in the film are as they may appear at face value; rather the audience should be more concerned with the inner meanings of the developments. As Bordwell (2013) said, the director creates a clear mise-en-scene by presenting the three primary scenes: the ingenieur’s properly-lit studio, the staging house for the drama and the back stage mirroring in a way that runs from the opening to the closing scenes. By bringing bits of these major settings in a successive manner, the resulting film underscores the importance of the duality of the American and British themes in the storyline. The overall portrayal of the stage itself, though featuring the elements of film noir, subtly captures mise-en-scene, thanks to carefully-controlled lighting. Nolan split the foreground, middle ground and back stages with painstaking illumination indicating that these scenes are deliberately juxtaposed to nudge the audience into inferring the existence of different realities surrounding the lives of the two protagonists, the great splendor and the mystery in the scenes as the conjurers work their magic. Editing According to Bordwell (2013), fine editing also features prominently in the presentation of the storyline and the mise-en-scene particularly in the design of a mysterious machine that covers a large portion of the stage, thus contributes in the creation of the puzzle upon which the whole narrative is based. The clear presentation of the mysterious machine enables the audience to not only get a feel of the aesthetics, but get absorbed in the unraveling mysteries. In the backstage, however, the editor offers a more profound glimpse in a camera shot that exposes a huge glass tank placed under the mysterious machine, which then complicates the already building tension for greater attraction of the audience to the storyline. As such, the editing places the items physically close by so as to give the audiences a feel of what the objects symbolize and how their connection to each other in the broader context of the storyline contributes to its modern aesthetics. In addition, fine editing presents the machine as a key contributor to the theme of obsession, though in symbolic terms. This is especially true despite its rather mysterious understanding among the audiences (Bordwell, 2013). The editing makes it to look like the obsessions are troubling not just the main characters in various scenes of the film, but minor actors as well. The use of ‘camera tricks’ to create space between different plots as it is clear in the dimensions of the auditorium cut through the editing stages to present prolonged camera shots which create a feeling of distance and isolation of Angier from the rest of his community. Despite the fact that he can technically access anywhere and anything he wants through his magical powers and sheer determination, the editor’s employment of spacing depicts the character as technically aloof from the physical world and activities. In contrast, the space apportioned to Borden for the larger part of the scene nonetheless is reduced in size by virtue of small equipment around him, the construction pillars and other small background aesthetics that suggest to the audience about the connection he has to the stage (Bordwell, 2013). It follows, therefore, that in all of the scenes where Borden features he is depicted as sharp and hands-on, but largely ineffective in his handling of magic. As it is the common with many cases of mystery, Nolan employs editing realism by making sure that the capacities which the character possesses in practical life, he has no explanations for. Cinematography As Bordwell (2013) noted, the director employs different lighting techniques in a way that integrates well with the motion imagery to create elegant cinematography. As the scenes unravel, Nolan subtly varies the cinematography by contrasting the initial well-lit ingenieur’s studio with the darker portrayal of the backstage imagery to create a sense of natural aesthetics and mystery. The lighting style in the auditorium is equally designed to develop a sense of sinister motives and mystery, alongside a supernatural theme as a consequence of the contrast between the apparent gloomy illumination that runs in the scenes and the abrupt flashes of strong, artificial blue light developed by the setting of the machine on the platform. The simultaneous use of natural lighting in the form of fire and gas lamp in the background during the rivalry of the two protagonists arguably symbolizes the receding sanctity of nature and its replacement with modern sources of light in the machine (Bordwell, 2013). In contrast, Nolan sends the message that despite the mad rush towards artificial aesthetics in film productions and the ordinary life, nature cannot be ruled out completely, hence the persistence of fire as a form of traditional lighting. Yet the coexistence of the rather diverse pillars of cinematography suggests that the artificial life of modernity in respect of human life activities is inexorably related to the unexplained mysteries of traditionalism. The Costumes Costumes also bring about the expectations of the average audience regarding the retro drama. Nolan’s choice of garbs contributes not just to the persistence of traditional mysteries in the modern times, but to the characters’ particular roles in the scenes, in what creates an interesting cinematography. Angier is robed as a typical magician in dark suit designed with coattails. According to Bordwell (2013), his eventual imagery and magical actions on the stage attracts the curiosity of any audience in all of the scenes in which he appears. For Borden, Nolan’s choice of dark and ordinary costumes creates a sharp contrast between him and Angier. This makes him cut the image of not just another member of the group, but by making unique moves off-stage, the audience can easily pinpoint him as an equally important character. In the studio, the characters are however, wearing much brighter attire in what supports their relatively clearer conscience. Cutter, for example, wears his open attire with his sleeves folded up in a way that demonstrates just how relatively relaxed he is, especially when compared to the tense imagery cut by Angier and Borden (Bordwell, 2013). However, the fact that Cutter’s attire also includes a red muffler sharply contrasts to his generally plain clothing. Yet, with this color forming an integral part of Angier’s coat lining, Nolan provides an invaluable clue on the rather disguised ideological connection between both individuals as the scenes unravel towards the end of the film. Sound design Apart from the garb, the lighting, the physical contributions of the actors, sound design is also an imperative style of “The Prestige.” Nolan ensured that the scenes featuring little to no conversations, due to their tenseness, are complemented by voiceovers. As Bordwell (2013) said, “Cutter’s voiceover monologue” is clearly audible, especially where the performances of the two protagonists turn physical, in what points to Nolan practical determination to bring the audience up to speed with the realism of physical movements in tense situations. Despite their rather secondary roles, the soundtrack and voiceovers enable the audiences to be aware, though intuitively, about the importance of actions. When Borden jumps offstage in an attempt to reclaim control of the situation, for instance, both Jackman and Bale step into position and maintain their junior roles as defined by the screen play in a way that keeps the sounds relatively uninterrupted. Seamless Motion Cinematography contributes significantly in creating the right pace for the unraveling scenes. Although the film was set in the late 20th century, it has 21st century motion aesthetics, which were most probably achieved by capturing the footages by handheld camera from rather less-restricted settings for easier motion. As Bordwell (2013) noted, the strategy enabled the director to maintain a fluid cue of the scenes, whilst also enhancing the coverage for more drastic motions when shooting. The use of more flexible handheld cameras alongside fixed-stand cameras, especially during the sequential stages of shooting provides a painstaking contrast of motion where the fixed cameras capture the wide, slow imagery of the stage through a seamless push upwards, especially when Angier joins the fray; and a receding mise-en-scene when he later falls downwards. The camera movements shift the attention of the audiences to what the director really wants to be seen for a more focused and educative cinematography. The film also employs technical styles by way of repetition of scenes and or important scenes, which Nolan achieved by way of shot-by-shot techniques of the footages. The approach underscores a visual consistency that captures different forms of repetitions. Although, the focus of the camera on the subject matter achieves the much-needed emphasis among the audience, Nolan uses static (framing) shots and dynamic shots to achieve repetition through a number of successive shots and framing (Bordwell, 2013). The end result is a visual cadence that is complete with camera sounds and suggestive of a consistent attempt to extend the sense of repetition beyond the thematic richness of the visual art. As Bordwell (2013) noted, “crosscutting juxtaposes the two men’s life stories,” exposing the audiences to information about the roots of the two main characters’ relationship and the principal reason behind their ensuing rivalry. In the former, Borden and Angier are depicted as sitting a few meters from one another in a theatre, in what disguises their participation in the events taking place on the stage. When Borden is first introduced to the audience, a medium-shot static style facing right and the camera movement in the direction of his eye focus reveals Angier sitting in a few seats from where he is. The motion is repetitive and differs throughout the subsequent scenes, most conspicuously during the succeeding performances resulting in Angier losing his wife to bad fate. In this scene, camera framing and motion are repeated even as the two characters have switched positions (Bordwell, 2013). Despite the possible perception that the positions of the two characters may be confusing, Nolan’s stylistic approach to the film responds suitably to both narrative structure, and understanding by carefully maintaining the general theme of obsession with magical rivalry in the film. Conclusion Generally, “the Prestige” is a recent film whose different aesthetics are in line with 21st century styles, despite the fact that it was set in the late 20th century. The fine editing of the footages and persistence of the camera shots underscore the areas of focus which contribute to the general theme of mystery in the entire film. In addition, with carefully presented mise-en-scene of some stages followed by a succeeding focus on characters, the director clearly enables the audience to have a variety of imagery to watch followed by a focus on the most important parts. The dark costumes are very symbolic of mystery, which then blends seamlessly with limited voiceovers and the more pronounced sounds of real actions as it is typical in mystery movies. These styles along with the seamless motion created by handheld and fixed-stand cameras, rapidly track important character movements, dressing and sheer action to create an interesting cinematography. Reference Bordwell, D., (2013). Christopher Nolan: A Labyrinth of Linkages. Madison, Wisconsin: Irvington Way Institute Press. Read More