Although The Prestige is almost a perfect film- like all masterpieces, it has a few problems.
My sole issue with the film is the ending credits. I loved the cut to black- and on my first viewing, which was after I saw TDK and Inception- I was saying, "YES! This is such a Nolan-type ending! It's perfect." Then "Analyse" started to play with the credits and I was like..."wait what?" The use of a sort of upbeat- although good- pop song WITH VOCALS as an ending for a period piece threw me off a little. I know, I know, Memento had "Something in the Air"- but it fit. It was a film set in the present, anyway. But for a 19th century film, a Thom Yorke song? What?
So yeah. That was pretty much my only problem. Yours?
Yeah, I don't classify The Prestige as a period drama though I guess it is one. It doesn't have anything consistent with other period films outside of the setting/costumes, but tonally it's quite separated and really modern. I dunno, tonally the film and song matched up.
"Analyse" was inspired by a blackout Yorke experienced in Oxford. Yorke used to live on a "historical street" with 1860s built houses in central Oxford and upon arriving home one night, the street suffered a power cut. Yorke explained; "The houses were all dark, with candlelight in the windows, which is obviously how it would have been when they were built. It was beautiful."
Nolan loves Radiohead. And there is indeed symbolism within that quote in my opinion that kinda fits The Prestige's ending. The novel of The Prestige also takes most place in modern times. So to me it speaks volumes.
FilmmakerRising wrote:Although The Prestige is almost a perfect film- like all masterpieces, it has a few problems.
My sole issue with the film is the ending credits. I loved the cut to black- and on my first viewing, which was after I saw TDK and Inception- I was saying, "YES! This is such a Nolan-type ending! It's perfect." Then "Analyse" started to play with the credits and I was like..."wait what?" The use of a sort of upbeat- although good- pop song WITH VOCALS as an ending for a period piece threw me off a little. I know, I know, Memento had "Something in the Air"- but it fit. It was a film set in the present, anyway. But for a 19th century film, a Thom Yorke song? What?
So yeah. That was pretty much my only problem. Yours?
The song didn't bother me. But now that you mention the end credits, it would have been cool if the title of the film had appeared at the end of the movie, Batman Begins, Dark Knight and Inception-style. It would have fit so well.
But that's splitting hairs. The bottom line is that it is an amazing, brilliantly-structured film.
