Are You Watching Closely?

Are You Watching Closely? Alan Su Daniel Lee Darren Chu Min Park Sam Kim

Is it a Good Story? • It has a unified plot because everything is explained fully when the change of knowledge occurs • We learn why Angier was drowning in the beginning, and how Borden performed his trick at the end

Credible/Plausible • If you assume everything can happen then it is a plausible story • The story can even be explained if the cloning machine is fake • Leading a double life with a twin is plausible, because Borden and Fallon were dedicated to their act no matter what

Externally Observable Truths • Not all married couples live happily, as shown with Borden/Fallon and Sarah • Competition can turn deadly from obsession, as shown with the execution of Fallon, and Angier’s murder and clones • Affairs are never successful as shown with Olivia and Borden/Fallon • Sacrifice leads to alienation as shown when Cutter becomes disgusted by Angier due to his trick

Internal Truths of Human Nature • People should live honest lives and be truthful to each other • In The Prestige, Borden is not truthful to Sarah, which leads to her suicide • People should be able to forgive each other • Angier is unable to forgive Borden for his wife’s death, leading to the rivalry

Artistic Semblance or Truth • If Borden/Fallon didn’t switch the knots, they would have remained friends with a healthy rivalry, instead of the obsession they pursue • If Root had not gone bad, Angier would probably have put Borden/Fallon out of business

It is possible that the clone machine didn’t work • Tesla and Alley could have planted the hats and cat in the same location to make Angier think the machine worked • Tesla may have taken advantage of Edison’s men burning his lab to escape Angier after conning him • Angier would have performed the act with another double • The bodies in the tanks were dummies

When Fallon came backstage, he put his double in the tank, letting him drown

Interesting-Suspenseful/Action • Suspense in the film is created by the audiences limited knowledge • The audience believe they know what will happen because they have seen flashbacks and flash forwards • Suspense is also created because the audience is not sure how something will happen even though they are given many clues • In the end the final plot twist occurs

Complex • The movie is shown in a series of flashbacks and flash forwards with shifting points of view, so it can become difficult to follow the film • One way to tell when the point of view shifts is when a character begins narrating • The flashbacks and flash forwards usually occur when the scene abruptly changes with a smooth transition

Handles Emotional Material with Restraint • When Angier’s wife dies, we see Angier drowning himself to experience his wife’s last moments • When Sarah commits suicide, the angle of the shot makes her face difficult to see • The large space around her creates a sense of despair • Her head faces downwards, making her face difficult to see and creating a sense of emptiness

Intent/Message • The message in The Prestige is that hard work requires dedication and sacrifice • Borden and Fallon realize the sacrifices they must make, such as sharing the same life are important for their career • This is also shown through the symbol of the caged birds and how one of two birds must be sacrificed for the act to be successful • Angier sacrifices his clones in order to make his own act successful

Another message is that obsession can become a destructive trait • Cutter tells Angier that “Obsession is a young man’s game,” warning him that his obsession will only lead to misery • Angier’s obsession leads to a change in his character, causing him to become willing to kill even his own clones to get his revenge on Borden • Resulting from his obsession are the deaths of Fallon, his clones, and the loss of Cutter’s support

Theme • Nothing good can come out of an extreme obsession. • We see this theme being stated by Tesla when he discusses the creation of the machine with Angier • This is again stated by Olivia when she claims that he is obsessed • This is proven with the death of Angier who obsessed over having revenge on Borden • Fallon was executed due to his obsession with finding out Angier’s trick

Morality • The moral theme is that stealing another man’s work will not bring a sense of fulfillment • This is shown when Angier displays his dissatisfaction of not being able to see his audience or applause because he is the “man in the box”

Human Nature • The theme for human nature is that humans will go through incredible lengths to exact revenge • This is shown by Angier’s travels and methods of sabotage • His sacrifice of his clones shows that he is not afraid to kill for his goals

Complexity of Human Relationships • Infidelity and secrets will lead to unhappy relationships • This is shown with Borden, Fallon, Olivia, and Sarah • Olivia seems to know that there is something strange about Borden, and implicitly knows that either Borden is two people or has two personalities • The relationship with Olivia puts a strain on Sarah’s marriage, leading to her suicide

A Moral or Philosophical Riddle-Symbolism • Cutter’s speech in the beginning and the end is a very good example • “Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled” • This explains how we want to be entertained, and that finding the secret will ruin the surprise

Symbolism • Birds in cages symbolize Borden and Fallon • They live a double life, so they are forced to limit themselves socially • For the disappearing bird act to be accomplished, one bird must die • Fallon is executed while Borden lives, fooling Angier and Cutter

The shattered water tank symbolizes a shattered friendship • Angier’s wife died in the water tank because Borden/Fallon switched the knot • After her death, the rivalry between Angier and Borden begins

Subplot • The rivalry between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison mirrors that of Angier and Borden • During the scientific exposition, Alley tells the crowd that the dangers are just part of Edison’s smear campaign • Edison’s men can be seen in Colorado Springs looking for Tesla who eventually find and destroy his lab

Title • The movie is called The Prestige, because throughout the movie the audience tries to figure out the trick behind the movie as they are shown bits and pieces of the plot in different orders and point of views • The whole movie mirrors a magic act, with the final plot twist being the prestige

Story/Plot/Narrative • The plot is not given to us chronologically, but through the point-of-views of Angier and Borden as they read each others diaries • Both narrators are unreliable, since they are recounting only what is in the diary, which could be telling lies • Certain scenes in the movie are repeated as the audience goes through a change in knowledge, realizing what has really happened

For example, Olivia goes to Borden in one scene at Angier’s request • In a later part of the movie, the scene is replayed, except this time we see what happens next, which is when she reveals she doesn’t want to work for Angier • Another change in knowledge that contributes to the climax is Borden’s revealing to Angier that he and Fallon were twins • Another change in knowledge is when Caldlow is revealed to be Angier

The film begins with Borden’s quote “Are you watching closely” • Next we hear Cutter’s narration while the scene of Angier drowning plays • Borden is put on trial for his murder, and he begins reading the diary of Angier • It shows how their rivalry began after the death of Olivia, which is blamed on Borden for switching the knots • They begin to sabotage each others acts, and Angier steals the Transported Man, calling it his “The New Transported Man”

After Root ruins the act along with interference from Borden, Angier kidnaps Fallon to find out Borden’s method • After confronting him, Angier leaves for America to find out the secret • Meanwhile, Olivia’s affair with Borden puts a strain on his marriage, and Sarah eventually commits suicide • In Colorado, Tesla has finished creating the machine, and Angier returns to London with it

When Angier returns, his performances put Borden and Fallon out of business • Borden sneaks into the show, and we return to the beginning scene where Angier is drowning • Borden is executed, and Cutter becomes disgusted by his role as an unwitting accomplice because he blamed Borden in the trial • In the end, Borden shoots Angier, and reveals his secret to him—Borden and Fallon were twins who shared the same life • It ends with narration from Cutter, with a scene similar to the one played in the beginning

Motivation • Angier’s motivation for learning the transporting man act is his obsession for revenge on Borden • He is motivated to do so because Borden was responsible for his wife’s death • Borden’s motivation for living a double life with Fallon is to make his act successful

Both characters have very different reasons for practicing magic • Angier wants to “see the look on their faces,” displaying his aptitude for showmanship • Although Borden is a dreadful showman, he is a talented magician • His motivation is total dedication to the art of magic

Motif • “Are you watching closely” is repeated by Borden/Fallon throughout the film • The first line of the movie is this quote, and it is meant be the first clue to Borden’s secret • “No one cares about the man in the box” • This seems to give him justification for drowning his clones in water tanks every night • It shows his obsession with discovering a way of performing the transported man with him being the man the audience applauses

The light bulbs are shown to foreshadow a gain in knowledge, since a light bulb is a symbol of ideas • “Man's reach exceeds his imagination!” • This quote also hints at how the audience must deduce the secret while thinking “outside the box” • Multiple top hats are a repeated element in the movie • The discarded top hats are meant to symbolize the clones of Angier that will eventually turn up inside of water tanks

“The Great Danton!” • “It’s French” • “It’s sophisticated” • This line is spoken by Julia, and then by Angier • Angier’s repeating it signifies his acceptance of Julia’s death. After his acceptance of her death, his revenge is not over her death anymore, but for his career and obsession of the trick

Parallelism • Angier’s wife drowns in the tank while Cutter vainly tries to save her with an axe • Similarly, Fallon tries to save the clone in the tank by breaking it with the tank • In the first scene, it gains meaning because someone close to Angier died • The second scene is the result of the previous scene, because it was her death that would lead to events that would bring about his clones deaths

Borden’s Transporting man is shown with him bouncing a rubber ball, with Fallon jumping out of the other door and grabbing it • Angier’s involves the drunk actor, Root, to catch his top hat that he throws across the stage • Borden’s act is better coordinated since the twins can trust each other • Angier’s act eventually becomes ruined because Root manages to sabotage the act for Borden

Allegory • This movie mirrors a magic act • The pledge, the turn, and the prestige • The magician takes something ordinary • The magician carries out the act and changes it • The effect of the illusion appears • Ex: The magician makes a bird disappear and brings it back

Characterization • All of the characters except for Angier are flat characters • As a minor character, Cutter seems to be the warm hearted father figure in their lives, guiding Angier in his career • Although he is initially Angier’s friend, he eventually becomes disgusted by Angier’s actions • Olivia originally loves Angier, but his obsession leads her to betray him and join Borden, causing a strain on Sarah’s marriage

Sarah helps provide clues on the Borden/Fallon secret due to her “Do you love me today” quote • She is able to tell when the twins switch, but to her its two Borden’s in one body • Tesla creates the machine for Angier, as well as gives him advice • In addition, his situation with Edison parallels the rivalry of Angier and Borden

Julia becomes the initial reason that Angier sought revenge on Borden, because her death was Borden’s fault • Jess does not change throughout the film, but both Borden and Fallon seem to care for her equally • She seems to embody neutrality and innocence in the film

Borden and Fallon are flat characters • Fallon has a quicker temper and is usually seen yelling or being angry • Borden is the much more relaxed one, and is the one that loves Sarah • Whenever someone goes into the same room they are both in, Fallon immediately leaves • We don’t know enough about their character except that one loves magic and the other loves Sarah, and that they are both dedicated to their trick

Robert Angier develops the most throughout the film • Angier seems to be hard to please, and is extremely obsessed with getting revenge and discovering Borden’s method • Initially he is not comfortable with “getting his hands dirty” • As the film develops he becomes more obsessed with finding out Borden’s trick, leading to him learning to make sacrifices • His obsession causes him to estrange himself from his friends

The antagonist and protagonist of this film is not very clear • At some times we think Borden is the antagonist and that Angier is the protagonist, but the audience’s opinion constantly changes as new events develop in the film • We initially see the protagonist as Angier because his wife died, and Borden as the antagonist since he sabotages Angier • This view changes as his character develops and he begins making sacrifices

Point of View • The point of view shifts depending on whose diary is being read • The narrators’ knowledge is limited because they are reading from diaries that could contain false information • This is called Restricted Narration • Most of the shots are shown in the character’s point of view, depending on who is narrating at the time

We can tell whose point of view it is by the person that begins reading the diary • In addition, the character that is focused upon in the scene is usually the point of view

Setting • Victorian Era London • Colorado Springs • Fallon’s prison cell • Late 1890-early 1900s • The film takes place in the present with Fallon reading Angier’s diary, which leads to a series of flashbacks and alternating points of view

Dialogue/Quotes • “This is the trick. This is the performance. Right here. This is why no one can detect his method. Total devotion to his art. A lot of self sacrifice.” Borden • This quote is very important as it signifies one of Borden’s ideals that the magician should be dedicated to his trick • This also gives a clue to the Borden secret

“Take a minute to consider your achievement. I once told you about a sailor who drowned. ” Cutter • “Yes, he said it was like going home.” Angier • “I lied. He said it was agony.” Cutter • This last bit of dialogue between Cutter and Angier shows their falling out. • Cutter is disgusted by Angier’s actions and his own part in helping him frame the innocent Fallon

Important Scenes • 50 minutes 45 seconds • The “cost” he is referring to is not referring to the money, but alluding to the price of his obsession • Tesla is also obsessed with something, and knows the obsession will only bring destruction

1hour 11 minutes • In this scene, Angier states how he doesn’t care about his wife anymore, and that he only wants to find out the secret • At this point, Angier is no longer out for revenge, but to satisfy his obsession

1 hour 58 minutes 40 seconds • Borden explains his secret to Angier, and tells him about the true meaning of sacrifice

Why Did He Kill The Clones? • Angier doesn’t like to share his glory as shown when he displays his dissatisfaction over his version of the transporting man • He was planning to frame Borden for murder • He didn’t think of doing the trick in a similar fashion to Borden/Fallon

Are You Watching Closely?