The Prestige Ending did you understand it?

[minute bull]

That literally happened in the movie the first time he used the machine on himself.

Yeah I misread what I quoted.

 

[I Am Legion]

I don’t think he tricked us here. There were clone doubles so the machine worked. I just don’t get why he didn’t just create one clone and use him every night. Why have to dispose of all the bodies? Sometimes rabbit holes get too deep.

 

[minute bull]

I just don’t get why he didn’t just create one clone and use him every night.

He cannot share applause, even with himself. The Bordens did it for the game. Cadlow was all about the trill.

 

[ufcfan4]

I think because then it wasn’t “real magic” His ego would not allow it.

absolutely. Well said.

Not to mention, he saw the folly of doing a double act with Root earlier. The moment he introduces a variable that he can’t fully control, the moment he risks exposing the trick. I imagine he would have continued to believe that even with the clones.

I thought the genre shift was great- I didn’t see the sci fi element coming.

 

[minute bull]

Some people can't see how well Bale differentiates between Alfred and Freddy, which he does remarkably. Even more stunning is rarely any one seems to mention how stark different Root is. It's easy to forget he's also being played by Jackman.

 

[ufcfan4]

Some people can't see how well Bale differentiates between Alfred and Freddy, which he does remarkably. Even more stunning is rarely any one seems to mention how stark different Root is. It's easy to forget he's also being played by Jackman.

That’s one of the awesome elements of going back to watch the film after a first viewing. It’s really cool to see that one Bale brother character has a conscience and is a nicer guy than the other.

The one who loves Rebecca Hall and fathers her child is shown to be the less impulsive and the more considerate of the two. Notably, even though he was not the one responsible for Angier’s wife’s death, he is the one who shows up at the funeral to pay respects. His comment that “he doesn’t know” whether or not he tied the dangerous knot which seems like a dodgy statement on first viewing is shown to be outright honesty. He wasn’t the one who tied it, so he’s not sure.

By contrast, when the better Borden bro entreats his twin to talk with Sara and try to reassure her, the brother instead gets into a shouting match with her and outright tells her he does not love her, leading to her suicide. It’s sort of a subtle touch in the movie but that Borden bro is actually responsible for the death of both Angier’s and his own brother’s wives. With one, he switched the script on the trick and Angier’s wife panicked and drowned and with his brother’s wife, he displayed a lack of caring for her in her moment of turmoil which contributes to driving her to suicide.

The more compassionate brother is also the one who ultimately says that they should leave Angier alone, but the other brother just can’t drop it and ends up paying for it with his life by falling into Angier’s trap.

 

[Mondo Freaks]

The cloning machine came out of nowhere. Why not just say they used magic to clone?

 

[minute bull]

Oh that bloody Langford Double.

 

[ufcfan4]

Oh that bloody Langford Double.

cant read it in anything other than Michael Caine’s epic cockney accent.

 

[minute bull]

cant read it in anything other than Michael Caine’s epic cockney accent.

The most popular podcast would be one that's two hours long with nothing but Michael Caine and Arnold Schwarzenegger asking each other questions and discussing hot button topics, but the only rule is they can only say the sentence, " The cigars, and the brandy."

 

[Phlog]

I heard it had some great twist and thought it was all pretty obvious but an enjoyable movie nonetheless.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

The movie is conning some, clearly.

Why have many tanks?

What was with the scene with many hats?

I'm sure there's plenty more examples if I took the time to think about it.

I'm not saying my theory is right. It probably isn't. But it does fit fairly well with a lot of things in the film.


Why are there many tanks at the end? Not sure, really. But it does mirror one of the very opening scenes with the many birds in many cages. Those birds aren't identical clones, but they do look alike. Same as the borden twins. Same as Angier and Root. So the many tanks makes sense thematically.

The many hats - what's the best known magic trick ever? Pulling a rabbit out of a hat. At Tesla's place, as shown in the very opening shot of the film, is many hats and many cats. I think Nolan might've thought having a bunch of rabbits would've been too on the nose, but I'm speculating, idk. But rewatch that scene where Angier walks out of Tesla's, convinced Tesla was conning him. Angier walks out and sees the hats and cats out in the yard. How easy would it have been for Tesla and his aid to get duplicate hats and a few black cats and put them there, for Angier to find? Again, this is all speculation.....but you gotta admit, that would be very easily done. A lot easier than making a teleportation / cloning machine in the 1800's. And it convinced Angier to stay and keep funding Tesla.

Also, here is the opening scene. Rewatch it real quick with the "Tesla being a con man / Nolan tricked the audience" theory in mind. The very first line of dialogue is "Are you watching closely?" And what is being shown right as he says this? The many hats.

@A.A. Riggs







And check this out:


With the theory in mind, now rewatch the very end. Just like with the opening scene, pay attention to what is being said and what is being shown while saying it.


Timestamped to the part I'm talking about:



- Water tanks with all but one being obscured. "Now you're looking for the secret."
- Then it shows the hats again. "But you won't find it because you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out."
- Changes back to the tanks. "You want to be fooled."
- Shows only 1 person in a tank clearly.



lol the more I think about it, the more I think I might actually be right.

 

[minute bull]

Shawn, you ignorant slut.

 

[ufcfan4]

The most popular podcast would be one that's two hours long with nothing but Michael Caine and Arnold Schwarzenegger asking each other questions and discussing hot button topics, but the only rule is they can only say the sentence, " The cigars, and the brandy."

 

[minute bull]

My Jerry Seinfeld impression has a healthy dose of flat yodeling....

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

I think Nolan purposely made it vague so that people would have different interpretations of it and the entire film.

 

[dildos]

i just saw this movie the other night too.

it was turrible!

very bad movie.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

absolutely. Well said.

Not to mention, he saw the folly of doing a double act with Root earlier. The moment he introduces a variable that he can’t fully control, the moment he risks exposing the trick. I imagine he would have continued to believe that even with the clones.

I thought the genre shift was great- I didn’t see the sci fi element coming.

It was obviously hinted at with the pile of hats earlier in the film although that could have been misdirection, am I the only one who saw the twist with Bale's character coming along way off?

Honestly though for me that is a good example of Nolan being too plot heavy for my tastes, I wanted more time to really get to know the characters and the setting.

 

[HARRISON_3]

Some people can't see how well Bale differentiates between Alfred and Freddy, which he does remarkably. Even more stunning is rarely any one seems to mention how stark different Root is. It's easy to forget he's also being played by Jackman.

I read that Hugh Jackman also played a character called "The Wolverine."

 

[BB in Crazy!!!!]

It was obviously hinted at with the pile of hats earlier in the film although that could have been misdirection, am I the only one who saw the twist with Bale's character coming along way off?

Honestly though for me that is a good example of Nolan being too plot heavy for my tastes, I wanted more time to really get to know the characters and the setting.

A lot of people saw Bales twist coming. That is why is was addressed earlier in the movie. Micheal Caine told everyone. It was Angiers who didn’t believe him, and most of the audience believed Angiers was right.