Having watched it again last night, I’ve decided that The Prestige is a very good movie.
Beginning in turn-of-the-century London, it tells of two young magicians who set out to carve their own paths to fame. Angier (Hugh Jackman) is a consummate entertainer, while the rough-edged Borden (Christian Bale with a truly horrible accent) is a magical genius without the pizazz to showcase his artistry. They start out as friends but following a tragedy become sworn enemies, each intent on outdoing the other. Trick by trick, show by show, their competitive lust even takes them to Colorado, where they co-opt the fantastical new powers of electricity and scientific brilliance of inventor Nikola Tesla…..
And here I divert to the point of my irritable missive today. Unlike my previous entry, there’s kudos due to Christopher Nolan since he did in fact shoot The Prestige in Colorado for a couple of day – on the Georgetown Railway loop (amongst other places.) I assume he did this for authenticity, since most movies with Colorado settings generally end up being shot in Canada. I can rattle off several: As Good as it Gets, Alien v. Predator II, Blades of Glory, Catch and Release, the entire series of Stargate SG1 to name but a few.