If somebody will ask me,what is
better? novel or a movie based upon that novel, my answer would be
, off course novel. Life is never
perfect neither its element so how can a believe like this will always be true,
off course there will be exceptions and yes! There are many and one of those
many is
THE PRESTIGE. Though I like novels more yet movie reaches to me
earlier than novel (
with exception).
I watched ‘The Prestige’ movie and got mad for it, it was so so good. It was
this movies effect that made me watch it twice the same day. I liked to watch
scenes witch were shown 'something else' but meant 'entirely different'. Soon it
came on the top of my favorite list beating ‘The Dark Knight’ and for a
change,1
st time in my life I became a director's fan (of Chris Nolan) rather an actor's. Though they show in starting or in last, some details about
movies, I mustn't have looked at it because the fact that this movie was based
upon novel of idetical name and same name of writer and director (surname is surely
different), even their country is same (England). I wondered how it have been,
reading the novel first, something that cannot be achieved, though
there are ways, like if I lost my memory but I wouldn't prefer it on any cost.
Yet I read it and found that it wasn't better than the movie. Although I
compared it with other novels I find it was better but not better than “the hundred
years of solitude’.
Plot of both are un-matching and
major difference I’d like to point out, which are as follows:
Robert Angier is Rupert Angier
& his act in which Tesla’s machine is used is called ‘In A Flash’. Unlike movie
(where 2 identical come out of machine where one is at its original position
& other is at some other position, quite far from the original one) the original
Angier is shifted to a different location leaving behind a dead body which is removed
(as in movie after killing in the water trap tank) and collected as Prestige.
Although the story of novel
proceeds through diary but diary is read by grandchildren
of magicians rather than magicians themselves.
The cause of feud between Rupert
and Alfred is revealing of a trick of Rupert and his wife in public, off course
the culprit is Alfred Borden. The scene of dying of Robert’s wife (in movie) was
sensational and it was also worth fighting for ever and it's missing in novel.
Borden never goes to jail we don’t
get that mind blowing climax as it was in movie. According to novel when Borden
enters while ‘IN A FLASH’, he shut down the machine and thus transformation
between bodies was incomplete this leaves with two Rupert Angier but both weak
and deformed. Original returns to its original life (as a Lord Colderdale) and
the clone one start living in dark, tries to kill one of the two Bordens.
Climax is not as mind blowing as
it was of the movie but considering the whole plot of novel, it was best; there
cannot be a better climax than it. After death of original, clone performs an experiment
with his body in order to achieve everything back as it had been and finely it
was shown that he was still alive in the days of his grandchildren.
The best
element of movie is its suspense, which is not alike in the novel as well as
movie represents both magician as super human, both of them have quite strong
character, it is also a thing that attract me toward movie rather than novel.
Finally I would like to confess
that all of these I said may have been different if I’d read novel before
watching movie, I may have been more attracted towards characters of novel than
same of movies, who knows, still it was all that I’ve to say.
Before I’ll say anything else I’d
like to add that personally I liked this movie and I’d give it 10 out of 10 as
a viewer. A movie of its only kind. A portray of something impossible yet so
lived and feasible. Climax of this movie leads to some unanswered question and
put viewer in a state of confusion and force them to think about reality and
imagination. Edward Norton has gained enough experience to portray a mysterious
role in a divine and so perfect way. The whole movie revolves around him. He’s
suffering from insomnia but doctor refuses to give him any sleeping peel so he
seeks comfort in pain relieving
camp and later some strange events leads him to open a ‘Fig
Half of the movie things are
happening in order but aim is unsure. In later half the aim is specified
leading by in incredible turn which assures viewers that they are not wasting
their time. David Fincher’s work is quite appreciable as a director. He has not
let the chain of narration brake. Though he don’t make climax evident. Yet
mystery is appreciable. 
