10 common theories between The Prestige and Black Swan

“Are you watching closely? Look closer”.  Because, if your observation skills are good enough, there is 99% chance that you might have already noticed the things, that we are gonna discuss here.(*Spoiler alert*)

The prestige - Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, or let me put it this way, one of his masterpieces. Starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman in lead roles.

Black swan- Directed by Darren Aronfsky. Starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in lead roles, for which Portman won the Academy awards for best actress.

Despite the totally different theme and screenplay, anyone who has seen both the films, would have experienced a deja vu while seeing the second film. So, let’s just thrash out and list the common theories and concepts between these beautiful mind bending thrillers.

(I have mentioned Borden as a single character in many places, to avoid confusion)

1. Art

            Art, artist, artiste, artistic, artistry – These are what, both the films are all about. Artists who love art, who strive to enhance their artistic skills and people who spend their entire life just for art. Black swan swims on a ballet, whereas magic casts its spell on The prestige.

2. Rivalry    

            Another major common factor in the storyline is that both deals with the rivalry between two artists. Prestige displays the vendetta between Alfred Borden and Robert Angier and their fight to find the best magician among them. The struggle to gain the position as Swan queen creates the issues between Nina and Lily in the Black swan.

3. The artist and the showman

          The two lead characters in these movies are characterised approximately the same way, where one of these characters has a natural and extraordinary talent in their profession but doesn’t know, how to present it efficiently. Alfred Borden in The Prestige is reviewed by John Cutter as   “a wonderful magician but, a dreadful showman” and Nina in Black swan is shown as a fantastic dancer who couldn’t get the flexibility and seduction needed for the black swan character.

            The other lead character is shown as a less talented artist who has enough showmanship to hide his/her inadequate ability. Angier copies Borden’s tricks and makes it more successful, than the original by just changing the way of presenting. Angier himself admits that Borden is a better magician than him and Lily’s dance moves are considered as ‘imprecise…but, effortless’. Thus making the other person superior yet beating them at the same time

4. Double trouble

           Nina is shown to be suffering from something like a multiple personality disorder, where the white swan is considered as the good, innocent and coward version of Nina and the black swan is shown as the bad, sultry and courageous version of her.

                Even though, there are no such concepts of diseases involved in The Prestige, Borden’s character is considered as a divided one (i.e. before the climax twist is revealed). Angier writes in his diary about this “His mind is a divided one. His soul is restless.  His wife and child tormented by his fickle and contradictory nature. The family life that he craves one minute he rails against the next, demanding freedom.”

5. The Bystander

          Even though, Nina’s disease goes unnoticed by others, there is someone who doubts this and even asks her about it, time to time – Nina’s mother. She cares for her and loves her, even after she hurts her. There is a similar character in The Prestige, Sarah Borden. She is the first to find that there is something wrong with her husband. When Borden says that he loves her, she carefully replies “Today it is not true”. She loves and cares for him, even when he is out of luck and job. Thus, resembling Nina’s mom in Black Swan.

6. Obsession

          Obsession over art is the central theme of both the stories, Nina’s obsession over art leads to her problems, whereas Lily takes art casually. The Prestige has many serious quotes on obsession. The character Tesla warns Angier about obsession, “I followed them too long, now I am their slave. And one day, they will choose to destroy me”. The climax of both films justifies this quote.

7. Performing over and over

          Using and practicing the skills whenever and wherever possible. Nina is shown practising at almost all the times. And Borden performs a trick whenever he gets a chance, to impress his crush, to fool the cop and to play with his little girl. He performs as his character, even when he is out for dinner with his wife.

8. Getting your hands dirty

          The biggest idea that these films plant on your brain is that, getting your hands dirty is the only way to nail your art. Cutter urges Angier to kill pigeons, arguing that he was not a wizard and if one needs to master the art they need to get their hands dirty, which goes on to stealing concepts, abducting people and finally ends at murder. In Black swan this concept applies itself as Nina has to shred her ‘sweet girl’ type and learn to be seductive and bad enough for her role of the evil swan. Only after believing that she has killed Nina, she pulls of the black swan character with ease. Which, justifies this theory.

9. The price of a good trick

            SACRIFICE – This needs no explanation as both of the films clearly depict this theme over and over. Nina loses her character, relationship with her mother, peace and finally her life for the role. The Prestige has even more moments as both of the protagonists sacrifice almost everything for the art.

10. Living one’s act

          Now, the final point and the central theme of these films, be it Borden or Nina, both of them accomplished one thing in common, being one with the art. In Prestige this concept is ignited by the Chinese magician, who lives his whole life like a cripple just to perform his trick. Borden lives his act from the starting till the end and Nina experiences it finally, with her final sacrifice.

            All those sacrifices, just to hear the final applause of the audience or to catch the look on their faces. Though, both the movies don’t have a happy ending, they sure inspire the real artists. And it's creators could always hear the soothing sound for which they have made their sacrifices.