MovieChat Forums > The Illusionist (2006) Discussion > The Illusions ARE Real

The Illusions ARE Real

posted 15 years ago by Biscuitchris7
10 replies | jump to latest

I've read a number of posts on this board, most from the comparison threads of The Prestige and The Illusionist, of people commenting that the Illusions incorporated in The Illusionist, being impossible, made them think less of the film. However, every single Illusion displayed in the film are actual illusions that have been performed by real illusionists at one time or another. Everything from The Traveling Magician, to The Marvelous Orange Tree Including the "butterfly" ending, to Jessica Biel's puzzle locket. And everything in between. The Painting, The Sword, The Ball, The Mirror, The Chair, The Apparitions. All of them. Also, towards the end of the movie where the "Spirits" appear... That was actually performed in the 1800's as "Pepper's Ghost," invented by Henry Dircks in 1862. "Pepper's Ghost" is still used today at the Disneyland theme parks around the world in several attractions, most notably in The Haunted Mansion and The Twilight Zone's Hollywood Tower of Terror.

There's a mad man in there with his hand on a...on a BUTTON!

[–] ica_maxi 15 years ago

They may be real, but they are exaggerated. Compare the Orange Tree scene in the movie with the actual trick, for example. They are both on YouTube.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] muskeato 14 years ago

A machine that clones people a set distance away is more realistic? I'm sorry but what?

[–] liven1812 14 years ago

"his machine is still more realistic since Tesla was known for doing some pretty incredible things,"

I wouldn't go as far as saying it is more realistic. However, in terms of the movies, both had "absurdity" in them. The way the tricks were shown in The Illusionist, it may as well have been magic. At least with The Prestige, they "went there", so to say, into a different genre... science fiction.

I don't care if the tricks were "based" off of real ones or not. There is a difference between "based" on something and "this is what happened".

I was disappointed with this movie. Been looking forward to it for two years. The twist was known as soon as it happened, and those illusions, geez...

[–] AllyWheels 14 years ago

This movie uses CGI for the illusions - They are NOT real.
The truth is that the historical illusions upon which the movies illusions were based would not be very impressive compared with the CGI embellished illusions used in the movie.

[–] treach33 13 years ago

Precisely! It was purposely intended. To enhance the spectacle from the character's viewpoint which in turn is our own viewpoint throughout almost the entirety of the film. I think the key difference people are forgetting when comparing this film with the Prestige is that in one, we are shown a first person perspective and in the other a third person perspective. Big Difference! I believe understanding this concept will allow people to enjoy this movie for what it is.

That said, I still enjoyed the Prestige more and thought it was a better film. A bit less trite and predictable.

~What if this is as good as it gets!~

[–] christy-crisis 13 years ago

They didn't use CGI, actually. It says in the trivia section, I think, that Norton performed the tricks himself. He was trained for the movie by two magicians.

[–] Krustallos 13 years ago

You could see that Norton was doing some of the minor sleight of hand stuff himself, but the major tricks and the stuff the old man did were equally obviously faked with CGI.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

[–] Fad64 13 years ago

To the OP, in a word RUBBISH! Even today we are nowhere near being able to make holograms that can walk through an audience, as the boy did towards the end of the film...and Norton's own 'hologram' was well beyond what is currently possible. Fair enough, they had their smoke and mirrors, but absolutely nothing whatsoever like the effects shown in the film.
Would you also argue that the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were real, on the basis that dinosaurs did exist once. The movie 'jumped the shark' more times than I can count.

[–] terryperring104 13 years ago

There is NO WAY the Orange tree illusion could have been realised/presented as seen in this film! That was CGI. See- we cant even do it NOW, let alone then; we have to resort to computers to do effects like that. It was probably very crude and poor. relying on poor light and a gullible audience.