The Illusionist (film): Difference between revisions

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Nothing is what it seems.

A 2006 Period Drama loosely based on Steven Millhauser's story "Eisenheim the Illusionist".

The Illusionist tells the story of Eisenheim, a magician in Vienna in the late 1800's and the childhood promise he made to a girl that someday, they would both disappear. The film begins near its climax and most of the film takes place in a Flash Back.

No relation to the 2010 animated film.

Tropes:

Ambiguously Jewish: Eisenheim, aka Eduard Abramowitz, has a Jewish surname, and is a stage magician in the early twentieth century. If so, it adds another reason why he and Sophie aren't allowed to be together.
Adaptation Expansion: Heck yes.
Black and Grey Morality: The Villain is a murderous asshole planning a coup d'etat, while the hero is somewhat....extreme in the methods that he uses to get what he wants.
California Doubling: 19th century Vienna was shot in present day Czech Republic.
Cassandra Truth: "He's planted everything!" "You're drunk."
Chekhov's Gunman: The man seen with Eisenheim at the train station.
Childhood Marriage Promise: Implied with the locket.
Conspicuous Trenchcoat: Sophie is followed everywhere "for her protection." Eisenheim uses this to his advantage.
Death Glare: The prince is a master.
Dueling Movies: With The Prestige.
Faking the Dead, complete with a very convincing temporary Faux Death.
Happily Ever After
~Hey, It's That Guy!~: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams_
- Max Branning is a mook.
How We Got Here
Inspector Javert: Inspector Uhl is a cross between this and an Obstructive Bureaucrat.
- This at least appears to be the case. In the end, he's revealed as one of the few truly moral characters in the film.
Magicians Are Wizards: While The Prestige justified its use of this trope, this film handwaves it.
- Though methods existed for all his tricks, you just never learn about them without the DVD commentary.
Murder the Hypotenuse: In the most convoluted way possible.
Offstage Villainy: We get told the prince is violent towards women and a cruel manipulator, but never really see it.
- Although we do see him backhand Sophie once, and be generally unpleasant. And plan a coup d’état.
Pet the Dog: Eisenheim, after his first successful show, playfully and quietly giving a windfall of coins to a few urchins.
Prince Charmless: Then again...yeah.
The Reveal
Rebellious Princess: Well, duchess, at least; she wants desperately to run away with Edward despite the fact that he's the lowborn son of a cabinetmaker.
Shadow Archetype: Eisenheim and the prince are this to each other. Both are well-intentioned extremists in love with Sophie who did what they had to do in order to get what they wanted. Eisenheim frames an innocent man for murder, while the prince is a drunk and a wife beater who is planning a coup because he genuinely thinks it's better for the country.
Shut Up Kiss: Spectacularly.
Stage Magician
Surrounded By Idiots: The prince certainly thinks so.
Utopia Justifies the Means
Victorious Childhood Friend
What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic: The recurring motif of the butterfly - secrecy, a double life, rebirth, a new life... nicely handled.
Who Dunnit to Me?: Sophie's ghostly appearances at Eisenheim's shows seems to be trying to get the public to figure this one out.
Would Hit a Girl: The prince
Xanatos Roulette

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 * [[Inspector Javert]]: Inspector Uhl is a cross between this and an [[Obstructive Bureaucrat]].
 ** This at least ''appears'' to be the case. In the end, he's revealed as one of the few truly moral characters in the film.
-* [[M Agicians Are Wizards]]: While ''[[The Prestige]]'' justified its use of this trope, this film handwaves it.
+* [[Magicians Are Wizards]]: While ''[[The Prestige]]'' justified its use of this trope, this film handwaves it.
 **  {{spoiler|Though methods existed for all his tricks, you just never learn about them without the DVD commentary.}}
 *  {{spoiler|[[Murder the Hypotenuse]]: In the most convoluted way possible.}}
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 * [[The Reveal]]
 * [[Rebellious Princess]]: Well, duchess, at least; she wants desperately to run away with Edward despite the fact that he's the lowborn son of a cabinetmaker.
-* [[Shadow Archetype]]: Eisenheim and the prince are this ''[[Black and Grey Morality|to each other]]''. Both are [[Well Intentioned Extremist|well-intentioned extremists]] in love with Sophie who [[I Did What I Had to Do|did what they had to do]] in order to get what they wanted. Eisenheim {{spoiler|frames an innocent man for murder}}, while the prince is a drunk and a wife beater who is planning a coup because [[Utopia Justifies the Means|he genuinely thinks it's better for the country.]]
+* [[Shadow Archetype]]: Eisenheim and the prince are this ''[[Black and Grey Morality|to each other]]''. Both are [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|well-intentioned extremists]] in love with Sophie who [[I Did What I Had to Do|did what they had to do]] in order to get what they wanted. Eisenheim {{spoiler|frames an innocent man for murder}}, while the prince is a drunk and a wife beater who is planning a coup because [[Utopia Justifies the Means|he genuinely thinks it's better for the country.]]
 * [[Shut Up Kiss]]: Spectacularly.
 * [[Stage Magician]]
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 * [[Victorious Childhood Friend]]
 * [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic]]: The recurring motif of the [[Butterfly of Doom|butterfly]] - secrecy, a double life,  {{spoiler|rebirth, a new life}}... nicely handled.
-* [[Who Dunnit to Me]]: Sophie's ghostly appearances at Eisenheim's shows seems to be trying to get the public to figure this one out.
+* [[Who Dunnit to Me?]]: Sophie's ghostly appearances at Eisenheim's shows seems to be trying to get the public to figure this one out.
 * [[Would Hit a Girl]]: The prince
 * [[Xanatos Roulette]]
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 [[Category:Films of the 2000s]]
 [[Category:The Illusionist]]
-[[Category:Film]]
+[[Category:Film]][[Category:Pages with comment tags]]