- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: UK premiere of the film 'The Prestige' in London
- Date: 9th November 2006
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 5, 2006) (REUTERS) MICHAEL CAINE WITH DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN PAN FROM BILLBOARD TO CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
- Embargoed: 24th November 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA9E9Q5D3XSK5KHWXH7DX35ICSY
- Story Text: It was movie magic on the red carpet in London on Sunday (November 5), with stars of 'The Prestige' attending the film's UK premiere.
Screaming fans greeted Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Sir Michael Caine, and Andy Serkis on one of the longest red carpets Leicester Square has ever seen for the premiere. 'The Prestige' also stars Batman Begins' Christian Bale and David Bowie, who couldn't make the premiere.
The movie follows the rivalry between two turn of the century magicians in London, Robert Angier played by Hugh Jackman, and Albert Borden played by Christian Bale. As the competition between the two intensifies the line between illusion and true magic become blurred - as do the magician's moral boundaries.
Hugh Jackman admitted on the red carpet that he had no flair for magic before the film.
"I am really bad at magic. I in fact used to be a clown at kid's parties. I was Coco the Clown and I had no magic tricks and I remember a six year old standing up at a party saying 'Mummy this clown is terrible, he doesn't know any tricks' - and he was right"
But he revealed that he and co-star Christian Bale did pick up some tricks while making the film - but said that most people believe it's movie magic anyway.
"You know the really annoying thing is Christian and I actually did several of the tricks, some of them not because there's big apparatus - but the ones we did we actually did and my friend said 'Ah, that was CGI wasn't it' so you can't win really but it was fun learning them."
Scarlett Johansson plays Olivia Wenscombethe, the assistant to both men, who has a few tricks of her own when it comes to where her loyalties lie.
She told reporters she was better suited to the role of magician's assistant, than illusionist.
"Can I do magic? Certainly not, but I'm very gullible, I'm a very good person to practice on because I'll believe anything," she said.
The movie reunites director Christopher Nolan with Michael Caine and Christian Bale after worked with them both on 'Batman Begins'.
"Certainly, when you get to work with fantastic actor like Christian Bale or Michael Caine who are incredibly talented and very intense in their performances but also wonderful people to work with, just lovely people, you really want to try and repeat that, I mean it just makes my job a lot easier," Nolan said
'The Prestige' has already proved itself to be box office magic in the States, opening at number one upon it's release.
The film opens in cinemas across the UK on November 10. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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