I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which devoted some time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- although taken from a book, which I have not read.
"The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those who haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. One enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
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With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a matter duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some distance. The original is left unharmed.
> I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which devoted some > time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- although taken > from a book, which I have not read.
> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, > includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those who > haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. One > enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
> SPOILER SPACE
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> With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a matter > duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some > distance. The original is left unharmed.
> Mayhem ensues.
With David Bowie playing Tesla!!! (btw,Tesla's birthday coming up,10th July) Sheerluck
P. Taine wrote: > I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which devoted some > time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- although taken > from a book, which I have not read.
> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, > includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those who > haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. One > enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
> SPOILER SPACE
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> With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a matter > duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some > distance. The original is left unharmed.
> Mayhem ensues.
Yes, it might be that that a copy appears at the distant place, but on the other hand I believe the movie makes it clear that the original might be transported to that distant place, while a copy is left behind.
Dennis L. McKiernan wrote: > P. Taine wrote: >> I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which >> devoted some >> time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- >> although taken >> from a book, which I have not read.
>> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, >> includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those >> who >> haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. >> One >> enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
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>> With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a >> matter >> duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some >> distance. The original is left unharmed.
>> Mayhem ensues.
> Yes, it might be that that a copy appears at the distant place, but on > the other hand I believe the movie makes it clear that the original > might be transported to that distant place, while a copy is left behind.
Actually, what the movie makes clear is that the result is two identical people, one at a distant location, and the other at the original location. It is not at all clear to me that one is "the original" and the other "the copy". And, in fact, if you wanted to go that route, I'd say the one on the stage was the original, and the copy was the one in the distance. Which raises some very disturbing thoughts about that trick.
> I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which > devoted some time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a > film -- although taken from a book, which I have not read.
> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher > Priest,
I've read the book. It makes far, far less sense than the movie. (If anyone else who has read the book can explain what happens to the modern frame- story POV character at the end of the book, and how he's going to go on with his life afterward, please tell me and we'll both know.)
> P. Taine wrote: >> I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which devoted some >> time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- although taken >> from a book, which I have not read.
>> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, >> includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those who >> haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. One >> enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
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>> With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a matter >> duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some >> distance. The original is left unharmed.
>> Mayhem ensues.
> Yes, it might be that that a copy appears at the distant place, but on the other hand I believe the movie makes it clear that the > original might be transported to that distant place, while a copy is left behind.
>> P. Taine wrote: >>> I'm post this here as a followup to the Mad Scientist thread, which devoted some >>> time to Nikola Tesla, even though it is a reference to a film -- although taken >>> from a book, which I have not read.
>>> "The Prestige", based on a novel by the same title by Christopher Priest, >>> includes Tesla as a fairly typical Mad Scientist. The plot (for those who >>> haven't seen the film) involves a rivalry between to stage-magicians. One >>> enlists Tesla to help device a new trick.
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>>> With spectacular lightning effects from the equipment the result is a matter >>> duplicator and transmitter, with a copy of the subject appearing at some >>> distance. The original is left unharmed.
>>> Mayhem ensues. >> Yes, it might be that that a copy appears at the distant place, but on the other hand I believe the movie makes it clear that the >> original might be transported to that distant place, while a copy is left behind.
> Or is that merely what the copy tells himself?
In any case, it is clear that the distinction is so small that the magician sets it up so that one of the duplicates is rapidly disposed of, leaving only one to hold the limelight and take the bows.
It would be interesting to speculate (assuming that the surviving magician was the duplicate) how long it would be before the inevitable copying errors would become overwhelming.
