Best Science Fiction Film Round 1d: Stalker (30) vs The Prestige (35)

[Chris]

Stalker
Release Date: May 25, 1979 (limited), May 13, 1980 (Cannes)
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Cast: Alexander Kaidanovsky, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Nikolai Grinko, Alisa Freindlich
Plot: A guide leads two men through an area known as the Zone to find a room that grants wishes.



VS

The Prestige
Release Date: October 17, 2006 (El Capitan Theatre), October 20, 2006 (United States), November 10, 2006 (United Kingdom)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson
Plot: After a tragic accident, two stage magicians engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.
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[Butters]

I feel bad for voting because I've only seen one of the movies but The Prestige is great.

 

[Chris]

Well I've seen both and Prestige still takes it for me, was really high on my list

 

[Keith]

Well I've seen both and Prestige still takes it for me, was really high on my list

But does it count as Sci-fi? Isn't magic a different thing?

Anyway only seen The Prestige once and it left me underwhelmed. Only seen Stalker once and it blew my mind.

 

[Chris]

But does it count as Sci-fi? Isn't magic a different thing?

Anyway only seen The Prestige once and it left me underwhelmed. Only seen Stalker once and it blew my mind.

The trick Hugh Jackman's character does using Tesla's machine is pure sci-fi to me and it's a major plot of the movie. Using an actual real life scientist for sure makes it sci-fi too

 

[Canadian Dragon]

yeah if Tesla is involved it's sci fi id say

 

[Marty McFourth]

I didn't really think of The Prestige as science fiction but it is however one of my favourite Nolan films especially on a rewatch. What a film.