20 Things You Somehow Missed In The Prestige

8. Laminated Glass Killed Julia

The death of Angier's wife, Julia is a key event in the ongoing rivalry between Angier and Borden, and a very striking moment in the film.

When Julia appears to be taking far too long to free herself from the water tank illusion, Cutter steps forward with a fire axe and starts swinging at the side of the tank to try and free her. Sadly, he is too late and the glass shatters just after Julia has drowned.

However, viewers will recall that, whilst Cutter is desperately attempting to save Julia, the axe causes spider web cracks to form across the glass rather than actually smashing it outright.

This is because the glass is laminated, which would all be fine and well... had laminated glass not been discovered by accident in 1903 and then patented 1909, years after the time in which the film is set.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.