Known for mixing fantasy and horror, Guillermo del Toro takes a different approach in “Nightmare Alley,” creating a true noir focused on human nature. He looks at the darkness and malice within people, leaving out any supernatural elements.
Even without any monsters, del Toro’s visuals are haunting and beautiful, showing that the scariest monster can be the darkness inside people.
Del Toro set out to make a memorable film noir, bringing the look and feel of classic Hollywood to today’s viewers. The movie features 1940s-style transitions, rich Art Deco sets, and detailed lighting, all as a nod to cinema’s golden age.
The Nightmare World Crafted by Overwhelming Art Direction and Cinematography
Production Designer Tamara Deverell and Director of Photography Dan Lausten are key to the film’s striking look. From the creepy carnival booths to the grand Art Deco style of Lilith’s office, each setting pulls viewers into the story.
The early carnival scene stands out. The carnival is dark and damp, filled with odd exhibits and beast-like “Geeks.” This opening sets the tone, as del Toro shows us the harshness of reality. When a Geek bites into a live chicken, it recalls the scene in The Shape of Water where the creature eats a cat, revealing human nature without holding back.
Lilith’s office and consultation room, shown midway through the film, share a lavish Art Deco design that reflects her greed and hunger for power. The elegant setting, along with Cate Blanchett’s performance, draws viewers in while also making them feel uneasy.
A new frontier for actor Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper plays Stanton Carlyle (Stan), showing a new side of complexity and darkness. While he’s known for “A Star Is Born” (2018), “American Sniper” (2014), and “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012), here he brings a fresh, darker energy to the role.
Stan is a con man who charms with his smile but is also driven by desire. Cooper brings out both sides well. His performance shows Stan slowly losing his humanity, starting with small acts of kindness toward the Geek and ending with subtle signs of emotional decline.
Cooper shows Stan as a manipulative con man who still feels empty inside. He brings Stan’s desperate attempts to fill that emptiness to life with a subtle performance.
Notably, Stan’s laughter in the final scene leaves a lasting impression, invites multiple interpretations, and resonates with viewers.
Human relationships woven by a talented supporting cast
The film’s strength isn’t just in its lead. The supporting cast adds real depth, with each actor making their character memorable.
The bewitching charm of Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett’s Dr Lilith Ritter serves as the film’s secondary lead. Appearing halfway through, she combines grace with calculation, steering Stan toward ruin.
Blanchett stands out for her subtle acting, drawing attention with small gestures rather than big speeches. In her ornate office, she feels like a spider at the centre of a web, and seeing Stan get caught up in it adds to the excitement.
Lilith and Stan’s bond is both cooperative and predatory. The story’s ambiguity over who controls the relationship intensifies the eventual shift in their power dynamic.
Rooney Mara’s Fragility
Rooney Mara’s Molly seems like a classic romantic character, but Mara gives her more depth with a gentle, detailed performance.
Molly remains an enigmatic presence, her vulnerability and innocence heightened by her mystery. In one especially memorable moment, she plays a ghost in a spirit show, blending beauty with melancholy.
Willem Dafoe’s Uncanny Performance
Willem Dafoe stands out as the carnival ringmaster, Clem. He fully embodies the world-weariness and cunning typical of the underworld, creating tension in every appearance.
One standout moment is when Clem calmly explains “how to make a freak.” Dafoe’s chilling delivery makes this scene hard to forget.
The presence of Toni Collette and Richard Jenkin
Toni Collette plays psychic Gina, and Richard Jenkin is millionaire Grindle. Both leave a strong impression, even though they don’t have much screen time.
Gina’s scenes with Grindle are always tense. Stan takes advantage of Grindle’s wish to reach his lost love, setting up a risky plan where Molly pretends to be a ghost. These moments are a major climax in the film.
The Cycle of Karma Woven by “Alcohol” and “The Watch”
The film “Nightmare Alley” features several recurring symbolic motifs. Among these, ‘alcohol’ and “the father’s heirloom wristwatch” are particularly significant.
Initially, Stan adamantly avoids alcohol, fueled by resentment toward his alcoholic father. Although he despises his father and claims to hate him, he still wears his father’s watch, a sign of complicated feelings. The watch embodies Stan’s conflicting emotions: love, hate, fear of repeating the past, and the inability to escape his father’s shadow.
Stan’s view on alcohol shifts as the story goes on. When he teams up with Lilith to scam the rich, he starts drinking, which shows his moral decline. By the end, he trades his father’s watch for alcohol and drinks what the Geek gives him.
A Perfect Structure: The Recurring Nightmare
Stan’s descent as he takes up rejected alcohol and spirals downward completes a cycle of karma, echoing his father’s path. The film’s circular structure, foreshadowed by the Geek’s early presence, reinforces this core message: actions driven by desire and corruption ultimately lead to self-destruction.
This ending draws on the tradition of classic morality tales. Rather than feeling clichéd, it revitalises universal storytelling conventions. Driven by greed and crime, Stan returns to the site where ‘ Geeks’ are chosen—‘Nightmare Alley.’
Stan, who once manipulated others, becomes the victim himself. This reversal leaves a strong impact on the audience.
Del Toro’s Ambitious Vision and the World of the Original Novel
“Nightmare Alley” is a tribute to classic Hollywood. Guillermo del Toro uses it to explore human ambition and its costs, going beyond a simple remake or a typical noir.
About the Original Novel ‘Nightmare Alley’
The source material for this film is the 1946 novel ‘Nightmare Alley’ by William Lindsay Gresham. Drawing on the author’s own experience working at a carnival, this work vividly depicted its inner workings. For its time, it was controversial for its exceptionally dark and unsparing content. Particularly shocking were its unflinching depictions of the carnival’s underbelly, including the existence of the freak and the methods of the mentalist. While it was adapted into a film in 1947, the censorship system of the time forced changes to the original’s dark ending. Del Toro’s version remains more faithful to the novel’s spirit, relentlessly portraying humanity’s unrelenting descent.
A Tribute to Classics and a Modern Challenge
In this film, del Toro draws on the style of 1940s cinema, blending modern technology and social themes. He balances the elegance of old classics with today’s realism, creating a story that feels both timeless and universal.
Particularly noteworthy is the “restraint” del Toro demonstrates in this film. While his past works were known for their rich imagination and visual excess, here he successfully harnesses the power of the story and human drama by restraining that very talent. This is not mere self-restraint but marks a new frontier for the filmmaker. He proves that terrifying and beautiful stories can be crafted solely from the darkness lurking within humanity, without relying on supernatural elements.
The Minor Challenge of Romance Depiction
If one were to point out a few weaknesses in this film, the romantic subplot in the middle section would be one of them. Stan and Molly’s relationship follows the classic Hollywood formula of “beautiful people meet and fall in love.” The psychological process behind their attraction isn’t sufficiently explored, leaving the audience with a superficial understanding that “they fell in love because they’re beautiful.”
Molly is portrayed as mysterious, offering little insight into her thoughts or feelings, making it hard to connect with her. If we knew more about her background and motives, the romance would have felt stronger. This adds a bit of imbalance, especially given the film’s long runtime.
Still, Del Toro’s talent and the cast’s strong performances more than make up for these small issues.
Summary: A universal story of desire, a nightmare down a narrow alley
“Nightmare Alley” marks a new milestone for Guillermo del Toro. Even without supernatural touches, his visuals are both beautiful and haunting, revealing the darkness inside people.
Bradley Cooper’s strong performance, Cate Blanchett’s captivating presence, and a talented supporting cast bring the story to life, mixing classic style with modern social themes.
A Question for Modern Hollywood
This movie is a classic adult drama from 20th Century Fox, now owned by Disney. Ironically, films like this are now the hardest to make in Hollywood. With big franchises taking over, it’s tough for serious adult dramas like Nightmare Alley to get released in theaters.
Indeed, the timing of this film’s release was disastrous, forcing it to compete with other blockbusters during the crowded holiday season. Yet precisely because of this, supporting films like this one is crucial. It is not merely a single movie; it is a bridge connecting the tradition of classic Hollywood cinema to the present day, and a touchstone demonstrating the potential of the dramatic film genre.
A Return to Universal Themes
Nightmare Alley looks at big questions: What is desire? What does it mean to be human? Stan’s journey through the alley is one we all share in some way. Watching his fall makes us reflect on ourselves.
Even though it’s over two hours long, the film’s tension keeps you hooked, and its depth makes you want to watch it more than once.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves classic Hollywood or wants to see what new ground Del Toro covers. If you can, watch it on the big screen to fully enjoy its stunning visuals.
