Stanton Carlisle, played by Bradley Cooper, drags a body to the center of a room. A portion of the floorboards has been ripped out leaving a hole in the floor where he shoves the body, wrapped in a tarp. Carlisle lights a match and sets the home on fire then calmly leaves with his few earthly belongings.
This marks the first 60 seconds of “Nightmare Alley,” Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s haunting thriller.
The wordless prologue left me expecting to watch a modern murder mystery take on the 1946 novel with the same name by William Lindsay Gresham — but littered with cliched circus themes.
However, this is a del Toro film and I should have known better from the director of “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Shape of Water.”
“Nightmare Alley,” which received four Oscar nominations, including best picture, is a horror noir showcasing the obscure and macabre.
Bradley’s Carlisle is at the center of carnival life. He is a self-declared mentalist who claims to read minds and speak with the dead. Of course, it is an illusion carefully constructed to lure people in and make them pay for what they think they want.
Carlisle’s ability to read and manipulate the emotions of people around him is one of the most fascinating aspects of “Nightmare Alley.” The quick, thorough examination of his marks is as canny as Sherlock Holmes. By gathering clues from a person’s age or clothing, Carlisle plays the role of an all-knowing psychic who makes grand claims while allowing his victims to connect the dots themselves.
Cooper’s performance as the sly, manipulative con man is sensational. Everything from the tone of his voice to his breathing patterns is calculated. I would have given him a standing ovation if I wasn’t emotionally wrought by the film’s end.
While Carlisle is ready to make a quick buck wherever he can, some of his fellow carnies draw moral boundaries.
For example, a psychic fortune teller, “Zeena the Seer,” (Toni Collette) who makes a living off of pretending to read people’s minds, ultimately strives to do right by the audience. She uses the term “spook show” with disdain, hating the thought of her performance leading to emotional or mental harm.
At one point, Zeena pretends to speak to the deceased sibling of a woman watching her performance. Out of empathy, Zeena privately reveals the secret behind her carnival trick to the woman who experienced emotional trauma. The fact that Zeena is willing to risk the suspended illusion of her act for the well-being of a viewer speaks highly to her character.
Carlisle asks Zeena and her husband, Pete, if it would be better to let people believe the acts are real if it gives them hope.
“It ain’t hope if it’s a lie,” Pete responds.
This is a lesson that Carlisle takes longer to learn as the story unfolds.
Through characters like Zeena and Carlisle, we are reminded of the fragility of human desires. The thought-provoking concept is bolstered with a compelling supporting cast.
Each performance demanded the viewer’s attention. Willem Dafoe, as the carnival mastermind, perfects every sneer. David Strathairn, with kind eyes, is the world-weary alcoholic, Pete.
Cate Blanchette portrays the cunning psychologist, Lilith Ritter, with intensity and grace. Every moment she is onscreen Blanchette beckons the audience to hang on to her every word.
Other stunning performances include Rooney Mara, Richard Jenkins and Mary Steenburgen — an all-star cast for a chilling thriller.
In a tribute to the classic 1947 film starring Tyrone Powers as Stanton, del Toro has released his film in black and white in addition to color.
I saw the black and white version — my first experience viewing a film in a theater that was not in color.
It resulted in a satisfying visual experience. The depths of the shadows pull viewers in while the contrasting light demands attention wherever it is cast on screen.
As a fan of the macabre and thriller genre, I found “Nightmare Alley” to be insightful and powerful.
“Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light” is showing at the Pickford Film Center. Visit pickfordfilmcenter.org for details about viewing this movie, as well as other Oscar contenders “Drive My Car,” “Parallel Mothers” and “Summer of Soul.”
