Nightmare Alley (2021)
Nightmare Alley (2021) is a neo-noir psychological thriller film co-written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s novel of the same name from 1946, it is the second adaptation following the 1947 version. In 1939, Stan Carlisle sets ablaze a rundown house after hiding a corpse under its floorboards. Later that night, while attending a carnival, he witnesses a disturbed individual consuming a live chicken as part of the geek show. Meeting Bruno, the strongman of the carnival, Stan is offered a temporary job for the evening. After being persuaded by Clem, the carnival owner, to stay on permanently, Stan begins working with “Madame Zeena”, one of the carnival’s clairvoyants, and her alcoholic husband Pete.
Stan develops feelings for fellow performer Molly and invites her to depart from the carnival with him. She declines his offer. Instructed by Madame Zeena and Pete, Stan learns the art of communicating in code and utilizing cold reading tactics, which they use in their performances. However, they caution him against feigning contact with the deceased. He also discovers that Clem hires struggling alcoholics to act as his “geeks,” providing them with opium-laced drinks to keep them under control. One evening, Pete requests alcohol from Stan. The next day, he is found deceased. Local authorities storm into the carnival on a tip regarding the geek show. Using his cold reading abilities, Stan appeases the local sheriff and convinces him to be lenient. Soon after, Molly agrees to join Stan in leaving the carnival behind.
Date of download: 2015-11-11T17:22:34+00:00
Cast:  Bradley CooperStanton Carlisle  Cate BlanchettDr. Lilith Ritter  Toni ColletteZeena the Seer  Willem DafoeClem Hoatley  Richard JenkinsEzra Grindle  Rooney MaraMolly Cahill  Ron PerlmanBruno  Mary SteenburgenMrs. Kimball  David StrathairnPete  Holt McCallanyAnderson |
Nightmare Alley (2021) is a neo-noir psychological thriller film co-written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s novel of the same name from 1946, it is the second adaptation following the 1947 version. In 1939, Stan Carlisle sets ablaze a rundown house after hiding a corpse under its floorboards. Later that night, while attending a carnival, he witnesses a disturbed individual consuming a live chicken as part of the geek show. Meeting Bruno, the strongman of the carnival, Stan is offered a temporary job for the evening. After being persuaded by Clem, the carnival owner, to stay on permanently, Stan begins working with “Madame Zeena”, one of the carnival’s clairvoyants, and her alcoholic husband Pete.
Stan develops feelings for fellow performer Molly and invites her to depart from the carnival with him. She declines his offer. Instructed by Madame Zeena and Pete, Stan learns the art of communicating in code and utilizing cold reading tactics, which they use in their performances. However, they caution him against feigning contact with the deceased. He also discovers that Clem hires struggling alcoholics to act as his “geeks,” providing them with opium-laced drinks to keep them under control. One evening, Pete requests alcohol from Stan. The next day, he is found deceased. Local authorities storm into the carnival on a tip regarding the geek show. Using his cold reading abilities, Stan appeases the local sheriff and convinces him to be lenient. Soon after, Molly agrees to join Stan in leaving the carnival behind.
