Nightmare Alley: Geek Out On Some New Noir
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara
In 2021, we saw two of our most celebrated living directors remake what felt like personal favorites. Steven Spielberg with Westside Story (the original was made in 1961) and Guillermo del Toro with Nightmare Alley (1947). My review of Westside Story is available here on NadaMucho.com, but here and now we will focus on the 1940’s period piece starring Bradley Cooper as Stanton Carlisle, a run-of-the-mill carny who evolves into something much more.
The original, (which I had the pleasure of viewing on the Criterion Channel in its original 1.37:1 stark black and white glory), is great. Del Toro chose the much wider aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and opted for rich color and brilliance. This brilliance came through thanks to the help of frequent collaborator Dan Laustsen, who also handled cinematography for del Toro’s last two films: Oscar winner Shape of Water (2017) and the beautiful-to-look-at Crimson Peak (2015). Where the latter focused its color pallete on shades of red and Shape of Water on shades of blue, Nightmare Alley moves from dominant primary colors to a secondary orange and all its gradients. The look of each location gives a feeling of nostalgia and avarice.
I’m not breaking down the color scheme just to prove I went to college for art, either. I’ve got a reason. The look of this film is what elevates it above the original. Del Toro’s version provides glorious eye candy and features some of the best set designs in authentic locales I’ve ever seen in a period piece.
Oddly enough, this beauty detracts from the film in some ways as well. Gone are the stark shadows and use of negative spaces to create tension, which were key elements of the original. Del Toro had to make a choice, much like Gus Van Sant did with his version of Psycho (1998). Was it the right one?
Joining Cooper in a lead role is Rooney Mara as a fellow carny, the young Molly Cahill. She becomes much more important in our main character’s life as the film moves along. Her character’s story arc is almost as impressive as Cooper’s, affording her the chance to shine in this emotional role much like she did in A Ghost Story (2017). Cate Blanchett also shines as Dr. Lilith Ritter, a character we meet after the film’s first act. It is with her arrival that the tension ramps up and this remake goes from “odd drama” to an “even odder thriller.” The rest of the supporting cast is amazing as well, from Del Toro staples like Ron Perlman to amazing on-screen veterans Toni Collette and Willem Defoe, all of whom all play mysterious members of the carnival troupe perfectly.
It is easy to geek out while viewing Del Toro’s take, especially after seeing the original for the first time immediately before viewing the remake. It is like a glimpse into an astounding creative mind. Which plot points would he keep? Which visual clues would he accentuate? What lines would be more impactful with a modern punch up? All of this and more are there for your viewing pleasure. I understand the choice to use color and a wider screen, and, even though I miss the original’s look, Del Toro has leapt from the original’s genre and made a truly engaging and prestigious drama.
Fire up the Criterion Channel (a mere $100 per year) and then HBO Max to take your own journey through this masterclass in remakes. If the original Nightmare Alley (1947) was an A- then this new version is an A.