The world of old timey carnivals is a rich source for horror and metaphor. There are many examples of this setting being used in story and film to teach us something about the way we treat our fellow humans and this adaptation of the novel Nightmare Alley is that, a morality play set amongst those the world sees as freaks. It is the sort of story that is right up director del Toro's... alley.
del Toro's visual aesthetic is all here. Like his spiritual brother Tim Burton, del Toro is able to create beauty amongst the trashy underbelly of fantasy. A dirty yet glorious traveling carnival circa turn of the 20th century is the setting for this tale of a con man's rise and fall. The carnival is exquisitely rendered from costumes to art direction to create both a sense of lived in if smelly home and quite unsettling unease. It is all a show, spectacle. The film makes it clear there is no magic going on. It's people playing each other. And as Stan, our main character, joins in the game we know this is all an adventure of cons playing each other that will not end well.
For Nightmare Alley is not just horror but also a con movie which is another delicious genre. This all mixes together for a shiny and exhilarating dark tale. del Toro, as one would expect, doesn't shy away from the graphic bits. But it is all quite organic to the nature of this story. A story which, while powerful, is unfortunately a little predictable. The third act stumbles a bit as one main character's motivations seem a little uneven. But still, as the film reaches the inevitable conclusion we understand the lesson and have learned much from the ride.
del Toro's cast is excellent as he has picked from the pick of the crop character actors, each a joy to see. Cooper at the centre delivers solid work but it's the supporting players, the freaks, who are far more compelling along the way. Dafoe, Collettte, Jenkins, Strathairn, Perlman, Steenburgen... I mean come on. And especially Blanchett as the femme fetal channeling screen goddesses of the past. The film is enjoyable just for the cast.
Nightmare Alley may not be del Toro's best work but it is a solid entry into his oeuvre. It is an outsider movie told from the point of view of one who almost got inside and lived to pay the price.
Nightmare Alley
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman, Mark Povinelli, Mary Steenburgen, Clifton Craig Collins Jr., Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Benicio del Toro
Writers: Kim Morgan, Benicio del Toro
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