Director Guillermo del Toro’s noir thriller / Best Picture nominee Nightmare Alley (watch it HERE) is now available on digital, DVD, 4K, and Blu-ray, and to mark the occasion we are proud to share an EXCLUSIVE behind-the-scenes clip that gives some insight into the design of one of the film’s locations: the office that belongs to Cate Blanchett’s character Lilith.
Based on a novel by William Lindsay Gresham (which was previously turned into a movie in 1947), Nightmare Alley is set in “a world of carnival hustlers and con men, telling the story of a mentalist who teams with a psychologist in order to swindle the rich.” Here’s the official synopsis:
When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena and her has-been mentalist husband Pete at a traveling carnival, he crafts a golden ticket to success, using this newly acquired knowledge to grift the wealthy elite of 1940s New York society. With the virtuous Molly loyally by his side, Stanton plots to con a dangerous tycoon with the aid of a mysterious psychiatrist who might be his most formidable opponent yet.
The film stars Bradley Cooper as Stanton Carlisle, Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Toni Collette as Zeena, David Strathairn as Pete, Rooney Mara as Molly, and Richard Jenkins as the “dangerous tycoon”. Also in the cast are Willem Dafoe, Mary Steenburgen, Ron Perlman, Holt McCallany, Clifton Collins Jr., Tim Blake Nelson, Jim Beaver, and David Hewlett.
Nightmare Alley comes to Blu-ray and 4K with the following bonus features:
Del Toro’s Neo Noir – Writer-director Guillermo del Toro and his standout cast decipher the dark, complicated world of Nightmare Alley. The filmmaker reveals how his take on noir is rooted in classic cinema but offers an accessible, modern narrative.
Beneath the Tarp – Production designer Tamara Deverell and her talented team skillfully delivered both a decaying traveling carnival world and a gilded Art Deco high society with striking visuals. We explore how this design supported del Toro’s genre-bending filmmaking.
What Exists in the Fringe – Costume designer Luis Sequeira unravels his collaboration with Guillermo del Toro and reveals the symbolism that’s constantly at play in the film’s carefully crafted wardrobe’s design.
Copies of Gresham’s novel Nightmare Alley can be purchased at THIS LINK. Del Toro wrote the adaptation with Kim Morgan. His movie is rated R for “strong/bloody violence, some sexual content, nudity and language.”
Our own JimmyO gave the film a 9/10 review you can read HERE. Are you a fan of Nightmare Alley? Let us know by leaving a comment below.