Nightmare Alley on 4K. This was one of my favorite films of 2021. A remake of the 1947 film of the same name, this one is reimagined by the imaginative Director, Guillermo del Toro (Shape of Water). With an all star cast, and stunning cinematography this film was a wonderful addition to award season. For my full review of the film click here.
Academy Award® Best Picture Nominee Nightmare Alley is now available on Digital and will be released on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD March 22. The suspenseful psychological thriller is nominated for 4 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, 8 Critics’ Choice Awards, a Screen Actors’ Guild Award for Supporting Actress for Cate Blanchett, and BAFTA, SDSA, MPSE, ADG, CDG, VES, and WGA Awards.
Along with the titillating story and riveting characters Nightmare Alley is a visual joyride. del Toro’s team of set designers built a fully working carnival with very few digital effects. This allows the actors to fully engage with the story, and as viewers we are submerged in their world. The carnie life is dark, seedy, but also intriguing. They are close to gypsies as we will see and it is fun to watch.
- Product reviewed on the following equipment:
- DENON AVR-S720W 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver
- SAMSUNG QLED Q70T Series – 4K UHD Dual LED Quantum
- SAMSUNG UBD-M8500/ZA 4K UHD Blu-Ray Player
Synopsis: When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) 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 (Rooney Mara) loyally by his side, Stanton plots to con a dangerous tycoon (Richard Jenkins) with the aid of a mysterious psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who might be his most formidable opponent yet.
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.
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