Guillermo del Toro is keenly aware of the motifs and themes that occur, and occur again, in his work. He often embraces them. For instance, the Mexican auteur freely suggested to us last month that his latest film, the Oscar-nomianted Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, is part of a spiritual trilogy with The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)—movies that all deal with childhood innocence enduring beneath the shadow of fascism and oppression.
Yet another element that frequently goes overlooked in his oeuvre is that of the artist and their commercial benefactor; the creator and the exploiter. This dynamic is given a fatally noirish bent in del Toro’s last Best Picture nominee, Nightmare Alley (2021). That film, which is based on a William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same name, sees a small-time carnival huckster learn how a “Geek” is made—which in the early 20th century referred to poor...
Yet another element that frequently goes overlooked in his oeuvre is that of the artist and their commercial benefactor; the creator and the exploiter. This dynamic is given a fatally noirish bent in del Toro’s last Best Picture nominee, Nightmare Alley (2021). That film, which is based on a William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same name, sees a small-time carnival huckster learn how a “Geek” is made—which in the early 20th century referred to poor...
- 1/27/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Happy New Year, Daily Dead readers! Today, I'm kicking off our annual "Favorites" series with my 2022 picks and you'll see favorites from other Daily Dead team members throughout the week. On this week's episode of Corpse Club, we'll also be discussing 2022 favorites and what we're looking forward to in the new year. Our favorites are a little different from a traditional "Best Of" list and our lists can include anything from movies and streaming shows to collectibles and events. In short, we’re sharing with you a list of our favorite horror experiences from 2022.
This year was interesting for me in that I truly felt I hit that tipping point where more was being released than I could possibly keep up on. If you stick to just watching movies, it's not impossible to check out every horror release, but when you add TV series, video games, and graphic novels, it becomes challenging.
This year was interesting for me in that I truly felt I hit that tipping point where more was being released than I could possibly keep up on. If you stick to just watching movies, it's not impossible to check out every horror release, but when you add TV series, video games, and graphic novels, it becomes challenging.
- 1/2/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Despite winning a Best Director Oscar five years ago for The Shape of Water — what many filmmakers would consider the culmination of their artistic careers — Guillermo del Toro shows little, if any, sign of slowing down, bringing one of his most cherished personal projects, a new adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's classic 1946 noir, Nightmare Alley, to screens just last year and returning this fall/winter with not one, but two separate projects, the soon-to-be-released Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated adaptation of Carlo Collodi's perennial favorite, and out now, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, both for Netflix. For the self-titled Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, a new anthology series featuring A-level talent on both...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/26/2022
- Screen Anarchy
Though it received a Best Picture nomination at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022, Guillermo del Toro's re-adaptation of the William Lindsay Gresham novel "Nightmare Alley" hit theaters the same day as "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and was overshadowed by that movie's juggernaut success amid the pandemic. It makes the most of those shadows, though, filling them with smoke and "the poetry of disillusionment and existentialism," as del Toro has called it. This is a movie that lives at the carnival, where you're less likely to see any spider-men and more likely to see a woman with a spider's body warning children about the sins of lust and pride.
Co-written by Kim Morgan, the del Toro version of "Nightmare Alley" takes its cues from Gresham's book and was not intended as a remake of the black-and-white 1947 adaptation starring Tyrone Power. However, that movie is a classic and it's worth...
Co-written by Kim Morgan, the del Toro version of "Nightmare Alley" takes its cues from Gresham's book and was not intended as a remake of the black-and-white 1947 adaptation starring Tyrone Power. However, that movie is a classic and it's worth...
- 8/27/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
As HBO Max continues to grow in popularity, it is constantly adding new and popular movies to its lineup. HBO Max is excited to announce a slate of new movies ready for viewing on the platform! There are plenty of new HBO Max movies for everyone, whether you’re a fan of action, comedy, or drama.
What’s Good on Netflix: Watch 50 Popular Movies and Shows Now
Check out the list below and find something new to watch today.
Moonshot (2022)
If you’re looking for a new movie to watch on HBO Max, look no further than Moonshot. This science-fiction romantic comedy follows two college students as they join forces in order to be reunited with their significant others, embarking on a lively journey that takes them wildly off course. Moonshot is sure to please viewers looking for a fun and romantic movie with a twist.
The film stars Cole Sprouse,...
What’s Good on Netflix: Watch 50 Popular Movies and Shows Now
Check out the list below and find something new to watch today.
Moonshot (2022)
If you’re looking for a new movie to watch on HBO Max, look no further than Moonshot. This science-fiction romantic comedy follows two college students as they join forces in order to be reunited with their significant others, embarking on a lively journey that takes them wildly off course. Moonshot is sure to please viewers looking for a fun and romantic movie with a twist.
The film stars Cole Sprouse,...
- 4/8/2022
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
From TorontoFilm.Net, take a look at director Guillermo del Toro’s remake of "Nightmare Alley", based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen and David Strathairn:
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek, using a razor blade to slice...
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek, using a razor blade to slice...
- 3/28/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
From visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Nightmare Alley a noir-style psychological thriller starring Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett.
When a manipulative carnival man (Cooper) teams with an equally deceptive psychiatrist (Blanchett) to grift the wealthy in 1940s New York society, he learns that his new partner in crime might be his most formidable opponent yet. Nightmare Alley is directed by del Toro, who co-wrote the film with Kim Morgan, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel.
Onwards!
When a manipulative carnival man (Cooper) teams with an equally deceptive psychiatrist (Blanchett) to grift the wealthy in 1940s New York society, he learns that his new partner in crime might be his most formidable opponent yet. Nightmare Alley is directed by del Toro, who co-wrote the film with Kim Morgan, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel.
Onwards!
- 3/22/2022
- QuietEarth.us
Hello, everyone! This week’s Blu-ray and DVD offerings are quite an eclectic bunch, as we have a few recent titles coming out on Tuesday, but we also have a few classic horrors from Mexico finally getting a release, which is pretty darned cool. In terms of the newer horrors, Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece Nightmare Alley is heading home to various formats, and if you missed it when it was airing, now you can finally catch up on the Dexter: New Blood revival this week as well. As mentioned, Indicator is showing some love to two classic horror movies from Mexico—La Llorona and The Phantom of the Monastery—on Blu-ray this week, and Richard Elfman’s Modern Vampires is getting the HD treatment, too.
Other home media titles coming home on March 22nd include 6:45, Blood Claws, Grave of the Living Dead, Bryan Loves You: Collector’s Edition,...
Other home media titles coming home on March 22nd include 6:45, Blood Claws, Grave of the Living Dead, Bryan Loves You: Collector’s Edition,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
“Don’t Look Up” and “Coda” have won the top feature film awards from the Writers Guild of America, which held its annual WGA Awards on Sunday evening.
On the heels of its Producers Guild Award victory on Saturday, “Coda” kicked off the show by winning the first award of the night, for Best Adapted Screenplay. The category also included “Dune,” “Nightmare Alley,” “tick, tick…Boom!” and “West Side Story” — but two of the biggest challengers to “Coda” in the Oscar race for adapted screenplay, “The Power of the Dog” and “The Lost Daughter,” were not eligible for the award because of WGA regulations.
In the Best Original Screenplay category, “Don’t Look Up” scored a surprise victory over “Licorice Pizza,” which was favored to take the award, and “King Richard.” Two other Oscar nominees, “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World,” were ineligible.
Television awards included “Succession” and “Hacks” for drama and comedy series,...
On the heels of its Producers Guild Award victory on Saturday, “Coda” kicked off the show by winning the first award of the night, for Best Adapted Screenplay. The category also included “Dune,” “Nightmare Alley,” “tick, tick…Boom!” and “West Side Story” — but two of the biggest challengers to “Coda” in the Oscar race for adapted screenplay, “The Power of the Dog” and “The Lost Daughter,” were not eligible for the award because of WGA regulations.
In the Best Original Screenplay category, “Don’t Look Up” scored a surprise victory over “Licorice Pizza,” which was favored to take the award, and “King Richard.” Two other Oscar nominees, “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World,” were ineligible.
Television awards included “Succession” and “Hacks” for drama and comedy series,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
You made it through the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards, and the Producers Guild Awards, too. The wait for the Oscars is almost over, but one more major guild had yet to give out its trophies before the Academy Awards. Tonight, Hollywood’s top writers came together for the Writers Guild of America Awards, which honored the finest achievements in film and television writing.
On the film side, the nominees were actually quite different from what you’ll see at the Oscars next week. In the Original Screenplay category, “Licorice Pizza,” “Don’t Look Up,” and “King Richard” were still nominated, but “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World” were replaced with “Being the Ricardos.” The Adapted Screenplay category was even more distinct, with only two Oscar contenders (“Dune” and “Coda”) nominated.
But it ultimately did not matter, as two Oscar nominees took the top prizes. “Coda...
On the film side, the nominees were actually quite different from what you’ll see at the Oscars next week. In the Original Screenplay category, “Licorice Pizza,” “Don’t Look Up,” and “King Richard” were still nominated, but “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World” were replaced with “Being the Ricardos.” The Adapted Screenplay category was even more distinct, with only two Oscar contenders (“Dune” and “Coda”) nominated.
But it ultimately did not matter, as two Oscar nominees took the top prizes. “Coda...
- 3/20/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Sunday’s 74th Writers Guild of America Awards will wrap up the guild season, along with the American Society of Cinematographers Awards. Will the winners be an Oscar preview?
“Licorice Pizza,” written by Paul Thomas Anderson, and “Coda,” by Sian Heder, are favored to win Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, respectively. However, they are not facing off against many of their Oscar rivals as the WGA’s rules have rendered several scripts ineligible, including Oscar nominees “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World” in original, and “Drive My Car,” “The Lost Daughter” and “The Power of the Dog” in adapted. But if they both prevail, they will have bagged the two top industry prizes as they won at BAFTA last weekend right in the middle of final Oscar voting (it ends Tuesday).
The TV field features heavy-hitters “Succession” and “Ted Lasso,” both of which are expected to...
“Licorice Pizza,” written by Paul Thomas Anderson, and “Coda,” by Sian Heder, are favored to win Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, respectively. However, they are not facing off against many of their Oscar rivals as the WGA’s rules have rendered several scripts ineligible, including Oscar nominees “Belfast” and “The Worst Person in the World” in original, and “Drive My Car,” “The Lost Daughter” and “The Power of the Dog” in adapted. But if they both prevail, they will have bagged the two top industry prizes as they won at BAFTA last weekend right in the middle of final Oscar voting (it ends Tuesday).
The TV field features heavy-hitters “Succession” and “Ted Lasso,” both of which are expected to...
- 3/20/2022
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Succession, Mare Of Easttown enjoy another good night after PGA television wins.
Apple TV+’s Coda and Netflix’s Don’t Look Up were the big film winners at Sunday’s (20) virtual 2022 Writers Guild Awards hosted by the East and West Coast chapters the day after Coda boosted its Oscar hopes by claiming the PGA’s top prize.
Adam McKay’s script for Don’t Look Up took the WGA’s original screenplay prize and Sian Heder prevailed in the adapted category for Coda, which is based on French La Famille Belier.
Both are nominated for their respective Oscar categories although there...
Apple TV+’s Coda and Netflix’s Don’t Look Up were the big film winners at Sunday’s (20) virtual 2022 Writers Guild Awards hosted by the East and West Coast chapters the day after Coda boosted its Oscar hopes by claiming the PGA’s top prize.
Adam McKay’s script for Don’t Look Up took the WGA’s original screenplay prize and Sian Heder prevailed in the adapted category for Coda, which is based on French La Famille Belier.
Both are nominated for their respective Oscar categories although there...
- 3/20/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
On this episode of Daily Dead's official podcast, co-hosts Tamika Jones, Bryan Christopher, Derek Anderson, and Jonathan James discuss Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley (based on the book of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham), which is now streaming on VOD! The co-hosts also share their thoughts on several other recent films, including The Batman, Hellbender, Fresh, and No Exit.
You can listen to the new episode of Corpse Club right now on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, TuneIn, YouTube, Pandora, and SoundCloud.
Looking for more scary good Corpse Club content? Be sure to check out our Corpse Club website and memberships. Not only can you view past episodes, but you can also sign up to be an official Corpse Club member to enjoy a wide range of rewards, including a shirt and pin that are to die for, access to bonus content, and the ability to suggest an episode topic!
You can listen to the new episode of Corpse Club right now on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, TuneIn, YouTube, Pandora, and SoundCloud.
Looking for more scary good Corpse Club content? Be sure to check out our Corpse Club website and memberships. Not only can you view past episodes, but you can also sign up to be an official Corpse Club member to enjoy a wide range of rewards, including a shirt and pin that are to die for, access to bonus content, and the ability to suggest an episode topic!
- 3/18/2022
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Don’t look for three of our predicted 10 Oscar contenders for screenplay (the original script for “Belfast” plus the adaptations of “The Lost Daughter” and “The Power of the Dog”) in the 2022 Writers Guild of America Awards nominations announced January 27. They didn’t qualify for consideration under the guild’s guidelines or those of its international partners.
We are predicting that “The Power of the Dog” will win Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars with “The Lost Daughter” running a close second. Their three likeliest Oscar competitors — “Coda,” “Dune” and “West Side Story” — contend at the WGA Awards as do “Nightmare Alley” and “tick, tick … Boom!”
The Original Screenplay Oscar frontrunner “Licorice Pizza” is in the running here as are three of its likeliest rivals: “Being the Ricardos,” “Don’t Look Up” and “King Richard.” With second-place Oscar hopeful “Belfast” ineligible at the guild kudos that race is rounded out by “The French Dispatch.
We are predicting that “The Power of the Dog” will win Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars with “The Lost Daughter” running a close second. Their three likeliest Oscar competitors — “Coda,” “Dune” and “West Side Story” — contend at the WGA Awards as do “Nightmare Alley” and “tick, tick … Boom!”
The Original Screenplay Oscar frontrunner “Licorice Pizza” is in the running here as are three of its likeliest rivals: “Being the Ricardos,” “Don’t Look Up” and “King Richard.” With second-place Oscar hopeful “Belfast” ineligible at the guild kudos that race is rounded out by “The French Dispatch.
- 3/18/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
From TorontoFilm.Net, take a look at director Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-nominated remake of "Nightmare Alley", based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen and David Strathairn, releasing in theaters December 17, 2021:
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek,...
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek,...
- 3/13/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Guillermo del Toro and Jane Campion have strong thoughts about filmmaking — both in execution and exhibition — in this modern streaming age. And lucky for us, they’re not afraid to share those opinions. And that’s exactly what they did last fall, for Variety’s “Directors on Directors” issue.
Now, in case you missed that conversation between the two Oscar winners, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast gives you another chance. In this Friday edition of the award-winning podcast, we feature the chat, as they swap stories about filmmaking in what’s already the third decade of the 21st century.
But first, our Awards Circuit Roundtable discusses the rise of “Coda” and more as we head into another awards-filled weekend, with the BAFTA, DGA and Critics Choice ceremonies. Listen below!
Last fall, right before the New York premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” — his big-budget remake of the noir thriller,...
Now, in case you missed that conversation between the two Oscar winners, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast gives you another chance. In this Friday edition of the award-winning podcast, we feature the chat, as they swap stories about filmmaking in what’s already the third decade of the 21st century.
But first, our Awards Circuit Roundtable discusses the rise of “Coda” and more as we head into another awards-filled weekend, with the BAFTA, DGA and Critics Choice ceremonies. Listen below!
Last fall, right before the New York premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” — his big-budget remake of the noir thriller,...
- 3/12/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Guillermo del Toro joined Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees event this weekend to discuss his latest movie Nightmare Alley, nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture. The film is based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel, which had been previously adapted for the screen in 1947 in a noir classic starring Tyrone Power. Del Toro had read the book before he’d seen that movie, and he told Deadline he had always seen his vision for an adaptation “vividly” in his head. “I thought there were so many possibilities open in the book to talk about truth, lies, and the rise of a liar. An almost unstoppable rise,” del Toro said. “It felt very very ripe for the moment we’re in as a society.”
The Searchlight Pictures film follows the story of Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), a drifter with a dark past who will stop at nothing in his quest for riches and power,...
The Searchlight Pictures film follows the story of Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), a drifter with a dark past who will stop at nothing in his quest for riches and power,...
- 3/5/2022
- by Joe Utichi
- Deadline Film + TV
After hitting HBO Max and Hulu, Nightmare Alley will arrive on digital and home media in March! Here's a look at the official cover art and release details:
From the imaginative filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Searchlight Pictures arrives an electrifying film noir, Nightmare Alley. Available on Digital March 8 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on 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.
Film 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...
From the imaginative filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Searchlight Pictures arrives an electrifying film noir, Nightmare Alley. Available on Digital March 8 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on 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.
Film 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...
- 2/11/2022
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
This article contains spoilers for both versions of Nightmare Alley.
“Fear is the key to human nature,” the Great Stanton learns in William Lindsay Gresham’s Nightmare Alley. That 1946 novel was a hit when it came out, even though it was banned and censored. And its spell lingered so long it was adapted by Academy Award-winning horror maestro, Guillermo del Toro, in 2021 with Bradley Cooper starring as the carny medium. This most recent adaptation, however, is just the second screen version, following in the footsteps of a 1947 cult noir classic starring Tyrone Power. Both versions struggled at the box office, and yet both seem to find their audiences, which might speak to the original text’s strange thrall throughout the decades.
Occultists couldn’t resist the novel or first film’s allure. It was like cotton candy at a carnival, right outside the house of mirrors where their deepest sins would be revealed.
“Fear is the key to human nature,” the Great Stanton learns in William Lindsay Gresham’s Nightmare Alley. That 1946 novel was a hit when it came out, even though it was banned and censored. And its spell lingered so long it was adapted by Academy Award-winning horror maestro, Guillermo del Toro, in 2021 with Bradley Cooper starring as the carny medium. This most recent adaptation, however, is just the second screen version, following in the footsteps of a 1947 cult noir classic starring Tyrone Power. Both versions struggled at the box office, and yet both seem to find their audiences, which might speak to the original text’s strange thrall throughout the decades.
Occultists couldn’t resist the novel or first film’s allure. It was like cotton candy at a carnival, right outside the house of mirrors where their deepest sins would be revealed.
- 2/11/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Respect for the underlying material is the key to film adaptation, agreed panelists tonight at the WGA Foundation’s Beyond Words panel discussion featuring this year’s WGA Awards nominees for adapted screenplay.
For Guillermo del Toro, film adaptation is “almost like you’re marrying the widow of one of your best friends. You can respect his memory, but at some point, you gotta go to the sock drawer and put your clothes in. You have to inhabit it. And you have to remember that the best incarnation of the book is the book. If you can incarnate it into a movie, those cues and those clues are going to be very different, and finding them is really getting lost and found by the love you have for the material.”
Del Toro said that adapting Nightmare Alley was “something I wanted and something I feared” and that it required creating...
For Guillermo del Toro, film adaptation is “almost like you’re marrying the widow of one of your best friends. You can respect his memory, but at some point, you gotta go to the sock drawer and put your clothes in. You have to inhabit it. And you have to remember that the best incarnation of the book is the book. If you can incarnate it into a movie, those cues and those clues are going to be very different, and finding them is really getting lost and found by the love you have for the material.”
Del Toro said that adapting Nightmare Alley was “something I wanted and something I feared” and that it required creating...
- 2/11/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
“Nightmare Alley Is All Around Brilliance” – Jazz Tangcay, Variety
Academy Award Best Picture Nominee Nightmare Alley Appears on Digital March 8 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 22
From the imaginative filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Searchlight Pictures arrives an electrifying film noir,Nightmare Alley. Available on Digital March 8 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on 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.
NA_02045.Arw
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...
Academy Award Best Picture Nominee Nightmare Alley Appears on Digital March 8 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 22
From the imaginative filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Searchlight Pictures arrives an electrifying film noir,Nightmare Alley. Available on Digital March 8 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on 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.
NA_02045.Arw
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...
- 2/10/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Oscar-nominated feature “Nightmare Alley", directed by Guillermo Del Toro, based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara and Mary Steenburgen:
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek, using a razor blade to slice chickens' necks and then faking the drinking of the blood.
"...an ambitious 'carny' (Cooper)...
"...with a talent for manipulating people...
"...with a few well-chosen words...
"...hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is..."
"...'in the 1947 feature, 'Nightmare Alley' starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell and Coleen Gray, 'Stanton Carlisle' watches the geek show at a carnival asking worker 'Clem Hoately' where 'geeks' come from. Clem explains that geeks are 'made', when a sideshow owner finds an alcoholic bum and offers him a temporary job with a steady supply of liquor.
"Initially, the bum is only asked to pretend to be a geek, using a razor blade to slice chickens' necks and then faking the drinking of the blood.
- 2/9/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The Searchlight Pictures noir drama Nightmare Alley is a Best Picture nominee, one of four noms for the film that stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and an ensemble that includes Willem Dafoe, Ron Perlman, Toni Collette, David Strathairn, Richard Jenkins, Holt McCallany, Clifton Collins Jr, began its theatrical run as a color film, but now an atmospheric black and white version is in theaters. This is the first film del Toro has directed since The Shape of Water, which won him Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Before that, he was nominated twice for Pan’s Labyrinth. He wrote Nightmare Alley with Kim Morgan, adapting the William Lindsay Gresham novel.
“I am very happy and grateful,” del Toro told Deadline. “The key is to be in the conversation. We are very proud of our film and the work everyone delivered. This is a great blessing. We are in...
“I am very happy and grateful,” del Toro told Deadline. “The key is to be in the conversation. We are very proud of our film and the work everyone delivered. This is a great blessing. We are in...
- 2/8/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
This article contains spoilers for both versions of Nightmare Alley.
“Mister, I was made for it,” versus “Mister, I was born for it,” sums up the major psychological distinction between the 1947 Nightmare Alley and Guillermo del Toro’s 2021 remake. Neither line from the end of their respective movies is in the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham. That book concludes just short of the revelation or confession (depending on the actor who says it). Bradley Cooper’s Stan Carlisle finds it downright hilarious that he is about to become a geek. Tyrone Power’s The Great Stanton only grants himself temporary clemency. The geek is their destiny. Chicken necks are their shared fate.
The first major difference between the two movies is the most obvious. One employs all the tricks of black and white filmmaking, the other shades its colors in a muted noir. The next immediately recognizable difference comes at feeding time.
“Mister, I was made for it,” versus “Mister, I was born for it,” sums up the major psychological distinction between the 1947 Nightmare Alley and Guillermo del Toro’s 2021 remake. Neither line from the end of their respective movies is in the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham. That book concludes just short of the revelation or confession (depending on the actor who says it). Bradley Cooper’s Stan Carlisle finds it downright hilarious that he is about to become a geek. Tyrone Power’s The Great Stanton only grants himself temporary clemency. The geek is their destiny. Chicken necks are their shared fate.
The first major difference between the two movies is the most obvious. One employs all the tricks of black and white filmmaking, the other shades its colors in a muted noir. The next immediately recognizable difference comes at feeding time.
- 2/5/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
There are many different types of existing works from which a film’s screenplay can be adapted, and Oscar voters have honored scripts built from just about every source material imaginable. Voters typically reveal their preferences by consistently choosing scripts based on certain source materials over others. Examining the most recent Best Adapted Screenplay lineups is the most effective way of predicting the next one. Here is a list of the category’s nominees and winners, as well as their sources of origin, from the last five years:
2021:
Winner: “The Father” – Play
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” – Existing film
“Nomadland” – Nonfiction book
“One Night in Miami” – Play
“The White Tiger” – Novel
2020:
Winner: “Jojo Rabbit” – Novel
“The Irishman” – Nonfiction book
“Joker” – Comic books
“Little Women” – Novel
“The Two Popes” – Play
2019:
Winner: “BlacKkKlansman” – Memoir
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” – Short stories
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” – Memoir
“If Beale Street Could Talk...
2021:
Winner: “The Father” – Play
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” – Existing film
“Nomadland” – Nonfiction book
“One Night in Miami” – Play
“The White Tiger” – Novel
2020:
Winner: “Jojo Rabbit” – Novel
“The Irishman” – Nonfiction book
“Joker” – Comic books
“Little Women” – Novel
“The Two Popes” – Play
2019:
Winner: “BlacKkKlansman” – Memoir
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” – Short stories
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” – Memoir
“If Beale Street Could Talk...
- 2/4/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
This article contains Nightmare Alley spoilers.
In its original form, film noir was an anomaly: a dark rain cloud cast in silhouette across the otherwise sunny landscape of 1940s American pop culture. At a time when censors insisted on black and white morality, and clean, unambiguous entertainment, noir was a subversive sneer, reflecting the cynicism bubbling underneath. As with the often doomed fools who led movies like Double Indemnity (1944), Out of the Past (1947), and In a Lonely Place (1950), noir filmmakers saw a fatally flawed world outside the studios’ backlots, and even in the glow of post-war America. And they welcomed the darkness.
Guillermo del Toro innately understood this when he restored and improved on the ending of Nightmare Alley with his recent remake of an actual 1947 noir film of the same name—both movies, in turn, are also adaptations of William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel. In each picture, we follow a drifter turned carny,...
In its original form, film noir was an anomaly: a dark rain cloud cast in silhouette across the otherwise sunny landscape of 1940s American pop culture. At a time when censors insisted on black and white morality, and clean, unambiguous entertainment, noir was a subversive sneer, reflecting the cynicism bubbling underneath. As with the often doomed fools who led movies like Double Indemnity (1944), Out of the Past (1947), and In a Lonely Place (1950), noir filmmakers saw a fatally flawed world outside the studios’ backlots, and even in the glow of post-war America. And they welcomed the darkness.
Guillermo del Toro innately understood this when he restored and improved on the ending of Nightmare Alley with his recent remake of an actual 1947 noir film of the same name—both movies, in turn, are also adaptations of William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel. In each picture, we follow a drifter turned carny,...
- 2/4/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Nightmare Alley"
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max and Hulu
The Pitch: Guillermo del Toro takes William Lindsay Gresham's novel (previously adapted into an excellent film in 1947) and works his dark magic. The story follows Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), a morally bankrupt mystery man who works his way up from low-rent carnie to a full-blown nightclub act. But when he gets involved with a shady psychologist (Cate Blanchett), he may be in over his head. Full...
The post The Daily Stream: Guillermo del Toro's Carnival Noir Nightmare Alley is Now Streaming (In Two Places!) appeared first on /Film.
The Movie: "Nightmare Alley"
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max and Hulu
The Pitch: Guillermo del Toro takes William Lindsay Gresham's novel (previously adapted into an excellent film in 1947) and works his dark magic. The story follows Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), a morally bankrupt mystery man who works his way up from low-rent carnie to a full-blown nightclub act. But when he gets involved with a shady psychologist (Cate Blanchett), he may be in over his head. Full...
The post The Daily Stream: Guillermo del Toro's Carnival Noir Nightmare Alley is Now Streaming (In Two Places!) appeared first on /Film.
- 2/2/2022
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Searchlight’s “Nightmare Alley” takes place mostly in 1939-41, but its sensibility is contemporary. It’s a time-capsule movie: If future generations want to know what life was like in the 21st century, tell them to see this film.
“Nightmare,” written by Guillermo Del Toro (who directs) and Kim Morgan, depicts a world of liars and charlatans who manipulate the truth to gain wealth and/or power. And the general public is surprisingly gullible. As Lilith (Cate Blanchett) says to Stan (Bradley Cooper), “You don’t fool people, Stan, they fool themselves.”
Del Toro tells Variety, “We are in a moment of great anxiety, post-discourse, post-truth, almost as if we, as a society, are going through a psychotic episode. Everybody curates the reality of the world, every piece of information, to fit their own ‘truth. And I mean everybody; this is not about a particular person or party. This is...
“Nightmare,” written by Guillermo Del Toro (who directs) and Kim Morgan, depicts a world of liars and charlatans who manipulate the truth to gain wealth and/or power. And the general public is surprisingly gullible. As Lilith (Cate Blanchett) says to Stan (Bradley Cooper), “You don’t fool people, Stan, they fool themselves.”
Del Toro tells Variety, “We are in a moment of great anxiety, post-discourse, post-truth, almost as if we, as a society, are going through a psychotic episode. Everybody curates the reality of the world, every piece of information, to fit their own ‘truth. And I mean everybody; this is not about a particular person or party. This is...
- 1/27/2022
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Before we get to parsing the list of Writers Guild nominations, let’s look at those who were ineligible. This year’s list is massive, from UK entries Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” (Focus Features), Rebecca Hall’s “Passing” (Netflix), and Joe Wright’s “Cyrano” (MGM/UA) to Netflix contenders from Jane Campion (”The Power of the Dog”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”). Among last year’s ineligibles were 2021 Oscar nominees “Nomadland” and “Minari.”
The WGA maintains jurisdiction over whether scripts are produced under a Writer’s Guild contract, and who finally gets credit on a screenplay. The guild insists on withholding non-signatories from being part of the WGA Awards.
A WGA nomination isn’t essential for Oscar nomination. Exceptions include American indie “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Iranian Oscar-winner “A Separation” Oscar-winning British films “Les Miserables,” and “The Favourite,” and all Pixar animated contenders, from “Up” to “Incredibles 2.” European...
The WGA maintains jurisdiction over whether scripts are produced under a Writer’s Guild contract, and who finally gets credit on a screenplay. The guild insists on withholding non-signatories from being part of the WGA Awards.
A WGA nomination isn’t essential for Oscar nomination. Exceptions include American indie “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Iranian Oscar-winner “A Separation” Oscar-winning British films “Les Miserables,” and “The Favourite,” and all Pixar animated contenders, from “Up” to “Incredibles 2.” European...
- 1/27/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Before we get to parsing the list of Writers Guild nominations, let’s look at those who were ineligible. This year’s list is massive, from UK entries Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” (Focus Features), Rebecca Hall’s “Passing” (Netflix), and Joe Wright’s “Cyrano” (MGM/UA) to Netflix contenders from Jane Campion (”The Power of the Dog”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”). Among last year’s ineligibles were 2021 Oscar nominees “Nomadland” and “Minari.”
The WGA maintains jurisdiction over whether scripts are produced under a Writer’s Guild contract, and who finally gets credit on a screenplay. The guild insists on withholding non-signatories from being part of the WGA Awards.
A WGA nomination isn’t essential for Oscar nomination. Exceptions include American indie “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Iranian Oscar-winner “A Separation” Oscar-winning British films “Les Miserables,” and “The Favourite,” and all Pixar animated contenders, from “Up” to “Incredibles 2.” European...
The WGA maintains jurisdiction over whether scripts are produced under a Writer’s Guild contract, and who finally gets credit on a screenplay. The guild insists on withholding non-signatories from being part of the WGA Awards.
A WGA nomination isn’t essential for Oscar nomination. Exceptions include American indie “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Iranian Oscar-winner “A Separation” Oscar-winning British films “Les Miserables,” and “The Favourite,” and all Pixar animated contenders, from “Up” to “Incredibles 2.” European...
- 1/27/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Winners to be unveiled on March 20.
The Writers Guild of America has unveiled its feature nominations with The French Dispatch, King Richard, Coda and West Side Story all in contention for top awards.
The Guild announced its nominees in the original screenplay, adapted screenplay and documentary screenplay categories. Winners will be honored at a joint 2022 Writers Guild Awards virtual ceremony by the East and West Coast chapters on March 20.
Original Screenplay
Being The Ricardos
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Don’t Look Up
Screenplay by Adam McKay, Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
The French Dispatch Of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
Screenplay by Wes Anderson,...
The Writers Guild of America has unveiled its feature nominations with The French Dispatch, King Richard, Coda and West Side Story all in contention for top awards.
The Guild announced its nominees in the original screenplay, adapted screenplay and documentary screenplay categories. Winners will be honored at a joint 2022 Writers Guild Awards virtual ceremony by the East and West Coast chapters on March 20.
Original Screenplay
Being The Ricardos
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Don’t Look Up
Screenplay by Adam McKay, Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
The French Dispatch Of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
Screenplay by Wes Anderson,...
- 1/27/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The 74th annual Writers Guild Awards film nominations are officially in.
The Original Screenplay category is a tight competition, with Aaron Sorkin nominated for “Being the Ricardos” alongside Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” among others.
“Coda,” “Dune,” and “Nightmare Alley” lead the Adapted Screenplay category, rounding out a mix of streaming day and date premieres with theatrical releases.
The winners will be announced March 20 at 74th Annual Writers Guild Awards. The WGAs announced its TV, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing nominees last week. To note, Oscar contenders are ineligible for the Writers Guild of America Awards.
See below for the full list of film noms:
Original Screenplay
“Being the Ricardos,” written by Aaron Sorkin; Amazon Studios
“Don’t Look Up,” screenplay by Adam McKay, story by Adam McKay & David Sirota; Netflix
“The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun,...
The Original Screenplay category is a tight competition, with Aaron Sorkin nominated for “Being the Ricardos” alongside Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” among others.
“Coda,” “Dune,” and “Nightmare Alley” lead the Adapted Screenplay category, rounding out a mix of streaming day and date premieres with theatrical releases.
The winners will be announced March 20 at 74th Annual Writers Guild Awards. The WGAs announced its TV, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing nominees last week. To note, Oscar contenders are ineligible for the Writers Guild of America Awards.
See below for the full list of film noms:
Original Screenplay
“Being the Ricardos,” written by Aaron Sorkin; Amazon Studios
“Don’t Look Up,” screenplay by Adam McKay, story by Adam McKay & David Sirota; Netflix
“The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun,...
- 1/27/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Writers Guild of America has penciled in the film nominees for its 74th annual WGA Awards, which will be virtual again this year.
The Original Screenplay category will see the scribes behind Being the Ricardos, Don’t Look Up, The French Dispatch, King Richard and Licorice Pizza vying for the hardware.
The Adapted Screenplay race will be among Coda, Dune, Nightmare Alley, tick, tick…Boom! and West Side Story.
On the documentary side, Being Cousteau, Exposing Muybridge and Like a Rolling Stone will battle it out for the WGA trophy.
See the full list of nominated writers and screenplays below.
Winners will be feted at the joint 2022 WGA Awards on Sunday, March 20 — the last majors awards show before the 94th Oscars. This year’s eligibility period is March 1-December 31, 2021.
Read the WGA’s TV nominations here.
The WGAs honor outstanding achievement for original and adapted screenplays and documentary films, but...
The Original Screenplay category will see the scribes behind Being the Ricardos, Don’t Look Up, The French Dispatch, King Richard and Licorice Pizza vying for the hardware.
The Adapted Screenplay race will be among Coda, Dune, Nightmare Alley, tick, tick…Boom! and West Side Story.
On the documentary side, Being Cousteau, Exposing Muybridge and Like a Rolling Stone will battle it out for the WGA trophy.
See the full list of nominated writers and screenplays below.
Winners will be feted at the joint 2022 WGA Awards on Sunday, March 20 — the last majors awards show before the 94th Oscars. This year’s eligibility period is March 1-December 31, 2021.
Read the WGA’s TV nominations here.
The WGAs honor outstanding achievement for original and adapted screenplays and documentary films, but...
- 1/27/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The screenplays for “Don’t Look Up,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley” and “King Richard” have been nominated for the 2022 Writers Guild Awards by the WGA, West and WGA, East, the two guilds announced on Thursday.
Other nominees are “Coda,” “Dune,” “West Side Story” and “tick, tick…Boom!,” which join “Nightmare Alley” in the adapted-screenplay category, and “Being the Ricardos” and “The French Dispatch,” which join “Don’t Look Up,” “Licorice Pizza” and “King Richard” as original-screenplay nominees.
Eligible screenplays that were missing from the slate of nominees include Joel Coen’s Shakespeare adaptation, “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” and Mike Mills’ original story, “C’mon C’mon.”
Because the WGA created its award to be a prize for its members and those who write under its jurisdiction, a Writers Guild nomination is a less accurate predictor of Oscar success than noms from the other three major Hollywood guilds, the Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild and Directors Guild.
Other nominees are “Coda,” “Dune,” “West Side Story” and “tick, tick…Boom!,” which join “Nightmare Alley” in the adapted-screenplay category, and “Being the Ricardos” and “The French Dispatch,” which join “Don’t Look Up,” “Licorice Pizza” and “King Richard” as original-screenplay nominees.
Eligible screenplays that were missing from the slate of nominees include Joel Coen’s Shakespeare adaptation, “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” and Mike Mills’ original story, “C’mon C’mon.”
Because the WGA created its award to be a prize for its members and those who write under its jurisdiction, a Writers Guild nomination is a less accurate predictor of Oscar success than noms from the other three major Hollywood guilds, the Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild and Directors Guild.
- 1/27/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh and Joe.
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Nightmare Alley (1947) – Stuart Gordon’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Drive My Car (2021)
Wicked Woman (1953) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
The Great Dictator (1940)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Dennis Cozzalio’s Muriel Awards capsule review
Vertigo (1958) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Brian Trenchard-Smith’s review
The Man Who Would Be King (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
The Young And The Damned (1950)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Golem (1920) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Sunrise: A Song Of Two Humans (1927)
Alucarda (1977)
Greed (1924) – Dennis Cozzalio’s Muriel Awards capsule review
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
District 9 (2009) – John Sayles...
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Nightmare Alley (1947) – Stuart Gordon’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Drive My Car (2021)
Wicked Woman (1953) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
The Great Dictator (1940)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Dennis Cozzalio’s Muriel Awards capsule review
Vertigo (1958) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Brian Trenchard-Smith’s review
The Man Who Would Be King (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
The Young And The Damned (1950)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Golem (1920) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Sunrise: A Song Of Two Humans (1927)
Alucarda (1977)
Greed (1924) – Dennis Cozzalio’s Muriel Awards capsule review
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
District 9 (2009) – John Sayles...
- 1/25/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
In 2013, four years before he announced his retirement from acting, Daniel Day-Lewis set a record with his Oscar victory for “Lincoln” by becoming the first three-time Best Actor champion. The last quartet of contenders he beat consisted of previous winner Denzel Washington (“Flight”), past nominee Joaquin Phoenix (“The Master”), and newcomers Bradley Cooper (“Silver Linings Playbook”) and Hugh Jackman (“Les Misérables”). With Day-Lewis now out of the picture, all but Jackman have emerged as hopefuls in the current Best Actor contest, creating the possibility of another three-way showdown.
According to our racetrack odds, the actor from this trio with the best shot at landing in this year’s lead lineup is Washington, who stars in Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and places fourth in our ranking. This would be his ninth acting nomination following supporting bids for “Cry Freedom” (1988) and “Glory” (1990) and lead ones for “Malcolm X” (1993), “The Hurricane” (2000), “Training Day” (2002), “Flight,...
According to our racetrack odds, the actor from this trio with the best shot at landing in this year’s lead lineup is Washington, who stars in Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and places fourth in our ranking. This would be his ninth acting nomination following supporting bids for “Cry Freedom” (1988) and “Glory” (1990) and lead ones for “Malcolm X” (1993), “The Hurricane” (2000), “Training Day” (2002), “Flight,...
- 1/22/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Exclusive, Some Spoilers Included: The difference in stumping for awards in years past, compared to now — when a Covid encore with the catchy Omicron variant sent everyone back to their homes — is evident when Nightmare Alley star Bradley Cooper, director Guillermo del Toro and producer J. Miles Dale materialize on a Zoom call. It becomes clear they haven’t seen each other in person for awhile. “There he is, El Capitan,” Cooper says to del Toro; Dale tells Cooper they have to talk about Alvin Williams, the former Toronto Raptors player turned TV commentator who was Cooper’s high school friend back in Philadelphia. “I’m driving in, listening to the local sports radio here and [Williams] is talking about this guy Brad, his high school buddy who helped him study, and then it dawns on me he’s talking about you, and I’m like, dang.” Says del Toro: “Did they say anything about me?...
- 1/17/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the stars of Guillermo del Toro’s new noir, he has been a captivating character actor for 40 years, but is rarely put up before the press. We find out why …
Fugitives facing the firing squad have looked more relaxed than David Strathairn does right now. One of the most perspicacious character actors of the past 40 years, he has been exceptional so often on screen that any attempt to list the highlights runs the risk of simply transcribing his IMDb page: Nomadland, LA Confidential, The River Wild, Sneakers, a batch of rigorous dramas by his longtime friend John Sayles (including Matewan and Limbo), a fling with Carmela on The Sopranos, a career-best performance as a predatory teacher in the indie gem Blue Car, and an Oscar nomination for Good Night, and Good Luck. Today the 72-year-old, who resembles a lean, lined Cary Grant, is sitting bolt upright and strangely...
Fugitives facing the firing squad have looked more relaxed than David Strathairn does right now. One of the most perspicacious character actors of the past 40 years, he has been exceptional so often on screen that any attempt to list the highlights runs the risk of simply transcribing his IMDb page: Nomadland, LA Confidential, The River Wild, Sneakers, a batch of rigorous dramas by his longtime friend John Sayles (including Matewan and Limbo), a fling with Carmela on The Sopranos, a career-best performance as a predatory teacher in the indie gem Blue Car, and an Oscar nomination for Good Night, and Good Luck. Today the 72-year-old, who resembles a lean, lined Cary Grant, is sitting bolt upright and strangely...
- 1/14/2022
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will be factors in this year’s movie awards race.
“I wanted to render a classic story in a very alive and contemporary way – I wanted people to feel they are watching a story pertinent to our world,” says Nightmare Alley director and co-writer Guillermo del Toro, whose penchant for stylishly crafted horror stories took a turn for the decidedly noir with his latest film.
Del Toro and his writing partner Kim Morgan, an accomplished film journalist and essayist, turned to author William Lindsay Gresham’s fatalistic 1946 novel – now widely regarded as a classic of the hard-boiled, doom-suffused noir genre and the basis for the equally admired 1947 film starring Tyrone Power. Gresham’s tale follows the ascent of rough-hewn carnival roustabout Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) into a successful, polished café society mentalist, and his...
“I wanted to render a classic story in a very alive and contemporary way – I wanted people to feel they are watching a story pertinent to our world,” says Nightmare Alley director and co-writer Guillermo del Toro, whose penchant for stylishly crafted horror stories took a turn for the decidedly noir with his latest film.
Del Toro and his writing partner Kim Morgan, an accomplished film journalist and essayist, turned to author William Lindsay Gresham’s fatalistic 1946 novel – now widely regarded as a classic of the hard-boiled, doom-suffused noir genre and the basis for the equally admired 1947 film starring Tyrone Power. Gresham’s tale follows the ascent of rough-hewn carnival roustabout Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) into a successful, polished café society mentalist, and his...
- 1/14/2022
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
After appearing in Adam McKay’s satirical comedy “Don’t Look Up” and Guillermo del Toro’s psychological thriller “Nightmare Alley,” Cate Blanchett could make history at the Screen Actors Guild Awards should either movie receive a bid for film ensemble come Wednesday. It would break her tie in the category with Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt of six nominations each. If both movies receive ensemble nominations, however, Blanchett will also become the 19th person in SAG Awards history to snag double nominations in the same year, and the fourth person to do it in the last three years.
The actors who’ve already accomplished this impressive feat are:
Ed Harris in 1995’s “Apollo 13” and “Nixon”
David Paymer in 1995’s “Get Shorty” and “Nixon”
John C. Reilly in 2002’s “Chicago” and “The Hours”
Meryl Streep in 2002’s “Adaptation” and “The Hours”
Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges in 2005’s “Crash” and “Hustle & Flow...
The actors who’ve already accomplished this impressive feat are:
Ed Harris in 1995’s “Apollo 13” and “Nixon”
David Paymer in 1995’s “Get Shorty” and “Nixon”
John C. Reilly in 2002’s “Chicago” and “The Hours”
Meryl Streep in 2002’s “Adaptation” and “The Hours”
Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges in 2005’s “Crash” and “Hustle & Flow...
- 1/11/2022
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
From a ghost story set against the closing months of the Spanish Civil War to a romance amid Cold War-era American patriarchy, Guillermo del Toro does not let his movies' settings go to waste. His latest is "Nightmare Alley," an adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel of the same name, starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and Toni Collette. The film focuses on a carnival worker (Cooper) who hooks up with a shady psychiatrist (Blanchett) amongst the shadowy world of show business.
As that enjoys its current run in theaters, del Toro keeps his plate full with another feature, a...
The post Guillermo del Toro's Stop-Motion Pinocchio Movie Will Explore Heavy Themes About Humanity appeared first on /Film.
As that enjoys its current run in theaters, del Toro keeps his plate full with another feature, a...
The post Guillermo del Toro's Stop-Motion Pinocchio Movie Will Explore Heavy Themes About Humanity appeared first on /Film.
- 12/29/2021
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Guillermo del Toro’s noir thriller “Nightmare Alley” has just revealed to Gold Derby the names of the nine cast members who are eligible for the ensemble prize at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards. SAG Award winner Bradley Cooper leads a cast that also boasts the likes of three-time guild champ Cate Blanchett and past nominees Rooney Mara and Richard Jenkins. See the alphabetical list below.
With such a starry ensemble, “Nightmare Alley” would seem especially appealing to the acting guild. According to Gold Derby’s current combined odds, we anticipate the film is competitive in at least three races at the upcoming ceremony: the overall ensemble, Cooper for lead actor and Blanchett for supporting actress.
Watch Richard Jenkins on his character in ‘The Humans’ and ‘Nightmare Alley’: ‘Both have tons of fear and tons of desire’
Adapted from William Lindsay Gresham’s novel of the same name from...
With such a starry ensemble, “Nightmare Alley” would seem especially appealing to the acting guild. According to Gold Derby’s current combined odds, we anticipate the film is competitive in at least three races at the upcoming ceremony: the overall ensemble, Cooper for lead actor and Blanchett for supporting actress.
Watch Richard Jenkins on his character in ‘The Humans’ and ‘Nightmare Alley’: ‘Both have tons of fear and tons of desire’
Adapted from William Lindsay Gresham’s novel of the same name from...
- 12/27/2021
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
With "Nightmare Alley," Cam McLauchlin had quite an epic film to shape in the editing room. It's a sprawling journey, starting with the ambitious Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) going from a carnival to fooling members of high society to experiencing a hard-hitting downfall. Not to mention, it's an ensemble film packed with atmosphere and an infectious passion for detail. Co-writer/director Guillermo del Toro's vision, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel, is dense but moves with grace, thanks in large part to McLaughlin's contributions.
The editor sees himself as a drummer in a band, especially when working with del Toro: He wants to...
The post Nightmare Alley Editor Cam McLauchlin on Killing His Darlings And That Incredible Final Shot [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The editor sees himself as a drummer in a band, especially when working with del Toro: He wants to...
The post Nightmare Alley Editor Cam McLauchlin on Killing His Darlings And That Incredible Final Shot [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 12/20/2021
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Saturday Am: Refresh for chart and more analysis: If you’re wondering whether the Omicron variant is slowing down this weekend’s box office, the answer is ‘No’.
Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home charted the second best opening day in the history of the domestic box office with $121.5M (including $50M previews) after Avengers: Endgame ($157.4M) and ahead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($119.1M). That’s also the highest opening day ever for the month of December. This now puts the Jon Watts directed Tom Holland-Zendaya-Benedict Cumberbatch and all-star Spidey villain movie at an estimated $242M–$247.5M+ over three days, which would make it the fourth highest U.S./Canada opening of all-time behind Avengers: Endgame ($357.1M), Avengers: Infinity War ($257.7M), and Star Wars: Force Awakens ($247.96M). The expectation is that Saturday eases 40% from Friday+preview’s figure, however, in most cases when...
Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home charted the second best opening day in the history of the domestic box office with $121.5M (including $50M previews) after Avengers: Endgame ($157.4M) and ahead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($119.1M). That’s also the highest opening day ever for the month of December. This now puts the Jon Watts directed Tom Holland-Zendaya-Benedict Cumberbatch and all-star Spidey villain movie at an estimated $242M–$247.5M+ over three days, which would make it the fourth highest U.S./Canada opening of all-time behind Avengers: Endgame ($357.1M), Avengers: Infinity War ($257.7M), and Star Wars: Force Awakens ($247.96M). The expectation is that Saturday eases 40% from Friday+preview’s figure, however, in most cases when...
- 12/18/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Of all the oddball flourishes across Guillermo del Toro’s filmography, it’s perhaps most surreal that he has taken this long to run away and join the circus. In re-adapting William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel of a carnival barker-turned-mentalist, The Shape of Water and Crimson Peak helmer seems a safe bet to follow down the wild, murky corridors of Nightmare Alley. Ever the rapturous stylist, del Toro lends an undeniable dreamlike sheen to this retelling, even managing to sharpen the claws on some of the key scenes shared by its 1947 predecessor. Yet what remains contains no more truth or deep connection than one of Stanton Carlisle’s (Bradley Cooper) spook shows. That role, it seems, is one of Nightmare Alley’s main sticking points.
Seeing Tyrone Power sweat, scheme, and sneer is one of the original film’s key treasures. Having shepherded the project in ’47, Power was actively challenging himself with an against-type role.
Seeing Tyrone Power sweat, scheme, and sneer is one of the original film’s key treasures. Having shepherded the project in ’47, Power was actively challenging himself with an against-type role.
- 12/17/2021
- by Conor O'Donnell
- The Film Stage
"Step right up and behold one of the unexplained mysteries of the universe! Is he a man or beast?" This is the ultimate question to ask at the end of this film. Beloved Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has returned with his latest movie, Nightmare Alley, his 11th feature so far. It's a re-adaptation of the novel written by William Lindsay Gresham (first published in 1946), but also connects directly to the classic 1947 film also titled Nightmare Alley (which is a part of the Criterion Collection). I've seen both films and they're quite similar, but del Toro's update is much more slick, much more beautiful-to-look-at – shot in color with all of his usual visual tricks and atmosphere. And it focuses much more on the Icarus-esque journey of the main character "Stan" Carlisle, rather than the eclectic mix of carnies that he befriends during the first half. Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley...
- 12/17/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Guillermo del Toro‘s new movie Nightmare Alley is now available in theaters, offering up a dark Christmas noir just in time for the holidays (our review). If del Toro’s vibrant, colorful take on William Lindsay Gresham’s novel isn’t noir enough for you, a new version is on the way. Searchlight Pictures will give a limited theatrical […]...
- 12/17/2021
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” exists in a kind of moral murk as its central character goes on a journey that will earn him wealth and influence but will also plunge him into a dark crisis of the soul.
Now, the film will get a re-release with a color palette that more completely reflects that ambiguity. Searchlight Pictures announced Friday that it will oversee a special limited run of del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” in black and white. A color version hits theaters this weekend. The black-and-white iteration, dubbed “Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light” will screen in select theaters across Los Angeles in January of 2022. What del Toro is attempting here has some precedent. Neon released a black-and-white cut of Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” after the color version of the film became an awards season juggernaut.
The venues that will show the black-and-white “Nightmare Alley” include...
Now, the film will get a re-release with a color palette that more completely reflects that ambiguity. Searchlight Pictures announced Friday that it will oversee a special limited run of del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” in black and white. A color version hits theaters this weekend. The black-and-white iteration, dubbed “Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light” will screen in select theaters across Los Angeles in January of 2022. What del Toro is attempting here has some precedent. Neon released a black-and-white cut of Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” after the color version of the film became an awards season juggernaut.
The venues that will show the black-and-white “Nightmare Alley” include...
- 12/17/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
2021 has been a rocky year at the box office, but it is all set to end on a high note. Despite the disappointing returns of the last two weekends, which were the lowest grossing since September, the next two weekends may very well become the year’s biggest. Leading the charge and gearing to break pandemic-era box office records is Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, swinging into theaters in the prime pre-Christmas slot.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the eighth live-action Spider-Man film and the third film in this MCU connected series (all directed by Jon Watts thus far) which stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Zendaya as Mj, and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in addition to a slew of MCU characters who show up. This installment ups the ante even more, with a spell from Dr. Strange that goes wrong and opens up a portal to other Spider-verses.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the eighth live-action Spider-Man film and the third film in this MCU connected series (all directed by Jon Watts thus far) which stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Zendaya as Mj, and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in addition to a slew of MCU characters who show up. This installment ups the ante even more, with a spell from Dr. Strange that goes wrong and opens up a portal to other Spider-verses.
- 12/16/2021
- by Sam Mendelsohn <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
You may remember that Guillermo del Toro’s last film — the strange, somewhat surprisingly Oscar-laden adult fairytale The Shape of Water — ended, appropriately, in water: a plunging turquoise expanse, an eternal resting place for two doomed, sinking, but finally unencumbered lovers. His latest film, however, begins on literal fire, consuming the rickety remains of a wooden cottage, where an occupied bed also surrenders to the blaze. The keeper of the flames, as it were, will soon to be introduced to us as Stanton Carlisle, looking on at his handiwork with...
- 12/16/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Rollingstone.com
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