Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Mystery/ Drama
Yet is soon becomes clear that Del Toro has some reservations about the carnival practices of yesteryear. The freak shows, in particular, do not appear to have his approval. When seeing a so-called “geek” (a caged man who is exhibited as a monstrous apparition) the association with the trapped creature from “The Shape of Water” immediately comes to mind. As in that film, there is empathy for the captive and little sympathy for those responsible.
Our entrance into this carnival world is Stanton Carlisle, who works his way in more or less by accident. In the first shot we see him still dragging a corpse which he then sets on fire, but otherwise he is a completely unwritten page. For the first few minutes not a single word comes out of his mouth and his body language is enough for his interactions. That changes as time goes on, but it is somewhat indicative of the kind of man we a re dealing with.
Stanton becomes intrigued by the work of the fortune teller Zeena, who tells her audience things she couldn’t possibly know, but thanks to a well thought out system she manages to convince an entire audience. Just a matter of creating the right distraction and reading your victim carefully. All these tricks can be learned and the charming Stanton is a fast learner. Once he has mastered the system himself, he turns his back on the carnival world to play the elite of New York with his newfound dignity.
In the second half of the film, it quickly becomes clear that belief in the paranormal he taps into has little to do with intelligence or level of education, but mostly with a deep-seated need for comfort. Stanton’s feigned communication with the deceased is compared at one point to the satisfaction people derive from a weekly church service, which does not seem entirely unreasonable. However, a subplot emphasizes that his plays can have far-reaching consequences.
In doing so, Del Toro throws himself to be remarkably cynical for a filmmaker who usually manages to find hope in unexpected places. But it underscores his ethos: it’s fine when fables offer hope when we know they are nothing but fiction, but it becomes another matter when they are proclaimed as truth. Stanton is probably aware of this to some degree, but his success it too addictive to acknowledge it.
As is often the case, Del Toro boasts a cast full of big names, but even more than before, his film rests on the shoulder of its lead actor. Bradley Cooper, as Stanton Carlisle, puts on, what I believe is his best role to date. He regularly pushes the boundaries of sympathy but never completely loses the viewer. And he is very well-accompanied by Cate Blanchett, who fits in this world without any effort. She really reminded me of Marlene Dietrich here and is the perfect choice for this film noir role.
“Nightmare Alley” is a really good film, which is different from other Del Toro films, but you sense his style nonetheless.
Rating: 4/ 5
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten