Nightmare Alley: the first opinions on Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy thriller have been released

The mysterious Nightmare alley has finally been shown to the press and who says first screening says first opinions.

Guillermo del Toro is quite possibly one of the nicest directors around. Not content with being only the most comely face that it is possible to find in the world of Hollywood, the latter is recognized for his ability to absorb us into his unique and personal universe.

He is able to carry out orders for Hollywood with flying colors (he also finds Ron Perlman in Nightmare alley that he insisted on having as Hellboy) while rewarding us with horrific and sensational works managing to juxtapose a historical and fantastic context (like films such as Pan’s Labyrinth or The Shape of Water).

Chtulhu’s call can’t twist your mind more than Cate Blanchett on a couch

His fascination with monsters, poorly lit alleys and time have abundantly nourished his productions, and Guillermo del Toro has established himself as a nugget of fantasy and horror, until feeding our fantasies of seeing him adapt cult works like that of Lovecraft.

But before you go exploring The Hallucinated Mountains, it’s time to do the press review of Nightmare alley, his adaptation of a novel from the 40s recounting the strange relationship between a small-time crook (played by Bradley Cooper) and a femme fatale psychiatrist (we will not shy away from our pleasure of finding Cate Blanchett in the exercise) in a hideous monster show. Has the American press been sensitive to it?

And we forgot to talk about Rooney Mara …

NIGHTMARE ALLEY rules. A film full of dark and stormy nights, freak shows, con artists, and Cate Blanchett seductively blowing cigarette smoke. Style out the wazoo here.

– Chris Evangelista (@ cevangelista413) December 2, 2021

“Nightmare Alley marches thunder. A movie full of dark nights and storms, monster shows, crooks, and Cate Blanchett seductively blowing her cigarette smoke. Style galore.” Chris Evangelista – SlashFilm

.@RealGDT & @SunsetGunShot have knocked it out of the park with their remake of #NightmareAlley. A superb black. Bradley Cooper & Cate Blanchett are divine. Tamara Deverell’s production design, Luis Sequeira’s costume design & Dan Laustsen’s cinematography all earn top marks. pic.twitter.com/CRF8RNVVNk

– Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) December 2, 2021

“Guillermo Del Toro and Kim Morgan [co-scénariste du film, ndlr] have made a masterstroke with their remake of Nightmare Alley. A superb film noir. Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett are divine. The sets by Tamara Deverell, the costumes by Luis Sequeira and the photography by Dan Lausten are all some of the best of the year. ” Courtney Howard – Variety

NIGHTMARE ALLEY: What starts off as a confounding, skips-several-beats thing turns into Del Toro’s most beguiling English-language film. The trick: When Cate Blanchett enters the picture. (Warning: My TIFF crowd only politely applauded, and this hometown crowd usually goes nuts.)

– Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) December 2, 2021

NIGHTMARE ALLEY: What starts out as a breathless, but confusing thing turns into one of del Toro’s most alluring English films. The Hint: When Cate Blanchett appears onscreen. (Note: Audiences from the Toronto room only politely applauded, when she usually explodes). “ Barry hertz – The Globe and Mail

Willem Dafoe came out of his lighthouse to continue to give us the chips

Appropriate that Cate Blanchett looms over this crowd because she looms large in NIGHTMARE ALLEY itself, treating the film’s eye popping production design like it was all custom made for her femme fatale to slink on. She’ll slink on layers, on desks, on walls, on B Coop, on air

– Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) December 2, 2021

“It’s fitting to say that Cate Blanchett dominates this crowd because she’s so prominent in NIGHTMARE ALLEY itself, the stunning settings in the film seem to have been tailor-made for his femme fatale to squeeze in. And she does. will sneak up on sofas, on desks, on walls, on Bradley Cooper, on air. “ Kyle Buchanan – The New York Times

Immaculately constructed, Searchlight has a ★★★★★ across-the-board #Oscars contender in #NightmareAlley, @RealGDT has done it again with Bradley Cooper’s career-best performance, stellar cinematography & flawless editing, last awards film in & it’s a massive, MASSIVE winner pic.twitter.com/HvULKz0hN8

– EW (@ErickWeber) December 2, 2021

“Immaculately constructed, Searchlight Pictures has a 5 star Oscar contender in Nightmare Alley, Guillermo del Toro pulled off yet another masterstroke with Bradley Cooper’s best performance in overall cinematography. Stellar and flawless editing, one of the last award-winning movies of the year, it’s a huge, HUGE victory. “ Erick weber – AwardsAce

#NightmareAlley is nice and dark and moody and twisty and Bradley Cooper is really good as a hustler who kisses half the cast while Cate Blanchett steals it as always but the real MVPs are Buffalo’s classic architecture, the steady snowfall, and its stunning production design.

– Kevin Polowy (@djkevlar) December 2, 2021

“Nightmare Alley is cool and dark, has character, is devious and Bradley Cooper is really good as a con who kisses half the cast while Cate Blanchett steals the movie as usual. But the real highlight of the movie is the classic Buffalo architecture, snowfall, and absolutely stunning scenery. “ Kevin polowy – Yahoo

Well, the reviewers are right that the sets seem to have a fabulous design.

Guillermo del Toro’s #NightmareAlley is haunting & seductive in the way it draws you into its story about a man lost in his own long con. Steadily unsettling & wildly gripping by the end – the scenes between Bradley Cooper & Cate Blanchett are fantastic. Deliciously old fashioned pic.twitter.com/pcyYSGZX3U

– Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) December 2, 2021

Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is haunted and alluring in the way it draws you into a story about a man lost in his own scam. Cleverly unsettling and fiercely catchy at the end – the scenes between Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett are fantastic. Deliciously old school. “ Erik Davis – Fandango

Nightmare Alley is all round brilliance. guillermo del toro has made an unbelievably beautiful and incredible film. The production design is breathtaking. The performances are a spectacle with Bradley Cooper delivering one of the best of the year.

– Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) December 2, 2021

“Nightmare Alley is brilliant in every corner. Guillermo del Toro made an incredibly beautiful and amazing film. The sets are breathtaking. The performances are spectacular with a Bradley Cooper delivering one of the best performances of the year. “ Jazz Tangcay – Variety

Reminder that The Shape of Water won 4 Oscars, enough to set up a coffee table

Doesn’t the American press have a natural tendency to be quickly rave and nominating “serious Oscar nominees” three times a week? If, of course, however, we are happy that it is about a production of Guillermo del Toro as we adore the Mexican director, because he is a regular of quality productions in an original universe not found elsewhere, and because he’s devilishly adorable.

As for Cate Blanchett as a femme fatale or Bradley Cooper as a petty crook, hard not to be thrilled by both the cast and the base material, a short story from the 40s against a background of a monster show which leaves Guillermo del Toro in an XXL comfort zone, the latter being very accustomed to treating the question of the fantastic in the mode of the history of the 20th century (as he did in Pan’s Labyrinth Where The Shape of Water).

We should also find a colossal work of photography and lighting to never show too much or too little, while giving exposure to the sets, a not easy task when you know Guillermo del Toro’s love for them. poorly lit shots. To let yourself be drawn into an evening at the circus and more if affinities, meet in the dark rooms from January 19, 2022.