Nightmare Alley
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 30th, 2005
Synopsis
Tyrone Power is the amoral Stan, a carny worker who will use anybody, especially women,to facilitate his climb to the top. Joan Blondell is the carnival medium who teaches him the tricksof the trade. He dumps her for Coleen Gray, and is soon a performer in the big nightclubs. Butthat isn’t enough for him, and he overreaches when he allies himself with Helen Walker, anunscrupulous psychologist who is an even smarter operator than he is.
A noir-drenched rise and fall …ale, this is grim and compelling stuff. Power is a charismaticcad, one that we enjoy watching in action, all the while eagerly awaiting his comeuppance. HelenWalker, meanwhile, dominates her every scene so completely that you laugh at the idea that thepoor sap ever thought he had a chance against this supreme predator. A great, cynical moralitytale.
Audio
As ever, there is the choice between the original mono and a 2.0 stereo mix. The latter isacceptable, creating a richer sound experience, and being free of background hiss and distortion,but does fall prey to the usual surround voices (though these are not the most severe I’veheard).
Video
The picture is in much better shape than The Street With No Name. There is somegrain and very minor damage (the odd case of guitar strings) and there is a bit of edgeenhancement visible. But the print is generally in very good shape, there is no flicker, and theimage is clear and sharp.
Special Features
Fox Noir regulars James Ursini and Alain Silver provide yet another fine commentary, onethat is interesting not only for the information they provide but also for their disagreements.Thetrailer for this and other Fox Noir releases round out the package. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
An excellent entry in the series, and a release whose arrival will be welcomed by many whohave long wanted a chance to see this film.
Special Features List
- Audio Commentary
- Trailers
