Nightmare Alley | Welcome To The Basement

[@DrLipkin]

In honor of Brendan Frasier's recent Oscar win, I'd love if you guys would watch the remake of Bedazzled from 2000. I think it would be fun to watch a remake of a movie that you previously covered on the show.

[@Arosukir6]

Seconded! I remember really liking that movie as a kid.

[@WUStLBear82]

Tyrone Power's best-known role might be his next-to-last, _Witness for the Prosecution_ , but he's got competition from Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester and Marlene Dietrich in that one.

[@SleepFan771]

I'd say Tyrone Power was known for being the first dashing, swashbuckler Zorro in the widely beloved The Mark of Zorro (1940). I believe Power's best acting is in Nightmare Alley (1947), The Razor's Edge (1946), & Witness for the Prosecution (1957). He was far more versatile in these than Zorro.

[@vinnydaq13]

“The question is, were you lying then or are you lying now? Or are you not in fact a chronic and habitual LIAR!!!!” 🤨

[@lifeboate]

Gipsies from ee-giped really got me 😂 great episode guys!

[@Brandon12983]

The carnival in del Toro’s remake feels like it’s meant to be magical, in contrast to the original where it’s eerie and dreary. The B&W definitely is an asset there.

[@NapiurPictures]

Thank you for responding to my comment yet again! Your picks for a Lovecraft movie adaptation are awesome! I agree with Craig, I would totally watch a whole movie about Pickman’s Model. I love how one of the “terrorifying truths” of it was not just Pickman, his wicked art or the monstrous creatures - it was the fact, there were tunnels under Boston. I love that idea and somehow find it relatable

[@mikenolan73]

I would add a counterpoint to Matt's suggestion of the "Pickmans Model" ep from GDT's Cabinet of Curiosities. I found it a *terrible* adaptation of the original story. Loses all the terror of the original story and the relationship between the narrator & Pickman is gone. The "autopsy" ep with F Murray Abraham on the other hand I loved. Well worth a watch.

[@alexanderforbes1452]

I don't know if I was just in a good mood today or if this episode was just especially good but I have to say I really enjoyed this one, gentlemen. Very funny, always love a trip to the basement, but there was a little more of the special sauce this time.

[@JayPal3]

I loved "get your ass to Mars"!

[@rattypumpkin6183]

"Pickman's Model" was also adapted on Rod Serling's "other" anthology series Night Gallery.

[@vincentzombi3916]

So glad someone mentioned it! Love night gallery

[@filmpositive6601]

I have never seen the original Nightmare Alley, but I LOVE Del Toro's version of this story. I saw it in the theater twice; once on opening night, then again a month or so later upon it's re-release in a black and white format. I thought both presentations suited the film, but the black and white matched its dark tone even more so. One of Del Toro's best films, in my opinion.

[@slc2466]

As a huge fan of the original I was very curious to see what del Toro would come up with, and was pleased to see how adeptly he (aided by co-screenwriter Kim Morgan who, among her other talents, is a classic movie fan well-aware of the original version's merits) updated the material. I highly recommend giving the 1947 film a good look as well!

[@curseyoujordanshow]

It's kind of a perfect movie. I can't think of one way it could have been improved.

[@Brandon12983]

I was just thinking how much better B&W works for this movie, can’t wait to watch del Toro’s alternate release.

[@waynechapman9823]

The original "Nightmare Alley" is like the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers": An excellent film undermined by an ending that softened the impact of what came before. But I have both on DVD and I'll stick with 'em!

[@SleepFan771]

I love this original Nightmare Alley. One of the greatest film noir pictures. The effects and music are neat, but it's Tyrone Power's performance that shows both charming manipulation and desolation of the soul.

[@slc2466]

Matt pondered regarding Power's signature role. I think today it would clearly be "Nightmare Alley," which was a failure upon release but now rightly rates high as one of film noir's best, with Power given credit for giving probably his best performance. As one of 20th Century Fox's top leading men, Power was normally pegged to play in traditional leading man mode and didn't get the chance to show his dramatic abilities to the extent he does as Stan, although I think he does a great job in the title role of 1939's "Jesse James," which was the huge hit "Nightmare" should have been, IMO.

[@cfraute]

one bit of credit you can give del toro's version is that he doesn't pull the punch on the ending

[@diego-search]

"Nightmare Alley" was Power's favorite role/movie, as it allowed him to show his acting talent, a legacy coming from a family of esteemed actors. But the studio/Zanuck wanted to keep their handsome leading man in positive roles, and limited Power to what they thought the public would pay to see. Cinema Cities (on KZbin) study of Power/Nightmare Alley/Zanuck explains this very well.

[@DavidDotCalm]

Prey is a perfect case against aggressively marketing your movie. Imagine going into that film thinking it was a coming of age movie about a young woman trying to prove herself to her tribe, then BOOM! Predator! It could have been the perfect film

[@vampricramen]

Just once I would like to go into a film having no idea that it's a secret sequel to a favorite franchise.

[@toddevangelista]

Pickman's Model was also done on Night Gallery. H.P. Lovecraft got over his racism to such an extent that he didn't want to publish "Shadow Over Innsmouth" which he felt was a return to the old HPL. "Shadow Over Innsmouth" would be my choice to do as a movie.

[@patgalvez4563]

That starred Bradford Dillman. He was all over network TV in the 70's...

[@Tensen01]

Check the movie 'Dagon' it's adapted from Shadow Over Innsmouth, set in the Spanish town of En Boca ;)

[@vampricramen]

"Shadow Over Innsmouth" is simultaneously Lovecraft at his best and worst.

[@chancep4050]

Always think of Mark of Zorro as Tyrone Power's signature film

[@CidsaDragoon]

I have an old record of a reading of the Rats in the Walls and it always creeped me out really hard too.

[@stevnated]

I dunno why, but the way Matt says "family" when he's talking about Avatar is cracking me up!

[@jensibowable]

Fell asleep during avatar 2 in the most beautiful theater, it was all talking for so so long. Also i was on edibles, in Amsterdam. Beautiful beautiful theater, slow movie

[@westernnoir4808]

Tyrone Power died at 44 so that was one of the reasons you may not know him. At least Bogie and Flynn lived to be 57 and 50, which is still young. The Razor's Edge is a great Power film. Unfortunately remade starring Bill Murray. Craig has a little of Tyrone Power himself, it's a shame he's not more well known. Sadly he's left this show.

[@Raktus]

That moment when I get excited for the movie, then realize I was thinking of Damnation Alley

[@danelykins4409]

I had no idea until this that it was a remake

[@MammaApa]

The Rats in the Walls is a scary one but he really liked to mention that cat's name over and over didn't he.

[@rkgaustin9043]

@08:32 is my new ringtone

[@Tensen01]

I mean, I can't get behind that outlook on Prey. That is dangerously close to being like "Why don't they speak like Savages?" I mean, you're supposed to accept that they are speaking their own language and we're just hearing English. You think their language doesn't have advanced concepts? What do you want, them speaking like Tanto from the Lone Ranger? I genuinely can't imagine what you want them to speak like. Also, only just 300 years, not 400.

[@mikenolan73]

Yeah I completely agree. It might also play into that "noble savage" stereotype a little too much. I'd rather listen to the Commanche language dub than have them speak in some sort of stilted english. I did like the fact that the french trappers didn't get subtitles (on Disney at least) as Naru doesn't understand their language and it adds to their menace.

[@slc2466]

Don't worry about the "Tyrone Powers" error Craig; Sally Fields and Donna Summers understand.

[@tjg555]

Matt wears that shirt like it's an old piano cover. :D

[@kefka989]

I keep asking this and I will continue to ask this, but Mobile Suit Gundam: The movie; Seen it?

[@wilmgrau6206]

Great show, my favorite Tyrone Power movie is the Black Swan, with Prince of Foxes a close second.

[@hermes_job_observer144]

@15:28: 👐😂😂😂👐

[@suedenim]

I can't remember where or what the movie was, but I recently saw a video overview with a scene where the key tarot card was not Death or the Hanged Man, but the Fool.

[@seanhenry2921]

The rare noir hitherto unseen by Matt!

[@jeffthevideoguy23]

Do you think that the first 5 minutes of "Ishtar" are hilarious? Just wonnerin.

[@bensneb360]

I’d still love to see Guillermo del Toro make “In the Mouth of Madness”, of all the creative people in Hollywood at this time, I feel Guillermo is the best at capturing the feel and look of Lovecraft.

[@vampricramen]

You mean "At the Mountains of Madness". "In the Mouth of Madness" is the John Carpenter film. However I definitely agree.

[@bensneb360]

@@vampricramen 🤦‍♂Right, At the Mountains of Madness, I always mix those two names up. Yes, that's what I meant. Yeah, it would be dope to see.

[@jensibowable]

Omg ive just seen this

[@tehhhhhd]

Craig has two boys now???

[@cthulhucollector]

He cloned a new one.

[@andrewday3603]

I enjoyed the original more than the remake. I thought Power is really good in this.

[@TheJoeDean]

I'm continuing my obligation of recommending RRR, which is probably too long for the show, but not for Seen It.

[@nintendolunchbox]

Wow. Matt. Your opinion about avatar was exactly what I thought about the first movie. It’s pretty but the plot was lazy.

[@alexandermizanoski2408]

for Petes sake.

[@NathanEHarvey]

I know what you did.

[@doublestarships646]

I think it's important to acknowledge Lovecraft's racism but more importantly to look at him as a living lesson of what happens to a talented person when they're mentally ill and carry immense xenophobia. His writing is amazing but we can also make fun of how hilariously stupid he was lolol. Dude married a Jewish woman so you can tell his views battled with reality which is tragic.

[@basquat76]

That is so true that writing is becoming a lost art. I just watched the new scream film so lazy written. It's straight out of game of thrones writing school. They have ideas and moments they wanna get to but doesn't care how they get there. I guess they just assume people don't care, which evidently is correct, including most film critics.

[@stormcloudsabound]

Writing isn't becoming a lost art--the people who are getting their scripts adapted are nepo babies. The truly good scripts (EEAAO, for example) are few and far between because they're overlooked in favor of well known IPs.

[@basquat76]

@@stormcloudsabound EEAAO? The problems is the critics accept it and so does the audience. I mentioned scream cause i love the first scream film and we won't even get one where they actually try and write a scream story, instead we get this silly film who could have been called anything.