There's never a better time to dive into a twisted thriller than during Halloween, and if you're looking for something sinister to stream, Hulu just added the perfect film to watch. "Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light" is a masterpiece from Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro and this psychological thriller is perfect for spooky season movie marathons.
Even better, the version of the film Hulu is streaming is the black-and-white extended director's cut. This version of the film was so popular when it was initially released in 2022 that it quickly expanded from a Los Angeles-only affair to showing on over 1,000 theater screens.
'Nightmare Alley' was made for the beauty of black & white filmmaking
For the record, you don't need to see "Nightmare Alley" in black-and-white to enjoy the movie. It's an excellent film with an incredible cast, and Cooper and Blanchett are worth the price of admission alone. The call sheet is a murderer's row of acting talent; I haven't even mentioned Rooney Mara as Molly, Stan's girlfriend and assistant, Willem Dafoe as the leader of the traveling carnival or Richard Jenkins as Ezra Grindle, a wealthy Buffalo industrialist trying to speak with the spirit of a woman from his past.
But as incredible as these performances are, it's the visuals of this film that make it a must-watch. Visually, "Nightmare Alley" is stunning, both in its scenes at the carnival and in its rendition of 1940s Buffalo's iconic architecture and Art Deco styling.
However, while this looks incredible in color, having seen both versions, I find the wash of color in the theatrical cut to be jarring. The neo-noir "Nightmare Alley" is much more suited for the vibrant yet brooding black-and-white film of "Vision in Darkness and Light."
I'm not alone in that thinking either. This is the director's cut, after all; Del Toro wants it to be seen in black and white. Plus, getting to stream this in 4K is a rare treat for Hulu subscribers. The streaming service only offers limited content in 4K resolution.
So if you've never seen this Best Picture nominee before, or need a stylish thriller for your Halloween movie marathons, go ahead and add "Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light" to your watchlist now. Or, if you prefer physical media, go check out the new release of "Nightmare Alley" in 4K at the Criterion Collection, which includes a 4K digital master of "Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light."
Watch "Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness and Light" on Hulu now
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