The first screening was heavily censored. Read an excerpt from “The Nightmare Lane”

When the charismatic Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) meets an extraordinary marriage on his way: future-seeing Zeena (Toni Collette) and her husband, former telepath Pete (David Strathairn), decides to change his hitherto unlucky life. Together with the loyal and noble Molly (Rooney Mara), she begins to use the naivety of the New York elite to get rich, and her newly acquired knowledge quickly turns out to be a ticket to success. Soon, however, Stanton will go a step too far when, under the influence of a mysterious psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett), he decides to defraud a dangerous financial tycoon (Richard Jenkins).

This is a description of the plot of the film, which will be released on January 28. The first adaptation – heavily censored – was made in 1947. The much darker script directed by Gulliermo del Toro was based on a novel which, although written in the 1940s, is still relevant. We are publishing a pre-premiere fragment in a new translation by Ryszard Oślizło.

“Nightmares” by William Lindsay Gresham, Mova 2022 Publishing House – excerpt:

“Well, folks, the first thing I’ll show you is how to make money.” Is there a daredevil who will trust me and lend me a dollar bill? He’d get it back … if he could run fast. Thanks, mate. Now attention… I have nothing in either of my hands or sleeves.

He showed his hands were empty, except for the dollar he borrowed, and pulled up his sleeves. In the folds of the left one was a roll of bills, which he now skilfully ejected.

– Okay, I’ve got a dollar here … But wait a minute, buddy. Are you sure you only gave me one? Yep, you are. Maybe you don’t have more, huh? But here are two: one, two! Convert for yourself. Nice trick, especially when the week ends.

Someone will laugh at this old-world trick? And how, every fifth. That’s the truth. Every fifth is a born loser.

He pulled out the bills one by one until a green fan rose from them. He handed the youngster his banknote. As he did so, he turned so that his left side could not be seen from the audience and gripped the metal tube in his hand, which hung on the elastic band at his left hip.

– And that’s it, they appeared out of nowhere. Let’s see what happens to them when we roll them up. One, two, three, four, five, six. They are all converted. Now we’re rolling… ”He slipped the bills into the tube in his left hand. – Blow into your hand … – The released tube tapped lightly on the hip under the coat flap. – Here you go! They evaporated!

There was a single applause, as if people were ashamed of them. Suckers.

– Where are they? Just think, I’m standing here day in and day out, wondering where the money is!

It’s Thurston’s gag. And for God’s sake, I’ll be slapping him until at least one – one and only – beetroot in this gang gets a hold of it. They never glow anything. But this banknote trick is making a splash. They are so poor that anyone would gladly conjure a little penny out of the air. I don’t take mine out of thin air there. But I’d rather it than get tired of real estate. Like my old man with his transactions. On Sunday he served church sheep, and during the week he sheared naive sheep. Fuck him, the homegrown preacher.

“Now look here, if you please.” Here is a bunch of steel hoops. Each one is separate, not connected with the others, solid. I have one, two, three-four, five, six-seven here. That’s right? Now I’m taking two. Knock! And they are connected! Maybe my dear lady will take them and tell me if there are any joints or signs of opening there? No? Thank you. Smooth. And again, two separate circles. And bang! Connected again!

You have to stop, they are getting impatient. But what more could you possibly want from life? Everyone is staring at you. How does he do it? He’s good. They don’t head too much. For them, it’s magic, I give you my word. It’s just life. They stare and listen, and you can squeeze whatever you want on them. They will believe. You are a magician. Joins and disconnects the hoops. He conjures up dollars from the air. Magic. You have them in your hand – as long as you wind up.

– And now, folks, eight small circles, each one separate; but when I cast a magic spell, they will fly upward and merge into one unbreakable whole. And there you go! Thank you for your kind attention. I still have a book worth its weight in gold here. It is a collection of magic tricks with which you can easily dazzle the company in your club, hotel or Bible club … or at home, if you prefer. Practice an hour for better practice and a world of fun, magic and secrets will open up to you. That book cost a dollar, but today I’m giving it back to you for next to nothing, only twenty-five cents. With eggs, folks, because I know that you are waiting for the performance of Madam Zeena, the clairvoyant, and she will not start until everyone who has a taste for this book buys it. Thank you, sir. And your lady. Anyone else? So good. But wait, folks, where are you going? The next number isn’t in twenty minutes. Meanwhile, take a look at the adjacent scene over there. Madam Zeena, a miracle of nature, ruler of time. She sees, knows and will reveal to you the innermost secrets of what was, what is and what will be. Madam Zeena!

Stan leapt lightly from his small podium and pushed his way through the crowd to a miniature stage covered with auburn velvet. A woman emerged from the draperies. The audience moved to a new place and froze in anticipation, staring at the figure standing in front of them; some raised a handful of popcorn to their mouths, then moved their jaws with a dull expression on their faces.

The woman was tall, wrapped in a flowing white robe with embroidered astrological symbols on the hem. A cascade of light-copper hair fell over her back, and her forehead was wrapped in a gilded leather band studded with colored glass. As she raised her hands, the loose sleeves slipped down to reveal her shoulders. She was thick-boned, but her freckled white skin arms appeared agile. Blue eyes, an oval face and a mouth a bit too small made her look like an elaborately made doll. Her low voice was a hint of warmth.

“Come closer here and don’t be shy.” If any of you want to ask me something, Mr. Stanton is already handing out cards and envelopes. Write down what’s bothering you, but don’t let anyone else see what’s in it, because it’s your business. I don’t want anyone to ask me about other people’s things. Let everyone watch their nose, it won’t get in any trouble. Once you have written the question, add your initials or sign your name as a sign of goodwill. Then give the sealed envelope to Mr. Stanton. And you’ll see what comes next. And while I’m waiting for you to write your questions, let me tell you something. You don’t need to write anything at all, but it will help you focus on what’s bothering you instead of thinking about blue almonds. It’s the same as with the name of a person you just met: better write it down, don’t you?

Every fifth head nodded as if captivated, and the rest just watched – some indifferently, but most of them with questions written on their faces.

Questions? They all have them, Stan thought as he handed out cards and envelopes. Who among us does not have them? Answer someone’s question and it will be yours, body and soul. Well, maybe not quite, but still.

– Yes, ma’am, you can ask what you want. We guarantee complete confidentiality. We will not reveal anything to anyone.

“First of all,” Zeena began, “there is a woman among us who is worried about her mother.” He mentally asks me, “Will my mother get better?” Isn’t that right? Where is the woman?

A hand raised timidly. Zeena indicated her eagerly.

– Well, madam, let me say this: your mother worked hard all her life and suffered a lot, mainly because of money. But there’s something else there, wait a minute, I can’t see clearly …

Stan looked at the woman who raised her hand. The farmer’s wife. Sunday outfit, out of date for ten years. Zeena could be used here – this woman was asking for it.

– Madam, I would say that your mother needs a long respite. I am not saying that it is a simple matter, because there are payments, diseases in the family, and doctor’s bills are rising. I know how it is, because I had a lot of troubles myself, like all of us, until I learned to lead my life according to the stars. But I think if you and your brothers … ah, no, you have two sisters, right? One? Well, if you and your sister both figure out a way to get her to sleep for two weeks, I think she’ll get better soon. But you have to keep doing what the doctor tells you to do. I mean, the doctor had better look at it and listen to it. Home treatment won’t help much. A doctor will be needed. Maybe he would accept a few bushels of potatoes or a weaner instead of part of the payment. Anyway, I think mum will recover, one has to hope. If you come to see me right after the show, maybe I can say something more. It also doesn’t hurt to look at the stars lest you do something at the wrong time of the month. I see Mr. Stanton already has a handful of questions, so if he brings them to me here, we’ll keep answering.

Stan pushed his way through the crowd to the curtained door on the side of the proscenium. Unplaned steps behind them led to the stage. It was dark in there and smelled of cheap whiskey. There was a square window under the steps, and behind it – below the stage – was a tiny room. The swollen unshaven face of a man dressed in a spotless white shirt loomed in the window. He held out his hand with a bundle of envelopes. Without a word, Stan handed him the ones collected from the audience, took the tricks and entered the stage a second later with them. Zeena walked over to the table on which stood a metal bowl and a dark bottle.

– We will ask this gentleman to throw all the questions in this bowl here. By the way, let me tell you that people sometimes ask me if what I’m doing has anything to do with spiritism. I always tell them that they are less spiritually and more spiritually. Now, I’m going to pour it over your questions and throw a lit match into the bowl. See how they burn for you won’t see them again. So if you were afraid that someone would read your cards or that I would see what you wrote on them, you can breathe. I haven’t even touched any of them. I don’t have to, because I’m receiving fluids now.

Nightmares Alley – cover mat. press releases