Pat H. Broeske ~ Phbauth@aol.com ~ (714) 543-6690

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The hypnotic allure of 1947’s “Nightmare Alley”

I’ve long been intrigued by the Forties film “Nightmare Alley” – I’ve screened it for my “Film as Literature” class several times – so I’m pleased to trace the picture’s journey from the big screen to cult status and beyond for the Spring issue of Mystery Scene.

Got some great sources to weigh in on both novel and film version, as well as the book’s enigmatic author, William Lindsay Gresham. Among the folks I talked to: film noir authority and author Alain Silver; Gresham’s agent (now 85) Charles Schlessiger; and prolific author/interviewer Tom Weaver, an expert on classic horror/sci-fi who finds elements of the latter in the movie.

The issue’s just hitting newsstands. I hope you’ll find my piece mesmerizing!