Nightmare Alley (Fox Searchlight, 2021), Guillermo del Toro's Personal 192-Page Notebook with Hand-Drawn Preliminary S...

Description

Nightmare Alley (Fox Searchlight, 2021), Guillermo del Toro's Personal 192-Page Notebook with Hand-Drawn Preliminary Storyboards. Before scripting, Guillermo del Toro dreams on paper-filling dozens of sketchbooks with visual ideas, themes, and inspirations. From these exploratory drawings, he refines his thoughts into a screenplay, then translates it into detailed preliminary storyboards-an essential step in shaping his cinematic vision. For Nightmare Alley, del Toro used this 192-page, 7.5" x 10" Moleskine notebook with dotted pages to storyboard the entire film using every page (including inside covers) to do so. Labeled "NA 1" on the spine in what appears to be liquid paper, and "Nightmare Alley / Book 1", this working document reveals the full breadth of his visual thinking: rough, hand-drawn sketches-composed of stick figures, shot compositions, blocking, and camera movements-map out nearly every scene, sequence, and transition in the final film. One hand-labeled sequence, "Copacabana," shows Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) in a tuxedo and blindfold performing his mentalist act, complete with notes on close-ups, crowd positioning, and a final zoom-out master shot. Another scene traces the calculated intimacy between Stanton and femme fatale Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), sketched with floor plans and movement diagrams within her office. Another surreal sequence depicts Stanton encountering a white rabbit in a hallway and following it into a dreamlike vision of his former circus colleagues-hinting at the film's deeper blend of mystical and psychological layers. While most drawings are spare and schematic, the notebook includes one highly detailed pen sketch that stands out for its refinement and depth. The final pages are filled with dense notes and long numbered lists written in black felt-tip pen, detailing shooting locations, measurements, and other production-related information. Several pages throughout show signs of use, with some torn or partially removed-evidence of the notebook's active role during the film's development. Though minimal in style, the storyboards closely align with the finished film, underscoring del Toro's masterful control over his visual storytelling. Offering a rare and unseen glimpse into Guillermo del Toro's multi-stage, comprehensive creative process, this notebook stands as a significant primary document of contemporary filmmaking-capturing an intimate look at the artistry in process and a pivotal stage in translating his singular imagination from mind to screen. Exhibits extensive handling, with bumped corners, light wear to the cover, pages beginning to separate from the binding, and numerous dog-eared pages. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.

"This was difficult for me. I thought that the last thing I would release would be my notebooks and my on-set storyboards, which are rarely seen - but I thought, just as I did with my Sunday Model Kit... 'well, this shows my process, my thoughts, my enthusiasms...' and thus, here it is. I storyboard every day for 2-3 hours and edit every day for just as long. I say that I 'edit on paper'. This is how. You can see how I stage and solve every scene. Hope you enjoy!" From the personal collection of Guillermo del Toro.

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