The Occult is a favourite trope in the Noir genre. Plots will often feature mystical objects, superstitions, grifters pulling cons like card/shell games, mind reading, hypnosis or seances, and fortune tellers reading palms, crystal balls, or tarot. Nightmare Alley, both the original movie and the recent remake, is a good example of this -- its plot includes mind reading, hypnosis, communicating with the dead AND tarot!
Which brings me to my most recent tarot deck purchase . . . .
This delightful deck mimics the art-and-design style of classic pulp fiction covers once common in action/adventure, horror, romance and crime/detective novels. It's a fun deck to use or even just to look through. (Martha of Mystical Empowerment blog has posted video reviews of this deck if you want to see all the cards -- click here for a full length review or here for a quick flip through).
Nine of The Pulp Tarot cards in particular scream NOIR to me. Here they are in all their shadowy, decadent, demi-monde glory --
Incidentally, I highly recommend both versions of Nightmare Alley, if you haven't seen them. The 1947 original is shown from time to time on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) channel. Guillermo del Toro's 2021 remake is currently streaming on Disney+ in Canada or Hulu in the States. Nightmare Alley is heavy on its use of the occult trope because it is a classic of the sub-genre known as "carny noir" -- films/novels set in shabby/shady carnivals, circuses, amusement parks or other such seamy entertainment venues.
So many things to see and read,
ReplyDeleteI'll have to see if I still have "friend" access to HULU. I have Netflix, which was $7 now $14, and Amazon Prime for the free shipping but get video along with it. I don't get my money's worth from Netflix anymore and hardly ever watch Prime.
ReplyDeleteThe set of cards are suitable for framing. I think I will check out both versions of the film. I think I saw the first but can’t remember clearly. Maybe I was hypnotized at the time.
ReplyDeleteI love the imagery of the movie posters--though the older ones are better--and on the Tarot cards.
ReplyDeleteThese images are truly Noir. Love them from that era.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful art
ReplyDeleteI seldom mix both genres when I read them. But what pictures!
ReplyDeleteThe tarot cards are beautiful. I just bought the deck from Etsy. I have some birthday money, you see.
ReplyDeleteLovely to look at.
ReplyDeleteI thought for sure that the wands of the "Wands" cards would mostly be cigarettes. But it looks as if this was not the case. I don't know that I love noir films but the art style is compelling, and the ladies sure are buxom.
ReplyDeleteDear shewhoseeks, i love this! I am taking a mental health break for a short time and won't be commenting. But i wanted to tell you how much i appreciate this community. See you soon.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous -- Yay, that's great! Enjoy your deck and happy birthday!
ReplyDelete@ Old Lurker -- You're absolutely right! Cigarettes would make the PERFECT Wands in this deck, LOL! That's a genius thought.
ReplyDelete@ Richard -- Hope you feel better soon! See ya when you're back in the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteSuch fun art, real collector's items.
ReplyDeleteThat deck is dynamite, Dollface!
ReplyDeleteI noticed that in the original film's poster, the women have higher billing than the men. So unusual and so appropriate.
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I haven't seen either Nightmare Alley.. haven't seen a movie the kids haven't picked out in a very long time. TV shows have gotten so much better they take up most of my screen time.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of The Third Man.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9yyDEDGlr0&ab_channel=StudiocanalUK
@ Liz Hinds -- Yes, a classic Film Noir!
ReplyDeleteI still love the Noir mysteries of old. You still occasionally find noir short fiction in Ellery Queen mystery magazines.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
What a fun Deck, Debra! Thanks for sharing this. I love noir. Dad kept a steady supply of the noir/pulp magazines in the bathroom when I was growing up. They were much more fun than the "Readers Digests" my grandmother MacDonald kept in her bathroom. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've seen many 1940s noir movies, but not Nightmare Alley. I'll have to seek it out.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine read my fortune with Tarot cards once. Scared the crap out of me as it was bang on target. I was considering something very foolish which thank Goddess did not happen. I've not had any fortunes told since as I don't want to know
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the remake but have never seen the original. I thought the sets and cinematography were amazing and right up my dark twisted alley!
ReplyDeleteGah! That deck looks cute. But I cannot add another deck to my collection.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're enjoying the deck, Debra! I adore it. It's climbed into my top 10 list for favourite tarot decks. It's pretty amazing.
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