Sunset Boulevard

Part film noir, part gothic horror, and final parts razor-sharp black comedy satire on Hollywood and you end up with one of the most unique and iconic films ever made. Much of cast is essentially playing themselves either literally or figuratively with a little (or larger) wink and a nod. From the same director / co-writer Billy Wilder who did films ranging from the likes of "Double Indemnity" to "Some Like it Hot" to "The Apartment" he always managed to push boundaries both with different subject matter as well as with the censors. Wilder's scathing takes on Hollywood's deepest darkest places and the soul crushing lack of humanity in that industry ended up still being positively acknowledged in its day by the movie critics and community albeit with some blowback from certain Hollywood bigwigs. And we the movie audience can reap all the rewards. The last line of the film uttered by Norma Desmond is so iconic it has become part of movie history along with other Wilder great last lines including "Shut up and deal" and "Well, nobody's perfect".This very fine Paramount Blu-ray restoration presents a dupe negative rescanned at 4K. Grain is light and tight with some great greyscale and blacks on the night scenes and interiors. Detail is solid with no real film damage or noise present. The mono Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is clear and solid with good fidelity and resonance. There are some two-dozen entertaining featurettes on various aspects of the film, actors, etc. and a solid film commentary. This is a must own for any serious collection and just a great film in general to experience at least once if not many, many times.

William Holden nails it in this movie. His Joe Gillis is a role that heralds the emergence of a great actor. In her autobiography, Gloria Swanson wrote that Holden was “brilliant in this picture, and I adored him.” She went on to say later that “she could have fallen in love with him.”Stories like this abound about Sunset Blvd. How Monty Clift bowed out of the lead, how the opening scene was changed, how the two Bills became lifelong friends, etc etc etc.But for me the real buzz is how Holden transformed himself overnight from nice-boy (in all those 40’s movies) to jaded cynic. Did director Wilder coach him? Did the actor do a ton of research? My suspicion is that Holden succeeded because the role of a burnt-out screenwriter resembled what he himself had become by 1950, a cut-rate, B-level actor. His own frustrations seem mirrored in the life of Joe.Holden is an unemployed screenwriter when he stumbles into a movie star’s grand mansion. There he meets Gloria Swanson, an aging “slightly cuckoo” actress. She yearns for a comeback and impulsively asks him to edit a screenplay she’s written. Hard-pressed with debts on his car and apartment, Holden agrees to take the job. Swanson pays him well, but at a cost. He becomes her kept man. Then at the studio, he meets another writer, Nancy Olson, whom he falls for. Racked with self-reproach, he must decide what to give up: love, pride, or clandestine income.In writing this screenplay, Wilder drew studio flak for his jaundiced portrayal of Hollywood---the smooth-talking agents, the overeager screenwriters, the self-absorbed actors, and their extravagant, pressure-cooker lives. But the script is funny and acerbic, and Holden dishes out the best zingers, either in voice-overs or dialog:“Poor dope. He always wanted a pool. Well, in the end, he got himself a pool, but the priceturned out to be a little high.”“Next time I’ll bring my autograph album. Or maybe a hunk of cement and ask foryour footprint.”“Sometimes it’s interesting to see how bad, bad writing can be. This promised to go the limit.”“You want to recover the knife you stuck in my back a while ago?”Had Holden himself been a kept man? M. Capua’s biography states the young actor, eager for work, had “serviced” older actress. Murky stories about struggling actors who served as paid “escorts” provided fodder for Hollywood’s gossip mill. But this film goes one better. In Wilder’s hands, it’s a lurid but terrific depiction of art imitating life.Sunset Blvd----Don’t miss this sensational Hollywood landmark!

Any movie that's starts with a monkey funeral is OK in my book. Glory Swanson is very sexy as a middle age has been actress. Her performance is one of the best in movie history.

This is a must-see classic!

An amazing Hollywood classic. Nothing more needs be said by me.

Great classic movie for your collection. Not for kids, however.

"Sunset Boulevard" has a number of good things going for it. First is the story. William Holden's character knows he is stuck in the rip current that is Gloria Swanson's character, but he seems unable, or unwilling, to do much about his situation. Like all good-great tragedy, the "Iliad" comes to mind, the main character has serious flaws that lead to his downfall. Second is the script. A bad script means a bad movie, no matter how good the actors are. This movie has a good script. Third is William Holden. What a great actor! Even though he is rated the #25 greatest male screen legend, I think he should be higher. Understated and underrated, that's William Holden. So there you are: good-great story, good-great script, great acting. What else do you need in a movie? I know: good directing (Billy Wilder), good cinematography, good editing, etc., but you get the point. This movie has all the big items checked off. Did I mention, the movie is ranked #12 in the American Film Institute's list of 100 best American films? Yes, it's that good!

I have seen this movie many times on CABLE, shows good, no problems with the quality of it, very happy with it