Average Rating: 
Rating: - Fascinating and Extremely Entertaining!
This biting dark comedy is an example of Hollywood at it's best. Gloria Swanson delivers a powerhouse performance of gothic creepiness as aging silent-screen star Norma Desmond, ironically Swanson was big in silent films herself. William Holden also delivers a classic performance as Joe Gillis, a writer-gigolo that parks his car in the wrong house. Eric von Stroheim, silent film director of such classics as 'Greed', plays Max the Butler, Norma Desmonds greatest fan. A work of art by Billy Wilder, and probably his greatest movie. An extremely clever and witty screenplay creates fascinating characters and fills the movie with inside Hollywood jokes. One of the All Time Greats. Extras: spot Buster Keaton playing bridge. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!
Rating: - It's hard to achieve film perfection - this nearly does!
Billy Wilder's drama about a hack screenwriter and an aging movie star shouldn't really be as good as it is - but there is not a single film critic I've ever read or encountered who would say that this film wasn't in their top 10 of the finest films ever made.Gloria Swanson portrays Norma Desmond, a wealthy, aging silent film actress who yearns for a return to the screen. As luck would have it, a destitute screenwriter (William Holden) with the possible talents to assist her in crafting the film that will help her arrives at her doorstep. The script treatment that Norma has created is terrible. The script for Sunset Boulevard is pure gold! Holden is miraculously animate in this film (I don't think he really put forth much effort in his craft). Swanson delivers the performance she was born to give (she was nominated for an Oscar). At the time, the part was considered poison for any actress who would take the role - as it would be acknowledging not only age in the actress, but a non-existent career. In short, the script was considered to be too close to home for most actresses beyond 30. Peppered throughout this film are some of the greatest casting roles ever delivered: Cecil B. DeMille plays himself wonderfully. Erich von Stroheim plays Max, Norma's devoted butler (von Stroheim was not an actor, but rather one of Hollywood's golden directors - and a scandalous one at that) and milks the role for all it's worth. Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton and many others pop up in roles as themselves. Perhaps, though, the real stars of the film are Norma's mansion and her car (an Isoto Franchesa)upholstered in real leopard skin. Sadly the mansion has long since been demolished for the construction of Century City. Sunset Boulevard is to remain a classic forever. And it almost seems that the film was created to forever cement the image of "old" Hollywood, so that future generations could discover what real movie stars were and what it meant to have that kind of power.
Rating:  - Classic film ... ok DVD
Long awaited, much anticipated, Sunset Boulevard rises on DVD, for a whole new generation to marvel and wonder. Billy Wilder's classic film, dark comedy, sad social commentary on how the Hollywood machine eats up people without thought, looks impressive in this format. However, the DVD ultimately disappoints by offering a smattering of bonus features not worthy of this piece of cinema.Telling the story of a deranged, May-December romance between a has-been movie star and a hack writer, Sunset Boulevard was one of the first films to bite the hand that was feeding it, and left a gaping wound in the process. As Glenn Close firmly states, Norma Desmond is one of the best drawn characters in human history. She is comic, tragic, melodramatic, and ultimately insane, a depth of a role any actress should have eaten up. But, it's Gloria Swanson's shining moment on the screen. Her command of the role, her subtle insanity, is the mark of a masterful actor at work. Who tires of watching her famous staircase decent, her decent into delusion? William Holden also nails his role. Without him, this film would be off kilter and unbelievable. He's asked to play a struggling writer, a lover, and a sarcastic wiseguy through this picture. Much credit should go to him, and Erich von Stroheim, for tour de force performances. While the film holds up extremely well, the DVD 's bonus features are somewhat lacking. The documentary, while revealing, is somewhat short. The best part of it was hearing the reflections of Nancy Olson, even more beautiful now than she was in the film. The additional commentary, by Billy Wilder historian Ed Sikov, is sporadic. When he does speak, he does illuminate certain features, but not nearly enough. Perhaps a better choice would have been Sam Staggs who wrote the definitive book on this movie, "Close-up on Sunset Boulevard". And why wasn't Nancy Olson included on the commentary? Certainly she would have much to add about the making of this movie. The film easily scores a five star rating, they don't get much better than this. The DVD brings it to a three star rating, but don't be swayed. If you are a fan of the movie, the DVD certainly must be added to your collection. If you are not, rent the DVD and enjoy, and pity, the tragic life of Norma Desmond, created by a Hollywood system gone wacky, which, I'm afraid, hasn't changed all that much.
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