Sunset Boulevard 4K UHD Review
“Sunset Boulevard” is one of the best films of all time.
Written by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett and D.M. Marshman Jr., 1950’s “Sunset Boulevard” follows a young down on his luck screenwriter named Joe Gillis who lives in Los Angeles. The cynical Joe is broke and in desperate need of money as his car is about to be repossessed. While evading the repo men, he takes a turn and winds up in a dilapidated mansion belonging to a former silent movie star (Norma Desmond). The very wealthy Norma turns out to be working on a script that she envisions as her big return to film and Joe decides to help write the script to take care of his money woes. Moreover, Joe is essentially forced to stay at Norma’s home. It is a decision he would ultimately regret. The delusional, jealous, unstable, stuck in the past, yet tragic Norma controls and spoils Joe leaving him to feel uncomfortable and resentful at first. The two eventually end up seeing one another, but Joe starts to feel trapped and isolated. When Joe bumps into an energetic script reader (Betty) who believes in Joe’s work, his interest in writing is revived. Betty, who is engaged, also develops a crush on Joe and vice versa which complicates both of their relationships to put it mildly.
Directed by one of the best filmmakers in cinema history (Billy Wilder), “Sunset Boulevard” is a flat out masterpiece. It’s arguably the best film about Hollywood (even though it explores the dark side of Hollywood), it’s one of the best American studio films ever made, and it also happens to be a personal top 20 film for yours truly. The script is about as perfect as it gets. It’s funny and clever, the dialogue is snappy, the characters are extraordinarily deep (especially Joe, Norma and Max), the film noir angle adds more depth to an already fascinating story, and the film’s themes about change, aging, the past and broken dreams hit hard. This is the rare film that is as close to perfect as you can get (and that’s no hyperbole). Billy Wilder had a way with words and actors that few storytellers can ever replicate.
Speaking of actors, this is an actor’s movie through and through. As mentioned in reviews throughout the years, William Holden is one of my favorite actors and this is one of his peak performances. Sure, Joe’s a bit of a jerk, but he has a heart. He’s been through a lot in his life and career and you can see why he is the way he is. Gloria Swanson was never better than she was as Norma. The final scene alone is nothing short of iconic. Eric von Stroheim gives a superb performance as Norma’s secretive and protective servant Max. There’s a lot of fantastic cameos throughout too including a very memorable key one by Cecil B. DeMille himself.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.37:1 2160p. How does it look? Fans can expect a glorious restoration of this B&W classic.
Audio Tracks: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Restored Mono Dolby TrueHD. How do they sound? Both the 5.1 and Restored tracks are crisp and clear. Multiple language track options for Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese and German are also included.
Extras (On The Blu-ray):
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* Theatrical trailer and production, movie and publicity photo galleries.
* 1 deleted scene and script pages for an alternate opening scene (morgue prologue).
* A scripted commentary by Billy Wilder biographer Ed Sikov.
* “Sunset Boulevard: The Beginning”- A featurette about Billy Wilder, the cast and the script.
* “Sunset Boulevard: A Look Back”- An expansive featurette that covers the production, themes, reception, awards and more.
* “The Noir Side Of Sunset Boulevard”- Writer/former cop Joseph Wambaugh discusses the noir elements and more.
* “Sunset Boulevard Becomes A Classic”- A featurette with interviews and discussions about the film becoming a cinematic classic.
* “Two Sides Of Ms. Swanson”- A featurette on Gloria Swanson’s personal and professional life.
* “Stories Of Sunset Boulevard”- The title says it all.
“Mad About The Boy: A Portrait Of William Holden” is all about the great actor William Holden.
* “Recording Sunset Boulevard” covers Franz Waxman’s score and the re-recorded score.
* “The City Of Sunset Boulevard” involves the location shooting and “Hollywood Location Map” is an interactive map of locations.
* “Franz Waxman And The Music Of Sunset Boulevard”- A featurette about composer Franz Waxman.
* “Behind The Gates: The Lot”- A brief history of Paramount Pictures.
* “Edith Head: The Paramount Years”- A featurette on the famed costume designer.
* “Paramount In The ‘50s” is all about the classic Paramount films from the 1950s.
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