Absolutely magnificent! A true classic featuring wonderful performances, a well-written story and a superb debut for Paramount’s Centennial Collection. A fantastic DVD release that fans of the film will definitely want to pick up!
© 1950 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Sunset Boulevard – PARAMOUNT CENTENNIAL COLLECTION #1
DURATION: 110 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Full Screen Format, Dolby Digital: English, French and Spanish Mono, Subtitles in English, French and Spanish, 2-Discs
COMPANY: Paramount Home Entertainment
RATED: NOT RATED
RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2008
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder and D.M. Marshman Jr.
Produced by Charles Brackett
Music by Franz Waxman
Cinematography by John F. Seitz
Edited by Arthur P. Schmidt
Art Direction: Hans Dreier, John Meehan
Set Decoration by Sam Corner, Ray Moyer
Costume Design by Edith Head
Starring:
William Holden as Joseph C. “Joe” Gillis
Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond
Erich von Stroheim as Max Von Mayerling
Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer
Fred Clark as Sheldrake
Lloyd gough as Morino
Jack Webb as Artie Green
Gloria Swanson gives a career-defining performance as a faded silent screen star Norma Desmond in Director Billy Wilder’s dark and masterful film classic, “Sunset Boulevard”. William Holden is Joe Gillis, the young, down-on-his-luck screenwriter whom Norma drafts to help provide her with a workable script for her planned “return” to the modern-day screen. Erich von Stroheim is Max von Mayerling, Norma’s devoted servant, who harbors a few personal revelations of his own. Hollywood has never taken a more ominous, compelling or electrifying look at Hollywood than in this brilliant, Oscar-winning tour de force that still mesmerizes with its witty, sardonic script, unforgettable cast, and provocative storyline.
In 1950, director Billy Wilder who ha shad a string of cinema hits such as “Double Indemnity”, “The Lost Weekend”, “A Foreign Affair” began work on his next film “Sunset Boulevard” with writers Charles Brackett (“A Foreign Affair, “The Lost Weekend”, “Ninotchka”) and D.M. Marshman Jr. (“Taxi”, “Second Chance”).
For Wilder, it was his interest in how life has treated the talents of the silent film era. After all, it was known that many silent film stars were unable to transition to film when the “talkies” began. Many, who were so popular suddenly saw their careers ended abruptly. So, Wilder wrote a screenplay and an idea from Brackett in looking at Hollywood through the eyes of a forgotten silent-film star who wants to return to the big screen.
It was all about finding the key components to take part in the film and thus Gloria Swanson (known for work in shaping Hollywood, challenging the “Hay’s Code” with her 1928 film “Sadie Thomson” and her affair with Joseph P. Kennedy), who appeared in many silent films, was chosen as the main actress. William Holden (“Network”, “Stalag 17”, “Picnic”), former MGM director/actor/writer Erich von Stroheim (“Greed”, “The Merry Widdow”, “The Great Gabbo”), Nancy Olson (“Portrait of Jenny”, “Union Station”, “Pollyanna”) and would also feature appearances by famous Golden Era director Cecil B. DeMille, former silent stars Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and H.B. Warner.
The film would earn eleven Academy Award nominations (winner of three), included in the American Film Institute’s 100 best American films of the 20th Century (#12) and entered in the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 1989 for being deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.
“Sunset Boulevard” is about screenwriter Joe Gillis (played by William Holden) who is having his share of financial problems. Behind on rent, he’s also being bothered for payments for his car and pretty much down on his luck. His latest script is rejected by Paramount script reader Nancy Olson (played by Betty Schaeffer). Needing money badly, Gillis is one day followed by those demanding money for payment of his car and when he tries to outrace and ditch them, he blows out a tire and ends up in Sunset Boulevard and hides his car in a garage in a mansion he thinks is uninhabited.
But as he goes to the home to see if someone is living there, he is led into the home and is welcomed by the butler Max (played by Erich von Stroheim). He is mistaken as a person delivering a coffin but when he goes to see who the coffin is for, he’s shocked it is for a monkey. The monkey belongs to Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson), a popular and forgotten silent film star who was displaced by Hollywood going towards film with audio (aka “talkies”).
When Norma finds out that Joe Gillis is a screenwriter, she immediately gets him to read her script titled “Salome” which she wants her dear friend Cecil B. DeMille to direct. But Desmond is pretty aggressive, she gets Joe to write the screenplay for her and by the time he wakes up, is shocked that his belongings are at her home. It appears that not only did Norma pay off his apartment debt, she had Max retrieve his clothes and typewriter.
Shocked, confused and angry, Joe can not believe what Norma has done. But at the same time, she’s a millionaire and she’s willing to house him and knows that he has somewhat of a better deal with her than what he has been facing in his personal and business life.
But what shocks Joe is Norma’s inability to forget the past. She is so stuck when she was a silent film star decades ago. She signs her fan mail which she receives from her fans. He makes her watch her silent films, to watch her play bridge with her other silent film star friends and one day, making him dress up for a party which he realizes its for both of them. Now, in her mind, Norma thinks Joe and her are a couple and to make things worse, he finds out from Max that she is suicidal, a recluse and now has become dependent on him for emotional support.
The problem is now Joe is locked into Norma’s web. Stuck inside the mansion, away from his friends and despite receiving all the jewelry, clothes and material things that he wants, he lives in a prison. What happens when the writer wants to have a personal life and get away from Norma?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
If there is one thing to say about the Paramount “CENTENNIAL COLLECTION” releases, many of these classic films have all been digitally remastered and look absolutely magnificent. These films containing the “CENTENNIAL COLLECTION” moniker are the definitive versions to own as they tend to have more features added and overall, like how CRITERION COLLECTIONS have spotlighted on films worldwide and have given top treatment, Paramount has done the same with several of their classic films. With that being said, I can only wish that a Blu-ray high definition transfer is in the works for these classic films because if they have been through a process of remastering, one can only expect how phenomenal these will look via HD.
For now, “Sunset Boulevard – Paramount Centennial Collection” is only available via DVD but this new version is remastered, in fullcreen and features Dolby Digital English/French and Spanish mono. The picture quality for a DVD is actually quite clean for a film over 50-years-old. The film looks absolutely great with blacks nice and deep, grays and whites are vibrant. With the film already remastered in HD, I really hope that Paramount is considering a Blu-ray release of this title.
Overall, “Sunset Boulevard” has been given special treatment and fans of the film will not be disappointed.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Sunset Boulevard – Paramount Centennial Collection” comes with special features on two discs. Here is what to expect on both discs:
DISC 1:
- Commentary by Ed Sikov – The author of “On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder”.  A well-done commentary that features a lot of interesting behind-the-scenes stories of certain scenes, certain dialogue and more.
DISC 2:
- Sunset Boulevard: The Beginning – (22:45) How “Sunset Boulevard” the film came to be. From writing the script and adapting it to film and also the talent of Billy Wilder.
- The Noir Side of Sunset Boulevard by Joseph Wambaugh – (14:19) Mystery writer Joseph Wambaugh talks about “Sunset Boulevard” and how the film that caught his attention and the film’s dark/noir side.
- Sunset Boulevard Becomes a Classic – (14:28) Interview with critic Andrew Sarris who talks about why he enjoyed “Sunset Boulevard”. Featuring interviews with the cast of the film, Glenn Close who played Norma Desmond on the Broadway adaptation of “Sunset Boulevard” and more.
- Two Sides of Ms. Swanson – (10:35) A featurette about Gloria Swanson and interviews with Brook Anderson (granddaughter of Gloria Swanson) who talks about her grandmother and interviews with her fellow co-actors who worked with her on other films and more.
- Stories of Sunset Boulevard – (11:20) The making of “Sunset Boulevard”, discussion about the original opening sequences, cast interviews and more.
- Mad About the Boy: A Portrait of William Holden – (11:12) A featurette about the actor William Holden and how he was cast and discussion of his various films.
- Recording Sunset Boulevard – (5:51) A featurette about the musical score of “Sunset Boulevard”.
- The City of Sunset Boulevard – (5:36) A featurette about “Sunset Boulevard” and the significance of the area.
- Morgue Prologue Script Pages – The original cut of the film featured a different opening. Instead of the pool opening, it was a morgue prologue. The following are the two existing versions of the script from the original monologue.   You can view the script and also the original, uncut shots (without audio).
- Franx Waxman and the Music of Sunset Boulevard – (14:28) Franz Waxman’s son John talks about his father and the music of “Sunset Boulevard”.
- Behind the Gates: The Lot – (5:05) Interviews with former producers who talk about their memories of Paramount Pictures in the earlier years.
- Hollywood Location Map – A map of Hollywood in which people can learn about where the characters lived and where certain places such as Paramount Pictures, Schwab’s Drug Store and Getty’s mansion were located. When you click on the location, you get video and audio about the significance of these areas and what happened to these locations now.
- Edith Head: The Paramount Years – (13:43) A featurette on famous Paramount fashion designer – Edith Head.
- Paramount in the ’50s – (9:36) A featurette about Paramount in the 1950’s. Featuring popular films from the Paramount catalog.
- Original Theatrical Trailer – (3:16) The unremastered original theatrical trailer.
- Galleries – Using your remote, viewers can cycle through images from production, the movie or publicity.
Included with the set is an 8-page guide about the directors and talent of the film.
“Sunset Boulevard – Paramount Centennial Collection #1” was a magnificent start to the Paramount Centennial Collection. Following the steps of the Criterion Collection, Paramount has released a total of nine films (to this date) in a pretty slick presentation, bundled with many special features and the remastering in HD is phenomenal.
For a classic film such as “Sunset Boulevard” which has been released in 2002 and packaged in the first Billy Wilder DVD collection, suffice to say that this Paramount Centennial Collection is the version you must own, if you are a fan of the film. With over a dozen special features, Paramount really went all out with this release and it shows. Finding classic interviews with the cast, interviewing family members and loved ones of the talent, finding the original deleted footage…I’m truly in awe with how much was put into this DVD release. With its remastering in HD, one may wonder if Paramount will be preparing a Blu-ray release.
“Sunset Boulevard” is just a classic film that features magnificent performances by Gloria Swanson and William Holden. The fact that Billy Wilder and his fellow writers took on a film like this and made it feel authentic by casting real life silent film star Gloria Swanson and Cecil B. DeMille (who directed Swanson’s silent films back then) plus bringing in former silent stars Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and H.B. Warner is amazing. But to create a film based on the life of a former silent film star and just exploring that side of life of these forgotten stars is quite interesting.
I like how the film was dark, noir-ish but at the same time, really eerie. To see how Norma Desmond just grappling on to the character of Joe is quite obsessive and disturbing. What I found interesting is that in modern films, the last time I felt this eeriness from a female character was Glenn Close as Alex Forrest in the film “Fatal Attraction” and coincidentally, Close played the character of Norma Desmond in the Broadway adaptation of the film with such rave reviews. Needless to say, the performance by Gloria Swanson as the silent film star who just can’t let go of the limelight and is totally enveloped by her past life is just so creepy to watch, your just captivated to the screen and wait and see if Joe can escape this prison that he subjected himself into. And of course, the bombshell dropped by Erich von Stroheim’s character Max, is indeed a shocker.
As a silent film fan, you often read how many of these talents of the Silent Era (and some from the Golden Era) have shut themselves off in society and became recluse.  Granted, not everyone was as bad as the character as Norma Desmond but makes you wonder how many silent film talents have dealt with losing their careers when audio became part of films. We know that there are stars such as Fatty Arbuckle, Louise Brooks, who were literally forgotten and some movie studios actually have done them wrong after these talents have put so much into the creation of this Hollywood system. So, it was very interesting to see how certain silent film stars especially Louis Mayer reacted to the film. Mayer was infuriated by the film and at Billy Wilder but of course, Billy Wilder had the better end of the deal creating many more magnificent films after “Sunset Boulevard”.
I can go on an on about how well the story was written, how magnificent the performances are and how superb this DVD release is. But I think you got the picture.  “Sunset Boulevard – Paramount Centennial Collection”, the first in the Centennial Collection series is highly recommended!