Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Where do i start ? Is it the narration, dialogs or the style so rare; or is it the direction and acting, that made us stare ?! Sunset Blvd. is a complete package of all proportions. This movie still remains as one of the most eerie film in the cinema history and still a realistic depiction because of its reflection of Hollywood. It can give you the idea of the dream land's transformation into a nightmare. It begins with a rather thrilling note showing a homicide scene in a huge bungalow. Its the flashback that takes us right from the start till the moment the cops find the dead body in the pool.
What i loved about the movie was the underlying sarcasm in most of the dialogs in the first half. Coming to the music; the background score for a 1950 movie was truly remarkable as it gets you totally into the mood of the ongoing scene. Needless to say it won the oscar for best music as well ! The director Billy wilder has outdone himself on this one as he literally brings to life this most realistic tale of a Hollywood life. Its movies like these that make you wonder why the hell people even 60 years later cant make a movie with such a simple plot, yet not disappointing on any aspect.
When i was watching this movie, i couldn't help but notice that the narration was so captivating that you would give it your undivided attention as almost every detail and emotion of the scene was being described in crisp detail ensuring that they stick to the point and yet keep us entertained ! William Holden plays the role of an aspiring movie writer who is in a desperate need for work. And let me tell you, more than his acting, its his voice that keeps you hooked all along ! Gloria Swanson on the other hand portrays the character of 'Norma Desmond '; a compulsive and egoistic actress with a suicidal tendency who is looking for a comeback in Hollywood after almost 20 years. Although being nominated for an oscar for this role, its a pity she dint go on to win it.
The story, set in '50s Hollywood , focuses on Norma Desmond , a silent-screen goddess whose pathetic belief in her own indestructibility has turned her into a demented recluse. The crumbling Sunset Boulevard mansion where she lives with only her butler, Max who was once her director and husband has become her self-contained world. Norma dreams of a comeback to pictures and she begins a relationship with Joe Gillis , a small-time writer who becomes her lover, that will soon end with murder and total madness.
What i loved about the movie was the underlying sarcasm in most of the dialogs in the first half. Coming to the music; the background score for a 1950 movie was truly remarkable as it gets you totally into the mood of the ongoing scene. Needless to say it won the oscar for best music as well ! The director Billy wilder has outdone himself on this one as he literally brings to life this most realistic tale of a Hollywood life. Its movies like these that make you wonder why the hell people even 60 years later cant make a movie with such a simple plot, yet not disappointing on any aspect.
No comments:
Post a Comment