Review of Sunset Boulevard (1950) by Shane S — 25 Jul 2010

Holy....holy.

Billy Wilder might have been writing one of the most original dramas since the beginning of film, but he peppered it up with his trademark wit so much that it became a satirical black comedy chock full of Hollywood in jokes and kicks to the nuts of everybody, ranging from Paramount Pictures (especially) to ever the greatest star of them all (definitely).

This film is about a down-on-his-luck screenwriter who comes up with all these horrible stories but amazing ways to convey them (like the delving into the psyche of the killer that his screenwriting partner does not think too highly of) who becomes the in-house screenwriter for a similarly-untalented (or worse) actress-turned-storywriter/oil tycoon, not knowing that she has the bank balance of Warren Buffett and the ego of God. So, yeah. She babies ol' Joe while Joe exploits (or, better yet, TROLLS) her for a new Cecil B. DeMille film that she'll be starring in...yet won't be made. So, quite obviously, Norma offs Joe in a pool and goes quite insane. I mean, uber-insane. Like, Hit-Girl insane. You know, INSAAAAAAAANE.

So, yeah. This is the 1950s Chris-chan/Travis Bickle/any figure you love to hate but cannot live without.

WATCH THIS NOW.