Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard, is one of those movies that is more so fascinating in what it's trying to convey than it's actual story. it was the first film to ever portray it's own industry in a fundamentally negative light. this unfortunately makes the film very much a downer, and the fact that it's presented in a Film Noir style. But that doesn't make the film bad; Fight Club proved that  even Cynicism can be entertaining. Lets get right into it here's the story.  

The story deals with the events that lead up to the murder of Joe Gills, a down on his luck screen writer.  six months earlier, while attempting to hide from repossessors, he stumbles upon the dilapidated mansion of the silent film starlet, Norma Desmond. Washed up and with little to no fan base, Norma has become a delusional recluse certain that she will have another picture to perform in soon. seeing the potential of Gill she urges him to live with her and finish a screen play she is convinced will put her back on top. what follows is a series of strange and and dream like observations of the dark side to Hollywood. as Joe falls deeper into Norma's Web Norma herself seems to fall into a darker insanity that  is willing to consume Joe in order to contain itself. 

What keeps you interested in this very strange and dark picture. Is the dream like atmosphere it makes. never once do you feel as if you're based in reality. Thats not to say that anything supernatural happens but that it's over all view of the world is a little bit of balanced, not unlike Norma Desmond. It's strange for me to say that while i don't find anything unlikeable about the characters, i can't help but find any that I identified with. by far one of the best decisions for this film was to base it in the Noir style. which even though having been founded long before this, was and is still a useful story style.  

The themes presented in this film are wildly interesting. the observation of what happens to an actress once she's fallen from popularity is not a new one at all. but the way they show the utter devastation it has on her, and how the industry bares no remotes in it's part in her insanity. the over all cynicism while uncomfortable, does feel justified. 

another element that this films brings to the table, is the relationship between the two leads. It's definitely one of the more uncomfortable relationships in cinematic history. but what really makes it just sad is Norma and Joe's udder desperation for each other and yet that knowledge that deep down they loath each other. Norma craves to keep Joe with her despite the fact he's only interested in selling  screen play. she despises his constant need to get away and even goes so far as to attempt suicide in order to keep him. Joe on the other hand feels trapped to her. He knows that she is the only thing keeping him a float, but at the same time he's completely aware that she is crippling his abilities to move foreword. Together they make a bad combination that is doomed for disaster. 

That's Sunset Boulevard. Iknow my review was brief. but really I don't have much to say about this film. it's a pretty strait foreword. definitely not one of my favorites but for you? it might be something worth checking out.