Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing and hypnotic!
Review: This is a fantastic film with mesmerizing performances from its stars and sharp dialogue! William Holden plays Joe Gillis, a down on his luck screenwriter who tries to give the slip to some repo men who are after his car. He turns into the driveway of a dilapidated mansion inhabited by Norma Desmond, brilliantly played by Gloria Swanson. Norma was once a glamorous silent film star whose career ended with talking pictures. She lives in the memories of her glorious but faded past, oblivious to the fact that Hollywood and the modern world have moved on. Joe eventually resides in the mansion and serves not only as Norma's companion but also as a gigolo of sorts. Norma showers him with presents and does what she can to keep him there with her. Joe on the other hand, is torn between remaining in the lap of luxury in the dark house with her and her foreboding butler Max, played to perfection by Erich Von Stroheim, or going back to his fledgling career. This is a cinematic masterpiece that captures Hollywood madness and decadence at it's worst. The breathtaking cinematography creates a very dense and eerie film-noir atmosphere. There are also lots of cameo appearances. Don't let this one pass you by!
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Summary: A GOTHIC FAIRY TALE ROMANCE
Review: The greatest movie about Hollywood, SUNSET BOULEVARD is really a Gothic fairy tale about a not-so-innocent boy who gets lost in the woods and sells his soul to a witch. Former Golden Boy William Holden is dead-on (pun intended) as a down and out screenwriter who comes under the spell of Gloria Swanson's frozen in time silent star Norma Desmond. The late great Billy Wilder wrote the screenplay (with Charles Brackett) and directed this must have 1950 masterpiece that has not lost one iota of its power to entertain and disturb. The level of writing is superior and sustained. After they first meet, Holden says, "You used to be big." Swanson replies, "I am big. It's the pictures that got small." Holden mutters, "I knew there was something wrong with them." Erich von Stroheim, who actually directed Swanson in the ill-fated Queen Kelly (1928), steals the show as Norma Desmond's faithful butler, protector (and first husband) Max. Swanson's bold and daring performance was overlooked by the Academy but has since become iconic. She was only 53 when the film was made and close ups of her face reveal undamaged skin -- smooth, wrinkle-free and youthful (she was a health nut). By the way, Desmond's house "in the 10,000 block of Sunset" was really the overgrown and empty home of one of J. Paul Getty's ex-wives a few blocks away on Wilshire. It's now a gas station. The meticulous transfer is crisp and clean and the extras include a fascinating making of documentary and an insightful commentary by Wilder scholar Ed Sikov.
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Summary: Thoughts on Sunset Blvd in DVD
Review: This motion picture is simply a 5 star film by any definition of cinema art... period. Hollywood criticizing itself in the post-war era is amazing enough, but with the perfectly cast players directed by Wilder, this film is sure fire on every note. Swanson in the role of her life, overacting JUST as a former silent film star would, Holden as the impatient and reluctant beau, Stroheim as the former director locked in eternal love, satisfied to simply be at the "greatest star's side"....... and so many other characters playing themselves in real locations make this film authentic and compelling from the opening credit. This DVD release is NOT perfect.. alas, the transfer IS the best I have seen in any format, but in the garage scenes and a few other very dark scenes, there is a sort of fluctuation in the contrast which is distracting at times. I own a state of the art liquid crystal display, so for me it is visible... for most with CRT monitors, it may not be so easy to spot. The other downside is the dry and totally useless commentary by the author of Billy Wilder's book... which could have simply been left off the disc... the only reason to play it would be for someone who is visually impared, I would think....... don't watch it. These 2 points are definitely NOT enough to bring the 5 star rating down, nor do they take away from the beauty of the way this film has been brought to DVD with the stylish menus and extras. The upside is that the sound, menus, and "making of" portions of the DVD are first rate. The menu is similar to a silent film and beauifully created. Totally consistant with the look and feel of the film. ANY SERIOUS FILM BUFF, HISTORIAN, or STUDENT of film MUST see this film. A masterpiece MAY be too trite to describe this amazing work of cinematic art. There are FEW roles for actors that are this unique and spectacular as Swanson's in this film ... I can think of F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus, Peter Finch in Network, Bette Davis in All About Eve and Ben Kingsley in Gandhi among the few that are on this level. See it for this performance if nothing else.
Rating:
Summary: Simply fascinating
Review: SUNSET BLVD. is one of the great cinema classics, period. The noirish look of the film is the best aspect of it. The opening scene beautifully sets the tone of the movie. The shot of Bill Holden's lifeless corpse floating aimlessyly in the pool is one of the best shots in cinema history. Wilder is known for taking brilliant opening shots that nicely set the tone of the film, like the booze bottle shot in the opening of THE LOST WEEKEND. But it is the acting that makes this movie. Gloria Swanson as the faded silent movie star is breath taking. She steals all the scenes from Bill Holden. Don't get me wrong, Holden is brilliant as well, but the character of Norma Desmond is what makes this picture. There are some other stunning performances as well. Erich von Stroheim's butler is fantastic. The cinematography too, is amazing. The script by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder is the base for this classic. It is a very good script. This movie is the real definition of a classic. Kudos to Billy Wilder and thank you for blessing us with this movie!
Rating:
Summary: A personal favorite
Review: As a film critic says in one of the interviews on this splendid special edition, Billy Wilder not only had the craft, style and elegance we associate with classic Hollywood, he also had a biting wit that appeals to the sensibilities of today. This film has aged much better than it's central villian, the demented starlet portrayed to perfection by real-life demented starlet Gloria Swanson. William Holden's (literally) dead-pan narration as a two-bit screenwriter of B-movies is as sad and funny as it ever was. The documentary on the disc does a good job of demonstrating just how unique the tone of this story is, how it perfectly navigates between funny and sad. Not everyone in Hollywood saw the funny side when it was released, and it lost to ALL ABOUT EVE at that year's Oscars. So what? With this disc, SUNSET BOULEVARD is finally getting it's due. Besides the documentary, you can read two screenplay drafts of an excised opening sequence, explore 1950's Hollywood with an interactive map and watch the film with audio commentary by a critic and historian. All these features are secondary, of course, to the movie. It looks gorgeous. The black and white picture is rich and crisp, the sound is re-mastered and the story is as compelling as ever. The special features only do what all good special features should do on a DVD. They add to the richness of the film. You may already know that Eric von Stroheim (who plays a character who directed Gloria Swanson's character in silent films) directed Gloria Swanson in silent films. But did you know that the drugstore where all the screenwriter's hang out in the movie is the drug store where F. Scott Fitzgerald had a heart attack in 1940? One of the reasons I love this movie is because it is so rich with Hollywood history. I can't recommend this disc highly enough. Kudos to Columbia for doing right by a classic, a real film lover's film. I love this movie and I love this disc! 5/5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Holds Up Beautifully
Review: It's always been fashionable to believe that the old Hollywood films were greatly superior to those of today. Unfortunately, when one takes an honest look at many of the so-called classics, the dating of the material tends to ruin the viewing experiece. SUNSET BOULEVARD is a stunning exception. It holds up so well that it almost feels current. In fact, with today's entertainment fixation, I'm tempted to say that SB could be released in the present to the same acclaim it received back in the 50's. It was that ahead of its time. Scores of films since then have tried to comment on Hollywood, but none of them have reached SUNSET BOULEVARD's watermark. SB manages to tie its criticism of the movie biz to several other themes while treating the audience to an engaging plot. You certainly can't say that about BURN, HOLLYWOOD BURN. SUNSET BOULEVARD is almost good enough to convince the viewer that they don't make 'em like they used to...
Rating:
Summary: A supreme film: a ltrue andmark in the american cinema.
Review: This movie belongs to the legend from its release. Never before Wilder got down to the deepest regions of the soul, like in this one.
A voice in off (William Holden) will be as introductory device to involve us in this gripping story about the loneliness of an old fashioned actress who lives only in her lost picture images.
In this sense it's worthy to name the only five films which have had a succesful exit about this no mercy theme.
These are: Cries and whispers, The silence and Persona (Ingmar Bergman), The anxiety of Veronica Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) and American Beauty(from Sam Mendes).
The sense of loneliness grows progressively in this old lady, who decided to stop the physical time and create her own reality between the dark clouds of her ancient memories.
An eternal treasure of the american cinema and in my point of view the masterpiece of that film maker giant called Billy Wilder.
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Summary: Not Sure Widescreen existed in 1950
Review: In response to the reviewer who is complaining that this movie is "...only a fullscreen version" I would challenge them to find anything pre 1954-55 that was actually filmed in widescreen. I am of the firm opinion that the ratio that this movie has been transferred in is indeed the one in which it was filmed. Maybe it is just that it is such a brilliant piece of film making that comes across so far ahead of it's time that leads anyone to expect a "widescreen" version.
Rating: 
Summary: Format is FULL SCREEN
Review: I didn't notice when I bought Sunset Boulevard on dvd, but am sure other cinephiles would like to know that, this is a full screen version of the film. If you look in the specs it says format is B&W but does not list the aspect ratio of the dvd. This dvd version listed here is the only dvd release I know of for this film - why full screen! It just doesn't seem right. That's why I rated this 4/5. I almost feel like it deserves a 2 or 3 out of 5 just for the full screen scandal. People want this for their collection! Why did they make it full screen?! D'oh!
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Tinseltown classic
Review: Gloria Swanson, William Holden and Erich von Stroheim are all stellar in their performances in Billy Wilder's superb microcosm of a decadent Hollywood, "Sunset Boulevard". A svelte and handsome Holden playing young, financially strapped screenwriter Joe Gillis accidently stumbles onto the palatial estate of aging silent film siren Norma Desmond. The reclusive, suicidal and delusional Desmond played hauntingly by Gloria Swanson, has been out of pictures for twenty years. She has absurd desires to attempt a comeback using a script she has written as the vehicle.
Her fantasies are nurtured by her faithful and protective manservant Max played stoically by von Stroheim. Swanson convinces Holden to work on refining her script and he ultimately becomes the kept man of the fading movie goddess. Eventually he tires of his ensnarement and secretly leaves the estate to co-write a script with young screenplay reader Nancy Olson. They fall in love but Holden is unable to leave the jealous Desmond resulting in his downfall. What a treat it was to finally see this flick which embarrassingly has eluded me until now. It was a true cinema classic. Swanson was absolutely unforgetable.
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