Rating: 
Summary: GREATEST FILM EVER MADE
Review: I AM A HUGE FILM FANATIC AND IM VERY DISSAPOINTED IN WHAT IV SEEN FILM TURN INTO. WE GET THESE FILMS NOW DAYS THAT HAVE NO REAL STORY OR IMAGINATION LIKE "AMERICAN PIE" MY FAVORITE FILM USED TO BE THE GODFATHER UNTIL I SAW THIS ONE AND THIS BECAME MY TOP CHOICE OUT OF THEM ALL. IT'S CLASSIC CINEMA AND IT'S THE WAY "REAL" MOVIES SHOULD BE MADE. IT FALLS INTO THE CATIGORY OF GREAT FILMS LIKE THE APARTMENT AND SOME LIKE IT HOT. I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS FILM TO ANYONE WHO LOVES TRUE MOVIES AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR.
Rating:
Summary: Infallible, flawless... etc...
Review: Quite simply one of America's top 5 films ever made. Norma Desmond is easily the most likable film villain in the history of cinema, Swanson's mesmerizing performance blows you away every time you see it. Its such a crime that she was denied the Oscar in favor of Holiday. The performances are heartbreaking, especially that of Stroheim and Olson, ( also nominated but sadly overlooked) and there is no need to mention Holden's performance, because to try to depict one of the most cynical, lovable, and tragic perfomances in film is impossible. Wilder was a genius, no questions asked, and while All About Eve was a worthy adversary, Sunset Boulevard truly deserved the Best Pic Prize due to it ACTUALLY being cinematic and not simply a filmed play. To deny yourself of at least one viewing of this film in your life would be one of the greatest exercises in deprivation. Watch it, and prepared to be astonished by that old Hollywood magic.
Rating: 
Summary: ONE OF THE FINEST CLASSICS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD.
Review: In the period of time know as the Golden Age of Hollywood, most of the movies were carried by the performances and the scripts, computer generated special effects were unavailable, so when you see a movie from this period of time, you know that is going to be a showcase for the actors and directors. I wish that more films like "Sunset Boulevard" were made in these days, but this is the era of the big blockbusters and movie franchises."Sunset Boulevard" is a film packed with fascinating and very complex characters, who can ever forget the former diva and walking contradiction Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), the opportunistic Joe Gillis (William Holden) or the mysterious butler Max Von Mayerling? The situations in the story are always interesting, thanks to the great script "Sunset Boulevard" has both comedy and drama. "Sunset Boulevard" has several unforgettable scenes, from the opening scene where we can see one of the main characters already dead, to the final scene where we can see that one of the characters has finally lost it (by the way, the scene of the funeral for the death monkey is one of the most original scenes I have ever seen). For these reasons and many more "Sunset Boulevard" is a classic that must be seen by anyone that considers himself / herself a movie buff.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but not perfect....
Review: This DVD is great. Because the film and actors are great. The extra feature "The Making of Sunset Blvd" is great, but all other extra features leave much to be desired. There is not rare footage in it, as I heard before this purchase, at least not with any actors! There are car shots and morgue shots only! Hardly rare or interesting. More absurd are the actual pages of meaningless dialog of scenes that were either deleted or never used( none with Gloria Swanson...). What is VERY annoying, is the commentary by some guy who feels he is an authority on the film. He makes his OWN assertions, and basically explains the film as it plays, as if we are too stupid to know what is right before our very eyes and ears! Thank goodness that is an option to use or not use while viewing the film. There is however, a great short documentary on Edith Head and some great behind the scenes photos. Over all, it is worth buying. The quality is excellent, and of course we must all have this film in our collection!
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: An aloof actress caught in the web of the past is suddenly brought to the present by a chance encounter with an out of talent writer. Through him she is made to face the hard facts of reality of a changed hollywood, an ageing self, and a romance that will never be. Unable to deal with these hard facts, her life quickly turns toward a climax of murder and madness. Gloria Swanson's years of silent screen acting skills still resonates after years since silents went dead. Her facial expressions, sharp and bold moves, and pefect dialogue make her a fascinating character to watch. William Holden plays the cynic and feels nothing in Hollywood is what it says it is or appears to be. A terrific film that was brilliantly directed by Billy Wilder.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Film!
Review: I bought this video about three years ago and watch it at least once every couple of months.I love anything to do with early Hollywood and seeing those legends like Swanson and Von Strohiem is a thrill.It`s intelligent, funny , grim and heartbreaking , which is very hard to do. Today`s film makers should study this film before they waste 10 trillion pounds on their latest insult to the industry.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Film
Review: This is a wonderful film. Its stylings and humor are very entertaining. Also, I have to say for the reviewer who said the movie was cheap because of the black and white, he obviously has no clue about films. Black and white films we're everywhere at that time and for decades after that! It is laughable..lol Anyways, everyone should pick up this classic. it's fabulous.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT HUMOR
Review: The review just below mine has to be the SINGLE FUNNIEST THING I'VE READ IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: dated
Review: This movie is very dated. Not only that, but it was boring. You can tell that this was done on a shoestring budget because the film is made in black in white. These days, you make movies in color unless you're really strapped for funds. Sundance won't even consider your movie if it's done in black and white. It just looks cheap and it won't fly with most audiences today. I'd normally give this just one star, but I'm giving it two because of that funny line, "I'm ready for my close up!" I'm not really sure what that meant or what it had to do with the rest of the movie, but it made me laugh. But the movie's poor production and the fact that it's in black and white forces me to give it just two stars. Sorry.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Film
Review: Like another film from the same year, All About Eve, Sunset Boulevard never quite succeeds in being as intelligent as it tries to be. And it is even less original, unabashedly stealing its base storyline from Dickens' Great Expectations, which up-and-coming director David Lean had just put out a few years earlier in the UK. Yet despite all these shortcomings, Sunset Boulevard is still ultimately a more satisfying film than the more decorated Betty Davis favorite. Part of this stems from its poignancy: it was a direct assault on Hollywood culture, values, and the then-prevalent and powerful status quo of the studio system, hence its noir designation. As interesting background, Gloria Swanson was herself an actual silent film star. In 1929, as talkies were taking over the cinematic world, she had just finished acting in a film called Queen Kelly, which was not incidentally directed by none other than the Sunset Boulevard butler and ex-husband, Eric Von Stroheim. The film was caught in the transition to talkies and had all sorts of marketing and production problems. The irony was not at all lost on Von Stroheim, for he was always ashamed of his Sunset Boulevard role, as he had only taken it for the needed cash. As it turned out, real life finished a little better for both of them as he finished up as a distinguished actor in Europe and she received the dignified swan song with this performance that her character would never experience. By the way, Cecil B. DeMille's cameo was a nice plus, however I think I missed the great Buster Keaton's appearance (perhaps when I ran to the bathroom...) William Holden is strong and steady in the lead and Nancy Olson was absolutely delightful as his love interest on the side. Its a shame she never did anything else of substance.
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