Your Gold Box VHS Used Videos DVD DVD & VHS Movie Showtimes All Products Explore This Video buying info technical information Amazon.com articles editorial reviews customer reviews I dislike it I love it! 1 2 3 4 5 Edit your ratings Favorite Magazines! Subscribe to entertainment magazines today. Visit the DVD Store On the Waterfront DVD ~ Marlon Brando Calphalon $50 Offer Spend $249 on Calphalon and save $50 on your next Amazon purchase. So You'd Like to... see the ten best films ever di... : A guide by Clive Roberts, Movie Buff Create your guide Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. Used & new from $4.94 Have one to sell? Don't have one? We'll set one up for you. Sunset Boulevard (1950) see larger picture List Price: $14.95 Price: $14.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details . Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours Used & new from $4.94 Edition: See more product details Great Buy Buy this video with Mildred Pierce VHS ~ Joan Crawford today! Buy Together Today: $ 24.89 Customers who bought this video also bought: Double Indemnity VHS ~ Fred MacMurray Some Like It Hot VHS ~ Marilyn Monroe All About Eve VHS ~ Bette Davis The Apartment VHS ~ Jack Lemmon Chinatown (25th Anniversary Edition) VHS ~ Jack Nicholson Explore similar items Product Details Starring: William Holden , Gloria Swanson , See more Director: Billy Wilder Format: Black & White, HiFi Sound, Closed-captioned, NTSC Rated: Unrated Studio: Paramount Studio VHS Features: NTSC format ( US and Canada only. This VHS will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about VHS formats .) Black & White, HiFi Sound, Closed-captioned, NTSC From IMDb: Quotes & Trivia ASIN: 6300215512 Other Formats: DVD Average Customer Review: Based on 103 reviews. Write a review . Amazon.com Sales Rank (VHS): 4,261 Popular in: New Orleans, LA (#2) , Delray Beach, FL (#12) What's Your Advice? Is there an item you'd recommend instead of or in addition to this one? Let the world know! Enter the item's ASIN ( what's an ASIN? ) in the box below, select advice type, then click Submit. I recommend: in addition to this product instead of this product Editorial Reviews Amazon.com essential video Billy Wilder's noir-comic classic about death and decay in Hollywood remains as pungent as ever in its power to provoke shock, laughter, and gasps of astonishment. Joe Gillis (William Holden), a broke and cynical young screenwriter, is attempting to ditch a pair of repo men late one afternoon when he pulls off L.A.'s storied Sunset Boulevard and into the driveway of a seedy mansion belonging to Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a forgotten silent movie luminary whose brilliant acting career withered with the coming of talkies. The demented old movie queen lives in the past, assisted by her devoted (but intimidating) butler, Max (played by Erich von Stroheim, the legendary director of Greed and Swanson's own lost epic, Queen Kelly ). Norma dreams of making a comeback in a remake of Salome to be directed by her old colleague Cecil B. DeMille (as himself), and Joe becomes her literary and romantic gigolo. Sunset Blvd. is one of those great movies that has become a part of popular culture (the line "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up," has entered the language)--but it's no relic. Wow, does it ever hold up. --Jim Emerson Spotlight Reviews (what's this) Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 7 of 9 people found the following review helpful: Fascinating and Extremely Entertaining! , April 30, 2000 Reviewer: justareviewer (see more about me) from San Diego, Ca. This biting dark comedy is an example of Hollywood at it's best. Gloria Swanson delivers a powerhouse performance of gothic creepiness as aging silent-screen star Norma Desmond, ironically Swanson was big in silent films herself. William Holden also delivers a classic performance as Joe Gillis, a writer-gigolo that parks his car in the wrong house. Eric von Stroheim, silent film director of such classics as 'Greed', plays Max the Butler, Norma Desmonds greatest fan. A work of art by Billy Wilder, and probably his greatest movie. An extremely clever and witty screenplay creates fascinating characters and fills the movie with inside Hollywood jokes. One of the All Time Greats. Extras: spot Buster Keaton playing bridge. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10! Was this review helpful to you? 5 of 6 people found the following review helpful: HOLLYWOOD AND THE FORGOTTEN IDOLS!!! , October 5, 2002 Reviewer: Paulo Leite (see more about me) from Lisbon, Portugal SUNSET BOULEVARD is, along with "All About Eve", my favorite film from 1950. It is a true masterpiece and one of the best loved films. The story revolves around a failed screenwriter Joe Gilles (William Holden) who stumbles into the mansion of the aged silent-film-supreme-movie-star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) who lives a life of reclusion. As she feeds the crazy illusion of still being adored by her fans, she plans a comeback not knowing that the whole world has long ago forgotten her. Only her butler Max (Erich von Stroheim) - who was once her director (!) and husband (!) - supports her diva-like behavior. The true greatness of this film is something that demands multiple discussions. But for me, the thing I like best is the bitter irony, acid/dark humour and relentless madness that runs through the entire film. Norma Desmond is, arguably, the craziest character ever written for the screen and also one of its most fascinating. The screenplay is a landmark in modern cinema. It combines powerful drama with dark comedy like no other. It touches many great issues like vanity, idolatry, the ephemeral nature of fame, the need for self esteem, the need for love... This is also a film where Hollywood looks at itself and examines its own basis: the star-system. The art direction is beautiful: check out Norma's living room and her relationship with her own photographs! - just as an example. Just like you would expect, a vast trail of cameos appear on the film as themselves: Buster Keaton, Cecil B. deMille and Hedda Hopper just to name a few. Rich dialog is also a major asset in this great film. So are the costumes (by the master Edith Head), Cinematography and Music (by Franz Waxman). An interesting note is that it is a dead character who tells the story. This DVD edition has many charming extras: first a great documentary about Edith Head: the woman behind Hollywood's most glamorous clothes. It was she who designed the costumes for many best-loved films like Shane, Sabrina and most of the Hitchcock American films. She was the leading costume designer for Paramount Pictures. Second, two featurettes about the making of Sunset Blvd. and the music score. It would be great if all classic movies were presented like this... Buy this film. --This text refers to the DVD edition . Was this review helpful to you? All Customer Reviews Avg. Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. Wonderful movie , February 28, 2005 Reviewer: A viewer from Geneva, Switzerland A great great movie, at times whimsical, other times tragic. Gloria Swanson was fantastic! The commentary can be interesting at times, but during large sections the narrator merely recalls the plot. However, I bought this movie not for the commentary, but for the memorable lines, the fantastic set and costume, and the outstanding performances of the actors. --This text refers to the DVD edition . Was this review helpful to you? 1 of 2 people found the following review helpful: Old movie classic! , February 17, 2005 Reviewer: readmyreview (see more about me) from COVINGTON, WA United States A must have for the old black and white classic movie buff! Interesting story, seems real to life story. Guy loses car; old has been starlet takes him in because he is a writer. In the end she dooms herself! I say the butler help build her fake reality world. The best thing on the DVD was the extra features, that showed a map where the main parts of filming were at and if the buildings or car is still their! Great commentary! --This text refers to the DVD edition . Was this review helpful to you? See all customer reviews... Customers who bought videos directed by Billy Wilder also bought videos by these directors: Howard Hawks Alfred Hitchcock Frank Capra Ernst Lubitsch Gene Saks Explore similar directors Auctions and zShops sellers and our other stores recommend: Sunset Boulevard - DVD starring William Holden - Cat#. DVD5257 (Current bid: $16.99) Sunset Boulevard - DVD starring William Holden - Cat#. DVD5257 (Price: $17.99) So You'd Like To... start collecting the best Hollywood biographies (books)? : by Clive Roberts , Movie Buff Know my favorite movies & what's in my movie Libary : by Luna , a movie lover start collecting the best classic movies of the fifties? : by Clive Roberts , Movie Buff Listmania! 10 Classics by the late Billy Wilder : A list by geostu2000 , Billy Wilder's ex-lover Black & White Film; Colorful Stories : A list by Reginald D. Garrard , Movie nut When did Billy Wilder make a bad movie? : A list by Jonathan Dascotte , movieaholic Browse for VIDEO in: VHS > Directors > ( W ) > Wilder, Billy VHS > Genres > Drama > General VHS > Genres > Drama > Classics VHS > Genres > Drama > By Theme > All Washed Up VHS > Genres > Drama > By Theme > Artists & Writers • I have seen this video, and I want to review it. • E-mail a friend about this item . • Write a So You'd Like to... guide . • Check purchase circles . • Correct errors and omissions in this listing. For more information about "Sunset Blvd.," visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Where's My Stuff? • Track your recent orders . • View or change your orders in Your Account . Shipping & Returns • See our shipping rates & policies . • Return an item (here's our Returns Policy ). Need Help? • Forgot your password? Click here . • Redeem or buy a gift certificate. • Visit our Help department . 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