Μύ Hell and Hollywood collide in the Billy Wilder masterpiece "Sunset Boulevard", which gains added power through a definitive presentation on DVD.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture The restoration work undertaken on "Sunset Boulevard" is stunning. Prepare for a startlingly clear picture of strong black and white contrast with a freshness that, at times, makes the film look like it was shot in recent years.
Sound The sound for the film remains in mono, which is a better choice than a poor upgrade to surround. Clarity is fine, although occasionally the sound is a little weak.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary Ed Sikov, the writer of an authoritative Billy Wilder biography, provides a detailed and fascinating commentary that suffers slightly from the dryness of his presentation.
The real Hollywood locations of the movie; Billy Wilder's working practices (including his obsession for actors sticking to dialogue); and a host of great anecdotes are revealed in this track.
Looking Back If you too are fascinated by Sikov's comments on the original ditched opening sequence, then you can see some of it here in this 25-minute documentary on the film.
Also revealed is how they managed to do the underwater shot in the swimming pool when such technology wasn't at their disposal, and how Hollywood reacted to its unflattering portrayal in this move. As a little teaser, Louis B Mayer had this to say to Billy Wilder at a screening: "You b*!"
Hollywood Location Map Using this interactive map, you can take a look at some of the locations of the film through short featurettes.
Morgue Prologue Script Pages While Sikov and Looking Back both talk about the abandoned opening sequence, you can here read two different script versions and access what footage has survived of the original opening.
Edith Head: The Paramount Years If you don't know who Edith Head was, then the 13-minute featurette will give you a compact overview of a costume designer who was responsible for definitive looks immortalised by stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.
The Music of "Sunset Boulevard" The importance of Franz Waxman's film score is examined by such heavyweights as Elmer Bernstein.
Additional Extra Features Also on the DVD are three photo galleries and a trailer.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 19
Ratio: 1.33:1 (original Academy fullscreen ratio)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (mono)
Audio Tracks: Multiple languages
Subtitles: Multiple languages
Captions: English
Menus: Animated, with music
Special Features Subtitles: All of the special features come with subtitles apart from the trailer.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
