Sunset Boulevard

Insane. In-fucking-sane. Billy Wilder is the most talented director to ever live. An auteur like no other. First of all, Gloria Swanson just gave the best performance I’ve ever seen in. Holy shit. She made Daniel Day-Lewis look like Gal Gadot. The Charlie Chaplin bit. Are you serious????What an incredible talent. The range she had here… you couldn’t take your eyes off her when she was on screen. An electric feat of acting. This might be the best movie I’ve ever seen period (it’s neck and neck with Harakiri). If they swapped the equipment out, you could have told me this was made this year and I’d believe you. Wilder’s direction is timeless. My God, the way he positions the camera. It’s like he has a third eye. That mirror shot… that closing shot…. even the very first pool shot where the camera is positioned under the water!!!!! The best to ever do it. Not a fan of the choice to reveal Holden’s eventual death in the very beginning. Takes away from the stakes heavily during the finale. Very similar to A Streetcar Named Desire. Especially the ending! Great The Life of Chuck palate cleanser.