Sunset Boulevard

What a creepy movie - and it gets additional creepiness points because it was filmed in black and white.

Sunset Boulevard recounts the story of a unsuccessful screenwriter (Joe Gillis) who becomes the lover/pool boy to a wealthy former silent screen star (Norma Desmond). Norma, a recluse living in a large but crumbling mansion with one butler, incorrectly believes she can make a comeback to the movies and commissions Joe to write the screenplay with which Norma will make her comeback. In this movie, Norma reminds me a lot of Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians. Long sharp nails, thin red lips, expressive eyes.

One thing I liked about this American film noir is that the story starts at the end (dead body in a pool) and then starts at the beginning of the story which eventually ends with the dead body in the pool. Films like this and Vertigo are too dark and cruel for my liking and they always leave me with an uneasy, shocked feeling. Apparently, film noir is a visual style as well as a story type so perhaps the visual approach is contributing to my unsettled stomach. Either way, I definitely won't be voluntarily re-watching these movies.

Quote: I *am* big. It's the *pictures* that got small.