Film Adaptation of SUNSET BOULEVARD in the Works! Will Glenn Close Reprise Her Role? — Page 2

I mean, in my dreams Patti would take Sunset to the silver screen and bring her rage and fury to create the perfect Norma - the one encaptulated in her final performance, which is, what I consider, the peak of Norma's material. Of course, she would never take the part nor would she be considered. But I can still dream, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4sVjqAqaTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFzD-ddoUcg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft3gUoQMyzc

PS I thought Zeta-Jones was banned from musicals after her horrific Tony performance. Kidding, of course :)

I saw Patti Lupone do the show in London. I saw Glenn Close on Broadway. Patti was far superior.

Glenn Close's voice was nothing next to Patti. Glenn wasn't even a real human being. She was the Carol Burnett Norma Desmond on stage.

I felt the trouble with Patti was that she was too sexy. You could actually believe that Joe would enjoy have sex with her. I believe, You are supposed to be a little repulsed at the idea.

Patti looks very Italian. She didn't have the face of a Silent Scree Star. But Glenn doesn't either, they just put so much bizarre make up on her it looked weird.

Patti did sing her ass off during that performance. She was really something.

I prefer Madonna in Evita. The harmonies that Mandi and Patti sing grate on my ears.

Madonna is a great entertainer but she's a horrible actress. She wasn't bad in EVITA, but the film was basically shot as a long music video, and though she wasn't bad, she wasn't great. She certainly isn't the force that Eva Peron is supposed to be and I can't see why anyone who knows about the character of Nosma Desmond would think of Madonna as "the perfect Norma Desmond."

I am a Zeta-Jones defender through and through. To discredit her acting career based on a misguided Tony performance when she was sick and was dealing with issues related to bipolar disorder is ridiculous. And if you are going to bring up the Tony performance, she was actually very Norma Desmond-esque in it.

Glenn is too old. Part of the sadness and/or shock of Norma's plight as a "has-been" is that she isn't all that old. She's 50, not 70 or 90. Just 50. Gloria Swanson looked great for her age. But that' wasn't good enough. She was her age. And "dead" as far as playing the young leading lady ever again.

No actress around now would have the guts to play that part at the proper age. of 50 (or approaching it). You need Nicole Kidman or Catherine Zeta-Jones or Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet. And none of them would do it. They are the right age for the part. That's the "horror" of Norma's plight.

You know, I think we already have a perfect Norma, and her name was Gloria Swanson, and she was in a near-perfect film version of Sunset Boulevard...

Besty, I think Kate Winslet, who is about 40, is actually too young for the role. It'd be exciting to see someone like Zeta-Jones, Kidman, and Blanchett. I disagree that none of them would do it, I think Kidman and Blanchett are absolutely fearless actresses. I think Kidman in particular would do it if the funding was in place and a great auteur (her friend Baz Luhrman or someone like Todd Haynes) asked her to be in it. But I know what you mean, it does take guts, as you say, to do a role that so heavily relies on the idea that the actress is a "has been," especially when so many of these actresses already have a hard enough time landing roles without being known for playing something that hits so close to home. Yet another reason why the movie wouldn't happen.

While I wouldn't mind Close taking a crack at it as I said above, you are right about Swanson. In fact, when I rewatch the movie, something that always surprises me is how young she looks. In my mind I always remember her as looking "old," yet she doesn't look old at all in the film. Her body is rocking and her face does not seem aged. Indeed, that adds to the tragedy of her situation and makes it an even more incisive commentary of ageism in Hollywood.

Streep?

Norma should be 50, not only because the fact that she's considered washed up in Hollywood at only 50 is sad, and the story is an indictment of Hollywood's mistreatment of aging, female actors, but because of math. The musical takes place in the 1950's, and time-wise, Norma would have been an ingenue during the height of the silent film era in the 1920's. If they were to hire Close, Streep, or Lange, they'd have to set the movie in the late 1960's, early 1970's to make sense. To cast Streep, Close, or Lange, set the film in the 1950's, and expect the audience to believe they were an ingenue of 19 years old just 30 years earlier would be a stretch, no matter how good they look. Yes, of course they could, but it would be a bit of a stretch. I love the idea of Nicole Kidman directed by Baz. His style would suit this film brilliantly.

The only reason the general public MIGHT go to see this musical would be to see the STAR.This is not Les Mis that the whole world knows.It is a niche market that would dry up very quickly without the curiosity of a recording[world wide] star to put bums on seats.

Sweeny Todd possibly made money after the theatre lovers had been but kept going because of Depp. This has similar appeal so without a Cher/Madonna/Lady G/Pink this would be a curiosity piece loved and argued about forever.

Love reading everyones' thoughts on aging thru the Hollywood ages but means diddly to the GP fronting up to buy a ticket.

SL....x

No, no, you misunderstood. She'd be playing Max, Albert Knobbs-style. She still can't let that character go.

Let's throw Audra into the pot to creat some REAL interest.

I also just reminded myself that one big issue is much of the material is far too weak to make an interesting film adaptation.