Gloria Swanson and "Sunset Boulevard"

[chino]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 10:05pm

Hey everyone,

I just finished watching "Sunset Boulevard" with Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond. I think its really nice, it may not be composed of such beautiful camera shots but its alright. I know why people keep saying that Glen Close acted out Norma better than Patti LuPone, there is a resemblance between Glen and Gloria. Has anyone seen the show, is it just as same as the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical>

Is there a musical version of the movie?

GOD BLESS

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 10:13pm

omg, oh dear..

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 10:17pm

First, Buckley out did both LuPone and Close. Then again, a rabid squirrel could outdo Close.
Second, it is very close if not exactly like the movie. Very little got changed as I remember.
Third, there is a proposed movie, but given that Phantom was utter crap as a film, and ALW is losing steam, it probably will not happen.

[cturtle]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:08am

ya, the camera shot from the bottom of the pool isn't so great.

love carla

[Norma D]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 9:19am

I watched it last night on AMC. It's one of my favorite movies. You'll notice when watching it some of the dialogue is exactly like the lyrics to the songs in the musical. I love that about it! IMO--Elaine Paige looked the most like Gloria Swanson and sang it better than any other Norma! (If you couldn't tell from my avatar!)

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 9:26am

That last shot of Swanson is terrible too. It goes all out of focus at the end. Couldn't they have hired a better guy to take the pictures?



Incidentally, his name was John F. Seitz (Seven times an Oscar nominee for Best Cinematography, including Sunset Blvd. in 1950)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 9:51am

I saw it last night too. It's one of my favorites. For 1950, I thought the underwater shot was pretty good!

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 9:55am

In case my sarcasm isn't coming through...


...Sunset Blvd. is a brilliantly shot film!!

I was kidding in my last posted remarks, because I was so surprised by the initially posted comments.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 9:58am

Sarcasm? From best12bars?

(At least, I think it's you. I don't recognize the avatar.)

[Sant]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:23pm

Actually, the camera was never under water when the pool scene was shot. It was done with a mirror.

A mirror was placed at the bottom of the pool and the camera was placed in an agle, towards the mirror, so that the police men were visible behind the floating Joe Gillis (William Holden). Quite clever actually!

[chino]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 3:58pm

I am watching it again tonight, since I was not able to see the start. (6PM TMC for those who want to see it)

[jo]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 8:02pm

I think it is as much William Holden's film as it was Gloria Swanson's. One of the most interesting black and white films I have seen.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 12/18/06 at 9:29pm

Sarcasm Alert - And that second-rate director, Billy Wilder.

[JRybka]

Posted: 12/18/06 at 10:02pm

I thought Elaine was bloody brilliant for the part of Norma! She really should do the part on film...
Of couse, I am also a big fan of Petula and thought she did a good job too.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 12/19/06 at 5:26am

I managed to see PATTI, BETTY, PET, GLENN and ELAINE but my money would still be on GLENN for the movie. I thought her performance was stunning and though she wasn't the best singer in the role I still felt overall she delivered the most believable Norma. I was generally disappointed with the actors playing Joe but I think that was more of an issue with how the character was written. He just seemed too "musical comedy".

GLENN CLOSE/HUGH JACKMAN gets my vote!

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 12/19/06 at 6:04am

Personally, I'd prefer a Norma who can both sing and act. I never liked Glenn, simply because she put everything in her acting, since her vocal abilities are so limited. Obviously, Glenn would be a big magnet for the audiences, but she would not be my choice.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 12/19/06 at 7:24am

Meh, I don't think Close is much of a money maker these days. Most of the time when I mention her people forget exactly who she is and I have to say "Cruella DeVille" and ALW isn't gonna make the movie popular either, I doubt it will happen.

Personally, Patti is my favourite Norma, but I'm really not into that musical at all so I don't care that much. The movie is genius and the musical could have been very good if put in someone else's hands.

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:04pm

Coming to CD:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/115407.html

(I searched and didn't see this on a thread, so...)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:18pm

If a movie of the musical is to be made, Barbra Streisand will be pushing to act, direct, produce, sing, orchestrate, sew the costumes and paint the set. I imagine she will sing "Sunset Boulevard" over the closing credits. The placement of her singing "Too Much in Love to Care" is rather tricky though, but I'm sure she'll squeeze it in before the New Year's party.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:28pm

I think it goes out of focus deliberately.

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:29pm

I can't wait to hear "Hand It To The Gland". Classy.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:31pm

Very funny, Goth! I knew you could do it...

And broadwayboy--your reaction was priceless too!

Interesting how the film is narrated by a dead man--like DOUBLE INDEMNITY..

And how did Edith manage to win for EVE and not even got a nom for this one? I think her costumes are WAY better in SUNSET.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:34pm

The Sunset Blvd musical:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=m8fpyM97QKM

[artscallion]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:36pm

I just got an email yesterday from some record company trying to sell me that recording, jpbran. There were a few videos of this on YouTube. Not sure if they're still there. It was kind of horrible, yet fascinating.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:39pm

Maybe ten years ago. The composer of Swanson's Sunset Blvd wrote another musical about his relationship with Swanson at the time of their collaboration.

A life imitating art sort of thing.