SUNSET BOULEVARD Reviews — Page 3

I mean, Jesse Green CAN disagree, as demonstrated by the articulate review that he proceeds to write.

Scarywarhol said: "I mean, Jesse Green CAN disagree, as demonstrated by the articulate review that he proceeds to write."



No one said he couldn't disagree. That said, I do not find Mr. Green's writing articulate. I find it cheap.

Scarywarhol, it clear you don't like the show based on your continued posts. My question is why continue to post in these sunset threads simply to crap all over the show?

I actually did enjoy much about the production, including Close, as I wrote about in the main thread immediately after the first preview. I think it's a fascinating property. Sunset Boulevard is one of my favorite films of all time. The ways in which the show fails so uniquely as an adaptation are interesting to me. This is literally what a discussion board is for.

Scarywarhol, my apologies if I came off as hostile or aggressive. Re-reading my post, I can see how it could be interpreted as such. I meant and continue to mean no ill will.

Here's one musician/composer NewInTown:

Australian Malcolm Williamson was Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death in 2003. He tastelessly said Lloyd Webber's music is everywhere "but so is AIDS", and compared it to a cement mixer except "there is a degree of creativity in a cement mixer". "At least his brother Julian can scratch the cello, although he does that badly". He also disparaged their father William Lloyd Webber's compositions.

Some months later, after delivering the manuscript of his fourth piano concerto to the Savoy hotel, Williamson went into the nearby Adelphi Theatre to watch 'Sunset Boulevard'. His reaction:

"Andrew has opened up the flesh of the mind...This music is immortal...It is technically musically marvelous...It also has spiritual and philosophical depth to it".

ALW who hadn't reacted to the original comments finally said:

"It's wonderful when another musician enjoys your work. My father introduced me to Malcolm's liturgical work when I was a boy and I always admired him a lot - it hurt me to be so criticised by him".

For myself, I find plenty of sophistication in this particular score that knocks many others (that go un-critiqued) out of the park. That's my personal taste though; and I've got enough musical knowledge to appreciate it without going as overboard as Malcolm Williamson eventually did.

newintown said: "But I wonder if this is how we have finally acquired an amoral vulgarian as President; because so much of our populace is sufficiently complacent to claim, "I know enough, I need not learn any more.""

I don't know if I can quite throw the "logical fallacy" accusation back at you, but just to make this tentative connection requires an enormous leap of logic. Have theatergoers ever possessed an extensive amount of technical knowledge, or been expected to possess such knowledge to enjoy a musical? Has anything changed or developed in this respect? If anything, the scope of musical theater seems to have become richer and more sophisticated over the years, with works like Fun Home and Hamilton achieving critical and popular success. I know that's a different kind of sophistication (thematic, not musical), but it definitely casts doubt on any claim that theater audiences have become lazier, less motivated to improve themselves, or whatever it is you're claiming.

"Have theatergoers ever possessed an extensive amount of technical knowledge, or been expected to possess such knowledge to enjoy a musical?"

I think that's a great question, kdogg, but much more specific than the cultural accusation I was working on, which is a broader point about intellectual complacency. We all are aware (or at least the evidence is easily found) of a time not that long ago when what was called a "good education" included a more rigorous approach to the arts, like learning to read music, play an instrument, and understand (to a degree) musical construction.

I won't speak of Hamilton here, as that's a conversation that could fill several threads; but to use Fun Home as an indicator of heightened intellectual/aesthetic awareness among the masses might be mistaken, as that show wasn't really "popular" (just in terms of numbers of attendees and dollars earned) but was more of a prestige success.

I certainly can't take credit for the theory of the dumbing down of America, but there are few enlightened minds who dispute it.

Updated On: 2/10/17 at 02:56 PM

newintown, thanks for addressing my comments without defensiveness! I do enjoy reading your posts here.

Certainly not incontrovertible proof of anything, just an anecdote re the changing viewpoint of a composer. Nice talking to you.

I'm starting to think Sunset Blvd is the ultimate cult show- perhaps up there with the likes of Rocky Horror. It gets polarizing reviews and almost always loses a lot of money when staged professionally- and yet it keeps coming back more sensationally than the last time!

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "I'm starting to think Sunset Blvd is the ultimate cult show- perhaps up there with the likes of Rocky Horror. It gets polarizing reviews and almost always loses a lot of money when staged professionally- and yet it keeps coming back more sensationally than the last time!"

Hahaha - Ado - I don't know if it's THAT polarizing or cultish!

Checked my playbill. "I Had To Get Out" is listed as a number in the bizarre song list, if anyone cares to know. Even "Auld Lang Syne" is later in the scene.



And disagree with Green's review if you want. ( I DO disagree with his evaluation of Close, among other things.) But there's nothing arbitrary or bitter about it, it's a very cogent analysis of this show.

Updated On: 2/10/17 at 06:32 PM

Could we see a Close vs. Midler for Best Actress in a Musicak this year?