Roger Ebert described Sunset Boulevard as “the best drama ever made about the movies because it sees through the illusions.” It’s illusions that are truly key to the film: those by and about Hollywood, and particularly those about ourselves and others. In this lavish film, regularly heralded as one of the greatest of all time, director Billy Wilder sets the stage for Gloria Swanson to deliver one of the all-time great performances as Norma Desmond, a fading Hollywood icon. Time has moved on, but not in her 1920s mansion on Sunset Boulevard, the home of Old Hollywood. A young screenwriter, Joe Gillis, is drawn into this shadow world and the orbit of Norma, secreted in her mansion and dreaming of her return to the screen.

Sunset Boulevard is showing alongside Friday the 13th (1980) as part of a Camp Miasma Double Feature, introduced by Dr Michael Goodrum (Canterbury Christ Church University), in anticipation of our screenings of new release Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. Book tickets to both screenings in a single transaction and receive a 25% discount on the total cost.

Reviews

‘The best film to capture the transitory nature of film fame.’
★★★★★
George Parry, BBC

‘It is Wilder’s passion, and fulminating anger, that fill every frame of this dark and majestic noir.’
★★★★★
Kevin Maher, The Times