The After Movie Diner

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Sunset Boulevard - 23rd July 2010

I have been a fan of this film for years and I was really happy to find that they were screening it on a roof top in New York's west village one lovely summer evening.
Unfortunately the roof top belonged to a shabby recreation centre and the senile old man and his overly-enthusiastic, under qualified female companion hadn't exactly done a bang up job of setting the whole thing up, also the equipment was not exactly what you'd call swanky.
The bizarre group of unsuitable teenagers, old film enthusiasts, deranged hippies, beatniks, students and at least one muttering homeless man gave the whole event the feeling of cult meeting complete with the small, plastic picnic cups of fizzy pop (for some).
However, that is all part of the charm of these things I guess and I made the best of it all as I settled down to watch the thing on the most uncomfortable metal chair imaginable and through a large man's flabby head.

Even with these screening drawbacks the films superb writing, expert and assured direction, dark humour, drama and fantastic acting shone through.
I love watching these old films because you see just how adult, clever, intriguing and daring cinema used to be.

It maybe because I seem to be going through the decade of where I feel like I have seen everything before, where films like Avatar and Inception are hailed as being new, fresh, innovative and clever but leave you feeling cold or bored.
Sunset Boulevard was also original in its take on Hollywood, with the film commenting on the notoriously shallow and cut-throat industry as well as the fickle nature of fame 50 years before Pop Idol and other such nauseating crap-fests. Wrap all this delicious send-up in a tasty little film noir plot with quirky twists and turns, gothic cinematography and riveting central performances and you have this wonderful, surprising and classic film.

10 out of 10 Cheese Burgers
Points from the Misses - 10 out of 10 Cheese Burgers