MAX! Podcast Episode #21 – Sunset Boulevard film 1950

Dearly Departed Newsletter – 05/26/2020

 

Hi everyone,

Do you know what today is? Me neither, but I hope you’re doing well and haven’t gone off the deep end. However, if you do, kindly do it somewhere nearby so we can honor you when we reopen.  That way we can stay together forever… and ever… and ever…

 

MAX!

Mike and I have put together another Dearly Departed Podcast and this time we talk about my absolute favorite Death Hag film, Sunset Boulevard.  If you love old Hollywood, if you love crazy people or skeezy people, this is your movie.  I can’t even say how much I love this film.  You don’t even have to be gay.  It’s. that. good.

 

 

It’s the story of a down and out writer Joe Gillis (William Holden) who stumbles upon a creepy old Hollywood mansion owned by a has-been silent movie star named Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson).  Because Joe is on the run from his debts, he cons Norma into a ghostwriting job and moves in the house with Norma, her weird butler, a dead monkey and Norma’s delusions of a comeback… well, she hates that word.  Sinister hilarity ensues.  You can download the audio to listen here, or you can watch our podcast here.  Oral and optical… we’re pretty versatile.

 

 

Sunset Boulevard was directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, one of Hollywood’s greatest writers and directors.  If you haven’t seen the movie, do yourself a favor and check it out.   Even better – watch the film before listening.  You’ll get the whole bizarre effect.  The film is on Amazon Prime and YouTube for a couple of bucks.

 

The Doctors Redux      I AM big.

If you missed my appearance on the daytime show The Doctors, it’s being rerun tomorrow, Wednesday May 26 – Details here.  Thanks, Rob.

 

It’s a RETURN!

A friend of ours, Jeff Mantor at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, was recently profiled on Spectrum News here in Los Angeles. Years before we had a storefront, Jeff was kind enough to let us pick up our guests and start our tour at his store.  The bookshop is filled to the ceiling (literally.  Get it?) with books and posters about everything movie related.  Like many small businesses in the age of corona, Jeff was finding almost impossible to stay open.  You know, that whole thing about businesses needing customers and income.  He had a fundraiser and the community really rallied around this Hollywood legend.

 

 

Larry Edmunds Bookshop has been open since 1938.  Here’s the story and if you happen to need a book about the movies, please consider stopping by the shop on Hollywood Boulevard and dropping a few bucks… or visit the website and order by mail.  It’s nice to support someone in the community, especially when that person is a good one.

Back to this week’s podcast – if you want to keep yourself in a romantical mood you can read about William Holden’s gnarly demise on Find a Death.  Gloria Swanson’s death was less dramatic, ironic considering her role as Norma but if you’d like to pay tribute,  be sure to eat a sugary Ho-Ho while reading about her or listening to the Dearly Departed Podcast.

 

Love,
Scott and the Dearly Departed Team

 

 

If you haven’t checked out the Dearly Departed YouTube Channel, please drop by. Set a spell.

 

Free Entertainment.  You heard me.

 

 

Oh and please follow us because it’s supposed to be very important. 

 

 

 

 

One thought on “MAX! Podcast Episode #21 – Sunset Boulevard film 1950

  • May 27, 2020 at 5:13 pm
    Permalink

    “sunset blvd.” one of the all time great movies everyone needs to see this before they die 🙂

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