4K Blu-ray review: Sunset Boulevard

The Film

Sunset Boulevard is a Hollywood film about Hollywood that could have been directed by David Lynch. Bleakly comic and often surreal in its satire, it has all the hallmarks of Lynch's weird vibe that would come to define the 80s and 90s.

75 years since its original release, Billy Wilder's immaculate and skewering depiction of the pursuit of fame hasn't aged a day, and you can see how it still influences other great works of art to this day.

Brilliantly performed by William Holden, Gloria Swanson, and Erich Von Stroheim, Wilder's story about an aging former starlet who slowly succumbs to madness is at once empathetic, sardonic, and deeply condemning of the whole sickness that goes along with this industry. It is fascinated by the almost biblical temptation and the cruelty with which we cast off those who once entertained us.

It is home to some of the most iconic sequences put on film, like the all-time great "I'm ready for my close-up", which, when seen in its full context, is as heartbreaking as it is terrifying. No less impactful is the opening shot of a dead body floating in a pool, which so efficiently set the stage for the film noir that it became quintessential iconography for the genre.

For years, it was next to impossible to find a copy of this classic here in the north. Even though this release isn't the comprehensive package I'd have wanted, I'm so glad we finally have a version – any version – available for future generations.

Video

Gorgeously preserved for future generations, Sunset Boulevard looks immacculate on 4K Blu-ray, with every single detail in clear focus. As befitting a film noir, the highlights and shadows are incredibly deep and lush, so inky you feel like you could reach out and touch them.

Similarly, the skin tones and textures are beautifully vibrant without coming off as over-sharpened, which happens sometimes with some HDR restorations. Not here, it's all subtle and smartly emphasized. If you want a great example of it, check out both the opening sequence and Norma's final bout of madness and see how Wilder's impeccable blocking and use of light comes into play.

If you've never seen Sunset Boulevard before, this is the best way to do so outside of a cinema. If you have, this is as good as it gets and likely the way you remember it looking when you first saw it. It is as close to a perfect restoration as imaginable.

Audio

Sunset Boulevard is presented in a fantastic Dolby TrueHD Mono track that preserves every element of the original soundscape as intended by the director, composer, and audio designers. It is stupendous work of restoration that cleans up the elements for modern viewing while still keeping intact the original feel of the track.

Dialog is deep and clean, with the same boxy sound that old movies of this era had, though it's not a bad thing in the least. Instead, it gives the film an ethereal and otherworldly feel that helps emphasize the absurdity. Crackle and static, also elements of this era, are barely noticeable and only add to the texture of the original product.

Like the Clint Eastwood restorations I reviewed earlier in the autumn, Sunset Boulevard is a perfect encapsulation of what 4K Blu-ray's should be. It restores and recaptures the original without altering or damaging history. It should be celebrated for that.

Extras

For some bizarre reason, the Nordic release of the film is entirely bereft of extras. Other territories get material seen in prior editions, including great commentary tracks and featurettes, but we're completely left out of them.

Overall

Sunset Boulevard is a classic that everyone should experience. It hasn't aged a day in its 75 years, and I doubt it will age at all by the time we celebrate the centennial. This 4K disc is as close to perfection when it comes to a restoration, and only the lack of extras truly harms it. If you're after the best possible version, seek one from the UK or US. If the film itself is enough – and for most it is – there is no better alternative.