Right off of the bat the viewer of Sunset Boulevard is immersed in the creepy and melancholic genre that is film noir. From the trembling, shrilly music and the dizzyingly lengthy shot of the famous street, Wilder makes sure that we the viewers are in an uneasy state. With the entrance of the screeching sirens and the mention of the iconic setting, we know something very important must be going on in the lives of this city’s rich and famous dwellers. The movie maintains this melancholic mood in Norma’s longing for the past and her decaying mansion, and critiques our excitement of the famous setting by shedding light on the dangers of the California Dream. These dangers are apparent in Norma, Joe, and the media. Joe and Norma are the embodiments of the common individual wishing to obtain fame and thrill in Sunny California: Joe in his aspirations to make something of his name as a writer, and Norma to reclaim hers as an (ageless) star. Their obstacle is the media, influenced by bored broken-hearted potential stars, who hungrily seeks exciting news. As these ill-fated individuals are driven to their demises, a truth is noted on how high expectations for riches and happiness in a ‘promised land’ are unrealistic and destructive. As opposed to feeding into the media’s hunger for fake and packaged drama, we ought to be truthful in our pursuits for happiness.
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