The latest retelling of the familiar "Sunset Boulevard" story is a New York indie shot on a microscopic budget. Director Eric Mitchell, in his third outing after "Kidnapped" (1978) and "Red Italy" (1979) harks back to the Andy Warhol method of one shot per scene. However, use of scripted dialog and artificially posed acting robs the pic of the explosive confrontations found in Warhol's improvised films. Cast largely plays straight, avoiding material's camp potential.
A street hustler (ineffectively played as a zombie by Mitchell himself) is thrown out by his roommate and inveigles his way into the entourage of a fading movie star (Patti Astor). Despite the protective insulation from the truth of her decline that is provided by her loyal manager (Rene Ricard), she gradually spirals towards suicide. Satirical representatives of the New York art community and underground look on with disdain.
Styled with a platinum blonde hairdo to resemble Kim Novak, Astor comes off more like a wayward Hope Lange. Comic turns by Warhol vets Jackie Curtis and Rene Richard provide comic relief to the general tedium. Music trave moves fitfully from new wave to rock tunes of the '60s. Film's usage is limited to midnight movies and college circuits.
This is my review written in June 1980 after attending an East Village midnight screening, at which I had an informative conversation with co-star Rene Ricard.
