Discussion Fri.

11/19/10

Sunset Blvd.

1. Tight moral structure (never didactic)

2. Foreshadowing – priming, paying off

3. Showing not telling

a. House

b. Monkey

c. Pool

d. Keychain

e. Scripts

4. Joe: he stays in the house because he’s got nothing to lose, he’s intrigued and he
know he won’t be able to finish – get the money and can have everything

a. Max already had the bed made

b. New Years Eve tries to kill herself

i. Pities her, she’s more vulnerable to him

ii. He feels guilty because he’s the reason why she tried to kill himself

c. Joe’s sex life – look at the fade and black or the mood the next day (drying
him at the pool)

5. Monkey

a. Husband-like, she could control him, needs “someone” there

b. Joe arrives when monkey dies, Joe’s the new monkey

c. She treats him like a monkey – dresses him, orders him around, goes for
rides in the car, can’t leave the house

d. Joe’s dream 1st night – (hears music) monkey dancing for money (he’s the
monkey)

6. Foreshadowing

a. Pool: Joe had always wanted a pool