Hollywood Boulevard is Joe Dante's first feature film and it's a send-up of the way that B-movies are made. The film was clearly shot on a budget and much of the runtime is actually spent on showing parts from other movies! (The work of Roger Corman in particular, who has a producer's credit). In spite of this, the film actually does work really well and that is in no small part thanks to the excellent cult cast and a well written script that features plenty of very well done jokes. The plot follows budding actress Candy Hope who goes off to Hollywood in the hope of making a name for herself. She ends up meeting agent Walter Paisley (that name should be familiar to many cult fans!) who soon manages to get her a part in a film - albeit a part as a stunt girl on a Miracle Pictures film. She soon learns why the studio has the catchphrase "if it's a good film, it's a miracle" as the production is difficult and it's not long before various members of the cast begin being picked off by an unknown assailant!
The cast is one of the strongest things about this film, not least because of the inclusion of Dick Miller in a role much bigger than his usual cameo appearance. We also benefit from the Eating Raoul stars Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov who both stand out in their roles. The film is very short, running at just over eighty minutes, but plenty is packed into that runtime and the film is never boring for a second. I have no idea if making an actual B-movie is like it is portrayed in this film but if the actual B-movies I have seen are anything to go by, it might well be an accurate representation given how unprofessional the characters of the film are. The film is not exactly story heavy and the premise basically just makes up the plot of the film, but the characters help to ensure that the film has some sort of structure. The plot line involving people being murdered does feel a little bit out of place, but the movie is clearly meant just to a fun time so it's really not all that important. Overall, this film is good entertainment and provides some laughs and is well worth a look for any B-movie fan.
The cast is one of the strongest things about this film, not least because of the inclusion of Dick Miller in a role much bigger than his usual cameo appearance. We also benefit from the Eating Raoul stars Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov who both stand out in their roles. The film is very short, running at just over eighty minutes, but plenty is packed into that runtime and the film is never boring for a second. I have no idea if making an actual B-movie is like it is portrayed in this film but if the actual B-movies I have seen are anything to go by, it might well be an accurate representation given how unprofessional the characters of the film are. The film is not exactly story heavy and the premise basically just makes up the plot of the film, but the characters help to ensure that the film has some sort of structure. The plot line involving people being murdered does feel a little bit out of place, but the movie is clearly meant just to a fun time so it's really not all that important. Overall, this film is good entertainment and provides some laughs and is well worth a look for any B-movie fan.