BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Screening Friday, 1st November 2013



Movie Info

Before Elvis, before Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television. A name synonymous with showmanship, extravagance and candelabras, he was a world-renowned performer with a flair that endeared him to his audiences and created a loyal fan base spanning his 40-year career. Liberace lived lavishly and embraced a lifestyle of excess both on and off stage. In summer 1977, handsome young stranger Scott Thorson walked into his dressing room and, despite their age difference and seemingly different worlds, the two embarked on a secretive five-year love affair. BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at their tempestuous relationship - from their first meeting backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to their bitter and public break-up. -- Official Site
Unrated,


Steven Soderbergh
Richard LaGravenese

Cast includes:
  • Michael Douglas as Liberace
  • Matt Damon as Scott Thorson
  • Dan Aykroyd as Seymour Heller
  • Rob Lowe as Dr. Jack Startz
  • Debbie Reynolds as Frances Liberace
  • Scott Bakula as Bob Black


Comment by Judith Lucy, At The Movies:
I love this movie and one of the most impressive things about it is the way that Soderbergh, screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and Michael Douglas have managed to give us a fully fledged person in Liberace and not just a camp caricature. We see his talent and his narcissism (there is a scene involving plastic surgery that is both funny and downright creepy) but also his generosity and love of Scott. And it is this relationship that carries the movie. As over the top as Liberace's life is, as much time as he and Scott spend sitting in his spa drinking champagne, we always believe the journey their love for each other takes them on. Special mention must go to the film's art director, Patrick M Sullivan, who has managed to capture the kitsch of Liberace and the seventies but who has also helped create a beautiful looking film. Michael Douglas is sensational but all the performances are great. What a treat to watch a movie that is squarely aimed at adults. 

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