Steven Soderbergh has never been one to resist a challenge (ie. a 12-hour adaptation of John Barth‘s “The Sot-Weed Factor“), and certainly, his long-developing biopic of Liberace, “Behind the Candelabra,” faced its fair share of resistance. The director has been up front about major studios turning down the movie for being “too gay,” but it seems it’s going to be their loss. HBO has dropped a brand new trailer for the movie and it looks nothing short of great.
Michael Douglas and Matt Damon lead the picture as Liberace and his young gay lover/friend/confidante Scott Thorson, respectively, and while you’ll come for the costumes and sequins, you’ll stay for the drama. Douglas slinks and purrs his way through the lead in a performance that seems simply transformative, while Damon is just as game as the young man thrust into this gaudy, glitzy world. This new trailer offers up the best look at the movie yet, with more of the supporting cast on display, including Dan Aykroyd (as Liberace’s long-term manager Seymour Heller), Rob Lowe (as a plastic surgeon) and Debbie Reynolds (as Frances Liberace). We’ve also got some new pics of all three as well.
“Behind the Candelabra” is expected to hit Cannes and will air on HBO on Sunday, May 26th at 9 p.m.
Kudos to the makeup team that could ugly up Debbie Reynolds.
I don't think Douglas has quite got the purring quality of Lee's voice, but otherwise it looks great.
You had me at Matt Damon in a speedo <3
So Hollywood is going to mark Liberace's life as a cartoon-like perversion so that people can peek in and point at. It appears they are completely disregarding the one thing that he was known for, his genius piano abilities.
This is ridiculous. Expected from Hollywood scum, but still ridiculous.
Glitz, pathos, great actors, great director, terrific sets, fantastic seventies hair and threads, and Matt Damon emerging dripping from a pool in a teeeny bathing suit. Ah, sometimes the world just hands me a bouquet of roses.
"So we can be family". Great one line insight into Thorson's character.
I guess they didn't have much money but the sets and costumes look wonderfully lush. And the feathered hair! Major seventies flashback.
Looks fantastic, but is Matt Damon supposed to play young? He looks about 40 in every shot.
And the Emmy goes to: Douglas, Damon, and Debbie Reynolds!
FANTASTIC! Must get HBO!!