Friday sees the release of Steven Soderbergh’s second-to-last film, the not-great Side Effects. But one of the finest directors of our time has a little more in the tank, as May brings the HBO premier of Behind the Candelabra, aka Michael Douglas’ Liberace biopic.
The premise has potential, covering Liberace’s secret affair with one Mr. Scott Thorson (Matt Damon). Thorson and Liberace actually met in ’76 when the latter’s career was in full swing and the former was only 16. Drugs and promiscuity would eventually pull them apart. And the creepiness factor is sure to be high in the film, as Thorson’s sugar daddy pressured him into plastic surgery so he’d more resemble the singer. The subject of Liberace adopting his young lover was also brought up. Ew.
HBO gives us our first image from the film and both performers look mighty comfortable in their roles. This is a project Douglas has been nurturing for quite a while, not to mention both he and Damon have done fine work under Soderbergh in the past. This Liberace: The Movie got mad potential, ya’ll:
