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.
