Who's watching Blonde? (Marilyn Monroe)

[DoAllMyOwnStunts]

Apparently the room they filmed her death in is actually the room MM died in.

Netflix, released today

It's on my list for when we've finished a couple of other things. Will be interested to hear what people think of it.

I'm part way through. So far it's unrelentingly gloomy with not much of an arc for Ana de Armas's Monroe as she spends the whole movie as the scared little girl you meet in the first scenes. It's faithful to the source which is a Joyce Carol Oates novel, but what I didn't like about the novel I didn't like in the movie either: gratuitous sex scenes which seem to exploit Monroe as much as any of her actual movies ever did.
Marilyn had a dark side but she also had a sense of humour and could laugh at herself and at life. You don't get that here.
Also one of the storytelling devices is utterly tasteless - you'll know it when you see it.
Ana de Armas looks more like Madonna circa Who's That Girl to my mind but she really commits and gives a performance worthy of a better movie.

I haven’t watched it yet but saw an interesting interview with the director who said the entire film is from the viewpoint of someone who is going to commit suicide and what leads them to that point. It’s not what I thought the film would focus on to be honest - but explains why I’ve heard people say it’s extremely depressing and complete ignores any element of happiness that she would have had in her life.

I was so looking forward to it as love MM but turned it off after 20 minutes.

That's a shame it could have been just my thing. I love historical drama and near history can be fascinating. Even in fiction.

@Lazydaisydaydream that totally explains the tone of the whole film then. I have always felt sorry for Marilyn and this just compounds it, even if only half is accurate. I thought Ana's performance was very good. I know they couldn't cover everything but significant events were completely left out. It was comforting to see some cared for her and didn't just abuse and use her. It is quite depressing and left me with a feeling of sadness for her. As others have said it is not the whole story.

I was going to watch it but then read an interview with the director who was very dismissive about MM. Said her films were rubbish and her most famous ones were just about gold diggers and whores. That showed such a misunderstanding of MM and her films that it made me think he was the wrong person to make a film about her. He seems a patronising, sexist arse.

I didn't know that about the director? Patronising git!

It was so odd. Even if he thought that, you'd think he'd be a bit more respectful since he's cashing in on exactly the cultural phenomenon that he's so dismissive about.

I decided not to watch it after reading this very interesting article.

I think it’s really sneaky to blur the boundaries of fiction and reality in this way.

www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/29/the-myth-of-marilyn-monroe-how-her-sex-bomb-image-buries-the-truth?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I was looking forward to this so watched it last night. I found it boring and even fast forwarded some of it. I think it missed the mark but I'm not a fan of films that jump around. Maybe it's because we all know her story and expected it to be portrayed in a way that showed a different aspect. This didn't. Also, a lot of it was clearly made up.

I found it trippy. And depressing obviously. I think it was well done but I did wish I was watching Some Like it Hot again instead.

Interesting article, I liked the documentary the author was involved in.

I watched it earlier and found it a bit boring too. I made it to the end but there were a few points I could have easily turned it off.

The abortion scene and the throuple scenes were really odd. And calling everyone daddy ?

www.denofgeek.com/movies/blonde-marilyn-monroes-true-history-really-happened/

I posted this on the other Blonde thread. I found it interesting.
I started to watch the film, but lasted about 30 minutes. Seemed exploitative, both of Marilyn, and Ariana.
Very ugly viewing.

Really not enjoying (though the acting is good). I just don't understand the concept of a fictional film about a nonfictional person. Same reason I don't watch any of those Only Way is Essex programmes. Either something is real or it's not. I know many programmes like The Crown take a lot of artistic licence, but the aim of Blonde isn't to tell the story of MM, even vaguely, so I just don't get it, and with all the really traumatic topics covered it just feels quite disrespectful.

The director being dismissive and exploitative reminded me of the director of Being the Ricardos - who said I Love Lucy wasn't funny and no-one watched it after it aired, etc.
I'm tired of men making films about women who they don't understand and then being completely disrespectful about their contributions and careers. It's 2022, surely female directors who actually understand the cultural significance of trailblazing women can make films about them instead. And the men who find them so dull and inconsequential can go make movies about shouty sexist men instead.

I started it yesterday and wasn't expect to fund it so disturbing at times.
The sex scenes were gratioutous and porny.

I don't know what I was expecting really, maybe something o similar lines of My Week with Marilyn.

I think she did call everyone daddy tbf.

The throuple thing= less accurate.

I didn't expect it like it all but I was gripped by it. I thought the actress playing Marilyn was extremely good. As a lifelong MM fan and read so many books on her life I was creeped out by the filming in the actual bedroom she died in.

Just finished watching this, how bizarre??

To me it just seems to be a way of the director to force his own personality upon the viewer, if that makes any sense? Pro-life, porn obsessed, fantasist misogynist.

Does anybody have any recommendations of books, shows or films which depict the more real life of MM please? I would like to educate myself but his was seemingly just fiction...

@FatPatsCat 'Goddess' by Anthony Summers. There was a documentary on Netflix about her which was released this year and Anthony Summers features in it. It's considered more thorough and accurate depiction of her life.

Thank you! I'll look into it 😊