Why Netflix's 'Blonde' is facing criticism | Mashable.
What's so controversial about Netflix's 'Blonde'? Well...
Credit: Netflix |
On Wednesday (Sept. 28), Netflix released Blonde, a flashy, fictitious account of Marilyn Monroe's life. The nearly three-hour film stars Ana de Armas as the late star.
Directed by Andrew Dominik and based off Joyce Carol Oates's novel of the same name, this is just the latest film to cash in on Monroe's legacy. However, Dominik's maximalist and hypersexualized approach to Monroe's story is drawing criticism from fans and critics alike. Blonde is facing backlash for masquerading as a biopic when it's more of a loose retelling that exploits Monroe and her trauma, featuring unsavory depictions of sexual violence, abortion, and suicide.
The criticisms of Blonde are further compounded by Dominik's inability to clearly convey his intentions with the film. Some of his remarks have come off as quite callous. In an interview with Screen Daily he said, "It's a demanding movie. If the audience doesn't like it, that's the fucking audience's problem. It's not running for public office. It's an NC-17 movie about Marilyn Monroe, it's kind of what you want, right? I want to go and see the NC-17 version of the Marilyn Monroe story."
He went on to tell the British Film Institute's Christina Newland that he wasn't very interested in telling Monroe's entire life story. There are details that are omitted from the film, like the fact that Monroe created her own production company and her support of Ella Fitzgerald's fight against segregation. "That stuff is not really what the film is about," he said. "It’s about a person who is going to be killing themself."
Dominik's fixation on Monroe's tragic death at the age of 36 doesn't end there. The death scene in the film was shot in the same room where she died, which some viewers criticized for being exploitative.
Newland also shared an outtake from her interview on Twitter, in which the director referred to the young women in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as "well-dressed whores." NPR's Aisha Harris replied to Newland's tweet, writing, "This explains every single second of BLONDE."
While on the film's press run, de Armas has been constructing a narrative that Monroe would have approved of the film, despite the film being about a fictionalized version of her.
At the Venice Film Festival de Armas said that when filming at Monroe's former home she felt the late star's presence: "I felt a strong sensation, there was something in the air. I think she was approving what we were doing. Maybe this sounds very mystical, or something but it was true. We felt it." It doesn't end there. In addition, in an interview with AnOther Magazine, de Armas claims that the cast and crew asked Monroe for her permission by leaving a card at her grave. The actor also shared in an interview with Variety that she visited Monroe's grave several times to pay her respects.
Between the director's comments and the critical distaste for the film — The New York Times calls it "the latest necrophiliac entertainment to exploit [Monroe]" — Blonde is leaving viewers cold.
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What about creative freedom? All that noise coming from the stupid, the frustrated, the complexed and any and every pro-this and against -that, that could not be heard before because they all are, after all a miniscule minority, is becoming thanks to Social Networks, a moral tyranny that makes no sense anymore and make way too much noise.
ReplyDelete---- YEP ITS CALLED ------ LETS FCKING ACTUALLY TALK PROPERLY ------- AND GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE ILLUSION ------------ TOO MUCH NOISE GETS MADE WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT FCKING TALKING TO EACH OTHER PROPERLY -------------BEARING IN MIND ALOT ARE NO WHERE NEAR EDUCATED PROEPRLY ---------- i AM NOT TALKING TOO MUCH BUT AT LEAST ABLE TO ACTUALLY DEBAT ON THESE ISSUES -----------------PROPERLY ---------------- WITH OUT DIVERITN TO RIDICULE --------- TO AVOID CONNECTING --- SO AS WE CAN GET THE YOUNG UP AND OUT OF THE ILLUSION -- SO THEY CAN MAKE BETTER CHOICES ----------------------
DeleteIt’s fiction … and it was fiction when the novel was released what 30 or so years ago. Written by Joyce Carol Oates, aka “The Dark Lady of American Fiction”, the makers of this movie managed to take a dark novel and turn it into an even darker movie.
ReplyDeleteI agree! we found it to be such that, watching it was best done in small doses!
Deletedef will stick with me as did the book all those years ago when I was much younger. Yes, fiction, and we will never know how much was fact. Her life, what we know to be the truth, was as sad as she was beautiful.
DeleteYES BUT IF U STUDY ------ YOUR ---SEE LOUD AND CLEAR -------- THEIR TELL U THEY WHERE THE BIG BOSSESS FCKING THE ACTRESSESS ------------ AND ALOS DRUGGING THEM --- INCLUDING JUDY GARLAND ------ SO U GOT A MIVE FOR THE FIRST BIT ACTUALLY DELVIERING REALITY ------------ Yep creative licence --- but --it in first 20 mins is delivering the mind shift ----- destress that places a person into an illusion its showing you what narccissitcs do --- on purpose to entrap its victim ----------- SO YOUR IN DENIAL OR YOUR NARCCISSITC HON ??? LETS HAVE A PROPER DEBAT
DeleteWas that supposed to be English 🤔
DeleteAs I was watching it I googled it to see if it was based on facts or fiction. Once I found out it was mostly fictional, I just watched it as a movie.
ReplyDeleteMore morbid entertainment- Netflix entertainment is 99% about death destruction - I bet even bob the builder is wanted by the law by now
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty hard to watch, dry, informative and realistic with a wild cinematic twist on filming but ultimately jumped too much without much explanation from the origination of scenes. Just oddly cut like an independent film.
ReplyDeleteNever showed Marilyn singing Happy Birthday to the President!
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad movie. But the actor where outstanding.
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteComplimenti per la fotografia di questo film 🙌
ReplyDeleteI’ve canceled Netflix after watching this 💩show.
ReplyDeleteWow really? Is it that bad movie?
Deleteit’s not that bad. It’s super artsy and not totally based off of reality
Deletethat's kinda weird...lol
DeleteYour loss.
Deletesurrrre you did🙄
DeleteI cancelled it a couple of years ago.
DeleteWell I cancelled mine ages ago. Full of crap.
DeleteWell you called it right, everyone seems to be upset about this film.
Deletealready done
DeleteAlways remember…believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see. That applies to everything in life.
ReplyDeleteHard to watch. And if its fiction I don't know why they couldn't go 100% fictional. Ana de Armas is pretty nuanced and convincing as a 'fake' Marilyn though.
ReplyDeleteThe movie was raw and I think it was meant to be uncomfortable
ReplyDeleteWhy should anyone expect an easy watch 😆
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about that! Not easy to watch at all! 🙁
ReplyDeleteBad fake movie
ReplyDeleteNeither is Netflix an easy watch. Worst streaming service with junk shows.
ReplyDeleteYou mean besides Desi Arnaz was her vocal coach?
ReplyDeleteIf it's anything close to Oates' novel, it will be shovking to many people.
ReplyDeleteIt's Netflix's marketing strategy, just make everything...ghastly and so horrid that you have to tune in, even if it isn't. Lol. Netflix bank Rollin.
ReplyDeletesooo sad 🙁
ReplyDeleteI wont even watch it
ReplyDelete..or the new Elvis either....
Marilyn Monroe . Her real name Norma Jeane Mortenson was sucked in by Hollywood and by cheating men . Her mom had a mental problem and Mariilyn lost her baby had a miscarriage . All that must have drove her to pills and suicide. I dont really know if she really committed suicide. There has been talk from back then that the Kennedy's could be involved in it
ReplyDeleteaccurate summary.
DeleteMarilyn as icon of hypersexualised women is a legitimate subject in this conversation about misogyny. The movie is sordid and sad, but no more revolting than the conversations about women and the law in America, her trials no more appalling than the conduct of the Supreme Court. We need to witness these travesties and demand change: child protection being paramount. Ditto the Dahmer story.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty trashy so sad so many so called men abused her.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is not about Marilyn. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteI heard this is fiction? I don't think I want to watch if it's all fake
ReplyDeleteHow many more movies they gonna make about this women🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️ she dead , now move on 😬😬
ReplyDeleteIt’s rated N-17 for starters.
ReplyDelete💩not worth watching 💩 fictional garbage
ReplyDeleteLife is.
ReplyDeleteI like it ..
ReplyDeleteStory has it - it's downright terrible
ReplyDeleteBut all of that happened to her. It's amazing she survived to 36. Even more amazing what she achieved in film.
ReplyDeleteIT AMAZES ME NOT WATCHED IT ALL AS ITS FROM BEGINNING HEAVY ------- SETS TRIGGERS OF ------ its jumping straight into the abuse ---- and people are not going to like it especially as misogyny has risen through the roof ------ HOW EVER IT SO FAR IS JUMPING STRIGHT INTO ABANDONMENT ---- SAME AS THE DAHRMA FILM -------------- SO WE GOT MOVIE STOUCHING ON ABANDONMENT -----SO EVERY BODY IS GOING TO WANT TO REJECT IT DENY IT ----- AND SHUT IT DOWN -----------------------So far it defiantly also hitting the arty farty -- trippy stuff that mimics mental health in the brain ----- which causes --------a human to skate in the brain and not make right choices ---------- SO FOR MOST PART WE ARE A ROUND A LOT OF NARCCISSITC PEOPLE FEMALES AS WELL AS MEN ---- WHICH MEANS EVERY DAY WE GET UP WE GOT A SKATING IN THE BRAIN ISSUE BEING TRIGGERED --- YEP -------------- TAKE SCOURAGE TO WATCH IT SO FAR -------I HAVE PASUED ITS A VRY PAIN FUL SO FAR FILM ------------you get to see a kid being drowned --------------------- SO -- WE GET JOHN DARHMA ---- HE FLIPS A SWTICH FORM KID AND EXTERNILISES ---------HIS ENVIORMENT THAT HIS BORUGHT UP IN ON OTHERS ----- WHERE SMONROE IS POTENTAILLY INTERNILISING IT --------HENCE SHE COMMITS SUICICDE ------WITH OR WIT HOUT HELP -------------------------
ReplyDeletewhy are you shouting?
DeleteHate crime!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Deletehttps://media1.tenor.co/images/cd6c477021157681a94cd4ab5a22144f/tenor.gif?c=VjFfZmFjZWJvb2tfd2ViY29tbWVudHM&itemid=15045760
YOUR WATCHING ANOTHER VERSION OF THE EPSTEIN --- MACHINE --------------------YEP HALF THE ACTRESSESS WE BEEN WATCHING WHERE USED FOR A FCK -------------THAT WAS THE CONDITION THT HTEY GOT FAME ----------------------- NOW HOW MANY ARE GONNA WANT TO DEAL WITH ------ THE REALITY OF THE HELL HOLLY WOOD WAS DOIGN TO KIDS AND WOMEN --------------------NOT TO MENTION RIPPING OF A TON OF MEN ---------GAY OR NOT -------- AND THEM THAT DESPERATE TO ALLOW THE ABBUSE TO HAPPEN -------------YEP HOW NICE IS THE ELITE -------------- REALLY --------------------------WATCH THE DAMEN FILM IF ITS THT HARD ALL THROUGH IT WATCH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN TILL U GET IT ----------------I WOULD HAZRAD A GUESS U MIGHT FCKING ELARN A TON OF STUFF THAT HELPS U GET HTORUGH LIFE
ReplyDeleteyou really need to ease up on the caps loc there Tilly.
Deletehttps://media1.tenor.co/images/d3f85b26d4ac1aef86ad2e4836eda02e/tenor.gif?c=VjFfZmFjZWJvb2tfd2ViY29tbWVudHM&itemid=13615981
Deleteput the glass bbq down
DeleteNO I DON'T HON ------------------ U NEED TO STOP JOINING IN ON THE BULLYING ----------------NOT ONE OF U GOING ON ABOUT CAPS LOCKS EVER DELIVERS A DEBAT ------- BACK IN A THING ----------------its called a limited mind set --------- and it ain't mine hon!!!!! OH LOOK WE NOW GOT A FEMLAE JOINING IN WITH THE WHITE MEN AROUND GRAMMA --------------- Becasue it most defianlty has a white male english speaking dimension to it --------------------- read what i said and give it a crit back ----------------- OTHERS DO ------------- SO WHY DON'T U ---OPEN YA MIND SET UP HON!!!!! SINCE WHEN DO SPANISH PEOPLE EVER GO ON ABOUT GRAMMA
DeleteI’m not bullying you at all, but when one writes in capital letters it means that one is shouting, which is unnecessary and unacceptable. I see you took the time out to look at my profile: yes, I live in Spain, however I am not Spanish. Your comments are racist slandering though if I were to be.
DeleteTurn your caps lock off Tilly and relax. No arguments here.
"Not an easy watch"
ReplyDeleteSpeak for yourself!!!
Typical man bashing movie
ReplyDeleteBecause they told the truth, and the harsh reality hurts. Peoples lives aren’t all glitz and glamour.
ReplyDeletebut she wasn’t sexually assaulted by JFK
DeleteI was referring back to how all these articles are saying people were shutting it off after 20 minutes.
Deleteit wasn’t a good movie
DeleteIt’s not an easy watch because it’ too long, slow and boring
ReplyDeletethat’s why I turned it off
Deletei’m still left with last 20 minutes because i fell asleep and I don’t have any interest to finish it 😴
DeleteIt sucked
ReplyDeleteI turned it off after about 10 minutes.
ReplyDeleteIt’s horrible
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen the new one, I imagine it has the same general storyline as the first which focuses on romance with Charlie chaplins son and other definitely imagined events. I mean some parts could definitely masquerade as based on a true story or true events, but anyone who is a fan of her could easily listen to the recordings of her telling her story herself and learn the truth of many events of her life. Without seeing it I would say take it as you would any general movie or show? I just hope she was portrayed nicely 🙂
ReplyDelete.... umm 🤔 she was portrayed as a well read, educated, talented and under appreciated woman (actress) Almost a bit ahead of her times. But also, a tormented by her past individual dealing with a her show business persona and her own self.
DeleteGarbage direction, garbage script.
ReplyDelete2 posts, 7 hours apart, next to each other in my timeline. Originality is awesome.
ReplyDeleteSpare me the dramatics
ReplyDeleteBoring…
ReplyDelete