There are three designated tragic blondes of pop culture: Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Britney Spears; all hounded, vilified, scrutinised and what not at mercy of the people
This was a very interesting perspective. Definitely a lot more insightful than a simple appeal to disgust that many other people use to explain why they don’t approve of something. Thanks for the upload. It gave me a lot to think about.
Hollywood will always keep looking at Anne Boleyn, her daughter Elizabeth I, Hitler, JFK etc. etc. Extraordinary lives will continue to be examined over and over again
You should watch Karina Longworth's Dead Blondes Miniseries on her podcast You Must Remember This if you haven't already. I have a huge interest in this phenomena with tragic female figures narratives and how those who produce the narratives around them eventually kill the icons they adore and observe, whether that be through gossip, physical/sexual harassment and dehumanization in context of their occupational roles as idols/stars. You would appreciate Karina's perspective to explore more women who've been treated like this over and over again throughout media history. It's important to not just talk about Marilyn or Diana's lives like melodramas, but as lessons of parasociality and how troubled women thrusted into the limelight are essentially eroded by the social cliches imposed on their (sadly) short-lived time doing what they could to obtain happy lives.
It gives me necessary perspective to hear you say you grew up not knowing what Diana looked like! Her image was everywhere on magazine covers during my early adulthood. If you want more info on the nature of people's involvement with her fame, skim through The Diana Chronicles, by Tina Brown. Good video.
Thank you! And actually I had intended to do a sort of literature review in tandem with this video originally. That book did come up in the reading list but ultimately it felt a little gossipy? it seemed to have a sort of whispered "he said/she said" texture to the reviews I saw and the author didn't inspire the sort of objectivity/projected objectivity I was looking for to better my understanding of her life. So in the end I decided to stay away from it. But seeing your comment is making me rethink that decision. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment
Appreciate your work and many of your thoughts. However, seeing "Blonde" as a biopic of Marilyn Monroe is misdirected - as enticing as it may be. It is rather, I believe, this director's take on the treatment many women (of all hair colors) suffer at the hands of some men and some male-dominated institutions in our society. Yes, it is controversial and challenges you on many levels. No, it is not the standard fare of what the film industry creates. It is, I think, a work of art that pushes boundaries that many create in their minds of what is appropriate as art. It is not, however, a biopic of Marilyn Monroe and being "disgusted" by it because you think it is is, I think, unfortunate and misses a greater opportunity to look at the broader subject of exploitation of women.
Firstly, thank you very much for taking the time to engage with my video and its opinion. Secondly, I think the question I am more interested in is, if what you are saying is in fact accurate why then must Marilyn Monroe be the vehicle for such a film? If the film, as you posit, was a work of art detailing the exploitation and abuse of women in the film industry then why wouldn’t creating a fictional woman or women to centre the film on not suffice? Why must it be Marilyn? My disgust is at the ease with which a director can use sordid and at many points made up moments of a deceased woman’s life to expound his own narrative. Objectively Blonde does attempt to be biopic, it details her life from youth to adulthood and eventual death. That doesn’t mean it necessarily isn’t or can’t be a work of art about exploitation.These realities are not mutually exclusive. But it then begs the question why use and fabricate the life of a real person to do that? Why must Marilyn posthumously and permanently remain the symbol of female exploitation in Hollywood as if that was all she was and can be? Moreover this is a question further exacerbated by the fact that Blonde itself seems to use, objectify and exploit her, her identity, her image, her reputation and namesake in the same way that the film, as you claim, purports to showcase. Blonde isn’t simply a film about exploitation, it is exploitation in it and of itself. It is simultaneously a witness to a crime and the criminal itself.
@@imaginesisyphushappy2692 You make good points. Let's remember the film was taken from a novel (written 20 years ago) of the same name. Does what you say about the film and the director also pertain to the book and the author? In both cases, why Norma Jean, Marilyn and why Blonde? Well, let's also remember a significant objective for the book, the author, the movie, the director and the producers is to benefit financially from their efforts. (One could also say that many RUclipsrs hope for the same thing.) If either the author or the director were to use a fictitious main character in their respective works, (as the author originally intended to do) surely the attention and notoriety given to these works would have been a fraction of what they have been. (I do, however, believe from my research that the author was inspired by Norma Jean/Marilyn as she came to learn more about her/them and so made the decision to modify her novel.) In the end, the author has stated that she understands the film is "clearly not a film for everyone", but she maintains that the film does not exploit Monroe but instead shines a lot of the mistreatment that she, and so many other young women in Hollywood, had endured. I agree with her. Finally, I don't feel that BLONDE or THE CROWN need be the exclusive defining story of their subjects or their time. Good conversation.
@@cameronbrownell6782 Again, Thank you for engaging with me in such an interesting way. I do see and agree with the point of financial success. I wonder if there should ever be any limit to that from a purely moral point of view. And honestly Blonde from the research I did hasn't resonated the way I assume everyone involved wished it had. If name recognition was to be it's sole insurance for marketability it's done the exact opposite. And perhaps there is something...there. Hm inadvertently you have purely and potently inspired me to delve into another area of research. And for that I am very grateful. Thanks again for taking the time to comment. I really enjoyed our discourse.
@@cameronbrownell6782 I think it exploited her. I think the author just doesn't want to admit it. And the topic should not be just about women. Men, and more importantly, children, have been and still are victims. That's what almost no one wants to talk about.
@@jenynz5334 Hmm. I don’t know if it’s something that no one wants to talk about. The men who do speak out get supported (ex: Brendan Frazier, Terry Crews, Johnny Depp, Anthony Rapp, etc.). I’ve definitely noticed it become a popular topic of conversation before, even more so in recent months. Yes, ‘all lives matter’, but some groups are impacted by particular kinds of exploitation to a greater extent than others. I think in this case, women are often the focus because of the reality of how certain industries are structured, not just the incidents themselves.
IKR? So many lies. Like how Charles was cheating on her, how the Panorama interview happened, Philip and his horses... Oh wait, this all happened! Seriously, people. Just because they made up the conversations between these people, that doesn't mean that it's all a lie. And you guys had no issues whatsoever with the first 3 seasons or 4, so please, give me a break.
There are three designated tragic blondes of pop culture: Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Britney Spears; all hounded, vilified, scrutinised and what not at mercy of the people
People always forget about Anna Nicole Smith who was sort of seen like Marilyn 2.0. Very tragic story.
This was a very interesting perspective. Definitely a lot more insightful than a simple appeal to disgust that many other people use to explain why they don’t approve of something. Thanks for the upload. It gave me a lot to think about.
Hollywood will always keep looking at Anne Boleyn, her daughter Elizabeth I, Hitler, JFK etc. etc. Extraordinary lives will continue to be examined over and over again
You should watch Karina Longworth's Dead Blondes Miniseries on her podcast You Must Remember This if you haven't already. I have a huge interest in this phenomena with tragic female figures narratives and how those who produce the narratives around them eventually kill the icons they adore and observe, whether that be through gossip, physical/sexual harassment and dehumanization in context of their occupational roles as idols/stars. You would appreciate Karina's perspective to explore more women who've been treated like this over and over again throughout media history. It's important to not just talk about Marilyn or Diana's lives like melodramas, but as lessons of parasociality and how troubled women thrusted into the limelight are essentially eroded by the social cliches imposed on their (sadly) short-lived time doing what they could to obtain happy lives.
It gives me necessary perspective to hear you say you grew up not knowing what Diana looked like!
Her image was everywhere on magazine covers during my early adulthood.
If you want more info on the nature of people's involvement with her fame, skim through The Diana Chronicles, by Tina Brown.
Good video.
Thank you!
And actually I had intended to do a sort of literature review in tandem with this video originally. That book did come up in the reading list but ultimately it felt a little gossipy? it seemed to have a sort of whispered "he said/she said" texture to the reviews I saw and the author didn't inspire the sort of objectivity/projected objectivity I was looking for to better my understanding of her life. So in the end I decided to stay away from it. But seeing your comment is making me rethink that decision.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment
appreciate the work and thought you put into this very much
You are review is superficial. You should do a proper research on Diana, who she really was in real life.
🤡
??? They didn’t make any specific comments on her character or her personality…
I think it’s the last season.
Season 6 will be next
There will be a season 6.
Appreciate your work and many of your thoughts. However, seeing "Blonde" as a biopic of Marilyn Monroe is misdirected - as enticing as it may be. It is rather, I believe, this director's take on the treatment many women (of all hair colors) suffer at the hands of some men and some male-dominated institutions in our society. Yes, it is controversial and challenges you on many levels. No, it is not the standard fare of what the film industry creates. It is, I think, a work of art that pushes boundaries that many create in their minds of what is appropriate as art. It is not, however, a biopic of Marilyn Monroe and being "disgusted" by it because you think it is is, I think, unfortunate and misses a greater opportunity to look at the broader subject of exploitation of women.
Firstly, thank you very much for taking the time to engage with my video and its opinion.
Secondly, I think the question I am more interested in is, if what you are saying is in fact accurate why then must Marilyn Monroe be the vehicle for such a film? If the film, as you posit, was a work of art detailing the exploitation and abuse of women in the film industry then why wouldn’t creating a fictional woman or women to centre the film on not suffice? Why must it be Marilyn? My disgust is at the ease with which a director can use sordid and at many points made up moments of a deceased woman’s life to expound his own narrative. Objectively Blonde does attempt to be biopic, it details her life from youth to adulthood and eventual death. That doesn’t mean it necessarily isn’t or can’t be a work of art about exploitation.These realities are not mutually exclusive. But it then begs the question why use and fabricate the life of a real person to do that? Why must Marilyn posthumously and permanently remain the symbol of female exploitation in Hollywood as if that was all she was and can be? Moreover this is a question further exacerbated by the fact that Blonde itself seems to use, objectify and exploit her, her identity, her image, her reputation and namesake in the same way that the film, as you claim, purports to showcase. Blonde isn’t simply a film about exploitation, it is exploitation in it and of itself. It is simultaneously a witness to a crime and the criminal itself.
@@imaginesisyphushappy2692 You make good points. Let's remember the film was taken from a novel (written 20 years ago) of the same name. Does what you say about the film and the director also pertain to the book and the author? In both cases, why Norma Jean, Marilyn and why Blonde? Well, let's also remember a significant objective for the book, the author, the movie, the director and the producers is to benefit financially from their efforts. (One could also say that many RUclipsrs hope for the same thing.) If either the author or the director were to use a fictitious main character in their respective works, (as the author originally intended to do) surely the attention and notoriety given to these works would have been a fraction of what they have been. (I do, however, believe from my research that the author was inspired by Norma Jean/Marilyn as she came to learn more about her/them and so made the decision to modify her novel.) In the end, the author has stated that she understands the film is "clearly not a film for everyone", but she maintains that the film does not exploit Monroe but instead shines a lot of the mistreatment that she, and so many other young women in Hollywood, had endured. I agree with her. Finally, I don't feel that BLONDE or THE CROWN need be the exclusive defining story of their subjects or their time. Good conversation.
@@cameronbrownell6782 Again, Thank you for engaging with me in such an interesting way. I do see and agree with the point of financial success. I wonder if there should ever be any limit to that from a purely moral point of view. And honestly Blonde from the research I did hasn't resonated the way I assume everyone involved wished it had. If name recognition was to be it's sole insurance for marketability it's done the exact opposite. And perhaps there is something...there. Hm inadvertently you have purely and potently inspired me to delve into another area of research. And for that I am very grateful. Thanks again for taking the time to comment. I really enjoyed our discourse.
@@cameronbrownell6782 I think it exploited her. I think the author just doesn't want to admit it. And the topic should not be just about women. Men, and more importantly, children, have been and still are victims. That's what almost no one wants to talk about.
@@jenynz5334 Hmm. I don’t know if it’s something that no one wants to talk about. The men who do speak out get supported (ex: Brendan Frazier, Terry Crews, Johnny Depp, Anthony Rapp, etc.). I’ve definitely noticed it become a popular topic of conversation before, even more so in recent months.
Yes, ‘all lives matter’, but some groups are impacted by particular kinds of exploitation to a greater extent than others. I think in this case, women are often the focus because of the reality of how certain industries are structured, not just the incidents themselves.
You make videos and say you haven’t even seen the movie. You don’t know what you’re talking about
I do hope it’s the last season…. You can only make up so many lies and keep going!
It’s almost as if it’s a drama show….
IKR? So many lies. Like how Charles was cheating on her, how the Panorama interview happened, Philip and his horses... Oh wait, this all happened! Seriously, people. Just because they made up the conversations between these people, that doesn't mean that it's all a lie. And you guys had no issues whatsoever with the first 3 seasons or 4, so please, give me a break.
@@oscarfun100 this!!