Remembering Marilyn

I can't actually tell you when I first discovered Marilyn Monroe - she was someone I was always aware of so in 1990, 3 years after first seeing Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (that's a story for the Blondes review when I post it) I bought a couple of postcards and posters I decided that I wanted to buy some of her films on tape. So down to Woolworths in Newport with my Mum I went and stood at the video rack trying to decided what film to buy, I had seen Blondes as I mentioned and also Let's Make Love, so was leaning towards The Seven Year Itch when my Mum reasoned, 'Why don't you buy a documentary and see if you like her as a person before spending all your money on the films?'

A reasonable idea, but even then I knew, that know matter what I was going to love Marilyn no matter what I found out about her, there was just something that appealed to me..

But to humour my Mum I bought Remembering Marilyn hosted by Lee Remick.

The documentary opens with the lines (and I know them by heart) 'In a quiet corner of Westwood, Califormia, hemmed off from sounds of traffic, the scene is repeated countless times, warmed by some afterglow, some myth that speaks, nameless visitors still bring flowers to the crypt of a woman they knew only on film - Marilyn Monroe who died 25 years ago (the documentary was made in '87).

Remembering Marilyn features what was at the time rare photographs and footage, alongside clips from her films and audio of some of her interviews. Reminiscences from people who knew her, Susan Strasberg, Robert Wagner, Robert Mitchum, the Howell family who remember Norma Jeane's early years and reveal that they had been asked to adopt her but they decided they couldn't because they had a large family already, when she married James Dougherty, the wedding was held at their house and feminist writer Gloria Steinem, who gives the feminist perspective of Marilyn's life and appeal.

The clips from her films cover the majority of her career though the earliest film clip is from The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston 1950)

The original video cassette I purchased in 1990 - still working

The DVD version I bought last year - it is playing on my TV as I write this!.

All in all Remembering Marilyn is a lovely tribute to Marilyn, it doesn't focus too much on the scandals of Marilyn's life although it does cover her 3 marriages and her death in 1962, the film leans towards the suicide theory rather than any thing else. It does mention some of the mysteries surrounding her death and the rumour of an involvement with the Kennedy's but without placing too much emphasis on it.

A nice touch is that the set is decorated with photos and books on our favourite star.

The one thing that caused consternation among Marilyn fans for many years is that it was hosted by Lee Remick, the actress who was hired to replace Marilyn in her final uncompleted film Something's Got To Give.

Because this was the first documentary I saw it remains my favourite. You can find copies of this on Ebay either on the DVD or Video format (if you still have a player like me) and I would recommend that you add a copy to your collection

If only because of new footage, photos and information Remembering Marilyn scores 3.5 out of 5

Marilyn Monroe

Just received this lovely book, not a massive book Marilyn Monroe: A celebration of the most iconic woman from Hollywood's golden era contains around 80 photos and gives a very brief over view of her films.

There's no scandal in this - just gorgeous (though common) photos, a brief film synopsis and a little bit about her life. If you want a full biography then this is not for you but if you want to spend a nice leisurely hour pouring over the photos then this is worth the extremely small price.

You can order this book from Amazon (US) by clicking HERE

I ordered my copy from Amazon and it was still not much more than a tenner, however a little bird tells me that this book is available in the UK from The Works you can order by clicking HERE

The Marilyn Memorial Service 2014

As I am sure you are all aware, this week marks the 52nd anniversary of our beloved Marilyn's passing. Since 1982 Marilyn Remembered has held a memorial service at Westwood Village Memorial Park in the very Chapel where Marilyn's funeral service was held, and the cemetery where she sleeps to this very day.

And for the first time in it's history the memorial service will be streamed LIVE over internet, so all the fans who cannot be in Los Angeles tomorrow can still BE there.

To watch the memorial service live - for us UK peeps that will be at 7pm Tuesday August 5th please click HERE

A big thanks to Scott Fortner of the Marilyn Monroe Collection for making this possible.

Make sure you have your Kleenex handy I think things might get a little bit emotional.

Marilyn Monroe - Her Films Her Life - by Michelle Vogel

I apologise that it has taken so long for me to review this book, this is due to my holiday to Madeira, my attempting a 365 photo challenge via Blipfoto and various other excuses - because that's all they are excuses. Right down to business.

When I first received this book to be honest I wasn't over impressed and this is down to the publisher, for the price (around £33) I admit I was expecting a large, glossy coffee table book, this isn't. it is a little smaller than A4. Upon opening the cover to read I found that the type of card stock used for the cover curls very easily as does the rest of the pages and I had to flatten in between 2 heavy books in order to take the photo of the cover. Inside there are no colour or glossy photos which isn't a problem at all, although the photos used a pretty much stock images that have been used dozens of times before.

This of course has nothing to do with the quality of the writing inside the book:

When I first started reading I thought 'yes ok I know all this' and I really thought that I would not learn anything at all from this book. I was wrong, peppered throughout are facts about the films I had never learnt before. For instance, I never knew that Marilyn's character in Dangerous Years was originally slated to be a secretary - did you?

cont....

 The cover of Michelle Vogel's book uses an image form my favourite of Marilyn's films and my favourite musical number

2 images from Bus Stop

And that is what this book is like, you'll be reading and along pops a little bit of personal information, an anecdote you have never heard from those who knew her, or a fact about one of the films.

And that is what makes this book worth buying. I'm not going to go into the theories of her death that are held by the author because although her death is mentioned in the book this books if about her work and her life - not her death. And there have been so many different theories pertaining to her death and we all have our own theories that Michelle's theories are not going to change mine - at least not without hard evidence.

All in all - definitely a book worth adding to the collection, but the price may put you off 

3.5/5 

Click HERE to purchase from Amazon UK

Click HERE to purchase from Amazon US