60 Years Have Passed….
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Lilith — 2 years ago(June 01, 2023 11:18 PM)
The following quote is a comment made on the above video by someone more familiar with Marilyn Monroe. Miley, I think you might find it interesting as well:
Pinned by Aly Art
Liolia
10 months ago (edited)
Fellow long time Marilyn Monroe fan here! A few notes from having read numerous books and watched countless documentaries about her (plus most of her films starting with Don’t Bother to Knock, Niagara and on):- The Bluebook Agency referred to her as “the chinless wonder”, that’s what Aly was referencing in that section about her chin implant.
- I agree it was likely Lytesse (sp?) who taught Marilyn to move her mouth & face that way. She was also doing her own version of the Old Hollywood “transcontinental” accent, which made her pronunciation a bit funny, since there was a some British influence to it. She was following trends of that era, though Marilyn’s version sounded kind of cheesecake/cutesy. The accent can be heard clearly in Katherine Hepburn, as an example. Or she could have been copying her idol & the reason MM started acting, Jean Harlow. I don’t recall if Aly mentioned her here…
However, once she began work in The Actor’s Studio, focusing on method acting (similar to Marlon Brando, Heath Ledger, etc.) she learned how to act in her roles in a more natural, easy way. She still added unique touches to her characters but she looks a lot less stilted, more organic. Sadly, the method was overwhelming to her fragile psyche, and it took her down a dark road psychologically, which worsened her mood swings and trauma-related struggles.
- Regarding her being called “The most beautiful woman in the world” and how some commenters are saying “they don’t agree/don’t see it.” It’s possible you may be missing the point:
There have been countless physically attractive, even gorgeous, women actors in Hollywood. Like, they’re aesthetically more pleasing to you than MM, especially given that beauty standards have shifted across the decades. (though they remain difficult or unattainable, as always
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Yet…there is a biopic coming out about MM’s life and career as we speak. There seems to be one coming out at least once a decade. Her style and aesthetic is replicated repeatedly by Hollywood actors/musicians in photo shoots, etc. Yet most of those other famous beautiful actors can’t say the same.
So is she the most beautiful? If not, then why are we so drawn to her as a society? That’s what got me curious about her. What made her iconic?
I believe we are attracted to her (aka, find her attractive, literally and figuratively) because of her energy and how she emits that at the camera and on the screen. In movie scenes, the eye naturally gravitates to her if she’s on screen. She portrays a sense of innocence and softness alongside her sexual image. And that juxtaposition is rare. She was also very publicly vulnerable in an era when most stars managed to keep their struggles a secret. And she did refine her look to a T, and had immense control of her image in most of her films, as well as how each role was played. She was also the first woman in Hollywood to own a production studio.
She was terrified of being filmed, but loved being photographed, but she still stayed in acting.
By the way, I don’t recall her ever referring to herself as “the most beautiful.” She knew and talked about being a sex icon, how it’s a double-edged sword and how she wanted most of all to be “a great actress.” So let’s be clear on that: she never gave herself that title. We did, as a society. - Regarding comments seeming to somewhat talk down to or make fun of Marilyn for all of the changes/tweaks she made to her body, be it through procedures or her movements/behaviors/posing:
She was an artist. She was (coercively) over-medicated and deeply insecure at her worst, but she was a shrewd business woman at her best. She was meticulous with her appearance, and she studied her craft and perfected her instrument (for an actor, that’s their body). So for us to sit here & look down on her? Do we look down on Daniel Day Lewis for his obsession with his craft? No.
I admire her for going beyond the surface, and learning not just what her angles are, but studying human anatomy, and how the bones and muscles connect and move, the entire concept behind body language. Because remember, it wasn’t just about stills, she was working with movement, too. She was known for this, along with her aforementioned method acting studies with Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio in NYC.
Anyway, thanks for reading and considering my points! Clearly I love MM (Norma Jean Baker’s creation!) as a person, thank you, Aly, for your video on this!
"Your emotional state is not my responsibility." – Warren Smith
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