"Love, Marilyn"

Love, Marilyn (2012)

Dir.: Liz Garbus

Prod.: Stanley F. Buchthal, Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby

"She came to us in her mother's doubt, and leaves in misery" - Norman Mailer 

Marilyn Monroe. 

Just the name conjures up so many pictures and sounds that it is almost a sensory overload. The pouty lips, the come-hither eyes, the curvaceous hips, the shapely legs. The husky voice. The trademark blonde hair. Her iconic films: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot (my personal favorite). Her infamous marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, the suggested affair with JFK.

What can be said about Marilyn that hasn't been said before? Over one thousand books have been written about her, written by friends, lovers, historians, famous novelists. She's been portrayed in movies by Ashley Judd, Poppy Montgomery, Michelle Williams and Naomi Watts. She's inspired plays and musicals (not to mention is the basis of the fictional musical "Bombshell" in the now-defunct television series Smash. And before you ask, yes, I watched the shit out of it). But where is Marilyn's voice? 

Fifty years after Marilyn's tragic death, two boxes were found in storage: boxes full of journals and diaries, letters and poetry, all written in her own hand, in her own words.

Love, Marilyn is a brilliant and moving documentary by Liz Garbus that takes all of Marilyn's personal documents and poetry to use as a backdrop against the life story of one of the most beloved women in Hollywood. Reading the words of Marilyn are contemporary actresses - Uma Thurman, Glenn Close, Evan Rachel Wood, Marissa Tomei, Viola Davis to name a few. Not only do they just read her words, they emote. They speak as though these are their own words. The emotions show on their face - pain, glee, excitement, anxiety. They inflect their speech to reflect Marilyn's writing - sometimes flowy and relaxed; other times frenzied and spasmodic. 

Lili Taylor reads Marilyn's hastily-written down instructions on how to cook a chicken (no, seriously)

Elizabeth Banks reading one of Marilyn's typed letters to her acting coach Lee Strasberg:
"There is a future, and I can't wait to get to it."

Other voices from those who knew and loved Marilyn fill in more narration, giving more background, a different perspective, are also used as narration. Adrien Brody speaks as Truman Capote, who observes Marilyn's darkest periods. Jeremy Piven portrays Elia Kazan, one of Marilyn's dearest friends. Ben Foster as Norman Mailer provides the frankest views. 

The best part of Love, Marilyn was actually getting to know her - not the dumbo bimbo, sexpot gold digger that she often portrayed in her films. No, that was an act. We get to know Norma Jean, the smart girl (and I mean smart, with an IQ of 168), who read a book a day, and knew how to play the Hollywood game to get on top. 

Do you know how Marilyn Monroe went from a two-bit B-list typecasted celeb to the superstar we now know her as? By not being sorry for any fucking thing. 

You see, in 1949, Marilyn took some nude photos for a calendar (WARNING: BOOBIES AHEAD)

See? BOOBIES!

Now, these pictures resurfaced in 1952, when she was under contract with 20th Century Fox. The studio was humiliated. They told Marilyn to deny that she took those photos, to say that this was just some unfortunate girl who happens to look like her.

Marilyn did exactly the opposite. When asked about the photos, she owned up to it. She claimed them. Therefore, she became the predecessor of a sexual revolution ahead of its time. By owning up to the nude photos, Marilyn's stock soared. She became a real star. 

Her diaries reveal that she hated being a star. She writes often about how tired she is, how she wishes she was dead. How she has an image to uphold. That's all she was - an image. She invented her way of breathless talking, the wiggle in her walk, how to use her entire body to convey sex. One particular diary entry muses over death by suicide by jumping off a bridge. She contemplates jumping of the Brooklyn Bridge, but decides not to because the view was too pretty. If she was going to jump from a bridge, she writes, she would have to find one that was ugly and with no view. But then again, she considers, she'd never seen a bridge that wasn't pretty. 

I spent a lot of time watching this film in a veil of mourning. I adore Marilyn Monroe, not just because of her acting, but because of her strengths and weaknesses. She is perhaps one of the most tragic figures of the modern age. She couldn't stay in relationships very long, they always ended in jealousy or sadness (Joe DiMaggio detested having other men looking at his wife, and stormed off the set of The Seven Year Itch when mainly male fans flooded the set to watch as her skirt billowed up). 

She was unable to have a child, having two miscarriages during her marriage to Arthur Miller. She struggled with insomnia and depression. She wrote letters upon letters to Lee Strasberg, her beloved acting coach. She was filled with doubt and anxiety, always wanting to be perfect perfect perfect all the time.

Every woman in the world wanted to be Marilyn Monroe, except for Marilyn Monroe. 

I feel like Marilyn is - was - misunderstood. She's often considered a dumb blonde or a bimbo because of how she was portrayed in her films, but it was clearly not the truth. Anyone wanting to get a better understanding of this beautiful woman who was only with us for a short time before her tragic death should see Love, Marilyn. Because her voice was the only one that hasn't been heard up until now. 

"Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer"

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, 2013

Dir.: Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin

Prod.: Maxyne Franklin, Nick Fraser, Xenia Grubstein, Martin Herring, Mike Lerner, Havana Marking, Maxim Pozdorovkin, Nick Quested, Kate Townsend

It's here, it's here, it's HERE! The summer documentary series on HBO has arrived! I never knew how much I wanted this until it actually happened! 

It started last night, but I got home late last night and I stayed up way too late watching the doc and by the time I finished, I was way too tired to blog. Especially because this particular doc is mainly in Russian, meaning subtitles, meaning every time I looked down for a second to jot down some notes, I missed something, so there was a lot of rewinding involved. Luckily, my husband kept his word and watched with me, and helpfully read the subtitles when he noticed my head was down. 

HBO really chose a strong leader for the first doc of the summer season with "Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer".

You probably have heard of Pussy Riot without even realizing it, especially if you were an avid news watcher early in 2012. They made CNN and world news headlines. 

A group of Russian women of varying ages, outraged by the re-election of Vladimir Putin in 2011, stage visually stunning, guerrilla-style protests, hiding their identities with brightly colored clothing and covering their faces with balaclavas (ski masks), looking like Luchador Barbie.

Accessories include: ATTITUDE!

They scream feminist, anti-government lyrics set to driving punk music, throw confetti and shoot off colored smoke bombs. They are Pussy Riot - they are strong, outspoken women, and they are angry.

In February of 2012, members of Pussy Riot decide to stage a performance at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow...on the altar...during a service. Yeah. These girls have BALLS. 

Naturally, security is called and three of the members of Pussy Riot are arrested on moral charges.

The documentary actually begins with video footage of the arrest, followed by interrogations of the three women who were arrested: three good looking, well spoken women in their early-to-mid-twenties. They are introduced as Nadia, Katia and Masha.

otherwise known as the hottest bitches in cell block go-fuck-yourself

In one interview with the police, Nadia is asked, "Why do you fight the Russian Orthodox Church?" 

"Did you see where the Easter services were held? The cathedral symbolizes the union of church and state," she replies. "That's not how it should be...the Patriarch stands at the altar. But a woman should occupy it. As a member of Pussy Riot, I believe that women should be allowed to run services and that women should stand at the altar. Because she is not a sinful creature." 

The rest of the documentary follows the trial and persecution of the three Pussy Riot members. Cameras, recorders, reporters, journalists, media of all kinds are allowed access to the courtroom. Not one camera is shooed away, no journalist are asked to turn of their recording devices. 

As Nadia is led, handcuffed, into a courtroom, she has nothing but smiles for the overwhelming amount of reporters that show up. She chats with them, flirts with them, states that Pussy Riot is a group that Russia needs. Her husband Peter shouts, "You look good, Nadia!" 

"I always look good," is her coquettish reply. 

Katia receives a welcome from her family, who ask her if prison has a library. She replies yes, but the books are old and that new books take a long time to arrive. Her father assures her that they would send her new ones but “You’ll be out before they reach you.”

As for Masha, she is asked by a reporter if her son was going to be taken away. Masha replies, “No...When the investigator presented the charges, he asked me a question: is your child being cared for? And if he needs to call social services. I almost had a nervous breakdown. I don’t want to hear a word about social services. And if this horrific theater affects my child in any way, that will be the worst that could happen.”

Pussy Riot’s lawyer, Violetta, is a ball-buster. She’s tough and fights hard for her clients. She disagrees with the court’s decision to keep the girls in jail instead of releasing them on bail, insisting that this is just going to fuel protest fires, rather than smother them.

“Punk has never existed in Russia, and neither has performance art. Nobody understands it,” explains another Pussy Riot lawyer.

Meanwhile, members of The Russian Orthodox "carriers of the cross" refer to Nadia as a “demon” and the other girls as “witches”, and discuss how in the 16^th century, the girls would have been hanged or burned. They hold their own protests outside the courtroom as the trial commences, singing hymns and carrying pictures of religious icons. 

As the Pussy Riot trial gains momentum, supporters from all over the world – America to Amsterdam to Ireland – are posting YouTube videos and making statements, calling for “Free Pussy Riot”. Madonna and Yoko Ono make public announcements in their support of the imprisoned women. Madonna even performs, in Moscow, with “Pussy Riot” written on her back, and wearing a balaclava.

CHECK!

THIS!

SHIT!

OUT!!!!!

I think the one thing you must keep in mind while you are watching this film is, Did these women really do anything wrong? 

What I mean by this is, did they deserve to be jailed for their "crimes"? In America, they would have a right to protest. In a draconian Russian court system, minor offenses are deemed jail-worthy. Do they really "deserve" to be imprisoned for protesting at a church? While the documentary itself gives the viewer its opinion, it's done in a way that it's really left up to the viewer themselves to decide for sure, which I think makes this a wonderful doc to watch with a group, especially if you're the lively debate type of group. 

Next week: "Love, Marilyn" - a look into the very private life of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars. 

“Art is not a mirror to reflect the world, but a hammer with which to shape it” – Bertolt Brecht

Want to join the movement to Free Pussy Riot? Visit http://freepussyriot.org/about

"Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers"

Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers, 2010

Dir.: Chip Mabry

Prod.: Chip Mabry

For those of you who don't know, as of March 2013, I became a proud member of the Jerzey Derby Brigade, a women's flat track roller derby team! It's one of the best decisions I've ever made! Our captain Doom Hilda is an amazing and hard-working leader, and my teammates are some of the toughest, funniest, most supportive and encouraging ladies I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. It has been hard and challenging, but twice a week, I lace up my skates and pad up within an inch of my life and work my ass off on learning everything from how to skate on one foot to how to whip a fellow player (don't worry, that's not as cruel as it sounds). It's helping me build my confidence and be a little more outgoing in social situations. I've made amazing friends and I've been having a frigging blast! 

I wanted to cover a derby-related documentary for this blog first thing I dove right back into it, but Prostitution: Behind the Veil caught my interest first. As I was searching through Hulu, I found a documentary that I had put on my original list of to-watch documentaries waaaaaay back from 2011, when I first started this blog! I found Brutal Beauty! 

One thing I have learned ever since starting derby myself was that you cannot trust what you see on films and TV about the sport. They make it look easy. I'll be the first to admit that the reason why I joined derby was because of the movie Whip It. But I knew from the day I decided to join that I wasn't going to be on the roster any time soon. I hadn't strapped on a pair of skates since elementary school. Now, well, I'm not gonna say I'm good or anything, but at least I don't look like an asshole. Thankfully, the JDB is an amazing support system and even if I'm feeling down on myself for things like not being able to execute a smooth transition (read: turn around while skating), I get a knock on the helmet from one of my teammates and the words, "It's okay, you'll get the hang of it."

Anyway, enough of me rambling. Brutal Beauty tells the story of the Rose City Rollers of Portland, Oregon, and their 2008-2009 season. It opens with a montage of skates being laced up, pads being strapped on and skaters weaving through bright orange cones, accompanied by the sounds of skates on the floor, players shouting to one another, and whistles blowing. I'm immediately choked up - by now I know these sights and sounds like I know my own heartbeat.

Rose City Rollers founder, who goes by the derby name Rocket Mean, says that roller derby is "indicative of the culture of young women in America."

Skater Blood Clottia explains that it gives women "an alter ego".

"I was captain of the cheerleading squad in high school," says skater Marollin' Monroe, a curvaceous blonde bombshell with a husky voice. "The universe wanted me to be a derby girl. I obliged it."

Rocket Mean launches into the origins story of the Rose City Rollers. In 2004, three friends - Rocket Mean, Jeff and Yvette - were having drinks at a bar. Jeff was the one who suddenly says, "We need to start a roller derby league." At the time, there was no derby in Portland. They planned for nearly two months, meeting every single night at the bar, before they began skating and recruiting. They only place they had to practice was the basement of a bowling alley that they rented out at $200 a month. Once they began to understand the rules more and had a better grip on things, the league grew at a rapid pace.

The league grew to thew point where it was eventually divided into four local teams: the Break Neck Betties, the Heartless Heathers, Guns N Rollers, and the High Rollers. Then there are two travelling teams: the Wheels of Justice and Axles of Annihilation, that compete on a national level.

"It gave us the camaraderie we were all kind of looking for," Rocket Mean adds.

There are discussions about the origins of their derby names, their quirky costumes, and, of course, the one thing synonymous to derby: injuries. Broken ribs, sprained ankles, fractured legs...everytime you step onto the track, there's a potential for injury. Skater and co-captain Angry Wrench, who is interviewed from her living room couch with her foot in a cast, describes it as "going to the bathhouse without a condom every Friday night."

My favorite part of the documentary has to be when the High Rollers' coach, a lean mean donut-making machine who goes by Rob Lobster, demonstrates the basics of roller derby rules using - what else? - donuts.

My other favorite part was an interview with skater Rhea Damage and her husband Jason, who admits that ever since his wife began roller derby, it has taken the top spot over football as his favorite sport and refers to his wife as his "favorite derby girl" (say it with me: Awwwww!!!)

"Men can get passionate about a sport when they're playing it," Jason explains, "But women...it's a whole other level. I mean, these girls devote themselves to it, and they don't even get paid!"

It's true - we actually have to pay dues to play. But ask any roller derby girl if that matters and they will say "Hell NO!" Seriously. At least three or four girls who are interviewed in this film say the exact same line: "Roller derby saved my soul."

It's true for both the skaters and fans alike. Derby is a sport that's for everyone - no matter what your size is, no matter what your skill level is, no matter what you look like.

The Rose City Roller girls - as well as my Jerzey Derby Brigade family - come from all walks of life. Women who are librarians, acupuncturists, and day care teachers strap on skates and become another person entirely when they're on the track. My own team consists of women who are lawyers, therapists, musicians, nannies and stay-at-home moms. That's what roller derby does. It takes whatever kind of mood you're in and immediately turns it on its ear, transforms it into something bigger and better.

Honestly, I spent most of this documentary crying my eyes out. It made me fall in love with this sport all over again. If I wasn't a derby girl now, I would have been immediately after seeing this film. It made me remember all of the beautiful, friendly, intelligent women that I am surrounded by weekly. They are instantly accepting of who you are and where you come from. Once you're in, you're in. I've only been a JDB member for a little less than two months and it feels like forever. I get hugs and advice and encouragement. I sweat, I laugh, and though sometimes I get frustrated, I will never quit.

....Sorry, how did this post become all about me all of a sudden?

Anyway. I have one complaint about the film and that is I wish I had seen more of a perspective from a beginning skater (or "fresh meat", which is the correct derby lingo). These girls have all been skating and on the roster for months or even years. I would have liked the film to follow at least one newbie, someone who was closer to my own experiences. But you know what? That's okay. The film gave me something to aspire to.

If you've ever had any inclination about joining roller derby, watch Brutal Beauty and I promise you, you will be hooked. It's a love affair you will never regret!

Oh, and of course, don't forget to support your local roller derby teams! :D

For more information on the Rose City Rollers: http://www.rosecityrollers.com/
For more information on the Jerzey Derby Brigade: http://www.jerzeyderby.com/

To find local derby near you: http://www.derbyroster.com/