Customer Reviews

Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Blonde Heat" is enjoyable as a thorough appreciation of Marilyn Monroe's film career, an overview of the waning days of the Old Hollywood from the vantage point of Twentieth Century-Fox and a fun look at pop culture, 40s- and 50s-style.
Of course, what's most important is the book's star, Marilyn, and Richard Buskin's research and interviews reveal the part of her legacy that's rarely, if ever, discussed-- her acting. The reader learns the origins of her unusual mannerisms and how and why her acting skills evolved. The book also traces her increasing assertiveness over the direction of her ultimately too-short film career.
You don't have to have seen many of Marilyn's films to find this book entertaining. In fact, "Blonde Heat" should make you want to go out and rent all of her movies, even the ones that she had bit parts in!
Bravo, Richard, for a job well done!

As cited by the previous reviewer, this book outlines and critques' Miss Monroe's career through her films. It is a well written book, and also provides the reader with numbered rating scale (stars) from 1 - 5; the number "5" being the highest of course. I have a large Monroe Library and this particular book is written and presented to the reader in a very unique fashion. Beautifully illustrated on every film that Monroe starred in from her minor roles through her most memorable ("Diamonds" "How to Marry A Millionaire" - "Seven Year Itch" - "Bus Stop" - "Prince & The Showgirl" - " Let's Make Love" - "The Misfits" to her last unfinished film, "Something's Gotta Give"). The reader will enjoy reading and perusing through this book. I'm very glad I bought this one!

Elsewhere on Amazon I have reviewed another book by Richard Buskin. To be honest, it was probably one of those books that a starving author has to take on from time to time. Miraculously, and probably to his publisher's absolute delight, he also happened to make a great job out of it, writing with real commitment. Then I discovered (through Amazon) that Richard Buskin had written a book on Marilyn Monroe. I'm interested in Hollywood as an entity as well following as the movies (I like reading about the way that the studios operated in earlier decades) and as I was interested in seeing what else Buskin had done I decided to buy. Well, this one is in a different league to the previous book. This, clearly, is a subject the author has really wanted to write about. It simply comes across. Not that Buskin is without a judicious critical eye - he seems like a fan but he has not lost his critical faculty. When something was good he says it, and vice versa. The result is what simply has to be the definitive book on Monroe's film career. To my mind, Monroe fans should get this book even if they don't buy all the others. She was many things to many people, but she was a film actress first and she made some great movies. Also, it's witty, well researched, incisive, profusely illustrated with some great Monroe pics, and it draws upon many interviews done exclusively by the author, including Jack Lemmon, Ginger Rogers, Tony Curtis and Billy Wilder. Terrific.

There have been hundreds of books written about the late Marilyn Monroe, but few have been comparable to this filmography style book in terms of quality. Richard Buskin has thoroughly researched each of Monroe's films. It is a resource comparable to the website imdb.com because of the extensive cast listings for each film. In addition, Buskin has reviewed them and provided rare behind the scenes information. This includes some of the most rare early films including Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!, Dangerous Years, and a few screen tests. The book is filled with photographs as well. Finally, the book is divided into sections, each outlining that specific time in Monroe's life. These brief but effective markers serve as mini-biographies. Overall, this is a great resource for any Monroe fan.

Film enthusiasts with a special affection for Marilyn Monroe won't want to miss Richard Buskin's Blonde Heart. It covers her screen career, providing a close-up examination of her achievements, talents, and progress as a screen actress and containing the complete credits, cast and story line for all her appearances. Black and white and color photos abound.

Do you enjoy seeing Marilyn Monroes movies? If so, this book will add to your pleasure by providing details that you do not know about what was going on behind the scenes in the casting and shooting of the films.

The book encompasses Ms. Monroes movie career and official television appearances. While the bulk of the book is about her film roles, you will also get speculations about where she may have played as an extra, details of screen tests that did and did not lead to roles, and the training she received at the studios and in private sessions. The ups and downs of her studio contracts are also covered.

For each film, you will get a rating of the films quality from the author, credits, cast, some photographs, the plot, behind-the-scenes facts and opinions, critics views, public reaction, and how the film did financially. For the best films that Ms. Monroe appeared in (like The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, Niagara, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, Bus Stop, The Prince and the Showgirl, and Some Like It Hot), there is much more detail. Ms. Monroe appeared in a number of clunkers, and they are outlined as well.

This book has 61 black-and-white illustrations and 39 color ones. They display an appealing young women who emerges into a beautiful one, who then transitions into a sex symbol, and begins to show the strain and sags of an aging woman. This silent story is the most eloquent one in the book.

A joke about Ms. Monroe from her youth was that everyone always knew she was going to be a big star. She was always late for her casting calls, so everyone else had to wait on her. Apparently, this quirk was connected to being very uncomfortable performing in front of the cameras and wanting to prepare thoroughly for each scene.

Unfortunately, the appeal of Ms. Monroe for many is more from her troubled personal life than from her acting. How could such a lovely woman be so unloved? How could such a success kill herself at 36? This book sheds little light on those important aspects of her life. If you are a fan of Ms. Monroe, the woman, you will probably find other books about her more rewarding, including her autobiography.

If you want to know more about the movie roles, this is your book. It is the first complete look at that part of her life.

Whats most important to you? How does your work contribute to your getting it?

Love others . . . and yourself!

While the book is a wonderful insight into Monroes movies, it doesn't follow through. He should have taken one step further. He should have given a daily log of her filming as to when and what certain scenes were filmed, something like the new book on Judy Garland. Also, many scenes were deleted in NIAGARA; BUS STOP and several others, he doesen't go into detail about exactly what scenes were cut, where they should have been placed and WHY they were cut. He cites just a few of these, but there were many, many more. For instance, I have read that over 20 minutes were cut from THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. Where there any of her scenes? If so, what were they. Even if she wasnt't in the scenes it would have been interesting to know what they were. There were big gaps in NIAGARA and I had read that her best scenes were cut. FINE..WHAT WERE THEY?? Mr. Ruskin should have investigated and reported them. Until a complete book is written about the exact making of her films (only her major ones), I won't be satisfied. Perhaps Mr. Ruskin can write a supplemntary to BLONDE HEAT and include all the missing links.

Excellent book , reminds my of The encyclopedia of Marilyn Monroe. It is basically a biography about all her films!! It lists each one and gives you excellent in depth ifo about each one. I would definatly recommend this book if your a fan you shouldnt be without it in your book collection...