Netflix has released the hotly anticipated trailer for its upcoming Marilyn Monroe biopic, Blonde, and it does not disappoint.
Shared on July 28th, across the trailer’s two minutes, we get a concise grasp of how the film depicts Monroe’s life and the golden age of Hollywood, with Ana de Armas delivering what looks to be a convincing portrayal of the actress as she grapples with the trapping of superstardom. Furthermore, the shots in monochrome are particularly convincing, as they take us back to the days when Monroe was at the height of her popularity.
The clip is accompanied by a slowed version of Monroe’s 1953 hit ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, as the trailer peeks behind the curtain at the star’s life, showing her struggling with the persona that she has created. “Marilyn doesn’t exist,” she says, “Marilyn Monroe only exists on the screen.”
The full-length trailer follows on from June’s 30-second teaser, and it has everyone excited for the film’s premiere on September 23rd. A synopsis that comes with the new clip says that the film will be an examination of “a life both known and unknown…explor[ing] the complicated life of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.”
It continues: “From [Monroe’s] volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through to her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, Blonde blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.”
Blonde is directed by Andrew Dominik, and it is based on Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel of the same name. Boasting an all-star cast, alongside de Armas, other big names include Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Sara Paxton, and more.
The film has recently been given an NC-17 rating in the US. When discussing this in an interview with Deadline in June, Brody, revealed that this is to be expected, as “there’ll be some controversy” around it when released. This echoes an earlier statement from Dominik, who labelled Blonde as “a demanding movie….If the audience doesn’t like it, that’s the fucking audience’s problem. It’s not running for public office”.
