Carrot on a Stick
The documentary “The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes” promises to reveal new information about the death of Marilyn Monroe, but it doesn’t really deliver. The documentary is 100 minutes long and clocks in at over an hour long, but it only contains a fraction of what the title suggests. In fact, most of the documentary is made up of interviews with people who have already spoken about Monroe’s death or who have no new information to share. ..
Marilyn Monroe was a woman of many contradictions. She was a beautiful and popular actress, but also an introverted and reclusive individual. She struggled with issues such as self-esteem, alcohol abuse, and mental health problems. Through 650 tape-recorded interviews, Anthony Summers has pieced together a portrait of Monroe that is both complex and compelling.
Marilyn Monroe’s life was full of highs and lows. She rose to fame in the early 1960s as a pop singer and actress, but then fell into obscurity after her death in 1962. In the years since her death, many people have tried to understand what led to her mental state during this time. We spoke with key individuals who were close to Monroe during her time, and we saw the rise and fall of an icon.
The visuals are not particularly appealing, but the audio is more suited to a podcast format. The interview itself feels like it could be on a podcast, with long conversations and interesting topics.
Marilyn Monroe’s interviews provide a unique opportunity to learn more about her life and work. Her mental health deteriorated as a result of a difficult childhood and repeated rejections by family and friends. ..
The tapes released alongside Anthony’s documentary are mostly of her making light-hearted comments or showing off stunts she’s pulled. There is not much here that warrants the hype around the documentary, as the end does not justify the means. Anyone who has read up on the topic will find nothing new in these tapes. ..
However, the most interesting tidbit of information is that which pertains to the death of Monroe. It has been revealed that the president and his brother, John F. Kennedy, were involved in changing the facts of her death so that it would make it look like she died in a car accident. This was done in order to protect their political careers and avoid any investigations into their possible involvement in a cover-up.
In a recent interview, Anthony mentioned that there were “covert recordings of Marilyn and each of the Kennedy brothers that may have been seized by law enforcement.” For a documentary promising unheard tapes and breakthroughs, it’s perhaps ironic that the one tape that could have changed all of this isn’t actually in the film.
Marilyn Monroe was an iconic figure in American culture and her life is well-known. However, Unheard Tapes does not offer a great insight into her life or the reasons behind her death. The documentary is full of rehashed details from people who know her better than Anthony Summers does, which makes it difficult to understand what it is trying to achieve.
