[.ca] Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe (ISBN 0823084140)

This is a wonderful book:
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.

Needs more:
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.

Learning about Marilyn the Actress:
"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!

Excellent book:
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...

A close-up examination of Marilyn Monroe's achievements:
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.