January 2023

Blonde: A Chaotic Canvas

Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, embraces a kaleidoscopic form to convey a fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe and her mercurial mental state. Norma Jeane/Marilyn (Ana de Armas) often struggles to articulate her feelings, but they are fully expressed onscreen in images that mingle present and past, misery and happiness, ghastly private moments and famous public appearances — sometimes like quicksilver within the same scene. “Many years before this movie was produced, Andrew described it as ‘an avalanche of images depicting Marilyn Monroe’s life,’ and I loved that metaphor,” says cinematographer Chayse Irvin, ASC, CSC. “I harnessed that as best I could.” Kindred SpiritsWorking with Dominik for the first...more