The most iconic and groundbreaking erotic magazine for men in the world, has sought out to celebrate another icon: The one and only Marilyn Monroe. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the starlet’s unfortunate death, Playboy Magazine has dug in to millions of their archival photos in their database and has shared with fans an exclusive spread of Monroe’s nude shots, some of which have never been seen before. One can only imagine what continues to keep the world enticed and allured by Marilyn Monroe, and why, in spite of her tragic life and terrible end, young female starlets and actresses alike continue to emulate and worship the woman. Monroe was clearly in a league of her own, a bombshell of a beauty who defined sexuality and approached all forms of sexual appeal without batting an eye. She was sensual but humble, daring but innocent, vivacious but modest, and gave a smile that many modern female stars simply can not duplicate. Mostly though, she was an angel without wings.
One condemned to an Earth that displayed enormous heartache and cruelty to the woman who’d faded from life by her own loneliness and longing for love. There was only one Monroe, and Playboy magazine celebrates with photos of the legend that fans and movie buffs alike will appreciate and spend time analyzing for nuances in the Hollywood star’s demeanor and expressive poses. Monroe was an artist, and her body and face were her canvas of which to display beauty and enigmatic winks and smiles to her admirers. Perhaps, in the end, Monroe was just an illusion. Perhaps she was all contradiction, a being incapable of being reality. Maybe that’s why in death, she became a muse, a goddess, a pixy to provide inspiration to writers and artists alike.
Along with Monroe’s full spread of nude photos in a variety of color and black and white, there is a full essay pondering on the life of Monroe by movie critic and film enthusiast Kim Morgan, who delves in to the ever lasting appeal and romanticism of her tragic undoing. Morgan fawns over Monroe as an ever lasting force of sexual power whom many men longed to be with, and many women either pitied or despised. Famed film critic and essayist Roger Ebert also provides his own keen insight in to Monroe and how much control she had over the male and female psyche with her nudity and confident persona. Ebert mulls over her ability to hypnotize anyone she came across with her sheer sexual energy and unbridled confidence and how that often scared people. Even a young Ebert who finally realized how much he loved breasts once Monroe made them a wonderful asset for the female physique to him. Ebert also ponders on what Monroe could have become if she’d lived to a ripe old age.
We’ve seen many a cinematic feminine sexual force either fade away, bow out gracefully, or embarrass themselves before our eyes from Marlene Dietrich to Elizabeth Taylor. Ebert considers various examples and then prefers to think Monroe would have conquered old age with dignity, like she conquered youth and vitality. Essay three entitled “Broken Venus” is an excerpt from John Updike’s look at Monroe in a 1997 issue of Playboy where he ponders on the contradictory nature of Monroe and how she managed to become a porcelain goddess after her death. With a trio of unique and fascinating explorations in to the mystery of Monroe, neither decode why Monroe continues to achieve immortality, but they’re wonderful services to the one and only blond bombshell many men still long to sleep with and many women still long to become.
Featured in this commemorative issue for December beyond the Monroe tribute, is a spread for Playboy’s lovely Miss December, two full and fascinating interviews with director Quentin Tarantino about the making of his film “Django Unchained,” and how he confronted the historical events of slavery and how the community around him reacted. There’s an interview with auteur Gus Van Sant and actor James Franco, both of whom discuss balancing a mainstream career with indie film. There’s a great article trying to figure out why women love reality TV, and an excellent gallery of some of the sexiest and nudest moments of film, TV, and music of 2012.