07-25-2025, 04:12 PM
Mariska Hargitay of SVU fame directed a documentary about her mother, Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield was killed in a car crash when Mariska was only three so she didn't really know her mother all that well. Hargitay uses the documentary to find out about her mother. Crucially, she used a storage locker that held all her mother's possessions that no one had gone through in decades. There are a few startling reservations especially about Hargitay's actual father.
I watched this to see how people are making documentaries these days. It helps. It also shows me some pitfalls. This documentary, because of its pedigree, had a lot of money behind it, which meant there was a big camera crew following Hargitay around as she interviews her family. But it also lends itself to a certain amount of phoniness. I love it when people cry in my docs because it shows genuine emotion. But when an actress cries in her own movie about situations she set up for the movie I have to question the authenticity. There is one especially egregious scene at the end where Hargitay is reunited with her mother's piano. Now, she, as the director, set up the shots, knew what was on the call sheet for the day. She still acted surprised when they rolled up the locker room door and she saw the piano. There were a bunch of moments in the doc that hit wrong like that.
Not DOOM recommended unless maybe you are currently wrestling with your own Iron Crotch and want to get some tips.
I watched this to see how people are making documentaries these days. It helps. It also shows me some pitfalls. This documentary, because of its pedigree, had a lot of money behind it, which meant there was a big camera crew following Hargitay around as she interviews her family. But it also lends itself to a certain amount of phoniness. I love it when people cry in my docs because it shows genuine emotion. But when an actress cries in her own movie about situations she set up for the movie I have to question the authenticity. There is one especially egregious scene at the end where Hargitay is reunited with her mother's piano. Now, she, as the director, set up the shots, knew what was on the call sheet for the day. She still acted surprised when they rolled up the locker room door and she saw the piano. There were a bunch of moments in the doc that hit wrong like that.
Not DOOM recommended unless maybe you are currently wrestling with your own Iron Crotch and want to get some tips.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm