Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is a very interesting documentary film which, as the name suggests, is about the lost tapes of actress Elizabeth Taylor.
The 100-minute-long film tells us the story of her life as well as her celebrated career through archival footage and audio that was found in recent times. So let us get right into the review of this film.
A Colorful Career
Helmed by Nanette Burstein, Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is about a woman so fascinating that a documentary is waiting to be made about her. Over the decades, people have mostly focused on her eight marriages and her relationship with Richard Burton as well as her beauty.
But the voice tapes, which were recently uncovered and are from sometime in 1964, provide a more personal peek into who she was.
The entire career of Liz Taylor, as she was known, consisted of some very average films. But most of the time, the media coverage of her several marriages superseded anything else. The fact that she was an amazing actress who had the skills, did not really matter for many people.
Tapes Reveal
The audio tapes featured in Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes touch upon some really fascinating and unknown things about the actress. At one point, she had to address the Vatican’s intervention in her marriages.
Her words explain that it is not immoral to marry different men in her life. She also stated that she likes it when men dominate her. But in one of the segments, both she and her husband and actor Richard Burton states that they dominate one another.
Taylor also revealed that her marriage with Michael Wilding was way too good for her to believe it was true. She was referring to the domination bit and Wilding was not into that.
The actress also takes a dig at her own acting in the revealing tapes, stating that it’s more instinctual and there is no technique behind it. The documentary showcases her journey since she was a kid and eventually ventured into films at a young age.
The maker manages to also highlight her very interesting trajectories in her career. This HBO documentary film is an essential watch for people who are interested in the life of Taylor, who remains one of the most beautiful and celebrated icons of cinema.
What’s refreshing is that the actress is often vulnerable also in the tapes which is a rarity. It’s because stars generally protect themselves with layers of emotional jackets. We realize that she was successful and had everything, yet she felt alone. It appears that misunderstood and the media wasn’t very kind to her.
Conclusion
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is a well-made and breezy documentary about Taylor. The film is conscious and is devoid of any fluff or filler moments. Highly recommended for those who are into focus and are not about true crimes only. It shouldn’t be missed by anyone.