Article of the Week #11

The Hollywood life and mysterious death of Natalie Wood revisited 30 years later

Fatal Thanksgiving boat trip with Christopher Walken and hubby Robert Wagner

see article here

                                                         

This article revisits the strange death of Natalie Woods. Either it was an accident with alcohol as the main culpret, or there was murder in the air. The way the author presents the story, the whole situation seems a little strange for it to have just been an accident... The author David Hinckley, a journalist for the New York Daily News, chose to write this story in time for thanksgiving, which was when the unfortunate event took place 30 years ago. He captures the attention of his audience with the hook:

she was dead.
Mysteriously dead.
Dead face down in the cold, dark ocean.

Dead after a night of drinking with two handsome men, one her husband and one not her husband.
Beautiful dame, tragic end. It’s a story as eternal as Hollywood.
It’s also a story in search of an ending.

His abrupt statements and repetition of the word dead instantly makes the readers sympathize with the tragic ending of the beautiful and talented actress. The rest of the article that comes to follow builds up to that question; what happened? The fact that we still don't know the answer to that question is like reading a novel and then refusing to read the last chapter. I think the authors purpose is infact to make us question the death of Natalie Woods. When the incident occured it was believed to be an accident, but its been reopened. The author gives us reason to question the death. He also presents Natalie Woods in a way that makes the audience regret her death, wishing she had been able to make her comeback  in the movie world. As a result of this regret, it fills the audience with the desire for maybe even vengence on the person who might be responsible. The author did succeed in creating the gaps that allow enough room for doubt. The entire incident is.... a peculiar one.