One of the most impactful publications in the history of America is getting the documentary as “Scandalous” sees The National Enquirer put under the microscope. Directed by Mark Landsman, whose work includes other documentaries such as “Thunder Souls” and “Los Jets,” the new film will see him tackle a publication that had a big impact on journalism, business, culture, and politics.
The film follows the sale of The National Enquirer to Generoso Pope Jr. in the ‘50s and how he developed the paper into a mass-market grocery store tabloid with juicy gossip, conspiracy theories, and celebrity photos. There are also interviews with former staff and media observers.
Landsman spoke to CNN about why he chose to look at the tabloid and its history, saying, “The real story behind the National Enquirer is like a classic monster movie from the 1950s where initially the creature doesn’t intend to harm anyone but is soon wreaking havoc on the population.” He continued, “I was fascinated by the men and women who made that havoc happen, and thrilled to have the opportunity to tell the inside story.”
The project has been picked up by Magnolia Pictures, who will handle the North American rights, while This Is Just A Test Media have produced the film. Both CNN Films and AGC International are executive producers.
Producers on the film include Aengus James and Colin King Miller (“American Harmony”), Jennifer Ash Rudick (“Iris”), and Kristen Vaurio (“Going Clear: Scientology & The Prison Of Belief”).
Here’s the synopsis:
Sex! Gossip! Scandal! For over 60 years, the National Enquirer has pumped out salacious, shocking stories, stretching the limits of journalism and blurring the lines between truth and fiction. ‘Scandalous’ is the sensational true story of the most infamous tabloid in US history, a wild, probing look at how one newspaper’s prescient grasp of its’ readers darkest curiosities led it to massive profits and influence. From its coverage of Elvis’s death, to Monica Lewinsky and the O.J. Simpson murder trial, the National Enquirer rattled the foundations of American culture and politics, sometimes allegedly using payoffs and blackmail to get its scoops. With rare archival footage and revelations as wild as National Enquirer headlines themselves, ‘Scandalous’ examines our obsession with the rich, famous and powerful, and the tabloid that has fed those obsessions for generations of Americans.
Magnolia has said the film will release on November 15. Watch the new trailer below.