Where exactly lies the origin of “fake news”?
Scandalous, the latest documentary from Magnolia Pictures in partnership with AGC Studios and CNN Films, follows the birth of the infamous National Enquirer and its trail of celebrity gossip, corruption, and political secrets. The riveting film weaves commentary by former National Enquirer staff members with voices of journalist icons as the publication’s history unfolds, leaving coverage of now-President Donald Trump, O.J. Simpson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other national figures in its wake.
As legendary reporter Carl Bernstein says onscreen, “this is a bad time not just for the press, but it’s a bad time for the truth.” Scandalous, however, uncovers a truth of its own within the stories of the most famous sensationalist tabloid in the world– a truth about American culture, propaganda, and the definition of news.
Director Mark Landsman sits down with The Knockturnal for an exclusive interview prior to the film’s premiere this weekend at the Hamptons International Film Festival before opening in select theaters on November 15.
The Knockturnal: First of all, how did you originally become connected with this project?
Mark Landsman: In 2018, a few months before Ronan Farrow broke the “Catch and Kill” story in The New Yorker, I was at a dinner with the father of a friend, a man named Malcolm Balfour, who told us incredible tales of his former career as a tabloid journalist in the early days of The National Enquirer. I was fascinated with how ethically ambiguous and borderline illegal many of the tactics he and his colleagues had engaged in for the sole purpose of getting a scoop. That’s where the idea first came to me–and then of course after The New Yorker story broke in April of that year, and the connections between the paper and the 2016 election began appearing in the news, I became more and more interested in trying to understand this strange publication and how and why it could ever have had the kind of impact on our cultural and political landscape that it had.
Journalist Carl Bernstein in Scandalous (Photo by Magnolia Pictures)
The Knockturnal: There are many “ethically challenging” stories featured in the documentary. How did you select which scandals to focus on?
Mark Landsman: There was no shortage of stories of how these men and women who worked at The National Enquirer would regularly blur the lines of legality in the constant pursuit of stories that would sell the most papers. We of course had to be selective for time’s sake, so we leaned into those stories that were era-defining, loud, and of course huge milestones for The National Enquirer– ones that told a larger story about where American pop culture was at at that time.
The Knockturnal: Just to dive into some of the scandals shown in Scandalous, The National Enquirer journalists interviewed claim the publication was the only outlet to publicize O.J. Simpson’s domestic abuse charges prior to the murders, as well as cover breaking news evidence during the trial. How effective do you believe this particular example to be indicative of The National Enquirer as a whole?
Mark Landsman: I agree with what New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman says in the film, that it is important for us to acknowledge there were a handful of times historically when Enquirer journalists actually got some things right. The fact is, during the O.J. case, from the earliest reports of the murders through the entire criminal and civil trial, the Enquirer was on that story to a degree that was unmatched by any other mainstream outlet. That was a tough nut for many people in the so-called legit press to swallow. But clearly this was the exception and not the rule. There are a small handful of stories that the paper was lauded for–O.J., John Edwards–where journalistically speaking they received praise from the mainstream, but those examples are far from indicative of the Enquirer’s level of journalistic integrity on the whole.
The Knockturnal: In contrast, former staff members say that they consider the biggest mistake of the publication was in 1997 with the “Sex Mad Di” story about Princess Diana the day before she died. Was that moment of regret shared by all the employees you spoke with?
Mark Landsman: Yes. This is one of the more complicated moments in the film–and it’s really for the audience to process: who really killed Princess Diana. Was it the fault of the paparazzi who chased her car into that Paris tunnel or publications like the Enquirer who habitually offered them exorbitant sums of cash for the most “exclusive” photographs? Each former employee we spoke with had different thoughts on this, but everyone asked expressed regret.
The National Enquirer
The Knockturnal: The most surprising scandal personally though was the Arnold Schwarzenegger campaign stories and his role on the board of American Media, which controlled The National Enquirer. This behind-the-scenes underbelly of the publication is shown side-by-side with current presidential politics. Can you explain your directorial choice with making those connections from past and present between those two stories?
Mark Landsman: It was very important for us that this film tell a comprehensive and accurate story of the origin and evolution of The National Enquirer from its inception in the 1950s to the present day, so five decades of American history traversed in 90-something minutes. We had to be very careful about doing justice to more current scandals, while being realistic that each of them could easily be an entire documentary in themselves. Our intention as filmmakers was to provide the public with a clear understanding of what happened, to the best of our abilities, given the time frame of a feature film.
The Knockturnal: Speaking of which, how do you distinguish between pop culture and news today, especially within this current political climate with a “tabloid President,” as referred to in the film?
Mark Landsman: Today our news is pop culture and pop culture is our news. Where is the distinction any more? Politicians have become celebrities–the once obscure congressperson is now a household name, their indiscretions make the cover of US Weekly, Drudge or TMZ. And most potently, a former tabloid and reality TV star with no experience in governance now sits in the most powerful office on the planet.
The Knockturnal: Exactly, which makes Scandalous even more impactful. Why choose to premiere the film at the Hamptons International Film Festival this weekend?
Mark Landsman: Why not? It’s a terrific festival with close proximity to NYC that has always had a great documentary line up.
The Knockturnal: What’s next for you post-Scandalous?
Mark Landsman: I have other projects brewing on burners in various stages–very excited about a music-centric project we’re developing based on an extraordinary series from the U.K., and a few scripted projects based on true stories that are in the works.
The Knockturnal: Thank you, and congratulations!
“Scandalous” opens in select theaters on November 15, and will air on CNN in spring 2020.
