American men's magazine Playboy, which is known for featuring nude women photographs, is all set to pay special tribute to iconic Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe on the occasion of her 50th death anniversary by publishing some of her rare nude photographs in its December issue.
Playboy, which founded by Hugh Hefner in 1953, has dug deep into its exclusive archive of 10 million photos to publish rare shots of the iconic beauty throughout her career, reported Daily Mail.
"It's really all about the collection and the way its composed," Jimmy Jellinek, Playboy's editorial director, told Daily Mail. "This is the first time we've shown the totality of our collection, from the beginning to almost days before the end of her life. It showcases the arc of her life."
"Playboy editor Jimmy Jellinek called to confirm that the December nude Marilyn Monroe pictorial is creating a major sensation," wrote Playboy founder Hugh Hefner on his Facebook page.
Playboy had a long relationship with Monroe, featuring her in its very first issue. This time, it will showcase her nude photoshoots ranging from her first days as a pin-up girl to her last nude photo taken by Lawrence Schiller just two days before her tragic death, and the photos taken on the fly, movie sets, bedroom and by the pool, reported Daily Mail.
"Some were taken at midnight in Beverly Hills with only a headlight used for lighting," Mr Jellinek told the daily. "It all depended on her mood. She was really two people - Marilyn Monroe, the glamorous actress, and Norma Jean, the fragile, damaged little girl. There were two people fighting inside of her and that conflict was appealing to people and the pictures show that."
According to Daily Mail, the December issue of Playboy will also feature editorials by Roger Ebert and Kim Morgan, recollections from Playboy Publisher Hugh Hefner and an excerpt by novelist John Updike.