FIL2400 - History of the American Cinema
Week 4 - The Star
Early on Hollywood saw that recognizable talent could minimize the financial risks of film production. Critics, film scholars, and studio publicists view the stars from many angles, as marketing tools, cultural icons, and products of the industry. Joan Crawford and Julia Roberts headline as cast studies of the cultural phenomenon of stardom.
Additional Readings
Brian Gallagher, "Some Historical Reflections on the Paradoxes of Stardom in the American Film Industry, 1910-1960", Images: A Journal of Film and Popular Culture, Issue 3
Television Assignment
Sunday Night/Monday morning - September 28
Midnight - 1:00 AM
Program 3 - The Star
Additional Screenings
*Singin' In the Rain
*Sunset Boulevard
*Mildred Pierce
Learning Objectives
A. Grasp the significance of stars to American culture
B. Define persona and understand the making of a star's persona
C. Understand the mechanics of the star system in terms of publicity and
advertising
D. trace the development of stars from the silent era to the present
E. See stars as a cultural phenomenon and analyze a given star's
underlying cultural meanings
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