Stars Booklet

8/9/2019 Stars Booklet

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PASSTARS WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY DO WE HAVE

THEM?

The study of Stars is important for:

FM2 British and American Film Section A: Producers andAudiences at AS

The A2 coursework Small Scale Investigation where you mightchoose to study the work of a particular star leaving his or herdistinctive mark on a body of film

The final exam at the end of the A level FM4 Film Issues andDebates

This booklet will look at A bit of history Viewing stars as commodities or products of the film industry Understanding stars as having commercial value Seeing stars (!) as embodying certain social or cultural values and

ideological perspectives.

STARS : The Concept and The History of the star system

In the early days of Hollywood,the studios were not keen on theidea of Stars a star cancommand huge salaries. Themoment you turn an actor into a

star you acknowledge that theyare a commercial asset to yourbusiness and that their presenceis capable of attracting morepaying punters than mightotherwise come to see your film.Today the star gets paid thegreatest part of a films budget.Furthermore, it not unusual for

big name stars to receive thescript before a director is

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chosen and the star will be asked which director they would like to workwith. Tom Cruise was paid $75 million for Mission Impossible II (2000)

The very first Star is thought to have been Florence Lawrence,

sometimes known as The Biograph Girl The picture on page 2 was apublicity document showing the range of poses she was able to offer

Carl Laemmle was the first to recognise starpower. Some say he was the father of the starsystem. He resented the power of The MotionPicture Patent Company MPPC and broke away toset up his own Independent Moving Picture Company1910 and later went on to found Universal Pictures.He took Florence Lawrence who worked for theproduction company, Biograph, hired her andplanted a newspaper story that she had been killed

in a car accident. When she made her next, muchpublicised, appearance in St Louis, crowds of fans came to see her. Thestory illustrated to Laemmle that stars could be made in the cinema.

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Stars in the Studio Era

By 1930s, stars became contracted to a studio for seven years and duringthat time they had to work long hours and their image was carefully

manufactured and controlled by studio image makers. The bossesobviously wanted them to churn the same recipe

for success, but the starsinvariably wanted to try out newroles. James Cagney and BetteDavis of Warner Bros were inconstant battle with the studiosto try to get a greater range ofroles.

There was also something calledThe Suspension Clause in these

incredibly tight contracts. If a star refused to work, the time they spentrefusing to come on set was added to their 7 year contract! Eventually,this clause was deemed illegal when the star, Olivia de Havillandchallenged the studio bosses. The next key moment for giving stars more

power came when James Stewarts agent negotiated a proportion of boxoffice profits for a Western Winchester 73. Its now common practicefor stars to have a percentage of box office takings. Tom Cruise took astraight 20% of the profits for War of the Worlds (2005)Around $30 million is an approximate fee for top male stars such asKeanu Reeves or Tom Hanks. The highest paid female star is JuliaRoberts - $25 million. On the whole though, women get nowhere near asmuch as their male colleagues. Bear in mind the average American movieincluding marketing now costs $100 million.

TASK

1. Find a poster for a film that uses a star of your choice as its centralvisual image. Analyse both the visual image itself and the overall layout ofthe poster in relation to the star.

2. How does the title of the film combined with any words used to

describe the film relate to the public perception of the star in question?

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James Cagney Bette Davis


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Does it seem to be the sort of film in which most people would expect tosee this star?

How does the title and/or other words used reinforce (or contradict) the

notions people might have of this particular star?

3. How does the visual image of the star work to create meaning andgenerate responses from us?

Consider the posture or positioning of the body. Why has thisposition been chosen? What does it suggest? How are other aspects of body language and facial expressions,including eyes and mouth, working to create potential meanings?

What effect does costume, hair... other props create? Think about the effect of the camera angle. What colours are used? Or is it in black and white? The effect? Lighting used and effect?

Stars as Cultural Products and Media Creations

A star is a media-constructed image.Brad Pitt the actor has become a multi media presence within Western oreven Global culture. A star is created from a range of activities

Obviously the succession of roles in films But also advertising Promotional work Media coverage

All these are part of the process in the construction of a star.A star is NOT a person. It is a complex representation. a culturalproduct.As spectators of Brad Pitts film we know his performances, the actor.As his fans, we also know him as a star who appears in our newspapers,film magazines, the DVD extras, and on TV. BUT we dont know Brad Pitt,the human being or the man.

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The American comedian Rich Hall (who?) had this to say aboutthe plots of Tom Cruise films, and his star persona. Guess thenames of the films:

hes a cocktail waiter, quite a good cocktail waiter, thenone day he has a crisis of confidence, he meets abeautiful woman, falls in love and becomes an excellentcocktail waiter

hes a fighter pilot, quite a good fighter pilot, then oneday he has a crisis of confidence,; he meets a beautifulwoman, falls in love and becomes an excellent fighterpilot

hes a pool player, quite a good pool player, then oneday he has a crisis of confidence, he meets a beautifulwoman, falls in love and becomes an excellent poolplayer

hes a sports agent, quite a good sports agent, then oneday he has a crisis of confidence, he meets a beautifulwoman, falls in love and becomes an excellent sportsagent

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Christine Gledhill argues that a star can be thought of as having fourdistinct elements:

1. The real person2. The characters/roles they play3. The persona a combination of the first two4. The image that then circulates in secondary media

TASK

1. Choose one contemporary Hollywood star. Research the roles theyhave played.

Is there any continuity between the roles? Do the characters haveanysimilarities? Has the way the actor has played these roles shownsimilar character traits? Which particular roles have created thisactors star image? What is distinctive about the way this actor isshown in his or her films? Is there anything distinctive about thedelivery of lines, or about body language employed from film to film?

2. Collect as much information about you chosen star as you can fromnewspapers, magazines, fanzines, industry-based web-sites, fan-based web-sites, and books over a period of a month.

3. Examine your material carefully to see how the media has workedto construct the stars image. What are the key features of themedia image of your chosen star? How are words and photographsused in the article to construct this image? How important to theirimage as a star are their physical looks (physique, bodily

proportions, facial features, etc?) How important in theconstruction of their star image are the attitudes and approachesto life which the media suggest they have? How important areevents in their personal life?

( As well as using this in preparation for FM2 exam at AS, all theinformation you gather will be useful for your small scale researchproject in A2 coursework too. Neat huh?)

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Brad Pitt: The components of a star

1. The real personAlthough very handsome and successful we are also aware of Pitt as anordinary person striving to find satisfaction in his work and in hispersonal life. Much of the coverage of Pitt focuses on his attempts togain credibility as an actor in such films as Se7en, Kalifornia, or SevenYears in Tibet; his attempts to establish successful relationships,especially with successful actresses, Gwyneth Paltrow, JenniferAniston, and Angelina Jolie; his being just an ordinary guy, as much ofthe publicity for his time on set of British director Guy RichiesSnatchsuggested.

His attempt to maintain his authenticity as an actor led to his, reputedly,supporting DAVID Finchers determination to retain the desperatelybleak ending of Se7en in the face of pressure from the studio for ahappier ending.

2. The RolesThe key roles that have shaped audiences perceptions of him have beenhis supporting role in Thelma and Louiseand his leads in Robert RedfordsA River Runs Through itand Legends of the Fall. He played young men of

languid beauty and charm, at ease with themselves and, especially in thelatter roles, with the natural beauty of the American landscapessurrounding them. This gentler side of his screen persona was also thebasis of his role as the rather passive Louis in Interview with a Vampire.

At times he has played against type, worried that he might be thought ofas no more than just eye-candy, most notably in Kaliforniawhere he playsa serial killer, but also in his willingness to support the dark vision ofdirector David Fincher in Se7enand Fight Club.

By the time of Troy, playing the warrior Achilles, Pitt was attempting toharden his image, in a mainstream event movie in particular by becomingmore muscular in appearance.

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3. PersonaThe persona is a blending of role and the real person, and although stilldominated by his physical beauty it contains a certain earnestness and

seriousness in his choice of difficult roles such as those in Se7enandSeven Years in Tibet, and that of an IRA man in The Devils Ownthatsuggests some discomfort with how he is perceived. This accords withdecision to turn down the role of Neo in The Matrix. The role revitalisedKeanu Reeves career. In his choice of the role of Achilles in Troy,however, he took on the straightforward role of a matinee idol action-hero.

4. Image

Image is the set of values that that particular star has been thought toembody or personify, chiming in some way with the mood of the times.In this sense Brad Pitt became a star almost overnight with Thelma andLouisewhen his charisma and sexual charm seemed to embody a newmood in which men would need to work harder to attract and keepwomen and women could be open and explicit about their sexualfantasies. He has often seemed to be uncomfortable with this fantasyelement of his image, yet he can also reinforce it as he did with theextended photo shoots of himself in Wfashion magazine which included

shots of him naked. These shots were part of a publicity drive thataccompanied Fight Club, a film where his depiction of a man driven bywhat he saw as a creeping feminising of modern culture angrily rejectedthe new man and re-stated a simple brute masculinity. The controversysurrounding the film suggested this development of his image chimedwith the mood of the times.

Brad Pitts later roles have not quite caught the public mood as well as his

early appearances. He was not generally considered a success as Achillesin Troy, described by reviewers as lacking charisma as a male hero, incomparison to say, Russell Crowe in Gladiator. However, since Troyhe hasreappeared at the top of Sexiest Male in the World lists in womensmagazines. Does his image still sit well with the times? What do you thinkof his performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button forinstance?

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STAR IMAGE

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Stars as commercial products

So, stars are not individuals, but media constructs with a specific role toplay in the film industry.

We can view stars as being controlled by big business organisations andtherefore we can also view them as commodities being produced to createprofits as a result of consumers buying the image they embody. Infinancial terms, a star represents to the studio a certain capital outlayupon which a return is expected.Stars are marketed in ways that deliberately emphasise certain featuresof their constructed image in order to sell films. This marketing imageoperates as a labelling mechanism suggesting a particular type of star-related product. What this means is, if you go into a DVD rental shop or

walk past a cinema and see a certain stars name on the shelf or poster,you know what to expect if you hire the DVD or go to watch the film.Bruce Willis guarantees something very different from Brad Pitt who inturn guarantees something different from Tom Cruise or Jude Law.

Stars and Lifestyle Choices

As well as using stars to sell films and products, stars can be used to selllifestyle choices.

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TASK - ResearchDo stars influence the way in which ordinary people live their lives?

Look back at some of the material you have collected on stars. How might any of this material suggest stars could be influencing

or attempting to influence the lives of people watching them orreading about them?

What sorts of choices could these images encourage people tomake about their own lives?

Today film stars have to compete with a wider range of celebrities andthere is a greater number of media devoted to the life and loves ofcelebrities.

Stars and the nature of their power

Although stars have influential power, that power is not limitless orindeed everlasting. If a star loses the Midas touch of the A list, theycan see their options for their next film project diminishing. The size andsite of the soap box available to them, from which they might voice theirviews on what they see as worthy causes is a precise reflection of their

value as a commercial asset.

TASK ResearchResearch the work of two recent stars, such as Sean Penn or TimRobbins, who have been politically outspoken and radical in their views.

List the films they have worked on, outlining the storyline and anymessages you believe the audience is supposed to take away.

How have your stars been presented/treated by the film industryand the media?

What projects or political issues have they been involved in outsidefilmmaking and how have these things been presented in the media? For each of them defines what you see as their political stance

(200 words) Name two or three films for each in which you believe you can best

see their political stance embodied. Try to identify particularstrong scenes as evidence.

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Stars as embodying social values

Each star has a particular relationship to film audiences. They are knownby the types of characters they portray and for the attitudes and values

their characters seem to embody. (For fans that relationship might beintensified.) Within certain films, stars might be said to endorse orreject certain lifestyle choices. Since audiences consume stars for themeanings they represent in their films and their lives displayed in thewider media, this can be a way of making the public buy into specificperceptions and outlooks. Basically, film has the power to influence theway we live our lives and the way we view things.

Gender, Race and Stardom

Female stars from Marilyn Monroe to Jennifer Anniston are oftenpresented on and off screen in such a way as to reaffirm male ideas ofthe sexual woman. Sometimes in the roles they play, they can be seen asthreatening or challenging male notions of sexuality and dominance. Menmay like to look at women in films in certain ways, but they might inreality be rather threatened by the sexual power exuded by the very

personifications they desire to see.

TASKResearch the work of a contemporary female star.

What sort of roles does she play? Is she strong, powerful and independent, or weak, manipulated and

at the mercy of others? What are the main themes and ideas to be found in her films? Define what you see as being her main type of role (200 words)

Name 2 or 3 films in which you can see her playing this central typeof role.

Try to identify particularly strong scenes as evidence.

Where would black stars fit into this pattern? Both female and blackactors have only a limited number of spots within the A list of stars.Does this simply reflect a social reality? Or does it perpetuate the valuesof a male-dominated and racist society? It is important that we dontsimply accept the phenomenon of stars and stardom. We should question

and explore how it has come into being and why it continues to beimportant for cinema.

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Stars and Ideology

Stars exist within an industry that is owned and controlled by certainextremely powerful and vested interests. As a result stars have to adopt

attitudes and assumptions which support the status quo, if they want toremain employed by the conglomerates and major film studios. Sometimesstars challenge the status quo and ways of looking at the world, but towhat extent?

Below is a list of Top Paid Actors

Name Age Amount paid for one film

1. Will Ferrell - 38 - $40 million2. Johnny Depp - 42 - $37 million3. Ray Romano - 48 - $36.5 million4. Will Smith - 37 - $35 million5. Tobey Maguire - 30 - $32 million6. Tom Cruise - 43 - $32 million7. Denzel Washington - 51 - $30 million8. Adam Sandler - 39 - $28 million9. Matt Damon - 35 - $27 million10. Brad Pitt - 42 - $25 million

1. Drew Barrymore - 31 - $22 million2. Jennifer Aniston - 37 - $18.5 million3. Jennifer Lopez - 36 - $17 million4. Nicole Kidman - 38 - $14.5 million5. Jennifer Garner - 33 - $14 million6. Cameron Diaz - 33 $13 million7. Naomi Watts - 37 - $11.5 million8. Sandra Bullock - 41 $10.5 million9. Patricia Heaton - 47 - $9 million10. Julia Roberts - 38 - $8 million

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Further Reading:Richard Dyer (1986) Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society Pub,MacmillanChristine Gledhill (ed) (1991) Stardom: The Industry of Desire Pub,

Routledge

Useful Websites:www.entertainmentlink.co.ukwww.film.guardian.co.ukwww.imdb.com

Complete the tasks and collect all your work into a bound booklet.Submit for rave reviews from your teacher.Keep for revision and for A2 coursework next year!Mrs Simsx

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http://www.entertainmentlink.co.uk/http://www.film.guardian.co.uk/http://www.imdb.com/http://www.entertainmentlink.co.uk/http://www.film.guardian.co.uk/http://www.imdb.com/

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Stars Booklet