CLCS 228 Stardom, Influence, and Entertainment Cultures
The star phenomenon consists not just of their films, but the promotion of those films and of the star's appearances and coverage (in public, print, tv, social media). Star images are always extensive, multimedia and intertextual. Star images have histories that outlive the star's own lifetime and are as entertainers they are often involved in making themselves into commodities often attached to or in contrast with the ideologies of capitalism. This course investigates the emergence of stardom and the cultural influence of stardom primarily through the vehicle of film, with a comparative focus on European and U.S. and Latin American stars of the past and present. From Rudolph Valentino in the silent era to Rita Hayworth, Joan Crawford, Carmen Miranda, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, to Brigitte Bardot; the actor-celebrities studied in this course will serve for theoretical reflection on the iconic value of stars, past and present, as instruments for transmedia storytelling. How does the history of the pinups of the past translate into discourses of fame, fortune, happiness, and success in contemporary culture? How do the current entertainment industry and its global markets respond to ethical questions related to women's rights and queer visibility movements, and backlash from a variety of other socially engaged, politically charged resistance movements typically originating in the United States?