Plastic Surgery - Supplemental Post

Celebrities undergoing plastic surgery is nothing new. Stars have been going under the knife to manipulate their bodies into a socially-constructed form of perfection. But what does this mean? What are the implications? 

In A Star Is Born, we see Esther consider plastic surgery to correct what she perceives to be visually unappealing facial features. This willingness to undergo such procedures for fame and success is troubling. In the end, it is only when a man recognizes her inner beauty that Esther chooses to show herself as she naturally is. 

A character in A Chorus Line chooses to get plastic surgery to enhance her physical appearance for the sake of success. What does this say about femininity or masculinity? If we can go under the knife to create it, is it just a social construction? Is there such a thing as true femininity and masculinity? Is plastic surgery ok, so long as it is for the person doing it (and not society)?

Check out this clip from A Chorus Line.

Leading Ladies - Supplemental Post

The evolution of leading ladies in the films we have watched is incredible. 

Charlotte Vale shows a women troubled by her self-image and how others see her, and reclaims herself with a maternal bond between herself and Tina. 

Dorothy Shaw and Lorelei Lee show women claiming their bodies and their sexuality, while at the same time making themselves less intimidating to the male characters. 

The transition to Sarah Connor in Terminator shows a strong and independent women, one that requires a hyper-masculine male to play opposite her. Her lack of surface maternal feeling forces John to seek affection elsewhere, while Sarah still cares deeply for her son. 

Probably the most fascinating (and dynamic) leading lady is Esther in A Star Is Born. Her character is thrusted into stardom, only after her male counterpart notices her. In this way, she is dependent on a man to truly realize her success - and is thus defined by her interaction with men. Esther knew this for herself, she just needed someone (a man) to reassure her. 

Meanwhile, Norman places a tremendous amount of importance on how she performs (her voice and her looks) and ignores the unconditional love she has for him. Esther continues to be contained and controlled by men, only truly being set free by Norman's death. We see her as a smart and successful women, yet is manipulated by misogynistic undertones. 

Alex Davis: Bruce Jenner & Wendy Williams (Suplemental Post)

Wendy Williams has made a career for herself out of critiquing and criticizing celebrities and star culture. She often refers to such judgement as an "opinion". I found her unfounded (and highly offensive) critique of Bruce Jenner to be highly inappropriate. 

Her critique of Bruce's masculinity (or perception that he lacks masculinity because of his transition) hides her trans-phobic views in the name is celebrity culture. She points out that Bruce should have made the transition sooner, as to avoid having to tell it to his children. 

She also mentions that Bruce is supposed to be the "rock" of the family. This statement not only furthers the misconception that masculinity means emotional strength, but it also limits those who identify as women to lesser subordinate domestic roles. 

Wendy Williams uses the guise of a talk-show host to pander to those who view Bruce's transition as a ploy. Such views not only hurt Bruce, but undue years of work in the transgender community to combat such view. Masculinity does mean strength, and a women can lead a strong and guiding life just as any man would. Regardless of how you feel, such views do not belong on a daytime talkshow. 

What do you think? Is this appropriate? As a successful black woman, what do these sentiments say about her opinions or how she views "traditional gender norms"? For me, I will be showing Wendy the door.

Out of Sight - Reaction (Supplemental Post)

The Booty-Revolution

As with many celebrities (both male and female), Jennifer Lopez finds herself most noticeably recognized for her looks - specifically her butt. 

But why is this? Should it overshadow her professional talents in film? 

Unfortunately, it often does. Just as many leading women have before her, Lopez found herself type casted as the full bodied Puerto Rican woman. 

Yet we see her in a commanding position of authority as a strong seductive women with a powerful punch. As a hard-working bombshell, the audience comes to expect a sense of physicality to her performance. 

According to Frances, the references to JLOs butt have important historical and cultural significance. Her Puerto Rican roots and ancestry, mixed with her personal flair, affirmed this persona for the rest of her life. But that does not stop her! She has reclaimed that part of her life, now exploiting it for fame and notoriety. 

Perhaps Madonna said it the best. 

Pretty Woman

This discussion of Jennifer Lopez reminded me of Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts. In the opening we see a woman (very deliberately) compartmentalized and segmented. Piece by piece, the woman on screen are broken down for the viewing pleasure of the "male gaze". Check it out! What do you think?

The Hills Are Alive... With Contradictions? (Supplemental Post)

I was able to rematch The Sound of Music this weekend, and found myself PUZZLED by the contradictions in the story. It is clearly very easy to be swept away by Julie Andrews performance, but it is never that simple. 

We meet Maria as a confident, energetic, and lovable female character. Her cheerly perspective is very contagious. 

I mean, who doesn't love skipping next to a river? Can it get any better? 

Yet her character is carefully contained and manipulated by her male counterpart, Captain Von Trapp.  Everything, from her behavior to her appearance, is dissected and controlled to fit the expectations of others. As a leading lady, her story line is lead only by the subordination she is subjected to by the head of the house. Maria must be "emasculated" next to the hyper-masculine persona of the Captain.  

It gets worse! It isn't just her (Spoiler!) lover that exhibits control of her. She is influenced and controlled by her competition for the Captain's heart. Poor Maria! 

But alas! Maria's confidence returns! Just as the audience believes she has lost her confidence and charm, she is casted on the opposite spectrum! Bye-bye timid Maria, Hello STRONG MARIA! Here we see he exhibiting control over the storyline between her and the Captain. 

And it isn't just Maria stuck in these contradictions. Here we see another leading lady (Liesl) struggling between her innocent adolescence and mature relationship. She wants to be viewed as an older, more mature women - but can only find that through Rolf. Fortunately, (SPOILER) she is able to find her way without depending on Rolf. 

It is FASCINATING how these contradictions exist rampantly in film and media, one only needs to know how to look for it. 

Alex Davis Core Post - MADONNA

The discussion of Madonna, within Hooks' perspective, seeks to personify her as a true "Queen" - of manipulating racial representation. By blurring black representation with her consumption and self-identification of black culture, she panders and perpetuates the unspoken white superiority in race relations. 

I found her assuming position of power around others, especially her black back up dancers, to be conflicting. At times, I was rooting for her as the unapologetic "Queen bitch" and strong leading woman - and at times put off by her overwhelming demeanor. 

I found the discussion of her relationship with black culture, especially her overwhelming desire to physically partake in black culture, to be fascinating. It becomes taboo for one racial class to desire and connect with another group, based on the assumption of privilege. As soon as you can see a repressed class from the perspective of a commodity, you lose the true struggle and heart of how a group of people live. This can be said with any group. Is it appropriate for a heterosexual to desire the life of a gay men without truly understanding the pains of a homophobic society? 

I have to disagree with a part of Hook's discussion. I do not understand her argument that black women cannot relate with her, gay men love her, and black gay men adore her? I find the correlation to her construction of beauty and gay fan base to be based on nothing. The fact that this should be assumed and of no surprise, just panders to her singular identity as an LGBT icon. 

Her intimate relationship with domineering masculinity, especially in a sexual and powerful nature, tell how she perceives men with power. She may hate parts of it, but longs for the power associated with it. Madonna gets this power by asserting sexual dominance, as seen in her observations of other men. 

Continuing on the Madonna train, mostly everyone has now seen her kissing Drake at Coachella. Drake makes an apparent face of disgust during the incident. Was this routine planned? Was this a manifestation of her fascination with black culture? If so, what does this say about her and how she views black culture? It is interesting to note that Madonna usually imitates sexual black masculinity, and here she seemingly forces herself onto Drake, a black man who isn't shy to express his sexuality and viewpoints of women in music.  

Alex Davis - Core Response

Paul Robeson - Show Boat

I found Dyer's critique of Paul Robeson fascinating. To Americans, Paul Robeson embodied every part of black culture. It is hard to imagine a caucasian counter-example. He become so associated as the hero of black culture. Even so, he pandered to the white imagination of black culture (cue Show Boat). 

Show Boat - Ah Still Suits Me 

Paul Robeson carefully treads the line between stereotypes and portraying the courage and willfulness of black Americans during this time. 

He is known for changing the lines of the Showboat song "Old Man River" from the meek "...I'm tired of livin' and 'feared of dyin'....," to a declaration of resistance, "... I must keep fightin' until I'm dying....". This exemplifies his determination to not pander to the imagination of white viewers. 

Dyer notes that Robeson, especially in O'Neill dramas, "plays on the opposition of basic black and white racial/cultural differences" (72). I found this especially true in his character in Show Boat. He sharply congrats with Gay's character - a seemingly refined and proper white American. In the end, it is Joe that displays his character and strength. 

This performance supports his personal views on the differences between what "Negro's feel" vs. the "white man". He is quoted saying that black men "feel rather than think, experience emotions directly rather than interprets them" (Dyer 73). 

The life of Paul Robeson drew an important conclusion for me. The life and experiences of African Americans has always been judged by experiences and expectations of the white majority. As Dyer speaks of Paul's performance as Othello, white critics expected a primitive portrayal and were disappointed when they did not get that. Both expect spontaneity, emotion, and naturalness -  they just expect it to manifest in different ways. 

I do not agree with Dyer's views on "Old Man River". He says that no one ever truly believed that the song was a quinine folk song. I strongly disagree. The song truly speaks to the struggles of Joe's character (and the great struggle for black culture).

The portrayal of Paul Robeson's body in Show Boat is interesting. As Dyer notes, the visual treatment of Robeson reproduces the feeling of subordination of the person looked at. This remains true for his character in Show Boat. The imagery of him holding the heavy bail provides great imagery: the "weight" of oppression and manual labor. 

In general, Paul used his character in Show Boat to call attention to many important questions about race and racial equality. The characters systematic placement in scenes (when Julie is called out as a mulatto) further draws our attention to important social questions. 

Robeson must have been hesitant in accepting his role in Show Boat. Carrying the burden of representing the entire black culture, it must have been hard to accept a position that was defined by the acceptance of the white majority. Their acceptance of the "black worker", pushing him further from leadership and total inclusion, is a heavy task to be put through. 

The physical representation of black Americans is an important part of understanding race in media. It has been used as a vessel to tell the story of black hysteria. It became a superficial way to "clump" people together based on perceived differences. History has shown the preference of a majority to exploit these differences for individual gains. As such, white majorities capitalized on racism to exploit the human labour of African Americans (ex. the workers of the ship v. the white performers). 

Has the idea of "representing" black Americans improved? Is it still from the vantage point of a white majority? Or is this just matter of perception? 

What do you think? 

 

Building Popular Images - Marilyn Monroe v. Audrey Hepburn v. Britney Spears_ Alex Davis Core Response

STARDOM: INDUSTRY OF DESIRE

BUILDING OF POPULAR IMAGES 

Marilyn Monroe v. Audrey Hepburn v. Britney Spears

As Thomas Harris notes, Americans heavily influence the mass media of communication by allocating a disproportionate share of their time to it. The steps to creating this popular image is mechanic in its process, resembling a carefully calculated assembly line. How a star is stereotyped is important. It influences how stars interact with media and handle contradictions they may naturally posses. Harris notes three major components of this: publicity, advertising, and exploitation. I wanted to examine if this process has changed over time by examine three very different examples: Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Britney Spears. 

Marilyn Monroe

Audrey Hepburn

Britney Spears 

PUBLICITY: According to Harris, the publicity includes a tremendous effort on behalf to build star image before the star is even seen on the screen. With Hollywood gossip columns, fan magazines, and Hollywood television, the possibilities for this seem endless. For Britney Spears, this seems effortless. Her image is discussed and dissected now before we even see her performance. New technologies make it easier to speculate and manipulate the exhibition phase. Platforms like Youtube and TMZ allow for broad communication while controlling the image.

Marilyn Monroe - Time Magazine (1952)

Celebrities like Marilyn Monroe knew how to manipulate magazine features and reviews to reconstruct the thematic content of their individual roles. Studios could use available platforms to advertise and manipulate advertising/publicity campaigns for films. The use of Hollywood (as exemplified in Monroe's Time magazine cover) and truth are powerful tools in popular images. Today's celebrities, like Britney Spears, command attention on magazine covers. I found Monroe's command of media impressive. She found a niche to warrant "girlie" magazines (even then, beauty was heavily feminized) like Esquire and yet was considered newsworthy enough to merit a Time cover feature. She could be featured for her pinup type photos and be recognized for her success in Hollywood. 

Audrey Hepburn - Funny Face 

Harris ends his article trying to determine if an audience can accept and tolerate a celebrity going against their stereotyped roles and images. I found this part revenant for Hepburn. Her character goes from a timid book keeper to a fashion icon (and accepts it as a way to love Dick Avery). In this case, I found myself both accepting her transition while staying hesitant. For Monroe, her challenge was to cross from her sex icon image to that of an intellectual. For Britney Spears, it is going from a teen star, to a troubled Hollywood star, and now to a reborn celebrity. These contradictions are important, and further the image of the popular celebrity. For Britney Spears, everyone loves rooting for the under dog! 

Britney Spears - Product Placement

Britney Spears has found a powerful niche in manipulating her image for product placement.  By associating this type of advertising and exploitation with her image, it can attract a different type of consumer (you may not like her music, but they Hey! You can buy her perfume). All these actions carefully craft and add to a stars image. Her presence in Hollywood has also captured a new era for celebrities in media. It becomes difficult to craft a star image when tabloids capture and portray intimate/troubling (and sometimes fictitious) parts of your life.    

Masculinity - Core Response - Alex Davis

The Social Construction of Masculinity 

Stardom: Industry of Desire started the discussion of masculinity, and of the movie Stagecoach, with a powerful observation of the Western genre and those who play in it. While many genres enjoy the flexibility of casting an array of actors and actresses, Westerns are typically confined in their casting. For example, the fascination and popularity with John Wayne solidify this phenomenon. 

John Wayne - Stagecoach 

The story of John Wayne is powerful and unique. His popularity among other popular figures including Valentino and Elvis help explain the phenomenon of masculinity. His influence is unparalleled; reaching across many of our nation's political leaders. I found his correlation between politics and masculinity interesting - even those entrusted with leading a nation exhibit concerning behavior regarding their masculinity. John Wayne's carefully constructed persona taught young men what it meant to fill the male archetype, creating a new "John Wayne Syndrome". 

His version of masculinity went against many popular beliefs surrounding gender identity. Men could no longer be known for wisdom, instead relying on authority. What about him was everlasting? The Willis article states that he has more monuments than "real war heroes". For America, he WAS a real hero. He gave Americans what they needed during the disappearing frontier experience. Real is subject to perspective, and John Wayne provided what many Americans needed. 

During his career, it was often unheard of to put effort into manipulating your masculinity. John Wayne, however, was a master of it. Through carefully thought out actions, he was able to dramatize and exploit his size and strength. His use of body language and costuming made his character larger than life. At a time when it was not masculine to consciously observe how you present your masculinity, John's actions spoke of a new self-reliant authoritarian masculinity. 

I found the articles critique of studying masculinity fascinating. To Willis, masculinity is only studied when it is conflicted or doubted. Society expresses little interest in when provided a perfect socially constructed version of what it means to be a man. Wayne's character, the "Ringo kid", provided a new ideal of masculinity that was desperately need in a post-war America. 

North by Northwest - Even in the movie poster, the subtle placement of Cary Grant and Eva Saint depicts what masculinity means. Cary's character is falling and can't seem to support himself, while Eva's character is bold and shooting a "loaded" weapon. 

Cary Grant's "boy next door" sex appeal gave him a youthful persona that transcended time. 

In Cohan's article, analyzing North by Northwest, we are offered a different typecast for masculinity. In a post WW2 era, their was a social fear of emasculation and crisis. Following the war, American men exhibited "emotional immaturity" - exhibiting dependence and need for protection. Without America's recognizable prestige and confidence, film became the social platform for criticism.   

Leonard - North by Northwest

Watching the film, I did not originally notice the homosexual theme throughout Leonard's character. That so, his portrayal is interesting in nature. This risky portrayal of affection toward his boss, Vandamm, showed a quasi version of homosexual romance at a time when it was considered taboo. In regards to masculinity, I found his character equally intimidating to his heterosexual counterparts. His character is another manifestation of what it means to be "masculine". Characters (at least in this movie) are no longer reliant on the female damsel to affirm their masculinity. 

Masculinity, in its basic form, exists to normalize an image and expectation for men while marginalizing and forbidding other. Sexuality that exists outside of the heterosexual expectation is often marginalized as outside of what it means to be masculine. North by Northwest challenged that notion. Cary Grant was surrounded by rumors of his bisexuality - a fact that by no means belittled his masculinity. His age-less looks and recognizable sex appeal affirmed his attraction by those who played opposite him. 

The emergence of the "Gay Villain"

While many stereotypes persist in the gay community (a sense of fashion), it now represents a formidable attention to detail in film. New gay villains are just as formidable as their heterosexual counterparts. These roles beg a new question, are they villainous because they are gay or  is the characters sexuality coincidental? 

007 - Skyfall

What does this phenomenon represent in masculinity? James Bond, the archetype of primal masculinity, responds to an advance from his homosexual captor with "What makes you think it's my first time?". 

Bruno Anthony - Strangers on a Train

Hitchcock was no stranger to depicting gay men in his stories. Many of his films depict themes that were known to be taboo in society - including homosexuality. His movie Rope offers similar homosexual themes. 

New Award Show? (A Supplemental Post)

Could Hollywood see a new award show? 

http://www.dailynews.com/arts-and-entertainment/20150121/after-oscar-nominations-new-awards-show-wants-to-celebrate-diversity-in-hollywood

An entertainment insider is seeking to develop the Myriad Honors Award Show. This would allow for a distinct honor that focuses exclusively on minority and foreign talent that are often overlooked. 

I found it odd that nothing like this existed. How could we live in a society that (proclaims at least) to recognize and support minorities, and not include this within film awards?

I took a look into past award recipients of the Oscars and found additional awards presented. These include:

The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Presented to a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry. Given for extraordinary lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the motion picture arts and sciences, or outstanding service to the Academy.

The Honorary Award

Given for extraordinary lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the motion picture arts and sciences, or outstanding service to the Academy.

There are 4 additional awards presented for Scientific achievements. Within the Oscars, one award is presented to a foreign language film.  

Other award shows include: 

• American Film Institute 
• Austin Film Critics Association 
• Black Film Critics Circle 
• Boston Society of Film Critics 
• Broadcast Film Critics Association 
• Central Ohio Film Critics Association
• Chicago Film Critics Association 
• Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
• Denver Film Critics Society 
• Detroit Film Critics Society
• Florida Film Critics Circle 
• Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association
• Georgia Film Critics Association 
• Golden Raspberry Awards 
• Gotham Awards
• Indiana Film Journalists Association 
• Iowa Film Critics 
• Kansas City Film Critics Circle
• Las Vegas Film Critics Society 
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association 
• Maverick Movie Awards 
• Murray Film Critics Circle Awards
• National Society of Film Critics
• Nevada Film Critics Society
• New York Film Critics Circle 
• New York Film Critics Online 
• Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards 
• North Carolina Film Critics Association
• North Texas Film Critics Association 
• Oklahoma Film Critics Circle
• Phoenix Film Critics Society 
• San Diego Film Critics Society 
• San Francisco Film Critics Circle
• Seattle Film Critics 
• Southeastern Film Critics Association 
• St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association 
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts Wasserman Award
• Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 

• Chicago International Film Festival
  • Gold Hugo (best picture)
  • Silver Hugo (picture runner-up, actor, actress, director and cinematography)
• Sundance Film Festival
  • Grand Jury Prize
  • Audience Award
• Hawaii International Film Festival
  • Golden Maile (best picture)
• Seattle International Film Festival
  • Golden Space Needle (best picture)
• Slamdance Film Festival
• The 20/20 Awards in Seattle, WA
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  • Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars
• Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
  • Saturn Awards
• American Choreography Awards
• American Cinema Editors Golden Reels
• American Society of Cinematographers
• Art Directors Guild
• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) Film and Television Awards
• Aurora Awards
• AVN (Adult Video News) Awards
• BMI Film Music Awards
• Casting Society of America
• Cinema Audio Society
• Costume Designers Guild
• Creative Spirit Award
• The Decade Awards
• Directors Guild of America Awards
• EDI Reel Awards
• Film Your Issue College Film Awards
• Golden Trailers
• Gotham Awards – Independent Feature Project
• Hollywood Foreign Press Association
  • Golden Globe Awards
• Hollywood Makeup and Hairstylist Guild
• Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards
• Hollywood Reporter YoungStar
• Independent Spirit Awards 
• International Animated Film Society / ASIFA-Hollywood
  • Annie Awards
• International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) Awards
• International Press Academy
  • Satellite Awards 
• Motion Picture Sound Editors
• Murray Motion Picture Academy
  • MMPA Awards
• NAACP
  • Image Awards
• Producers Guild of America Awards 
• Publicists Guild of America Awards
• Screen Actors Guild Awards
• USC Scripter Award
• Visual Effects Society Awards
• Writers Guild of America, East & Writers Guild of America, west
  • Writers Guild of America Award 
• Young Artist Awards

Also, recently, Jessica Chastain received an award at the 2015 Critics' Choice Awards. In recognition of MLK Day, her speech recognized the need for diversity:

“Today is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, so it got me thinking about our need to build the strength of diversity in our industry, and to stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and racist agendas. I’m an optimist and I can’t help but feel hopeful about the future of film, especially looking at all of the beautiful people in this room. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’ And I would like to encourage everyone in this room to please speak up. Thank you.” 

What do you think? Could Hollywood, and America, benefit from establishing a new venue to recognize under-represented minorities in film? 

Alex Davis / Dryer, Stars pgs. 1-30, 87-131 / Core Response #1

Richard Dyer, Stars, offers a critical examination of the importance of studying stardom; offering an in-depth analysis of the conditions that exist and what they represent. I found the conditions for stardom to be especially interesting: a large scale society, economic development above subsistence, and social mobility. These conditions are largely recent developments in America, reliant on the creation of “Hollywood”. This consumption of mass media and communication allowed society to demand more insight into actors and celebrities. The important role stars posses is much broader than the layperson may assume. Stars shape social norms by determining large capital markets and trends for almost all major social aspects of society. 

Unique to film, as opposed to theatre, this medium lead to the discovery of the “human face” (Dyer 15). The intimate nature of film allows for a visual expression of facial features. In All About Eve, the beauty and simplicity about Eve is a sharp comparison to the harsh and poignant expression of Margo. In the end, the industry (and Margo’s husband) were drawn to Eve’s expression of beauty; causing a clash between both characters. This idea, in my opinion, has been challenged with the emerging presence of versatile/ actors. Close-ups reveal the personality of the individual, showcasing a unique personality of the individual. Now, we see emerging actors playing different roles that share similar themes (Johnny Depp) or versatile actors who play wildly different roles (Meryl Streep). 

In examining stars as a phenomenon of production, the effect of “magic and talent” is unquestionable. One explanation of the star culture is the belief that stars become famous because they are exceptional, gifted, and wonderful (Dyer 16). They are believed to be this way because of their looks, acting ability, presence on camera. charm, personality, sex-appeal, attractiveness, and much more. Now that this component of star-culture has been established, this is only being perpetuated even further. Despite efforts to humanize celebrities, the increasing importance of award shows (which we are in the middle of award season now) and titles (Oscar winner for ex.) will only further perpetuate this phenomenon. Actors/Actresses are now defined by their wins (generally, no one seems to care about the snubs), as exemplified by the triple threat (someone who wins an Oscar, Emmy, and a Tony). 

Recently, with the upcoming Oscar’s, there has been much criticism over the nominees. The lack of diversity in the categories and the absence of some movies from certain categories (Lego Movie - Animated Feature) has caused much debate over these awards. http://time.com/3672675/academy-awards-president-diversity/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/15/academy-awards-after-snapping-up-other-noms-why-was-the-lego-movie-snubbed-for-animation-oscar/ . If we believe in the magic and talent of Hollywood, what does it say about gender and race in society when only a certain segment of society receives these accolades? 

I think that the widespread debate and conversation over these issues is a testament to the important issue of stardom and how it affects social norms. Media has shifted from a display of ideal ways of behaving into showcasing typical ways of behaving, reflecting a wide array of human lifestyles. Celebrities now try to display an ideal of the everyday, portraying an augmented vision or lifestyle. In All about Eve, this attraction to the “girl next door” showcased a new vision for media that still exists today. Dyer also provides insight and commentary into stars and media as a description of reality and the status quo. If this is true, what does it suggest if movies such as American Sniper are the new norm? As opposed to All About Eve in the 1950s?