Film Stars – serie

Martin Shingler presents the mother volume for Palgrave''s Film Stars series in three easily-navigable chapters in which he provides a summative and instructive account of star studies for today''s film student. Via a critical evaluation of the work of leading film scholars, he provides a convincing argument for howthis important area of film studies has evolved. Building on this, he offerssome new directions for star scholarship, and ends by offering the film student a useful set of themes and issues for his or her own investigation. ''Star Studies'' is the perfect companion for the student who wishes to foster further research on stardom across a wide range of contexts, from national cinemas, to mainstream and marginal cinemas, to different historical periods and beyond.

Tall, dark and handsome, with a manufactured name and a scrupulously designed professional image, Rock Hudson represented the Hollywood ideal of American masculinity during the 1950s and 60s; an ideal that was to be questioned and ultimately undermined during the years to follow by lurid accounts of his private life and his death from AIDS related illness.This illuminating analysis of Hudson''s career reassesses the perceived disparity between his public persona and his ''true'' nature. Exploring his unique qualities as a performer and exposing the role of his agent, producers and directors in the construction of his image, John Mercer unpicks Hudson''s stardom to reveal a more complex star identity than has hitherto been understood. Foregrounding the ways in which Hudson''s career provides insights into the nature of American popular culture and attitudes towards gender and sexuality, Mercer ultimately depicts Hudson as a star who embodied a period of transition between the old Hollywood and the new.

In this unique study of the star, Sunny Singh examines Amitabh Bachchan''s film performances and his star persona, locating them in the context of cultural phenomena and global branding, and explores the reasons behind the longevity of his stardom. This illuminating analysis assesses the full range of Bachchan''s work, personality and influence - political, social, economic and technological.  With in-depth analyses of key films and their wide-ranging social contexts, Singh offers a provocative and in-depth study of the superstar, his extensive career to date as well as the nature of Indian, Asian, and global stardom. 

An ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of film and television studies, this fascinating guide will also appeal to film lovers and anyone interested in this famed actor''s transnational career.

Pam Cook''s study of the star persona of Nicole Kidman traces Kidman''s career trajectory through an examination of her (sometimes controversial) film choices and places her in the context of a globalised media and celebrity culture.

Barbara Stanwyck''s illustrious career began in the 1920s and spanned sixty years. During that period she starred in major films of many genres and worked with some of the most distinguished Hollywood directors. Devoting each chapter to a significant quality of Stanwyck''s performances, Andrew Klevan foregrounds crucial scenes from her exemplary films, including Stella Dallas (1937), The Lady Eve (1941), and Double Indemnity (1944). Through the lens of her achievement, Klevan examines the wider concerns of these films while revisiting classic topics from Film Studies – psychoanalysis, medium reflexivity, and the representation of female roles such as the ''sacrificial mother'' and the ''femme fatale''. In paying close attention to the various aspects of Barbara Stanwyck''s skilfully executed performances, this book enhances familiar understandings and provides fresh illumination.

Part of a vanguard of Spanish talent claiming success at home and in Hollywood, Penélope Cruz is one of the best known European stars today. Focusing on Cruz''s key films and their surrounding discourse, Ann Davies charts the development of Cruz''s star persona both at home and abroad and the questions, difficulties and pleasures it inspires.

Julie Christie''s prickly relationship with stardom is legendary. This fascinating text provides a comprehensive account of Christie''s career, from her emergence in the 1960s to present day. It moves from analysing her star persona, to exploring her performance and her politics, and in doing so raises important questions for the film industry.

In this unique study of the star, Sunny Singh examines Amitabh Bachchan''s film performances and his star persona, locating them in the context of cultural phenomena and global branding, and explores the reasons behind the longevity of his stardom. This illuminating analysis assesses the full range of Bachchan''s work, personality and influence - political, social, economic and technological. With in-depth analyses of key films and their wide-ranging social contexts, Singh offers a provocative and in-depth study of the superstar, his extensive career to date as well as the nature of Indian, Asian, and global stardom. An ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of film and television studies, this fascinating guide will also appeal to film lovers and anyone interested in this famed actor''s transnational career.

Barbara Stanwyck''s illustrious career began in the 1920s and spanned sixty years. During that period she starred in major films of many genres and worked with some of the most distinguished Hollywood directors. Devoting each chapter to a significant quality of Stanwyck''s performances, Andrew Klevan foregrounds crucial scenes from her exemplary films, including Stella Dallas (1937), The Lady Eve (1941), and Double Indemnity (1944). Through the lens of her achievement, Klevan examines the wider concerns of these films while revisiting classic topics from Film Studies – psychoanalysis, medium reflexivity, and the representation of female roles such as the ''sacrificial mother'' and the ''femme fatale''. In paying close attention to the various aspects of Barbara Stanwyck''s skilfully executed performances, this book enhances familiar understandings and provides fresh illumination.

Ginette Vincendeau analyses Bardot''s rise to fame as a highly-acclaimed French international film star and fashion icon from her early days as a fashion model and ballet dancer to her period of ''high stardom'' between 1956 and 1960.

Ginette Vincendeau analyses Bardot''s rise to fame as a highly-acclaimed French international film star and fashion icon from her early days as a fashion model and ballet dancer to her period of ''high stardom'' between 1956 and 1960.

This is the first book-length study of Carmen Miranda in English. It traces her origins as a radio singer, recording artist and film star in Brazil in the 1930s, before exploring in depth her Hollywood screen roles and the construction of her long-lasting star persona in the USA.

This is the first book-length study of Carmen Miranda in English. It traces her origins as a radio singer, recording artist and film star in Brazil in the 1930s, before exploring in depth her Hollywood screen roles and the construction of her long-lasting star persona in the USA.

This illuminating study provides a comprehensive reassessment of Deborah Kerr''s career, highlighting lesser-known aspects of her star persona. Sarah Street traces the specific qualities of Kerr''s screen performances, paying close attention to facial expression, gesture, voice and costume. Covering many iconic films, including The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, From Here to Eternity, An Affair to Remember, The Innocents and Bonjour Tristesse, this book follows Kerr''s journey from her foundational image as an ''English rose'' to her performances of challenging roles in which she was cast against type. Illustrated with images from Kerr''s films, this unique case study contributes to the critical understanding of film stars and screen performance.

In this illuminating insight into Denzel Washington''s multifaceted image and remarkable career, Cynthia Baron traces his star persona and impact on mainstream society – from his time as a skilled actor in theatre and television in the 1980s, to his leading man roles in landmark films of the 1990s, to his place in Hollywood''s elite in the 2000s.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the major film stars of the twentieth century, embodying all the glamour and allure of Hollywood stardom. Yet her achievements as an actress have often been overshadowed by her beauty and tumultuous life off-screen. To redress this imbalance, Susan Smith offers an illuminating study of Elizabeth Taylor''s work in film, exploring her fascinating trajectory from child to adult star. Smith reveals the influence that Taylor''s early work exerted over her later career and the ways in which her on-screen identity is profoundly rooted in her association with animals and nature. Smith carefully unpicks what made Taylor such a distinctive and dynamic on-screen performer – from the expressive use she made of her eyes to the dramatic significance of her voice – and considers the importance of certain professional collaborations that Taylor forged during her career, most notably her acting partnership with Montgomery Clift.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the major film stars of the twentieth century, embodying all the glamour and allure of Hollywood stardom. Yet her achievements as an actress have often been overshadowed by her beauty and tumultuous life off-screen. To redress this imbalance, Susan Smith offers an illuminating study of Elizabeth Taylor''s work in film, exploring her fascinating trajectory from child to adult star. Smith reveals the influence that Taylor''s early work exerted over her later career and the ways in which her on-screen identity is profoundly rooted in her association with animals and nature. Smith carefully unpicks what made Taylor such a distinctive and dynamic on-screen performer – from the expressive use she made of her eyes to the dramatic significance of her voice – and considers the importance of certain professional collaborations that Taylor forged during her career, most notably her acting partnership with Montgomery Clift.

One of the most celebrated figures of the New German Cinema, Hanna Schygulla acquired transnational stardom through her work with a range of directors in different national cinemas and languages.This absorbing study charts Schygulla''s career and star persona from her early days as a member of Rainer Werner Fassbinder''s experimental anti-teater group to her work with eminent European auteurs, including Jean-Luc Godard, Andrzej Wajda and, more recently, Fatih Akin. It also discusses her reinvention as an acclaimed cabaret chanteuse. Unpicking the myth that Schygulla''s star persona depended on her collaboration with Fassbinder, Ulrike Sieglohr examines how her versatile and idiosyncratic acting style developed throughout her career. With in-depth analysis of key films and their international receptions, Sieglohr foregrounds Schygulla''s individual agency, resourcefulness and talent.

Sarah Thomas''s study moves beyond the image of the brooding, destructive man at odds with employers and his own star status to explore the complexity of Mason''s career and star persona. Her analysis is structured around three strands central to understanding stardom: the star persona, industry and power, and screen performance. Thomas addresses the incredible range of Mason''s star career – 1930s ''quota quickies''; 1940s Gainsborough melodramas; the desperate IRA man in Carol Reed''s ''Odd Man Out'' (1947); from the 1950s onwards, Hollywood classics including starring in Hitchcock''s ''North by Northwest'' (1959) and playing Humbert Humbert in Kubrick''s ''Lolita'' (1962). She also considers in depth his undervalued post-1962 career, off-screen celebrity status, non-film work, comic and vocal performances, and the star''s own self-commentary. In doing so, she offers a new perspective on such subjects as power and powerlessness; public image and national identity, contextualizing Mason''s career in wider histories of British, American and European transnational filmmaking.

Julie Christie''s prickly relationship with stardom is legendary. This fascinating text provides a comprehensive account of Christie''s career, from her emergence in the 1960s to present day. It moves from analysing her star persona, to exploring her performance and her politics, and in doing so raises important questions for the film industry.

''Rebel'', ''oddball'' and ''Uncle Mickey'': just three of the many conflicting labels Mickey Rourke has ''earned'' over his remarkable career in the limelight. His public persona, moving from actor to boxer to actor, is not easy to define: making it all the more intriguing, and making Keri Walsh''s study an unique and fascinating addition to the ''Film Stars'' series.

Throughout her career, Natalie Wood teetered precariously on the edge of greatness. Trained in the classical Hollywood studio style, but best mentored by Method directors, Wood was the ideal actress for roles depicting shifting perceptions of American womanhood. Nonetheless, while many of her films are considered classics of mid-twentieth century American cinema, she is less remembered for her acting than she is for her mysterious and tragic death. Rebecca Sullivan''s lucid and engaging study of Natalie Wood''s career sheds new light on her enormous, albeit uneven, contributions to American cinema. This persuasive text argues for renewed appreciation of Natalie Wood by situating her enigmatic performances in the context of a transforming star industry and revolutionary, post-war sexual politics.

Pam Cook''s study of the star persona of Nicole Kidman traces Kidman''s career trajectory through an examination of her (sometimes controversial) film choices and places her in the context of a globalised media and celebrity culture.

Part of a vanguard of Spanish talent claiming success at home and in Hollywood, Penélope Cruz is one of the best known European stars today. Focusing on Cruz''s key films and their surrounding discourse, Ann Davies charts the development of Cruz''s star persona both at home and abroad and the questions, difficulties and pleasures it inspires.

Tall, dark and handsome, with a manufactured name and a scrupulously designed professional image, Rock Hudson represented the Hollywood ideal of American masculinity during the 1950s and 60s; an ideal that was to be questioned and ultimately undermined during the years to follow by lurid accounts of his private life and his death from AIDS related illness.This illuminating analysis of Hudson''s career reassesses the perceived disparity between his public persona and his ''true'' nature. Exploring his unique qualities as a performer and exposing the role of his agent, producers and directors in the construction of his image, John Mercer unpicks Hudson''s stardom to reveal a more complex star identity than has hitherto been understood. Foregrounding the ways in which Hudson''s career provides insights into the nature of American popular culture and attitudes towards gender and sexuality, Mercer ultimately depicts Hudson as a star who embodied a period of transition between the old Hollywood and the new.

Martin Shingler presents the mother volume for Palgrave''s Film Stars series in three easily-navigable chapters in which he provides a summative and instructive account of star studies for today''s film student. Via a critical evaluation of the work of leading film scholars, he provides a convincing argument for howthis important area of film studies has evolved. Building on this, he offerssome new directions for star scholarship, and ends by offering the film student a useful set of themes and issues for his or her own investigation. ''Star Studies'' is the perfect companion for the student who wishes to foster further research on stardom across a wide range of contexts, from national cinemas, to mainstream and marginal cinemas, to different historical periods and beyond.

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai investigates the rich, prolific career of an acclaimed leading man of Hong Kong and Chinese film and television: the star of more than 70 films and dozens of television series, and the only Hong Kong actor to earn the Cannes Film Festival''s best-actor award. This book addresses the dynamics of media stardom in Hong Kong, mainland China and the East Asian region, including the importance of television series for training and promotion; the phenomenon of regional, transmedia stardom across popular entertainment genres; and cultural and political considerations as performers move among different East Asian production environments. Attentive to Leung''s position in both East Asian and global screen cultures, the book addresses relations among acting, global stardom and internationally circulating film genres and acclaimed directors. Overall, this unique study of Leung – who the New York Times calls “one of the world''s last true matinee idols” – illuminates challenges and opportunities for Chinese screen actors in local, regional and global cultural and industrial contexts.

'Rebel', 'oddball' and 'Uncle Mickey': just three of the many conflicting labels Mickey Rourke has 'earned' over his remarkable career in the limelight. His public persona, moving from actor to boxer to actor, is not easy to define: making it all the more intriguing, and making Keri Walsh's study an unique and fascinating addition to the 'Film Stars' series.

This is the first book-length study of Carmen Miranda in English. It traces her origins as a radio singer, recording artist and film star in Brazil in the 1930s, before exploring in depth her Hollywood screen roles and the construction of her long-lasting star persona in the USA.