International Film Stars – serie

This monograph addresses a subject in star studies that is still developing outside of (and even within) Hollywood and cinemas of the West the film couple. Known as the 'love team' in the Philippines, they are a transmedia phenomenon whose sheer ubiquity and variety make them an ideal case study to work towards an understanding of the film couple and how they contribute to the pleasure of watching films. Film couples move beyond understanding the star as an individual, particularly where a popular love team is a prerequisite early training ground for successful stardom in the studio system. I explore three different identities that construct film couples and offer a vocabulary to distinguish between these identities and consider how they are inflected by each other. I then trace how the couple is constructed at various stages by stars, studios, film and other cross-media appearances, their fandom and wider societal context.

This monograph addresses a subject in star studies that is still developing outside of (and even within) Hollywood and cinemas of the West the film couple. Known as the 'love team' in the Philippines, they are a transmedia phenomenon whose sheer ubiquity and variety make them an ideal case study to work towards an understanding of the film couple and how they contribute to the pleasure of watching films. Film couples move beyond understanding the star as an individual, particularly where a popular love team is a prerequisite early training ground for successful stardom in the studio system. I explore three different identities that construct film couples and offer a vocabulary to distinguish between these identities and consider how they are inflected by each other. I then trace how the couple is constructed at various stages by stars, studios, film and other cross-media appearances, their fandom and wider societal context.

Anita Ekberg was a major international star now chiefly remembered for her half-hour appearance in La dolce vita. She was a Swedish film star who worked extensively in the USA, Italy and elsewhere in Europe but never in Sweden. She was seen as a curvaceous blonde in the Marilyn Monroe mould whose roles and style were nothing like Monroe's. She was celebrated or looked down on for her fabulous looks but never appreciated for her performance. ???????This collection looks at all these facets of Ekberg's career, examining the nature of her star image and discussing her skills as actress and celebrity. It considers the perception of her body in different national contexts and genres and as she aged, the significance of casting, directors, dress and performance and the role of the press, class, ethnicity and her own agency in the production of this fascinating personality.

As the only performer to win five César Awards, Isabelle Adjani holds a special place in the history of French cinema. Her fame extends beyond French borders as she has also received two Academy Award nominations for L’Histoire D’Adèle H. and Camille Claudel, was the recipient of the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Possession and Quartet, as well as at the Berlin Film Festival for Camille Claudel.This edited collection explores some of Adjani’s most iconic roles and their reception, in France and abroad. It delves into Adjani’s unique and personal involvement in the roles she has played throughout her career, the way she approached ageing in the later part of her career and the impact it had on her performance and artistic choices.It provides readers with insights into Adjani’s multifaceted acting skills in order to better understand her unique status in French cinema.

Michelle Yeoh is a global pop culture icon whose career spans eras, genres and media industries. From performing her own stunts during the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema to starring in major Hollywood blockbusters, Yeoh’s career has been marked by passion, resilience and ground-breaking achievements. She has overcome social, political and cultural barriers that have historically limited Asian women on international screens. Her dedication and craft culminated in her historic Oscar win for Best Actress in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), making her the first Asian woman to receive the honour. Now in her early 60s, Yeoh continues to headline major projects while championing greater representation for Asian women in film.With a career spanning over 60 films and TV shows, this anthology provides the first comprehensive, critical exploration of her body of work, examining both her popular and lesser-known performances.

Analyses what makes an acting performance excellent, through a range of examples from American filmWhat actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium's specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director's style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force.This volume focuses on American cinema, including case studies of key performances from actors like Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Whoopi Goldberg, Cary Grant, Oscar Isaac, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Sidney Poitier, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sellers, Kristen Stewart, and Ethel Waters, amongst many others.ContributorsBrenda Austin-Smith, University of ManitobaRebecca Bell-Metereau, Texas State UniversityCharles Ramirez Berg, University of Texas at AustinJanet Bergstrom, UCLAJohn Bruns College of CharlestonAlex Clayton, University of BristolShonni Enelow, Fordham UniversityAnna Everett, University of California, Santa BarbaraLucy Fischer, University of PittsburghLester D. Friedman, Hobart and William Smith CollegesFrances Gateward, California State University NorthridgeDavid Greven, University of South CarolinaJason Jacobs, University of QueenslandElliott Logan, University of Queensland, BrisbaneDouglas McFarland, Flagler College, Saint AugustineAdrienne L. McLean, University of Texas at DallasR. Barton Palmer, Clemson UniversityHomer B. Pettey, University of ArizonaMurray Pomerance, Ryerson University William Rothman, University of MiamiSteven Rybin, Minnesota State University, MankatoKyle Stevens, Appalachian State UniversityGeorge Toles, University of ManitobaDaniel Varndell, University of WinchesterTimotheus Vermeulen, University of OsloRick Warner, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Analyses what makes an acting performance excellent, through a range of examples from world cinemaWhat actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium's specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director's style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force.This second volume focuses on international cinema, and includes case studies of key performances from actors like Ingrid Bergman, Gael Garcia Bernal, Nikolai Cherkassov, Alec Guinness, Setsuko Hara, Isabelle Huppert, Peter Lorre, Madhubala, Anna Magnani, Toshiro Mifune, and Choi Min Sik, amongst many others.ContributorsUlka Anjaria, Brandeis UniversityJanet Bergstrom, UCLAHye Seung Chung, Colorado State UniversityCorey K. Creekmur, University of IowaAdrian Danks, RMIT University, MelbourneNick Davis, Northwestern UniversityDavid Desser, University of IllinoisDavid Scott Diffrient, Colorado State UniversityVictoria Duckett, Deakin University, MelbourneJason Jacobs, University of QueenslandAlexia Kannas, RMIT University, MelbourneMarcia Landy, University of PittsburghGina Marchetti, Independent Scholar Douglas McFarland, Flagler College, Saint AugustineAdrienne L. McLean, University of Texas at DallasJerry Mosher, California State University, Long BeachKarla Oeler, Stanford UniversityR. Barton Palmer, Clemson UniversityHomer B. Pettey, University of ArizonaMurray Pomerance, Ryerson University Sergio Rigoletto, University of OregonKyle Stevens, Appalachian State UniversityAaron Taylor, University of LethbridgeAlison Taylor, Bond University, QueenslandDolores Tierney, University of SussexNoah Tsika, Queens College, City University of New YorkTimotheus Vermeulen, University of Oslo

The most distinguished actor among Charlie Chaplin's children, Geraldine Chaplin has created a striking performative presence across international cinema. In shifting cinematic contexts and through collaborations with major film directors, she playfully evokes the memory of her iconic father, while establishing her own distinctive screen art. Geraldine Chaplin: The Gift of Film Performance is a long-overdue appreciation of Chaplin's remarkable screen achievements, and includes close readings of her performances in films such as Doctor Zhivago, Peppermint Frappe, Cria cuervos, Nashville, Welcome to L.A., Remember My Name, Noroit, Chaplin, Talk to Her, and more.

Hollywood Noir’s Women Performers explores the meaning of performance through an analysis of the unfolding oeuvres of women performers in film noir. The case studies aim to illuminate classic noir films through the lens of performance by women. Shifting the usual emphasis in studies of film noir from genre, character patterns and socio-historical context to performance, each chapter addresses the defining contributions of the women who appeared in these films.The volume builds on scholarship in recent decades that focuses on the centrality of women in film noir, adding material evidence for that approach in fresh readings of films and Hollywood production practices. Hollywood Noir’s Women Performers not only explores how women dominate in the narrative, style or influence of these films through their dynamic performances, but also considers these women’s distinct positions in Hollywood, their roles in the industry and their multiple and mutually informing portrayals in classic noir.

As Chinese performers have become more visible on global screens, their professional images - once the preserve of studios and agents - have been increasingly relayed and reworked by film fans. Web technology has made searching, poaching, editing, posting and sharing texts significantly easier, and by using a variety of seamless and innovative methods a new mode of personality construction has been developed. With case studies of high-profile stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, this ground-breaking book examines transnational Chinese stardom as a Web-based phenomenon, and as an outcome of the participatory practices of cyber fans.

As Chinese performers have become more visible on global screens, their professional images - once the preserve of studios and agents - have been increasingly relayed and reworked by film fans. Web technology has made searching, poaching, editing, posting and sharing texts significantly easier, and by using a variety of seamless and innovative methods a new mode of personality construction has been developed. With case studies of high-profile stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, this ground-breaking book examines transnational Chinese stardom as a Web-based phenomenon, and as an outcome of the participatory practices of cyber fans.

What actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium’s specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director’s style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force.This volume focuses on American cinema, including case studies of key performances from actors like Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Whoopi Goldberg, Cary Grant, Oscar Isaac, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Sidney Poitier, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sellers, Kristen Stewart, and Ethel Waters, amongst many others.

What actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium’s specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director’s style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force.This second volume focuses on international cinema, and includes case studies of key performances from actors like Ingrid Bergman, Gael Garcia Bernal, Nikolai Cherkassov, Alec Guinness, Setsuko Hara, Isabelle Huppert, Peter Lorre, Madhubala, Anna Magnani, Toshirô Mifune, and Choi Min Sik, amongst many others.

Throughout Southeast Asia, film stars hold an important place in popular culture. They feature prominently in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and cinema marquees, at public events and premieres, and on the internet and social media. Southeast Asian cinemas have built their own distinctive star systems, which have produced a host of successful icons. These stars often possess the features of stardom commonly noted in film scholarship, such as glamour and charisma, while simultaneously offering nationally and regionally specific inflections of the phenomenon, embodying local tastes, values and ideologies. Stars such as Ananda Everingham in Thailand, P. Ramlee in Malaysia, and Nora Aunor in the Philippines, have all reached significant levels of fame in their respective countries. And yet, there is little academic work focusing on Southeast Asia's stars. Film Stardom in Southeast Asia addresses this neglect by examining how stars shape the marketing, business and economics of their industries, contribute to the meanings and popularity of their films, and give insight into the social and political contexts of life in Southeast Asia.

Throughout Southeast Asia, film stars hold an important place in popular culture. They feature prominently in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and cinema marquees, at public events and premieres, and on the internet and social media. Southeast Asian cinemas have built their own distinctive star systems, which have produced a host of successful icons. These stars often possess the features of stardom commonly noted in film scholarship, such as glamour and charisma, while simultaneously offering nationally and regionally specific inflections of the phenomenon, embodying local tastes, values and ideologies. Stars such as Ananda Everingham in Thailand, P. Ramlee in Malaysia, and Nora Aunor in the Philippines, have all reached significant levels of fame in their respective countries. And yet, there is little academic work focusing on Southeast Asia's stars. Film Stardom in Southeast Asia addresses this neglect by examining how stars shape the marketing, business and economics of their industries, contribute to the meanings and popularity of their films, and give insight into the social and political contexts of life in Southeast Asia.

One of the most popular actors of the Classical Hollywood period, Tyrone Power’s appeal was initially based around his outstanding beauty, his looks remaining key to his star persona throughout his 25-year career and almost 50 films. This book presents the first substantial academic study of Power and employs a range of approaches, including stardom and genre theory, to reappraise his career from various angles including gender, genre and image. Textual analysis coincides with discussions of Power’s multi-layered performances in a variety of genres while engaging with industry systems, specifically Twentieth Century-Fox, his home studio for almost two decades, and situates Power’s performances within the contexts of industry regulations, such as the Production Code, and industry technological advances, such as CinemaScope.

The first substantial academic study on Tyrone PowerExplores the whole of Power's on-screen careerDiscusses Power's off-screen imageAnalyses the concept of the social construction of male beauty which is understudied in star studies and in academia in generalOne of the most popular actors of the Classical Hollywood period, Tyrone Power's appeal was initially based around his outstanding beauty, his looks remaining key to his star persona throughout his 25-year career and almost 50 films. This book presents the first substantial academic study of Power and employs a range of approaches, including stardom and genre theory, to reappraise his career from various angles including gender, genre and image. Textual analysis coincides with discussions of Power's multi-layered performances in a variety of genres while engaging with industry systems, specifically Twentieth Century-Fox, his home studio for almost two decades, and situates Power's performances within the contexts of industry regulations, such as the Production Code, and industry technological advances, such as CinemaScope.

Examines the star persona of Argentine actor Ricardo Dar nOffers the first academic study that analyses the full spectrum of Dar n's works in theatre, film and TV, filling a lacuna both in Hispanic and Anglophone academiaSets out an innovative exploration of Dar n's star construction and cultural significance in connection to the dynamics of the Argentine film industry and the Latin American and Hispanic star stereotypesExamines currently unanswered questions regarding Stardom in Latin AmericaReveals performative features of Dar n's work that define Argentine cinema's contemporary mainstream productionsProvides accounts of Dar n's influences in the national and international cinema marketplaceThis monograph examines the figure of Ricardo Dar n, the leading actor that drives Argentine cinema's box office success. It aims to fill a lacuna both in Hispanic and Anglophone academia regarding the study of how Ricardo Dar n's rise to stardom took place, and what that stardom means for the Latin American film industry. Accordingly, it examines whether or not Ricardo Dar n embodies the epitome of the contemporary Latin American or Hispanic star, and, importantly, whether or not the characteristics of the Hollywood star system are actually applicable in the case of Argentine cinema where the dividing lines between so-called 'industrial' and 'independent' cinemas are very difficult to discern. Thus, whilst taking the study of this key figure from contemporary Argentine cinema as its focal point, this study will also facilitate an opening up towards broader but equally vital questions that continue to require full examination: How are Argentine, Latin American and Hispanic stars constructed? Does the leading actor of contemporary Argentine cinema embody a wider social group and historical moment in the region? Is his performative approach redefining a particular cinematic style?

This monograph examines the figure of Ricardo Darin, the leading actor that drives Argentine cinema's box office success. It aims to fill a lacuna both in Hispanic and Anglophone academia regarding the study of how Ricardo Darin's rise to stardom took place, and what that stardom means for the Latin American film industry. Accordingly, it examines whether or not Ricardo Darin embodies the epitome of the contemporary Latin American or Hispanic star, and, importantly, whether or not the characteristics of the Hollywood star system are actually applicable in the case of Argentine cinema where the dividing lines between so-called 'industrial' and 'independent' cinemas are very difficult to discern. Thus, whilst taking the study of this key figure from contemporary Argentine cinema as its focal point, this study will also facilitate an opening up towards broader but equally vital questions that continue to require full examination: How are Argentine, Latin American and Hispanic stars constructed? Does the leading actor of contemporary Argentine cinema embody a wider social group and historical moment in the region? Is his performative approach redefining a particular cinematic style?

Diana Dors was not only Britain's most successful sex symbol of the 1950s but also a popular entertainer who remained a major celebrity until her death in 1984. Diana Dors: Film Star and Actor is primarily a celebration of her film acting skills, providing detailed analysis of her performances in a selection of films from across the star's five-decade career, including The Unholy Wife, Berserk!, and The Pied Piper. In addition to investigating Dors' versatility as an actress by paying close attention to the different ways in which she uses her voice and body, poses and gestures, facial expressions and looks in specific moments from her movies, Shingler also discusses the performance of sexuality, gender and age, while considering her appeal for male and female, gay and straight audiences.

Examines Diana Dors' film career, acting method, star image and enduring celebrityTraces the development of Dors' film acting across five decades and a range of genresEmphasises the international nature of Dors' stardom and film workCelebrates Dors' achievements as a film actor with close textual analysis of her performances rather than dwelling on her personal life, publicity stunts and tabloid news coverageDiana Dors became one of Britain's most successful sex symbols in the 1950s and remained a major celebrity until her death in 1984. This book examines both her acting method and her celebrity. It provides a detailed analysis of Dors' performance in a number of her films from across different periods of her career, investigating her versatility by paying close attention to her voice, facial expressions and looks, body poses and gestures in specific moments from her movies. It also discusses the performance of gender and age, as well as considering her later role as a gay icon.

Explores the cinematic appeal and star persona of Yul BrynnerExamines Brynner's star image and performance style over his whole career through rich archival sourcesExplores the racial casting policies of Hollywood in transitionAnalyses the role of physical presence and bodily gesture in film performanceYul Brynner's star image was built on cosmopolitan flair, shifting tales of origin, baldness, as well as film roles as foreign rulers, freedom fighters, army officials, gunslingers and secret agents of ever-shifting ethnicities. Whether Cossacks, marauding pirate captains or cross-dressing torch singers, Brynner's characters were invariably stand-outs.This book explores his exotic and masculine star image and its transformations from lavish Orientalist Hollywood spectacles of the 1950s to 1960s European co-productions, 1970s action films and scifi. Extensively researched, it covers the actor's entire film catalogue, his rumoured yet unrealised projects, television work and stage appearances, as well as their international media reception. Thematically organised, the book inquires after racial casting politics, the construction of sex symbols, Brynner's humanitarian work and the recurring poses and gestures that characterised his performance style.

Yul Brynner’s star image was built on cosmopolitan flair, shifting tales of origin, baldness, as well as film roles as foreign rulers, freedom fighters, army officials, gunslingers and secret agents of ever-shifting ethnicities. Whether Cossacks, marauding pirate captains or cross-dressing torch singers, Brynner’s characters were invariably stand-outs.This book explores his exotic and masculine star image and its transformations from lavish Orientalist Hollywood spectacles of the 1950s to 1960s European co-productions, 1970s action films and scifi. Extensively researched, it covers the actor’s entire film catalogue, his rumoured yet unrealised projects, television work and stage appearances, as well as their international media reception. Thematically organised, the book inquires after racial casting politics, the construction of sex symbols, Brynner’s humanitarian work and the recurring poses and gestures that characterised his performance style.