2. Starter Task
You have 3 minutes to name as your favourite
film stars from the following industries…
Hollywood UK Other (world)
Pick ONE Film star and make a
note of their unique ‘STAR
QUALITIES’ – qualities and that
are specific to those people –
their ‘Charisma’
compelling attractiveness or
charm that can inspire
devotion in others / a
divinely conferred power or
talent
3. Starter Task II
In the centre of your page write down the name
of your favourite film star
Create a mind map detailing the reasons why
s/he can be considered a ‘film star’
What qualities do they posses that elevates them
above being just an actor, and in to a star
4. Learning Objectives
Identify the criteria for a ‘film star’
Introduce Star Theory and complete short case
study
Case Study one:
Research a modern ‘film star’ and apply ‘Star
Theory’
5. Watch to watch?
There are many reasons why we, the
audience would pay to see a film.
Reasons range from the film’s Director,
the (genre) of film, or how it was sold to
you in trailers and marketing.
Another reasons would be for the stars
cast in the film
Star Theory considers this issue and
explores the bizarre cult that are ‘Film
Stars’
We will look at TWO Key Theories
Stardom:
Industry of
Desire
Prof.
Christine
Gledhill
Stars
Richard
Dyer
6. Christine Gledhill
Christine Gledhill is a film theorist who
was fundamental in the development of
‘Star Theory’
Her study claims ‘stars’ can be defined by
four key points:
Stardom:
Industry of
Desire
Prof.
Christine
Gledhill
• Stars as Capital Value
• Stars as Constructs
• Stars as Deviant
• Stars as Cultural Value
7. Stars as Capital Value
Do they make money for the film studios?
Films with ‘Film Stars’ will make more
money than films without stars
They add monetary value to the film and
reduce the risk of loss
How much are they worth?
What can they bring to the studio?
What do you think ‘film stars’ bring to
their roles?
8. Stars as Construct
How much of their image is constructed and
not ‘real’?
Film stars are very much involved in the
construction of their image.
How might they be involved?
Why do films stars ‘construct’ their
image?
Gledhill wrote that audiences want to know the ‘real’
person, but also the ‘reel’ star
Do you think Film Stars present themselves or a
‘constructed version’ of themselves?
9. What do these set of images tell us about
Tom Cruise?
10. Stars as Deviant
Do they have a ‘wild side’, or an element of
danger / rule breaker about them?
Film Stars are famous for their hedonistic life
styles – we love stars who live to excess and
flaunt normal rules of behaviour
Can you think of any examples?
In the media we hear more about Hollywood
Stars breaking the rules than their films – but
this adds to our interest (we identify with
them)
11. Christian Bale
The modern version of Hollywood bad boy,
Christian Bale, is no stranger to deviant behaviour.
He has been arrested for assaulting his own
mother
Was caught on tape verbally abusing a crew
member whilst filming Terminator: Salvation
12. Stars as Cultural Value
Do they tell us how to behave and what to think?
Do they tell us how to look and what our culture
should be like?
Think about what film stars represent –
What do they represent ideologically on screen?
What is their legacy beyond their films?
Do Stars signify moral, social and ideological
values?
13. Case Study 1 - Stars
Identify a film star
Use the information on your handout and create a
portfolio of their work
Try to find evidence or examples for each point
raised by Prof. Christine Gledhill
Using a film star of your choice you must complete the following
research project:
List their ‘STAR QUALITIES’
Complete an analysis of how they reinforce the
‘IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE”
14. Stars – Re-cap
Actors make the transition to film star when they have
clearly identifiable ‘STAR QUALITIES’ that both audiences
and producers can identify
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
The star qualities
are an INDICATOR
of what audiences
can EXPECT
15. Stars – Re-cap
Working in pairs, create a list of the appeals of Arnold
Schwarzenegger to both audiences, and producers
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
• He offers security to both groups as he generally
plays a certain TYPE of character
• Audiences WANT to see him play action heroes with
one-liners, humour and action sequences
• Producers will use Arnie is similar roles and give
audiences what they want
• By playing the same role over and over again, he
creates a series of expectations – that audiences
find appealing, and studios can use to draw
audiences to the cinema
16. Stars – Re-cap
Film stars like Schwarzenegger also appeal to audiences as the
characters he plays embody, promote and reinforce our
‘IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE’
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
Ideological perspective – a belief system, or set of
beliefs that shape the way we perceive the world
The characters Schwarzenegger play are generally
protagonists or GOOD GUYS
The up hold the law, oppose evil and are agents of
justice
He often play militaristic characters who fight against
the real life enemies of the United States -
17. Commando (1985)
Commando:
Arnie plays an ex-
marine who is fighting
against a corrupt South
American government
Real life:
USA and south
American
governments
(Nicaragua, Bolivia,
Venezuela) who the
US say as a threat
Commando reinforces the
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE of the USA,
with Arnie embodying the
American view point that
the USA promote
freedom, whilst the south
American governments
promote Autocracy.
Obviously, the USA wins
and the IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE is
reinforced!
18. True Lies (1994)
True Lies:
Arnie plays a spy who
is out to thwart an
Arabic Terrorist and his
plan to detonate a
Nuclear Bomb in the
USA
Real life:
1993 – Bin Laden is
behind the bombing
of the World Trade
Centre and becomes
the poster boy for anti
US hate across the
world
True Lies reinforces the
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE of the USA,
by portraying the main
enemy to the country as
‘Arabic Terrorist’
Arnie saves the day, kills
the terrorist in a hilarious
manner, and:
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE is
reinforced!
19. From Russia
with Love
(1963)
Film: Bond must defeat Russian
enemies to retrieve an
encryption device that was
stolen
Villain = Russian
Reality: The Nuclear Arms race is
on going with the Russians seen
as the greatest threat to western
way of life
Enemies = USSR/Russia Moonraker
(1979)
Film: French billionaire Hugo
Drax (former Nazi) plans to take
over a space station and unleash
chemical weapons on Earth from
space
Reality: The Space Race is
ongoing and tensions between
US & Russia are heightened. The
US developing a space based
missile defense platform called
‘Star Wars’ – criticised by Europe
and Russia
The Living
Daylights
(1987)
Film: Russian KGB plot to kill
enemy agents. Bond travels to
Afghanistan and with the aid of
the insurgents (Taliban/Bin
Laden) defeats Russia
Reality: Cold War at its height, Russia are
at war with Afghanistan,
(insurgents/Taliban) who are supported
by the US and UK
Enemies = USSR/Russia
Allies – Afghan Insurgents/Taliban
TBC (20…)
?
21. Learning Objectives
Introduce ‘Richard Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’
Complete short Arnold Schwarzenegger case
study
Apply ‘Star Theory’ to a film star of your choice
22. Film Critic and Lecturer Richard Dyer states a film
star can be defined from 4 elements:
Richard Dyer
1 - Promotion
What aspect of their ‘star status’ is focused on by
the studio?
This may be details about their personal
relationships, personal philosophy and
relationships
It is especially exciting when a star has seemingly
been plucked from obscurity
23. Film Critic and Lecturer Richard Dyer states a film
star can be defined from 4 elements:
Richard Dyer
2 - Publicity
What is known about the star from newspaper
clippings, magazine articles, websites and
interviews in a range of media
A key aspect of Tom Cruise’s star status, often
referred to in publicity, is the details of his
marriages, and his involvement in Scientology
What does this additional information contribute to
your understanding of him as a star?
24. Film Critic and Lecturer Richard Dyer states a film
star can be defined from 4 elements:
Richard Dyer
3 - Films
‘Stars’ are usually associated with certain types of
films and roles
They are attracted to roles that draw out or
emphasise their ‘star qualities’
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a star whose films heavily
relies on his star qualities
29. Film Critic and Lecturer Richard Dyer states a film
star can be defined from 4 elements:
Richard Dyer
4 – Criticism and Commentary
Essentially this is the ‘currency’ or value of the star
Questions we must consider:
To what extent is their work critically acclaimed?
How are they debated as a Star?
Brilliant Actor?
Incredible screen presence?
Stunt person?
30. Critics have argued that a star is best defined as
someone who is positioned between the ‘ordinary’
and the ‘extraordinary
They may represent, at one and the same time,
someone that we might actually know, and someone
who we aspire to know.
Most of the audience will never see a famous film star
outside of the two main ways in which the star is
known
We therefore have to rely on images and information
circulated by the film and other media industries.
Summary
31. When an actor becomes a star they become a
commercial asset of the studio they are working for
Starring Role?
Star presence is enough to persuade some sections of the
audience to pay for the film when they may not have
otherwise
Film stars offer reliability and predictability that audiences
seek
Stars are expected to play certain roles and become
associated with character and film ‘types’
They can offer studios reliability and are used to attract a
targeted audience – the brighter the star, the bigger the
audience
32.
33. Using the four main points of Richard Dyer’s ‘Star
Theory’ complete a detailed case study for a film star
of your choice.
‘Stars’ Case Study
Using the internet, you must find evidence for each of
the four points.
You must also complete a detailed analysis of their
films (Step 3) and identify their ‘typical film role’ –
roles the audience expect them to play, and those in
which they have had the most success
At the end of the lesson post
your work on to the blog using
labels: ‘Stars’, ‘Case Studies’ &
‘Your Name’
