Critical Approach – Stars and Star Theory

The stars of Fight Club

The one thing Fincher did get right was the stars – Many critics loved Pitt and Norton (although some obviously hated them)

Another way you could answer the ‘critics’ question is to discuss the actors performance.

The original cast was Norton, Crowe and Witherspoon

The stars of Fight Club – What do we know about them?

• Brad Pitt

• Edward Norton

• Helene Bonham Carter

Two Key People

• Prof Christine Gledhill• Stardom – Industry of

Desire

• Richard Dyer• Stars• Stars and Society

Christine Gledhill

• Fundamental in developing ‘Star Theory’• Four Key points– Stars as Capital Value– Stars as Construct– Stars as Deviant– Star as Cultural Value

Stars as Capital Value

• ie they make money for the film companies• Films with stars will make more money than films

without stars (even if it is the same ‘film’)• How much are they worth, what can the make for

the Studio• They add monetary value to the film and reduce

the risk of loss• What are some of the ‘big names’ in Hollywood?

Star as Construct

• They are very much involved in their own mythification. How might they be involved?

• Christine Gledhill wrote that Stars ‘reach us through their bodies’.

• We want to know the ‘real’ and ‘reel’. If we go to the film we will learn who they really are. – Real person– Reel person– Persona ie a combination of both

• How might we then consider that the average age of a movie star is 36 for a man , but 27 for a woman?

Star as Deviant

• They live their lives to excess, outside the normal rules of behaviour

• What examples can you think of…..• We hear more about Hollywood stars breaking

the rules than the films they are in but this adds to our interest (identification, wish fulfilment)

Star as Cultural Value

• ‘Stars signify moral, social and ideological values’

• ie they tell us what to think and how to behave, what is right and wrong, even how we should look and what our culture should be like

• Think about what do they represent ideologically on screen via the roles they play

• What is their cultural legacy beyond film texts

Richard Dyer

• Richard Dyer, writing in 1998, contributed the academic approach to understanding how stars were and are constructed. The chapters in his book are divided thus:

• Stars as Social phenomenon• Stars as Constructed Images• Stars as Signs

Stars as a Social Phenomenom

• how stars are understood as fulfilling a social and cultural function phenomenon-

• Consider how we idealise them• Consider Stallone’s roles in the Rambo films.

Was he winning the war in Hollywood which the USA lost?

Stars as Image

• uses semiotics and cultural studies to ask about the social meanings of stardom in general and specific stars in particular and how these meanings are produced or constructed.

• Why do we have star and what do they say to the audience and our social values

Stars as Signs

• Stars as signs is about the problems associated with a star and a particular representation of a character in a film and how the two interact.

• E.g. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop or Clint Eastwood performing with an orang utan orang-

“Everybody wanted to be Cary Grant. Even I wanted to be Cary Grant”

Cary Grant

Appeal of Hollywood stars

• Certain stars can be used as an indicator as to the type of film about to be seen.

• Typecasting- Johnny Depp, stranger roles such as Willy Wonka, the Mad Hatter etc.

• Sam Worthington- archetype hero, blockbuster film, good against evil.

• Some stars are indicators of a film’s quality. Some stars such as will appear in almost anything, whereas others will only appear in the best

• Stars help to increase publicity for a film’s release by doing interviews and press junkets; raise awareness and excitement

surrounding the film. Constantly in the media, promoting.

Hollywood Domination

• Most films are made by Hollywood as the main distribution companies are Hollywood based such as Universal Studios, Paramount, Warner Bros and will feature American Stars

• As a result of this there is a wider choice of American films with American stars rather than British films, therefore, Hollywood films attract a wider audience. There is less opportunity for British films/stars to achieve recognition.

Research Task

1. Research into Pitt, Norton and Carters record before Fight ClubA. What roles did they traditional do?B. What image did they present to the publicC. What target audience would they have appealed to – what star

appeal did they have?D. How did their performance in Fight Club support or challenge their

Star Image?E. Why do you think Fincher use these actors in this way?

2. Find articles on their performance in Fight Club and what the actors themselves have to say

A. What did reviewers say about their performance?B. How far do you agree or disagree with what they say?C. What key points do the actors make about their performanceD. How does what you have found out affect your

reading/understanding of the film