Monthly Archives: May 2020

Beyoncé, one of the most famous stars in the entertainment industry, has been an icon for females of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities and backgrounds. She is well known for her singing talents and, as of 2016, her filmmaking talents with the production of her project Lemonade. This project aimed to address the struggles of black females and represent these women in a production of what Beyoncé describes as being feminist. Bell Hooks, the author the article “Moving Beyond Pain” would disagree with Beyoncé’s feminist claims of Lemonade, deeming it as a production which supports capitalism and does not positively represent black females. She says that Beyoncé’s definition of feminism is not to be trusted because it does not truly seek to reject patriarchal dominance, but make it acceptable for both women and men to use it against each other. The simplistic overview that this film takes on feminism, according to Hooks, is not simultaneously aimed at minimizing exploitation and violence.

Hooks begins her analysis of the film by assessing it’s relation to capitalism. She proclaims that the main audience of the film is not truly black females, but consumers which encapsulates an audience of all ethnicities. The product was a capitalistic venture, not necessarily meant to empower black females but to use them as bodies to create a money making production. Hooks goes on to point out that many of the black female bodies used to create this production are the focal point of the entire film, placing them at the center and making them the norm (pg. 2). This is not revolutionary, explains Hooks, as she compares this to the ways in which black bodies have been exploited for profit throughout history in industries like the slave trade. The difference pointed out between the slave trade and the commodification of black female bodies like those in Lemonade, is the intent behind the message. Beyoncé’s intent with her film was to “seduce, celebrate and delight,” (pg. 3). Hooks admits that, although the images of the black female bodies have been repositioned to empower, they do not transcend the sexist structure in which black females find their identities. Simply showing images of these bodies does not readily allow black females to be respected and self-actualized.

Another anti-feminist aspect that Hooks points out about the film Lemonade is the way it promotes the ongoing image of the black female as a victim who acts out with rage. In the film, Beyoncé uses a baseball bat to smash car windows at random with no remorse. Her body and her acts of emotional violence are sexualized and celebrated in this scene. This romanticization is not a representation of reality and goes against the purpose of the film which is to show the detrimental effects of emotional violence. Ultimately, the sexual nature and romanticization of this scene uphold the ideal that violence can be used to assert dominance over another.

Beyoncé speaks to her views on feminism in an article published by Elle Magazine titled “EXCLUSIVE: Beyoncé Wants To Change The Conversation.” She explains that feminism, to her, is equal rights for men and women and uses it to shed light on the double standards that exist in society today. The main goal of her feminist pursuits are to help women receive the same opportunities which are so readily given to men over their female counterpart. Beyoncé sees feminism and being feminine as two different things, explaining that anyone can practice feminism and being feminine does not equate to being an anti-feminist; the main characteristic that defines someone as a feminist is the desire for equality between men and women. 

In this article, she also shares insight into her athletic-wear clothing line, Ivy Park. Her vision for the brand was to make clothing which promoted the health and love of the female body. She wanted to make clothing which accentuates the female form by lifting the booty and sucking in the waist, making the consumer appreciate her body and feel sexy.

After reading both of these perspectives on Beyoncé and her projection of feminism, I have been able to more deeply understand the factors which contribute to the exploitation of black women. Beyoncé, although she intends to, does not always embody what it means to be a feminist. Her ongoing fight against inequality for black women is notable and definitely aims to bring awareness to the issue, but happens to only be one half of the battle. She still uses the black female body as a spectacle for profiteering and conveys to a wide audience that a feminist is someone who tries to even the score between her and her male counterpart, no matter what that might entail (for example, being violent in response to violence). The way that she describes her feminist approach is that females should be able to do what males do, whether that action is positive or not. The main critique I have regarding Beyoncé after reading the articles provided would be that she has a tic for tac mentality, not eliminating the problem of dominance over the other sex, but further normalizing it.

Anna Magnani, an Italian film actress, found herself at the peak of her career during the reconstruction era post World War II. Her appearances in neorealist films showcased her ability to perform authentically and convey messages without words. One quality of hers that contributed to this ability lied in her flamboyant mannerisms and body language which spoke to her emotions more than words themselves. This was a major aspect to Magnani’s star image. Another piece of her star image that made Magnani so appealing was her ability to preserve her authenticity. Authenticity played a huge role in catalyzing her stardom. Take for example her performance in the film Rome, Open City, which was the film that made her internationally famous. The world renowned scene where Magnani is running and later killed displays emotion that clearly came from within and could not be recreated without her inner turmoil. The authenticity of this scene made her a fan favorite amongst audiences around the globe.

Anna Magnani’s appeal lied mostly in her acting skills as she began her career and focused less on the details of her personal life. This was generally not the case for many US film stars like Marylin Monroe who’s personal experiences shaped her public image. In large part, this had to do with the fact that she lived in Italy, making it difficult for the media to capture her day to day experiences. Critics were also fascinated by her “unconventional beauty” which separated her from many other film stars of the time. Magnani often refused to portray herself artificially and preferred not to wear extravagant makeup or sport tedious hairstyles. In an interview with the New York Times, it was noted that she did not want her wrinkles covered up and that it had taken her whole life to get them. This speaks volumes to the importance she placed on remaining authentic in her films and in her personal life. 

Weeks one and two introduced the class to the foundation for which a star is born. An emphasis was placed on the ways that the star image is manufactured and sold to an audience. The readings and movie we watched for these two weeks were focused around Marylin Monroe and the way that her star image was shaped by the entertainment industry. Marylin got her start as a pin-up model which associated her with sex appeal. The manufacturing of her image was based around the stereotypes of what society sees as a “sexy” woman. In our reading “The Building of Popular Images” by Thomas Harris, the author speaks to the way that stereotypes are used to build the star image. Harris states that “the star system is based on the premise that a star is accepted by the public in terms of a certain set of personality traits which permeate all of his or her film roles,” (pg 40). After watching the movie for weeks one and two, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, it was clear that the star vehicles she performed in were used to exploit Monroe’s playmate star image. Her character, Lorelei Lee, was portrayed as a woman in love with a powerful man and used as an object of the male gaze. This goes to show that her playmate image that was constructed for Marylin Monroe was exemplified in her films.

The other reading for weeks one and two, “Monroe and Sexuality,” written by Joseph Rheingold and Jayne Mansfield, discussed the ways in which sexuality was tied to Marylin Monroe’s star image. The author first investigates this portrayal of sexuality by thinking about Marilyn’s feature in Playboy’s first issue with her as their first centerfold. Playboy used a nude photo of Monroe in their first issue because they felt that her ideals surrounding sex matched up with the ideals they wished to express surrounding the topic. Marylin Monroe wanted sex and its portrayal to be seen as natural and innocent – a product of nature which every human being is associated with. By expressing herself in this way, sex, and it’s liberation, became a major facet in the image of Marylin Monroe. In the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, we are able to recognize this innocence and naturalness portrayed by Marylin in terms of her sexuality because she doesn’t understand that she is an object of sex and the male gaze. Her naivety in this case, makes her sexuality seem more natural because she doesn’t try to come off as sexy, boosting her image as a playmate whose very nature is tied to sexuality.

In this reading, the author also investigates Marylin and her association with desirability. The standard for women in the fifties was to acquire a level of desirability that would please a man. Monroe’s conformity to this notion is what led to society’s overall impression about what is “desirable” (a white, blonde female). Whiteness and blondness are used to reinforce each other; blonde representing the ultimate sign of whiteness and only whiteness allowing for the woman to be blonde. These principles reinforce the ideas that there is a racial hierarchy and white people are thought to be more desirable. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes reinforced this ideal because the object of desire – Marylin Monroe – was a white, blonde woman.

In week three we continued our discussion about female actors having sexuality attached to their star image as Marlene Dietrich is introduced. Similar to Marylin Monroe, Dietrich’s star image was centered around her sexuality and was continuously featured as a sex object. Star vehicles were commonly used to showcase the sexual image that the industry wished to portray for her. The film Morocco, that we watched, is an example of a star vehicle used to enhance the sexual nature of her character by having her work in a cabaret and kiss females for male pleasure.

Our reading for this week titled “Part Two: Stars as Images”, written by Richard Dyer, focuses on the ways in which the star image is manipulated to portray certain ideas. Dyer first focuses on the way the star image is consumed. The consumption of the star image by the audience is seen in the way that the star is admired and emulated by the masses. Consumption by the star takes place via the wearing of haute couture which has an association with high class and exclusiveness. The longing to be apart of the exclusive elite is what drives the audience to consume the same products as stars and emulate their behavior.  Because we shifted from a production society to a consumer society, these stars became idols of consumption, shifting our focus to products and leisurely activities which they endorse. “Conspicuous consumption” is a term used by Dyer to describe the ways in which wealthy people display their wealth through leisurely activities and hobbies. The notion that they don’t have to work contributes to the idea that the star is so popular and exclusive that they don’t have to exert energy to support themselves. This is far from what is truly happening, as audiences don’t see making the movies that they are watching as work or as a production, and therefore see the star lifestyle is one of pure leisure. But, Dyer argues that this does not make us inferior to stars with regards to our character, as he argues that “human attributes exist independently of material circumstances,” (pg 50).

Our second reading for this week was the introduction to “Heavenly Bodies” written by Richard Dyer. The author, like he does in his other excerpts, discusses the ways the star image is manufactured by Hollywood and it’s constituents. But, Dyer explains that the star, to some degree, has a role in the making of that image. Generally, this role is minimal, but it all shakes down to the fact that you cannot extract a person from their inner self and that by itself is a minimal amount of control. This is the control that Marlene Dietrich had in Morocco, as her image was mostly manufactured as the femme fatale, but Marlene’s true character is what tied her to this image in the first place.

Week four introduced us to Bette Davis and her groundbreaking work as a star and her unique take on the star image. By 1939, Bette Davis was one of America’s greatest actresses due to her unique delivery of her roles. Bette was known for her “mannerisms”, which drove the story and communicated ideas without the use of words. Davis’s ability to draw her audience in through the use of movements and body language, rather than he sexuality like Monroe and Dietrich, is what solidified her as not merely an actress, but an artist. Many of the films that she performed in began to be known as “a Bette Davis picture”, describing the way she used her personality to outshine her costars in the films. Davis’s appeal resided in the fact that she was not seen as a sexy or as a sex symbol. This appeal came with the rise of her stardom along with her established career as an actress. The reading looks to discover how Davis was able to merge these two aspects of her life and balance them at the same time. Davis did this by making acting a central part of her personality. She used acting as a “metaphor for human identity,” which gained her popularity with moviegoers who felt that a part of their daily routine was to perform desirable characteristics such as gays and women.  But this unveiling of her image, layer by layer, film by film, took us further away from who Davis truly was; the more that was revealed, the less we truly knew about her.

The film All About Eve, starring Bette Davis, is an example of the metaphors she used in her acting. Davis’s character in the film is an actress who is being overtaken by her younger, more beautiful understudy. As Davis’s character beings to lose popularity, her understudy only gains popularity, leaving Davis in a distressed state about the difficulty of being a star and the bitterness of watching it all come crashing down. The film, like her film The Letter, is used to depict the difficulty she faces balancing being a star and an aging woman. She uses this as a metaphor for the ways in which women have to compromise parts of themselves to be successful in their work. A connection can be seen between this film and the point that the reading brings up about how we know less about an actress the more we find out about them. After viewing this film, we see Davis less as a callous woman that we imagine her to be, which can be difficult for the audience to accept. As her image molds into a version of Davis that we are not familiar with, the less we feel we know about her.