Rock Hudson- A Movie Star Whose Passing Changed the Aids Epidemic

After googling Rock Hudson I came across multiple sources that said that Rock Hudson’s management “warned” him about the “dangers” of being gay and told him he had to hide it if he wanted to make it in Hollywood. Allegedly his management even paid for Hudson to get voice lessons to train him to speak in a lower pitched voice so he would appear more straight. It is sad to think about the fact that Hudson had to try so hard to hide his true self. Not only did Hudson have to hide these facts from the public but he hid them in his private life as well. In the Dyer reading his own aunt even critised Rock on his homosexuality. I honestly wonder what kind of roles Rock would have played or if he would even be as big of a star as he was if he was out of the closet at the time. 

 

Over the years I personally have done a lot of research on the AIDS epidemic, the epidemic in the United States and abroad. In the United States AIDS was really ramping up in the mid 80s and was disproportionately affecting the gay community. In the U.S. it was labeled as a “homosexual disease” and given the reputation of being dirty. Because of the biases and homophobic attitudes of the American people and American leadership at the time the epidemic spread further and effected minority populations at higher rates. Rock Hudson was one the first major celebrities to die from AIDS and his death served as a huge wakeup call for the U.S. I think that the general population and lawmakers alike were all shocked and Hudson’s death symbolized their first call for action. Hudson was friends with Ronald Raegan and allegedly his death really shook the former President, who at the time was being criticized for his lack of attention to AIDS. 

 

Rock Hudson left his mark on the world as not only a heartthrob movie star but as someone who was an early face of the AIDS epidemic.

The Power of Beyonce

Throughout the world Beyonce is a name that is synonymous with stardom. Beyone is arguably currently the most famous woman on the planet. Beyonce rose to stardom as part of a group, Destiny’s Child, but has made a name for herself so strong that no one would ever need to refer to her using her last name. Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z have monopolized the music industry with their respective musical and production talents. Not only does Beyonce sing and produce she also performs like no other. Beyonce’s latest studio album, Lemonade, was made as a performance album. Every song has an accompanied video and there is a movie attached to the album as a whole. Because Beyonce and Jay-Z have a production company Lemonade was only available through them for several years. I remember when Lemonade came out. The album was dropped without any warnings and everyone I knew instantly freaked out and then subsequently created a Tidal account because it was the only way to get this album. This is how much stardom and capital Beyonce has; Beyonce can drop an album with no promotion and not only become the number one album in the world, but also convince millions of people to download a music sharing platform they had never had before in order to get this album. 

 

Lemonade created a frenzy and opened up all new ways for black women to express themselves. As written in “Moving Beyond Pain” by the Bell Hooks Institute Beyonce inspired a movement of liberation amongst specifically women of color after the debut of Lemonade. Beyonce showcased a variety of different body types and life events through the visual album. Each of the women in Lemonade were empowered by their differences and gained confidence, something Beyonce wanted to inspire in the women watching her film. Beyonce reiterates this in the Elle article in which Beyonce debuts her workout line. Beyonce talks about how she wants to inspire all different types of women through movement and that is what she has sent out to do with Ivy Park. 

 

Beyonce does not see herself as fitting in a typical mold and she does not see that as a bad thing either and I think that as a woman that is something many of us can identify with. Society typically tells women to blend in and then those women who do not fit in the ideal mold feel left out and can develop serious confidence issues that are detrimental. Beyonce wants to be a champion for those types of women and it is constantly inspiring to look at. 

 

Beyonce is one of those celebrities that is always breaking the mold and rearranging it to be her own. There is a reason people call her Queen Bey and she deserves that title. She has not only changed the music industry but has also helped shape the positive images directed at women. I know that I personally and other women I know have gained confidence from watching Beyonce and that is a beautiful thing that all stars should strive for.

Anna Magnani- The Italian Superstar

Anna Magnani is an actress whose life and work is incredibly striking. Magnani is one of if not the most famous Italian actresses to ever live. She starred in over 30 films and is the face of Italian neoclassical cinema. Anna Magnani’s acting came from a place of realism. Magnani’s acting has a lot of emotional dramatic range and it is apparent to viewers that her acting comes from a place within herself. Magnani heavily relies on body language to showcase emotions on camera, something that I think is very original and requires a lot of talent to pull off well. 

 

Anna Magnani’s character in Mamma Roma, Mamma Roma, is a woman who made most of her life’s money working as a prostitute. When her son, Ettore, comes back into her life Mamma Roma wants to set a good example for him and tells him that her only job is working at a fruit stand in the local market. Not everything goes well though when Mamma Roma’s pimp comes back and thretens to expose her. Her old pimp mixed with Ettore’s own problems cause turmoil in her life.  

 

Throughout the film Mamma Roma watching Magnani bring such a complex character to life was riveting. In all honesty, I was not excited to watch this film. I have never heard of the movie or of Magnani and so I was reluctant upon first starting the film. After the first scene at the wedding I was instantly hooked. Just within that first scene Magnani uses a broad range of emotions and body language to showcase the complexity of her character and her obvious talent. Throughout the film the excellence that was shown in the first wedding scene only grows. I think Mamma Roma was spectacular and is a film everyone should see. 

 

In regards to Magnani herself and her other work I learned about that through the readings we had assigned. In “Popular Culture, Performance, Persona:Anna Magnani between Rome, Open City and The Rose Tattoo” written by Francesco Pitassio, Pitassio writes about Magnani’s acting skills across her other films and after reading it I can tell that Magnani has immense talent across all of her films. Pitassio also talks about the fact that Magnani is known for using her body and her expressions as a way to act. Many of her emotions are shown through her expressions as opposed to how most actors who only use words, this gives Magnani more range as an actress. 

 

In the article, “The Construction and Reception of Anna Magnani in Italy and the English-Speaking World,1945-1988” Written by Tony Mitchell Magnani is characterized as an international star who deserves praise from the whole world. Magnani was an oscar winner and was recognized by Americans as one of the best actresses of her time. One thing I found exceptionally interesting from this article was the way in which Mitchell wrote about Magnani’s beauty. Mitchell said that Magnani had a natural beauty that transcended all beauty stereotypes and made her desirable no matter what her figure. This to me signifies a type of feminism within Magnani. Her beauty radiates from within and that is true feminine beauty.

Bette Davis: An Actress of Merit

Out of all of the actresses that we have looked at so far for this course, Bette Davis is by far my favorite. To me Bette Davis embodies what it truly means to be an actress. She was extremely talented and well respected throughout Hollywood. Not only do I think Bette Davis is the epitome of talent for women in the 1950s, her film All About Eve was also my favorite film that we watched for class. 

 

In All About Eve Davis plays an actress, Margo, who is nearing the end of her glory days after a young woman named Eve shows up. Even manipulates Margo and her friends and virtually takes over Margo’s life. Bette Davis plays Margo and the role is perfect for her. Davis is known as an actress that can portray a wide range of emotions and that is exactly what Margo does in this film. One second Margo is ecstatic, the next she is pleading with desperation. In “Bette Davis Actor/Star” written by Martin Shingler and Christine Glendhill, Shingler and Glendhill write about the skill and craftsmanship Davis brought to every project that she worked on. 

 

Bette Davis is not an actress who is known for her beauty. Unlike other stars from the 50s like Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe Bette Davis was hired onto movies for only one purpose: to act. Davis was wildly popular for her actual acting skills, something that was rare at the time. Davis was not a woman who was stuck to playing one type of role. Davis starred in over 50 movies and has played a variety of roles. She does not have to play roles that are meant for sexualization because of her talent. When compared to Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich her persona and image matter less because she is not being hired to portray a certain woman all of the time. This gave Davis more of a private life and more of an ability to choose who she wants to be. 

 

The only role that Davis constantly played was that of the housewife who has a secret, but she did not even play that type of role in All About Eve. Davis playing the role of a housewife was the studio’s way of giving a window into her private life. Davis was an American girl and studios wanted to make it seem as if she has American values, hence the recurring housewife role. 

One thing that I really took away from the Davis reading by Shingler and Gledhill was that Davis was an actress who used mannerisms to express herself. I noticed this throughout All About Eve. Davis would have reactions to little things that could be seen through her eyes or the way she folded her hands. This is what makes her an exceptional actress. Better Davis worked with multiple studios in a time when it was popular to only work with one, she was not simple put in a movie to be a sex symbol, and she respected all of the work she and other actors did. I admire Bette Davis as an actress who made an incredible career for herself through her own merits.

Marlene Dietrich and the Independent Femme Fatale

Marlene Dietrich is one of the actresses who instantly comes to mind when I think of old Hollywood Sophistication. Dietrich had an incredibly long career and starred in almost 50 films throughout her 70 year career in the film industry. Dietrich worked in Germany and Hollywood. Surprisingly, before this course I had never heard of her but once I started watching Morocco I instantly understood why she is a legend.  

 

Dietrich typically plays the role of the “damsel in distress” or “the femme fatale”. These roles showcase Dietrich as a woman who is adventurous and somewhat independent until she runs into a problem and a man must come to her rescue. Dietrich is known for playing these types of roles and she works hard to portray herself as a feisty woman that men fall in love with more for her personality and that her good looks are an added bonus. In Morocco Dietrich’s character, Amy, starts off as an independent woman who is travelling to Morocco on her own. Amy is flirtatious with a wealthy man, La Bessiere, but the real man that matters in this film is a soldier named Tom Brown who sees Amy working at her club and is instantly drawn to her. While Tom is drawn to her for her looks Dietrich forms Amy into more of a feminist role by having Amy use her personality and wits to “woo” Tom into wanting her. 

 

When I look at Marlene Dietrich I see a woman that I aspire to be like. I like that the characters she typically plays are more independent and that women like Amy may need help from men but they mainly depend on their own merits. This is touched on in the section of Dyer’s article “Star’s as Images” called independent women. Dyer touches on the portrayal of ‘the superfemale’, “a woman who, while exceedingly ‘feminine’ and flirtatious, is too ambitious and intelligent for the docile role society has decreed she play… she remains within traditional society, but having no worthwhile project for her creative energies, turns them onto the only available material- the people around her- with demonic results” (Dyer page 62). Marlene Dietrich plays this exact type of character in Morocco as well as other films she has acted in. I feel as if Dietrich is characterized by Dyer’s definition of ‘the superfemale’. 

 

Of course Dietrich, like Monroe and various other celebrities of their time are not only showing off their acting to the world, but they also must tailor their private lives to the Hollywood ideal. Dietrich was German and actively opposed Hitler, a big political move to be made by a female celebrity in the 40s. To me. Her active opposition to Hitler just amplifies Dietrich as an independent woman. Marlene Dietrich is a versatile and acclaimed actress who deserves much praise for her work. Dietrich brought and popularized the concept of “femme fetale” to the big screen and left a lasting legacy in Hollywood and German media alike.

Marilyn Monroe: Her Work, Her Life, Her Legacy

Marilyn Monroe is not only an actress that defines the period she was alive but she is an actress that has stayed in the spotlight across all generations. Monroe started the wave of women using their sexuality as a tool in films. Monroe characterized the image of “the dumb blonde” and left little to the imagination when toying with the concept of desire in her films. Monroe oozes sexuality and it is so apparent throughout her work and her life. 

One thing to note about Monroe is that her work and her life were not separate. Monroe is not only the image of classic Hollywood sexuality but also the image of classic Hollywood publicity. Monroe’s life was controlled by her public image. Her private life being a part of her public image. All of Monroe’s personal relationships were torn apart by the press and everything she did was heavily publicized and scrutinized. Because of this Monroe was taught how to act and what to do. After reading “The Building of Popular Images” by Thomas Harris and learning about this way of publicizing celebrities and Hollywood’s part in tailoring celebrities’ private lives to make good press I began to wonder how genuine is the image of Monroe that we all know and love. The image we know of Monroe had been deciphered by Hollywood before she even acted in her first movie. Monroe came from a lower class family and worked as a pin up girl and the two fo those things branded her as a sex symbol in films rather than as a housewife. Granted this was the 50s and Monroe did not have many other options of roles she could have played, which in my opinion is a shame. 

In the Film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Monroe’s character is lacking depth. She is a cabaret dancer who is fawning over a rich man who she evidently only likes for his money and he only likes her for her looks. She deals with men not trusting her but instantly lusting after her. Throughout the film it seems as if the men that are infatuated with her do not take the time to get to know her. This film showcases how in the eyes of men and in the eyes of Hollywood Monroe is just a pretty face. I personally feel as if this film is juxtaposed with her real life. In the film, Lorelei is looking for someone to take her seriously she is fed up with how Gus’s father thinks of her as dumb without ever meeting her. This is similar to Monroe’s real life where she was seen as “the dumb blonde” and not taken seriously regarding her talent. 

In Heavenly Bodies written by Richard Dyer, Dyer explains how Monroe is responsible for liberating women’s sexuality in the 1950s. Monroe made it socially acceptable to be sexual. Monroe made it socially acceptable for a woman to want sex in the same way that a man did. While Monroe did help women her main audience was men and she would draw packs of them to the theatre as well as marry several men herself. On the outside Monroe’s life looked perfect and glamorous but, in real life Monroe was distraught and struggling with various internal anxieties that eventually led to her tragic death. Would this starlet have been saved if it weren’t for Hollywood, maybe, maybe not; but one thing I can say for certain is as much as Hollywood may have changed Monroe, Monroe etched in history a new Hollywood for generations to come.