FILM 330: On Stardom and Celebrity
Description: This course will analyze celebrity and star culture, examining films and essays that explore celebrity across a range of historical, cultural, media, and political contexts. In the past stars have been studied as mere tools used by the entertainment industry to tap into consumers’ desires. However, recent new approaches in film and cultural studies are trying to account for the active role that stars play in producing pleasure, meanings, and identities for their diverse audiences. While stars have long occupied a conspicuous presence within US popular culture, today’s celebrity culture, fueled by new media technologies and snarky gossip sites begs for a reconsideration of the meanings, histories, and values, of stardom.
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For more information about this course, contact Kenneth Chan