First critiques of film were in France, this is why the words used are French. For exmaple: Genre, mis en scene.
Films began to be shaped around who the star will be. Most money was spent on their wardrobes. Watch Some like it hot. 1949. Billy Wilder wrote it especially for Marilyn.
Conceptual dualities.
Consuption. we exercise our agency. OR “Advertising makes us spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need.” Fight club. This attitude has not changed. This is what led to the GFC!! and people still have not learned the dangers of this attitude.
Film studies. Text V audience. Are audiences passive or active?
Stardom, manufactured commodities, social models. Stars are now brands. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Zoe.
Star system. Today, most power is held by men, as main target demographic is 18-24 year old men. Need male stars for identification.
Transcend their role of actor, and become icons. Importance of the off-screen persona. Used to be controlled by the studio. For exanple, a 'Lavender marriage' where a gay person is married, to show they’re not gay.
Richard Dyer- 'extraordinary ordinariness' concept that stars represent an idealistic image, but are still are relatable. The rise of celebrity culture has made it difficult for viewers to relate as easily to their favourite film stars.
Barbara Stanwyck. Mae West. In the '20s- screen star women were either seen as vamps or good girls.
Louise Brooks. Suitable for European film. Chic but not glamorous in the traditional Hollywood sense.
Greta Gustafsson was later known as Garbo. Swedish. The actors that played these characters which underwent transformations, had themselves been transformed to become a Hollywood star.
Rita Hayworth was a Mexican. Margarita Carmen Cansino
Marlene Dietrich. Morocco. Wears trouser suit. Gender bender. Inspired YSL's Le Smoking.
Make the opposites exist in harmony.
Rita Hayworth’s black dress in Gilda. Dolce and Gabbana. La Dole Vita. Inspire current designers
Hollywood transformations. Now, Voyager, 1942. Bette davis.
Tracking shot up the woman’s body reflects the ‘male gaze’ shows feet and legs first.
Pretty woman. Simple transformation.
Joan Crawford. Mildred Pearce 1945. Transformation.
30’s fascination with female power. Drew attention to the way dress can be used to define social identity and alter things.
Costume parody was used to invert and denaturalize social distinctions. Demystification of specific codes of behaviour, dress, social entitlement.
Humphrey Bogart. Film noir returned in the 80’s when women were again in power. Femme Fetale is always shown from the feet up, with the male gaze style depiction.
Marilyn. The misfits. Jeans and jean jackets became popular. Gentlemen prefer blondes. Jane Russell is her foil, Marilyn is not so threatening to women as she is vulnerable, with natural innocence, Presents a liberated, uncpmlicated sexuality. 1950’s.
Liz Taylor. Cat on a hot tin roof. Slip dresses. Inspired Dolce and Gabbana.
Grace Kelly. Cool, self-possessed. Connection with Gwyneth, who is actually jewish, not naturally blonde. Hermes Kelly bag. One of the forst people to have something named after her.
In the same period, Ferragamo named products after Audrey and Marilyn. This celebrity endorsement has proved to be a highly successful marketing strategy.
Cinema was saved from TV's takeover by: star wars. Beginning of the kind of film that you have to see in the cinema. Rise of male stars. Technology, stars have more freedom, can have their own studios. Sharon stone Casino 1995. Pucci, gangster’s wife.
Audrey Hepburn. Of all film stars has had the most influence on the fashion industry. More complicated. Rise of youth culture. Young audiences. “The rise of the teenage consumer” marketing. Dresses like young girls wanted to dress. French beatnik look. Black flats, turtleneck, capris. Slender, short hair. Antithesis of Marilyn. Transformed through couture, but can transform herself back; has her own control, not controlled by a man. Wore Givenchy. Gamine look. Billy Wilder wanted her to wear a padded bra, but she refused. Roman Holiday. Made a kind of look that young girls wanted to wear. Breakfast at Tiffanys put New York on the map as a fashion capital. Jackie Kennedy was the first really chic American, and she dressed like Audrey. Holly Golightly and Carrie Brawdshaw. Urban nomad. Closet full of clothes. No visible income. Breakfast at Tiffany's book was much less saccharine than the movie. She was actually a call girl.
Sabrina. In paris. Learns to wear Givenchy. Funny Face. New look influenced them .
Morocco 1930.
Audrey Hepburn. Gender banding. Little boy look. Monroe- good time girl. Lower classs. Kelly- high class. Pedigree.
Studying this theory is not about relinquishing joy of dressing. Not anti fashion, but being considered, analytical.
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