The Star as Icon
The Star as Icon

Author: Daniel Herwitz

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2008-10-16

Total Pages: 173

ISBN-13: 0231518587

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Princess Diana, Jackie O, Grace Kelly—the star icon is the most talked about yet least understood persona. The object of adoration, fantasy, and cult obsession, the star icon is a celebrity, yet she is also something more: a dazzling figure at the center of a media pantomime that is at once voyeuristic and zealously guarded. With skill and humor, Daniel Herwitz pokes at the gears of the celebrity-making machine, recruiting a philosopher's interest in the media, an eye for society, and a love of popular culture to divine our yearning for these iconic figures and the role they play in our lives. Herwitz portrays the star icon as caught between transcendence and trauma. An effervescent being living on a distant, exalted planet, the star icon is also a melodramatic heroine desperate to escape her life and the ever-watchful eye of the media. The public buoys her up and then eagerly watches her fall, her collapse providing a satisfying conclusion to a story sensationally told—while leaving the public yearning for a rebirth. Herwitz locates this double life in the opposing tensions of film, television, religion, and consumer culture, offering fresh perspectives on these subjects while ingeniously mapping society's creation (and destruction) of these special aesthetic stars. Herwitz has a soft spot for popular culture yet remains deeply skeptical of public illusion. He worries that the media distances us from even minimal insight into those who are transfigured into star icons. It also blinds us to the shaping of our political present.

The Star as Icon
The Star as Icon

Author: Daniel Alan Herwitz

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 9780231145404

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Princess Diana, Jackie O, Grace Kelly-the star icon is the most talked about yet least understood persona. The object of adoration, fantasy, and cult obsession, the star icon is a celebrity, yet she is also something more: a dazzling figure at the center of a media pantomime that is at once voyeuristic and zealously guarded. With skill and humor, Daniel Herwitz pokes at the gears of the celebrity-making machine, recruiting a philosopher's interest in the media, an eye for society, and a love of popular culture to divine our yearning for these iconic figures and the role they play in our lives. Herwitz portrays the star icon as caught between transcendence and trauma. An effervescent being living on a distant, exalted planet, the star icon is also a melodramatic heroine desperate to escape her life and the ever-watchful eye of the media. The public buoys her up and then eagerly watches her fall, her collapse providing a satisfying conclusion to a story sensationally told-while leaving the public yearning for a rebirth. Herwitz locates this double life in the opposing tensions of film, television, religion, and consumer culture, offering fresh perspectives on these subjects while ingeniously mapping society's creation (and destruction) of these special aesthetic stars. Herwitz has a soft spot for popular culture yet remains deeply skeptical of public illusion. He worries that the media distances us from even minimal insight into those who are transfigured into star icons. It also blinds us to the shaping of our political present.

A Star is Born
A Star is Born

Author: George Tiffin

Publisher:

Published: 2016-11-17

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 1784979503

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A celebration of the world's greatest movie actresses – from the stars of the golden age to the icons of cinema's second century – in classic scenes and beautiful images.

Stardom and Celebrity
Stardom and Celebrity

Author: Sean Redmond

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2007-10-02

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 1446202380

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"Acts as a concise introduction to the study of both contemporary and historical stardom and celebrity. Collecting together in one source companion an easily accessible range of readings surrounding stardom and celebrity culture, this book is a worthwhile addition to any library." - Kerry Gough, Birmingham City University "Absolutely wonderful. The inclusion of seminal works and more recent works makes this a very valuable read." - Beschara Karam, University of South Africa "An engaging and often insightful book." - Media International Australia This book brings together some of the seminal interventions which have structured the development of stardom and celebrity studies, while crucially combining and situating these within the context of new essays which address the contemporary, cross-media and international landscape of today's fame culture. From Max Weber, Walter Benjamin and Roland Barthes to Catherine Lumby, Chris Rojek and Graeme Turner. At the core of the collection is a desire to map out a unique historical trajectory - both in terms of the development of fame, as well as the historical development of the field.

The Ultimate Stallone Reader
The Ultimate Stallone Reader

Author: Chris Holmlund

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2014-04-14

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 0231169809

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Sylvester Stallone has been a defining part of American film for nearly four decades. He has made an impact on world entertainment in a surprisingly diverse range of capacities – as actor, writer, producer, and director – all while maintaining a monolithic presence. With The Ultimate Stallone Reader, this icon finally receives concerted academic attention. Eleven original essays by internationally-known scholars examine Stallone’s contributions to mainstream cinema, independent film, and television. This volume also offers innovative approaches to star, gender, and celebrity studies, performance analysis, genre criticism, industry and reception inquiry, and the question of what it means to be an auteur. Ultimately, The Ultimate Stallone Reader investigates the place that Sylvester Stallone occupies within an industry and a culture that have both undergone much evolution, and how his work has reflected and even driven these changes.

Christ to Coke
Christ to Coke

Author: Martin Kemp

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 393

ISBN-13: 0199581118

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Explores the origins and evolution of eleven visual iconic images still found in today's culture, including Jesus, the Coke bottle, and Einstein's famous equation, e equals mc squared.

The Icon and Axe
The Icon and Axe

Author: James Billington

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2010-09-22

Total Pages: 793

ISBN-13: 0307765288

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"A sweeping, intricate description of Russian cultural history, spanning the pre-Romanov era through six centuries to the reign of Joseph Stalin. Flowing with ease through time and topic — from art to music, literature, philosophy, mythology and more — the book provides readers with an alluring portrayal of Russia’s proud heritage. Its impressive scope and lasting insights have made it a foundational text in Russian studies. In fact, it was this book, more than any other, that captured my imagination and propelled me toward the study of Russia and the Soviet Union." --Condoleezza Rice, The New York Times "A rich and readable introduction to the whole sweep of Russian cultural and intellectual history from Kievan times to the post-Khruschev era." - Library Journal Includes Illustrations, references, index.

Symbols, Sex, and the Stars
Symbols, Sex, and the Stars

Author: Ernest Busenbark

Publisher: Book Tree

Published: 1997-02

Total Pages: 420

ISBN-13: 1885395191

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Subtitled An Outline of the Origins of Moon and Sun worship, Astrology, Sex Symbolism, Mystic Meaning of Numbers, the Cabala, and Many Popular Customs, Myths, Superstitions and Religious Beliefs. Preface by renowned religious researcher Jordan Maxwell who says, This is a must read for those concerned about pagan influence on the modern day Church. Answers questions such as: How did the concept of good and evil develop?, What is the true origin of Easter?, Why is sex such a powerful force in religion?, What religious symbols are really sexual messages?, How are the Great Pyramid and numerology connected?, How did Astrology really start?, Is there a connection between Jesus and Astrology?, Why was prostitution once an important part of religion?, and many others.

Putin as Celebrity and Cultural Icon
Putin as Celebrity and Cultural Icon

Author: Helena Goscilo

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0415528518

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During his tenure as Russia's President and subsequently as Prime Minister, Putin transcended politics, to become the country's major cultural icon. This book explores his public persona as glamorous hero--the man uniquely capable of restoring Russia's reputation as a global power. Analysing cultural representations of Putin, the book assesses the role of the media in constructing and disseminating this image and weighs the Russian populace's contribution to the extraordinary acclamation he enjoyed throughout the first decade of the new millennium, challenged only by a tiny minority.