I never thought I cared too much about actors and actresses. Now, I am recalling times in which I felt the usage of certain names was all that a film was relying on for success, or when a certain star indicated to me a particular genre or mood. For a few years a time there's stars with numerous movies and they often don't stray far from each other in terms of genre, I think. Regarding publicity, people are usually more willing to pay for a product with a known factor and stars serve as this known factor. I'm interested in how people become well known for a specific type of movie therefore getting typecasted more and more, until they become similar characters in every movie due to the publicity factor. Then, I think, many people involved, including audiences, decide that this is tired. It becomes another event to see a movie in which a famous star plays a character that is unlike or extremely unlike other characters they have played.
There are still people concerned with the idolization of famous actors due to fear regarding their effect on public morality. To a certain extent I share similar fears. We have the ability to know a shocking amount of information about people, yet certain information like the copious amounts of money spent solely on appearances is intentionally kept hidden. There is an eagerness to humanize actors who live almost inhuman lives. The reason for this upkeep seems to be that idolization and power over audience interest may crumble if the public becomes disinterested with people upon the realization that they are maintained for careers as a likeable persona.
There are still people concerned with the idolization of famous actors due to fear regarding their effect on public morality. To a certain extent I share similar fears. We have the ability to know a shocking amount of information about people, yet certain information like the copious amounts of money spent solely on appearances is intentionally kept hidden. There is an eagerness to humanize actors who live almost inhuman lives. The reason for this upkeep seems to be that idolization and power over audience interest may crumble if the public becomes disinterested with people upon the realization that they are maintained for careers as a likeable persona.
I agree with you, I also feel like actors play a role in how successful a film will be, so the need for the actor to portray a certain persona outside of their work is important to the studio. I think it is important for actors to play a diverse range of characters, even if the character is unlikable. If you're a fan, you should be a fan regardless of the character they play.
ReplyDeleteWe are saturated with celebrity culture at this point. I sometimes feel like people are more interested in what celebrities are saying and doing than what the people right around them are saying and doing. I always think its interesting to see the roots of all of that in the development of the star system. It was a concerted effort on the part of the film industry to get people to invest so heavily in that culture.
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