CELEBRITY CULTURE

ENTERTAINMENT:HOLLYWOOD

In the years after the WW2 the Hollywood film industry underwent a major transformation because of a demographic and cultural shift in urban America, which profoundly altered the leisure patterns of the US society. People started to move to the suburbs (suburbanization). Hollywood saw the opportunity to start building drive-ins. Later a better and more permanant solution were theatres in shopping centres as new malls started to open. There was a major change in the organization of film production. Federal antitrust action against the Hollywood studios. The Paramount decision in 1948: divorce of production and exhibition. Major studios had to sell off the most important theatres. This wounded Hollywood so they had to find new ways to tempt the audience: coloured films (Gone with the wind 1939), bigger screens, multi-track stereo sound.

CELEBRITY MATTERS

“There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and it is not being talked about”-Oscar Wilde. When he wrrote that, he was at the pinnacle of his fame. He was frequently disparged but equally admired for his provocative prose and flamboyant posturing. He attracted the public eye because he had an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas (“love that dare not to speak its name”). This was the first time when Wilde’s larger-than-life personality eclipsed his professional reputation. He was talked about a lot, so he knew how to be a celebrity. Celebrities differ from others; like Sir Isaac Newton, because everything is centered around the individual’s personality rather than their work. Celebrities offer us an escape, they entertain us and show us their all-too-human imperfections. They reflect our personhood-showing us who we really are. On the other hand, they charm us with illusion, showing us who we want to be. In the 19th century “celebrities” like John Stuart Mill and Charles Darwin, had followers, devotees but “celebrities” like Lord Byron, Franz Liszt, Thomas Edison had fans. The difference between famous and celebrities is that famous people didn’t get the same degree of media attention, they had followers and devotees, they invited conversations and attracted attention, celebrities now have a lot of media attention, they have fans, iniciate controversy and live for attention. Celebrities are master manipulators of the press. They are savy-self promoters. The 19th century was the birth of modern day celebrities and in the 20th century, media amplified celebrities beyond all expectations. Hollywood amplified immagination. They fulled fantasies of common folk who wanted to be with, like them or literally be them. Some megastars like Jennifer Aniston or Ryan Gosling make us believe that perhaps we too can posses a certain star quality. With social media were born influencers and it seems that just anyone can become known for their knowness. Those people give us something to talk about. “Trying to make work that would mean sth to so”-Reese Witherspoon.

ALFRED HITCHCOK

Alfred hitchcok was the father of psychological thriller. He was the leading director of the post-war era with the films like Psycho, The birds, The lodger. His career begun with silent films. He is known as the master of suspense. Live musicians improvised around the themes and atmosphere of the scenes. The British film institute has restored his silent films and make new music scores with the London symphony orchestra for the film The Lodger (the composer: Nitin Sawhney). “we all enjoy putting the foot in the cold water of fear”- Hitchcok. Many of today’s directors still study Hitchcoks films and pay tribute in their works.

INTERVIEW WITH RICKY GERVAIS

The interview with Ricky Gervais focuses on his approach to comedy, particularly his sharp, often controversial humor aimed at celebrities. Gervais is known for making biting jokes at events like the Golden Globes, where he prioritizes entertaining the audience over pandering to the egos of Hollywood stars. Despite his irreverent style, he insists that his jokes are just that—jokes—and he doesn’t intend to ruin anyone’s day. Gervais discusses his discomfort with the current culture of fame, where narcissism and bad behavior are often rewarded, and expresses his concerns about the state of society, particularly in light of Donald Trump's rise to the presidency. He also touches on his personal life, including his long-term relationship with his partner, his decision not to have children, and how fame has affected him. Gervais reveals that while fame hasn't made him happier, it hasn’t made him less happy either. He continues to be driven by his creative projects, with several new ideas in the pipeline.