Several Hollywood female stars were
introduced to Middlesex County women and girls during a benefit dinner Nov.
6, titled “Stardom Then and Now.”
The presentation, by Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film studies and chair of
the Film Studies Department Jeanine Basinger, provided an insider’s look
at the star system in Hollywood and how it has evolved through the years.
Basinger, who is also the curator of Wesleyan’s Cinema Archives, offered an exploration of the power and limitations female stars dealt with in the
early Hollywood years and the influences that changed the nature of stardom
into its present incarnation. She discussed the long road to
creative independence in the 21st century that now sees successful female
stars frequently running their own production companies, selecting their own
directors and often having script approval.“Stardom in the 30s, 40s and 50s
projected glamour, fashion and sex to the public," Basinger says. "Yet at
the same time, the system often dictated the stars’ personal as well as
professional lives."
“Stardom Then & Now” benefited The Fund for Women & Girls, an endowed
fund of the Middlesex County Community Foundation created by women to teach
Middlesex County women and girls to be self-reliant and reach their
potential.
The event was held at the Film Studies Center. For more information contact
the Middlesex County Community
Foundation at (860) 347-0025 or email
info@MiddlesexCountyCF.org. |
