Professor Explores Stardom at Benefit Dinner

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.”

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.