The Star Machine

By: Jeanine Basinger

Write A Review

Paperback | 1 July 2009

At a Glance

Paperback
608 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.4 x 15.8 x 3.5

Paperback

$39.90

or 4 interest-free payments of $9.97 with

or

Aims to ship in 15 to 25 business days

When will this arrive by?
Enter delivery postcode to estimate

An immensely entertaining and lively look into Hollywood's "star machine," examining how, at the height of the studio system, from the 1930s to the 50s, the studios worked to manufacture movie stars. VINTAGE PAPERBACK.

ONE OF THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER'S100 GREATEST FILM BOOKS OF ALL TIME.From one of our most distinguished film scholars, comes a rich, penetrating, amusing book about the golden age of movies and how the studios worked to manufacture stars.

With revelatory insights and delightful asides, Jeanine Basinger shows us how the studio "star machine" worked when it worked, how it failed when it didn't, and how irrelevant it could sometimes be. She gives us case studies focusing on big stars groomed into the system- the "awesomely beautiful" (and disillusioned) Tyrone Power; the seductive, disobedient Lana Turner; and a dazzling cast of others. She anatomizes their careers, showing how their fame happened, and what happened to them as a result. Deeply engrossing, full of energy, wit, and wisdom, The Star Machine is destined to become an classic of the film canon.

Industry Reviews

"Startling. . . . An enormous new book of star lore . . . Basinger nestles with almost delicious comfort into the intimate procedures of star manufacture."
--The New Yorker

"Luxurious, often delicious. . . . Ms. Basinger tells her story with her customary verve and sass-she's the Rosalind Russell of film historians."
--The New York Observer

"Entertaining and informative. . . . [Basinger], whose enthusiasm for movies is reflected on every page, has a deft way of encapsulating the kernel of an actor's attraction."
--Chicago Sun-Times

"Engaging. . . . Smart, deeply researched but also chatty and fast-flowing. . . . Basinger's study of the studios' relentless spin control makes an instructive prism through which to view long skeins of Hollywood film history."
--Los Angeles Times

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.