As the leading fan magazine in the postwar era; Photoplay constructed female stars as social types who embodied a romantic and leisured California lifestyle. Addressing working- and lower-middle-class readers who were prospering in the first mass consumption society; the magazine published not only publicity stories but also beauty secrets; fashion layouts; interior design tips; recipes; advice columns; and vacation guides. Postwar femininity was constructed in terms of access to commodities in suburban houses as the site of family togetherness. As the decade progressed; however; changing social mores regarding female identity and behavior eroded the relationship between idolized stars and worshipful fans. When the magazine adopted tabloid conventions to report sex scandals like the Debbie-Eddie-Liz affair; stars were demystified and fans became scandalmongers. But the construction of female identity based on goods and performance that resulted in unstable; fragmented selves remains a legacy evident in postmodern culture today.
#2418685 in eBooks 2015-02-01 2015-02-01File Name: B00TPL40N8
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Many Fascinating Contributions; but Lacks an Overarching FrameworkBy Dr. Laurence RawThe two editors of this anthology deserve congratulation for the way in which they have assembled a variety of contributions from film; television; literary and video experts. We learn a lot about the ways in which Poe has remained enduringly popular ever since his works first appeared in the early nineteenth century; he means different things to different groups of people. I also like the way the book visits hitherto undiscovered aspects of Poe adaptation in popular music and video games. The only small criticism I have is that the anthology as a whole does not really explain why Poe has remained such a potent symbol in American cultures past and present; both in psychological as well as political terms. Certain contributions do address this issue; but Id have liked more reference to it in the introduction.
