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Deconstructing Will Smith : race, masculinity and global stardom / Willie Tolliver.
Van Pelt Library PN2287.S612 T65 2022
Available
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Tolliver, Willie, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Smith, Will, 1968-.
- Smith, Will.
- African American actors--Biography.
- African American actors.
- African American celebrities.
- African American celebrities--Biography.
- African American men in popular culture.
- Motion pictures--Social aspects--United States.
- Motion pictures.
- Motion pictures--Social aspects.
- United States.
- Race in motion pictures.
- Masculinity in motion pictures.
- Genre:
- Biographies.
- Physical Description:
- vii, 229 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm
- Place of Publication:
- Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2022]
- Summary:
- "Acclaimed actor and rap artist Will Smith has achieved a level of Hollywood fame rarely attained by a Black celebrity. Early in his career, Smith stated that he aspired to be the world's most famous movie star. By the time he was named the world's top film attraction in 2008, he had fulfilled his goal. While his rise to a place of worldwide prominence and cultural relevance has made him iconic, his accomplishments have not received the full and thorough acknowledgement and analysis they merit. This is the first full-length critical look at the significance of Will Smith's achievements over a more than 30-year career. Many of his films have broken cultural norms by depicting Black men in groundbreaking social settings, like the role of the world-saving hero in his most popular films. In addition to analyzing Smith's filmography, this work contextualizes other popular and common portrayals of Black men in media and society. Finally, this book examines Smith's work in his middle age, ruminating on his ability to adapt to the realities of a new Hollywood"-- Provided by publisher.
- Contents:
- Machine generated contents note: One. Reading Will Smith: Floating Signs and the Semiotics of Stardom
- Two. Culturally Mulatto
- Three. A Slave to Fashion
- Four. Hottentot Adonis
- Five. A Postlude to a Kiss
- Six. Science Fictions and Racial Facts
- Seven. Dynamic Duos and Magical Negroes
- Eight. Genre, Interrupted.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN:
- 9781476675695
- 1476675694
- OCLC:
- 1293450264
- Publisher Number:
- 99989606849
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