the films of Woody AlIen as well as the wider discourse surrounding the star. Exploring selected film texts from Allen's oeuvre from the 1970s, 80s and 2000s, as well as journalistic discourse of the period, I illustrate that these three subjects have framed Allen's work and wider star image since the early 1970s. Previous scholarship on AlIen has never explored these subjects with sufficient detail. Moreover, these studies have treated issues of ethnicity, gender and stardom as separate categories for analysis. In contrast, this project utilizes theories of race and ethnicity, star studies, performance analysis, cultural psychology, socio- linguistics and discourse analysis, to prove the intersectionality between these subjects. The second central approach of this project illustrates how Allen's engagement with these subjects has been marked by a profound "ambivalence"; simultaneously representing images of ethnicity and gender in his films both positively and negatively. This argument moves AlIen scholarship beyond the narrow polarisation of his work and star image both in the academy and in wider journalistic discourse. For example, while I show how Allen does indeed construct and perpetuate gender and ethnic stereotypes,) also illustrate how Allen simultaneously portrays positive images of gender and ethnicity. Focusing on reception, this thesis draws upon narratives about Allen's star image and work in a range of previously unexploredjoumalistic discourse to demonstrate this ambiguity. Using the performances and star images of Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow as case studies I illustrate how AlIen's ambivalence is repeatedly articulated through the intersectionality of performance and media discourse. In each chapter I examine previously unexplored tropes in Allen's work such as stereotypes of mental illness and pro and anti-feminist rhetoric. In each of my discussions, ans! il?- contrast to previous scholarship, I argue that Allen's films need to be contextualised by a specific socio-historical frame. By analyzing Allen's oeuvre through the prism of these intersecting categories this thesis identifies new avenues and original discourses for future Allen scholarship.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:554351 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Arton, Joseph |
| Publisher | University of East Anglia |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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