$ellebrity
A documentary directed by Kevin Mazur (2012)
In his documentary, Mazur investigates the perpetuating money-maker, American celebrity culture. The film exposes the implications of our obsession with celebrity--from the origin of gossip magazines to the domination of reality television. Yet the central subject matter revolves around the relationship the public has with the concept of “celebrity.” The definition of celebrity is investigated and discussed with superstars like Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez as well as experts and researchers. Issues such as privacy, consumerism, body image, marketing, artistry, paparazzi, and the 1st Amendment arise throughout the film. The film then expounds upon these central issues to address credibility and true journalism. This documentary underscores the depths at which celebrity invades our identity, including our politics.
Quantitative: No Lexile Level or ATOS available
Qualitative: $ellebrity moves logically from one facet of the cultural investigation to the next, with each segment clearly labeled. However, because the film offers such rich and nuanced topics, a viewer may struggle to pick up the implied aspects of the arguments or see the connections between segments. Mainly due to density, complexity, purpose/structure and organization, and cultural knowledge this film is best suited for high school students (11th or 12 grades) or adults. Less sophisticated readers would clearly understand the danger of the celebrity culture, but may not pick up on the more subtle implications and how they permeate.
Content Area: English; Art--Film; Art--Digital Photography; Social Science--U.S. History; Psychology; Economics; Government/Ethics; Health.
Curriculum Suggestions: This film has lots of possibilities. Under the CCSS, a cross-curricular unit could easily be developed that addresses all the content areas above. For English it could be a thematic addition to the novels, The Great Gatsby and Jake, Reinvented, that extends to a very current, very relevant aspect of modern-American culture. One can argue that this kind of over-obsession with celebrity roots stem from Gatsby’s 1920’s. It is clear that is very typically American to build someone up, only to relish in his/her fall. In a government/ethics class, students could examine the Constitution and determine, as public figures, how much are and should celebrities’ private lives be protected. The themes can be explored further by reading and analyzing Nancy Jo Sales’ spread, “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” and maybe discuss the irony of it appearing in Vanity Fair magazine.
Common Core Standards: SL.11/12.1-6; RH.11/12.1-3
Additional/Digital Content:
- Connection to Nancy Jo Sales’ Vanity Fair piece on “The Bling Ring”--
*Meets the "Media Item" requirement
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