Star+Power

VALENTINO: THE FIRST FILM-BASED CELEBRITY
Vote for your favorite:
 * [[image:cainc-rudy1.jpeg width="124" height="152"]] || [[image:cainc-rudy2.jpeg]] || [[image:cainc-rudy4.jpeg]] || [[image:cainc-rudy3.jpeg width="122" height="151"]] || [[image:cainc-rudy5.jpeg width="98" height="156"]] ||
 * #1 || #2 || #3 || #4 || #5 ||

Which photo captures the phenomenal appeal of the infamous Valentino best? Click on the discussion tab to weigh in on the debate!

Some movies become famous, receive awards, and are added to "important" lists only because of the popularity of the stars in them. This "** Star Power **" is a phenomenon that has existed since the beginning of recorded history, perhaps, but has exploded into a bizarre aspect of our culture that has changed our identity and our inter-relationships on a global scale. If you understand ** Star Power **, you can easily name a famous person whose name would be recognized by people in most parts of the world. Think politics, and then think sports, and then think film. Now think before we had film media and imagine how news, information and culture was transmitted. Imagine what it would take to become globally renowned......... Celebrities as we know them are a by-product of the film industry, where a person can become so famous that they're a part of typical households, around the world. This is such a common basic part of our daily existence that it's hard to realize how new it is to the human experience. In the overall scheme of human participation on the planet, celebrities have only existed for a few minutes. Have you ever heard of Rudy Valentino? He died in his mid-twenties and only enjoyed a few brief years of stardom, but his legendary sex-appeal created such a national sensation that his celebrity continues today. He is one of the very first examples we have of modern-day Star Power, launched by the birth of film. Rudy Valentino starred in a number of early silent films, a few of which were total flops while a couple were successful. He died before Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin had made any of their well-known, popular, feature-length films, such as Keaton's //The General//.

Click this link for some Valentino trivia: http://www.platinum-celebs.com/actors/rudolph-valentino/

Click on the following to view video footage of the legendary Valentino! media type="youtube" key="JqGWeHoNF-4" height="344" width="425"

media type="youtube" key="sXN5kfTmIwQ" height="344" width="425"

FAIRBANKS VS. VALENTINO
Valentino may have been our first national and international celebrity launched by a film career, but Douglas Fairbanks and his wife and leading lady, Mary Pickford, claim the title of first celebrity couple. While Keaton and Chaplin competed in the comedy arena, Valentino and Fairbanks competed in the dramatic arena. Unlike any of the rest of them however, Fairbanks managed to command a fabulous paycheck and a fabulous lifestyle. He was luckier and made better decisions overall, perhaps. All five of these famous silent film actors were contemporaries, associates, advisors and confidantes, and in some cases friends.

CAST YOUR VOTE:

 * [[image:cainc-fairbanks1.jpg width="108" height="144"]] || [[image:cainc-fairbanks2.jpeg width="104" height="142"]] || [[image:cainc-fairbanks3.jpeg width="110" height="143"]] || [[image:cainc-fairbanks4.jpeg width="110" height="140"]] || [[image:cainc-fairbanks5.jpeg width="144" height="144"]] ||
 * #1 || #2 || #3 || #4 || #5 ||

How would you decide today between Chaplin and Keaton as best comedian? Could you easily select a favorite dramatic actor between Valentino and Fairbanks? Would you let the opinions of the majority, or your friends, influence your choice? That is the force behind ** Star Power **. Is it a valid way to judge acting talent or the quality of a movie? As you watch the following video clip of Douglas Fairbanks playing Zorro, remember that unlike most actors Fairbanks insisted on performing all of his own stunts. He was a remarkable gymnast and athlete, and was also humble enough to demand that his name be last in the credits, rather than first!!! media type="youtube" key="yaBud6ii5Wk" height="344" width="425"