Movie-A Star is Born (1976)

There have been three versions of A Star is Born, and the latest was this 1976 movie starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.

The movie has some really rough edges I think. Things don't flow really well and there is a lack of good editing. But despite that it is still a good movie. I think this rests on the two stars, and especially Streisand, who just shines through here.

It is the story of a rock star, Kristofferson, who runs across a female singer, thinks she is great, and helps boost her career at the same time falling in love with her. His career on the other hand is in a downward spiral, and soon flames out.
That is the inherent conflict of the movie.

KK (I am tired of spelling his name) does a credible job here, despite not being a great actor and not even a good singer. But Streisand has guts and spit in the eye as the up and coming singer.

And she smolders sexuality. I found myself thinking about this aspect of her because she is certainly NOT a conventional beauty. And I can't say she is beautiful even. But she is damn sexy. And I wonder if she would make it today in the pop world. Despite her prodigious vocal range and her artful songs, and the power of her voice; does she have the look that would make her an icon if she was starting in this generation? Somehow, sadly, I think maybe not.

Have we so boxed ourselves in by standards of beauty, that we no longer can accept anyone out of those norms. They must be totally toned, usually have big breasts, an ass, perfect features (no big nose, large eyes, thin lips, gap between their teeth) and ripped abs. Now I am no fan of Britney Spears, but last year on the music award show when she was ripped for being too fat! What the hell? I know a lot of women would LOVE to have that weight problem. Yes, she was a bad dancer and looked like she was in no way prepared for the performance, but too fat? Or when Maxim ripped on Sarah Jessica Parker calling her the ugliest woman in America...what the hell? Sure, she is not all those conventions I listed above, but she has a smolder, just like Barbra. And sometimes she is plain hot!

This quest for perfection (whatever that means) is maddening. What is perfect? In my mind, it is the imperfections that make people attractive. The nuance, the difference in faces and bodies. Many can be sexy and hot and beautiful. Have we as a society lost the capacity to enjoy all kinds of beauty? And have we lost the capacity to recognize talent in unconventional beauty?

I am glad we had Barbra when we still could enjoy her. And I am glad I saw A Star is Born to trip these thoughts through my mind.