Star, Diva, Amateur: The Actress’s Two Bodies on the Example of Crystal Pictures by Luchino Visconti

Abstract

The problem of the diva/the divo within Italian cinematography has – just like that of the star – already been examined several times. But the appearance of the minute stars within the media culture of the past 20 years throws a completely new light on the problem of the divine – not only in Italy. Does this phenomenon come close to that of the amateur actor in Italian neorealism, the innovation that should ensure authenticity within the films? This question will be explored in the essay. It was Luchino Visconti (1906–1976) who made the film La terra trema (1947/48) exclusively with amateur actors, and then questioned the neo-realist filmmakers’ approach with the film Bellissima (1951). Visconti settled with the star industry in 1967 in his film La strega brucciata viva. The question of amateur actors, divas, stars is discussed based on the two films and the theories of Gilles Deleuze (‘crystal imageʻ) and Ernst H. Kantorowicz (‘the king’s two bodysʻ).