Voice of London

Okay, one thing we must admit before we go digging further in the past, A star is born is a beautiful, classical love story we all needed after this long run of thrillers this year.

Phew.

It’s that story which packs all the romance and drama along with two really beautiful, talented lead actors to make its viewers go gaga over it. Literally!

But even though its packed and presented as a fresh, new age musical romance drama, the story itself is as old as time, err well almost.

It all began with George Cukor in 1932, when he made “What Price Hollywood?” the movie that first featured this classic beloved story. Initially it was about a struggling actress, working as a waitress who dreamt of becoming a movie queen (Constance Bennett) who meets a decent and successful yet a lousy drunk director (Lowell Sherman), and gets her big break. Next is what you know, fate works like a balance, with her career rising, his falls.

 courtesy of Warner Archive via YouTube

Then came its remake by William Wellman in 1937, titled for the first time, “A Star is Born” with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March playing the unfortunate lovers.

courtesy of Oscar Movie Trailers via YouTube

Yet again, the story came out, remodelled as a musical though now, with Judy Garland and James Mason in 1954. A film star himself, he falls for a young singer and actress, helps in making her career a hit while his own suffers a downward spiral.

courtesy of YouTube Movies via YouTube

By now the name “A star is born” had become almost synonymous with the story, and stuck in effect ever since.

No but wait, before we come to our lovely Gaga’s story version, there was another version made, this time a full-blown musical drama in 1976 where Barbra Streisand’s majestic voice and passionate perms defeated Kris Kristofferson in this epic fateful battle of love and life.

courtesy of Movieclips Classic Trailers via YouTube

Now in 2018 with Bradley Cooper single-handedly running the show with this movie, taking on the role of (one of the) writer(s), director and playing the leading role of the film, Jackson Maine. He sings, he plays guitar and he jumps in to be the hero of his lady. He in short, aimed to be the superman of romance it seems. Bradley Cooper, the everything man.

And honestly, by now the story in itself holds nothing new to offer, no element of surprise, no saving from the pending doom, insatiable hunger arising from all the good looks of Bradley. You know, all the same.

But there is a charm unique to this modern remake, and that’s Lady Gaga. Such is the freshness in her looks, voice and acting that makes it most alluring watching this age-old saga of love.

 

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, or popularly known as Lady Gaga, a pop royalty so dedicated to her elaborate make up and costumes that, if there is one thing the world can agree about, it is that if she walks by people without her made-up persona, no one would be able to recognise her.

 

Which is why watching her, in simple T-shirt and jeans, early in the movie actually makes one believe, that yes, she could be anyone, thus exponentially increasing the thrill of watching her bloom into a full-blown star.

That folks, is how a star is really born. And the big thanks go to Bradley Cooper.

 

 

Words: Meghna Agarwal | Subbing: Raquel Pacheco Colas