4 research outputs found
From Pinter to Pimp:Danny Dyer, Class, Cultism and the Critics
Danny Dyer is one of Britainâs most prolific stars, with a career spanning both critically-acclaimed and critically-derided material, the latter exemplified by his work in exploitation movies. This article investigates Dyerâs film stardom, considering some of the central debates surrounding his status as an actor. Central to the discussion is the significance of Dyer within the contemporary cultural landscapes of gender and class, and the various complexities and contradictions that circulate around his persona. The article analyses, in the first instance, Dyerâs stardom in the wake of his role in the cult exploitation movie that consolidated his subsequent âhard manâ typecasting, The Football Factory (2004), and considers how the marketing of the majority of his subsequent films has been instrumental in perpetuating a particular construction of his stardom which, in turn, informs his reception by the critics. The article traces connections between Dyerâs popularity and recurrent critical derision aimed at him as an actor lacking artistic integrity and genuine talent. It contends that the politics of both Dyerâs star construction and his critical reception are linked to the renewed legitimacy of class hatred in British society, represented by media discourses surrounding the âchavâ, which appositely reflects his âlowâ cultural status as a âstraight-to-DVDâ actor