Dustin Hoffman

Dustin HoffmanHow One Actors Career has set Redeeming Qualities for Failed Masculinity

Trevor PacelliMade for Prof. Lehmans FMS 460 at Arizona State University

1

ThesisDustin Hoffmans life was filled with a low self-esteem in appearance and appeal towards women, and he has projected these feelings in the roles that he has been chosen to play in his acting career.Its one thing to view the world with childlike wonder and enthusiasm; its another to remain childish into adulthood. Lehman & Hunt, 40

The Actors Childhood

Born August 8, 1937

Class clown throughout Elementary School

Kicked out of school each year from 1st-4th grade

Seeking of attention continued on through Junior High

Very self conscious of his looks when he was in High School

Was never very secure of dealing with girlsGod bless us, everyone, godammit.

His Rise into Hollywood

Went to Santa Monica City College

Took an acting class for an easy 3 credits- and to meet girls

Later dropped out and lived in New York, where he worked odd jobs and played bongos on rooftops with his roommate, Robert Duvall

This meant that he could relate more personally to Ratso Rizzo in Midnight CowboyI lived below the official American poverty line until I was 31.

The Graduate 1967

The Graduate was his firstbig break into Hollywood

He is casted as a recent collegegraduate who puts a sexualaffair with his parents neighboras a higher priority overresponsibility

Dustin Hoffman has no body worth sexualizing, unlike his costar, Anne Bancroft

He plays with the mental state of a body guy but the physique of a mind guyWhich one would you pick? Hoffman or yours truly?

Hoffman plays virtually the same role as The Graduate, where he needs physically attractive women to restore his masculinity. Note how his naked body is framed in this scene, (1:50-3:26) given far less attention than the appealing face of Mrs. Pendrake (Dunaway).Little Big Man 1970

Kramer vs. Kramer 1979

Here, Hoffman plays aman whose wife (Streep) leaves him to take care of their son singlehandedly

He again portrays a body guy with the physicality of a mind guy

As he was filming this, Hoffman went through his own divorce with his then wife, Anne Byrne

He was cast in this part because both he and his character assumed a failure to the male standards of the late 70sI have never read anything close to what I am witnessing emotionally - I really want to tell this story.

Tootsie 1982

Wanted to be as good lookingas possible for the role

After a year of makeup tests, his artists told him, Thats as good as it will get

It was not only his character who learned to think the way women think, but he himself as well

Tootsie was actually the name that his mother called him when he was a child, so he felt that Dorothy Michaels was in essence, his mother

In high school, girls passed me over for the same reasons. Dorothy was able to accept the way she looked: I couldn't.

Rain Man 1988

Very strongpolarization betweenthe mind guy and thebody guy

Tom Cruise was alreadyKnown at the time forhis body guy image

Dustin Hoffman, on the other hand, was not

His character in the movie was publicly undesirable, but with beyond exceptional mental skills82, 82, 82.

Rain Man 1988Raymond (Hoffman) finds a curiosity in the strange sounds coming from Charlies (Cruise) bedroom, but notice how he is more interested in memorizing the phonebook and seeing whats on the television.

Meet the Fockers 2004Character is super childlike

His children had admitted that he really looked like himself in this role

This is the point of his career where hes casted in only supporting roles to make room for the next generation

He is compared to his son, Gaylord (Ben Stiller), who is a definite mind guy: skinny, undersexed, and ashamed of it

His character sends the message that its ridiculous for older unattractive men to be hypersexualWould you believe I conceived him with one testicle?!

Kung Fu Panda 2008

One of the few times in hiscareer hes done voiceacting

Jokingly suggested to theanimators that Master Shifu should have a small nose

Even when his face is not seen, and even when hes limited to making childrens entertainment, hes still self conscious about his looks

They ask your permission if they can shoot you while youre trying to act so that those nuances of facial expressions, body language the animators put it into the character. My kids, two of my kids saw it. They said, Oh my God, dad, its just like you. [Laughing] I dont know what theyre talking about.

Dustin TodayCurrently 77 years old

Recently diagnosed with cancer in 2013, the type of cancer is still unknown

Continues to do occasional supporting roles in lesser known films

Recently directed the movie, Quartet, which looks at the world of a retirement home

He has gone through no apparent overcoming of his physical image, and his class clown identity has never truly diminished

ConclusionHollywood casts actors based on their background and experience, not just professionally but personally too

Dustin Hoffmans appearance and childish nature has made him a popular role model for how men should not be like

His iconic performances have set standards for shying away from body guy mentality and mind guy physicality

SourcesDustin Hoffman Interview on 'The Graduate,' 'Midnight Cowboy, 'Tootsie,' and His Early Career. ABC News. Dustin Hoffman, Peter Travers. YouTube. 1 Feb. 2013. Web. . "Dustin Hoffman Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, Web. . Faye Dunaway and Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man. Wandawilcox's Channel. Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway. 2008. YouTube. Web. . Jessica. "Biography." Simply Dustin Hoffman. 2009. Web. .Knoxvicious. "American Film Interview." American Film Interview. BlogSpot, 5 Apr. 2010. Web. . Knoxvicious. "Independent Films Interview." Independent Films Interview. BlogSpot, 20 Dec. 2009. Web. . Knoxvicious. "Kung Fu Panda Interview." BlogSpot. Blogger, 25 July 2011. Web. . Kramer vs. Kramer. Dir. Robert Benton. Perf. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Columbia Pictures, 1979. Kung Fu Panda. Dir. Mark Osborne and John Stevenson. Perf. Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. DreamWorks, 2008. Lehman, Peter, and Susan Hunt. Lady Chatterley's Legacy in the Movies: Sex, Brains, and Body Guys. New Brunswick, New Jersey, and London: Rutgers UP, 2010. Print. Little Big Man. Dir. Arthur Penn. Perf. Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway. Cinema Center Films, 1970. Meet the Fockers. Dir. Jay Roach. Perf. Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Universal, 2004. Midnight Cowboy. Dir. John Schlesinger. Perf. Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. MGM/United Artists Entertainment, 1969. Rain Man. Dir. Barry Levinson. Perf. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. United Artists, 1988. Rainman Sex Scene (funny). Famouspidgeon. Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. YouTube. 1 Nov. 2013. Web. . The Graduate. Dir. Mike Nichols. Perf. Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. Embassy Pictures, 1967. Tootsie. Dir. Sydney Pollack. Perf. Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange. Columbia Pictures, 1982.

Picture Sources3. Joanna Kramer Kramer Vs Kramer (1979). Digital image. What Culture. Taboola, 11 Jan. 2015. Web. . Arbona, Alejandro. Foto: 20TH CENTURY FOX. Digital image. People En Espanol. Time Inc., 15 Nov. 2007. Web. . Blackwood, Jeff. Revisiting Rain Man October. Digital image. ABPathfinder. 14 Oct. 2012. Web. . Botten, Derek. Why Dustin Hoffman Starred in "Tootsie" Digital image. Free 98.1. Blackburn Radio Inc., 10 July 2013. Web. . Chatalie, Natalie. And You Thought Your Lady-stache Was Troublesome. Digital image. What Did Nat Think of It? WordPress, 4 Sept. 2014. Web. .Clark, Krystal. Dustin Hoffman Returns For Little Fockers. Digital image. ScreenCrave. Disqus, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. . Hoffman in WAG THE DOG (1997). Digital image. MovieActors., 2015. Web. . Hook (1991). Digital image. Sunday Movies. WordPress, 2 Sept. 2012. Web. . Kramer vs. Kramer Movie Screenshots (7). Digital image. Mr-Movie. Web. . Dustin Hoffman: "Je Suis Trs Conscient Des Restrictions Imposes Par L'ge Ma Carrire" Digital image. L'Express., 27 Mar. 2013. Web. . Lloyd, Adam. Young Dustin Hoffman. Digital image. Favorite Faces. Tumblr, 18 Dec. 2014. Web. . (Master Shifu). Digital image. Movies for You. Blogger, 22 July 2011. Web. . Prouty, Howard. Dustin Hoffman Biography. Digital image. American Film Institute. Web. . Rain Man. Digital image. Fan Ratings- Simply Dustin Hoffman. 2009. Web. . Ramsey, Carol. Meet the Fockers (8/17). Digital image. CarolRamsey.net. Web. . Strive, Kadaj. Below Are the Dustin Hoffman HairStyle, Hopefully Its Can Become Your Inspiration. Digital image. Men Hair Styles Collection. Blogger, 16 Mar. 2013. Web. . Trotzuk, Liam. A Cool Thing You Shouldnt Miss: The Graduate Screening. Digital image. Blog Daily Herald. WordPress, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. . Tutkunu, Sinema. Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy (1969). Digital image. Pinterest. Web. .