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Article: A star is born: Film examines the marketing of Pancho Villa
- Article from:
- Daily Breeze
- Article date:
- September 7, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 Daily Breeze. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Long before the reality TV craze, Mexican revolutionary Pancho
Villa fought battles with an American camera crew in tow _ in 1914.
He hoped his $25,000 deal with the Mutual Film Co. of New York
would get him good publicity in the United States and money to buy
arms and supplies.
The battlefield footage became the first U.S. newsreel. But like
most reality shows, all was not as it seemed. Certain battles and
executions were staged for the cameras. Villa's skin was lightened
and his hair was styled to make him more appealing.
How Villa used the studio and the studio used Villa is the theme
of "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself," an HBO movie starring
Antonio Banderas ...