Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x24gv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-07T14:54:50.430Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Rationalizing the Irrational: Reza Attaran’s Popularity, Stardom, and the Recent Cycle of Iranian Absurd Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Babak Tabarraee
Babak Tabarraee*
Affiliation:
University of Texas, AustinUniversity of British Columbia (Vancouver), University of Art (Tehran)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Reza Attaran is one of the most successful stars of the Iranian popular cinema. This article explores the social circumstances, performative components, and political consequences of Attaran’s popularity and stardom, and the evolution of comedy and satire in the Iranian media after the 1979 Revolution. Analyzing the contextual elements and media texts over the last twenty-five years, the article argues that Attaran actively reflects a complex interaction between the social, political, and artistic demands of each period, best represented through his contribution to the television sketch comedies in the 1990s, and the lowbrow comedies and highbrow absurd films in the 2010s. The trajectory of Attaran’s stardom demonstrates the mechanism by which he serves the maintenance of the status quo.

Keywords

Attaranpopularitystardommediacomedyabsurd
Type
Articles
Information
Iranian Studies , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , July 2018 , pp. 613 - 632
Copyright
Copyright © Association For Iranian Studies, Inc 2018

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

The author would like to thank Dr. Blake Atwood for his constructive comments on the earlier versions of this article and also the anonymous reviewers for their insightful suggestions.

References

“10 Film-e PorForush-e Iran dar Sāl-e 93” [Top 10 grossing films of Iranian cinema in 2014]. 7faz.com. Modified March 15, 2015. http://7faz.com/Subject.aspx?Id=953&T=1Google Scholar
Adibi, Susan. “Sakht Migirad Jahān ba Mardomān-e SakhtKush” [The world is strict with industrious people]. Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1390, Shomāreh-ye 21 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2011, no. 21] (Esfand 1390 / March 2012): 110‒113.Google Scholar
Atwood, Blake. Reform Cinema in Iran. New York: Columbia University Press, 2016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Azimi, Shahpur. “Mājerā-ye QamAngiz va Bāvarnakardani-e ʿAvāmel-e Jazzābiyat dar Cinemā-ye Iran va Mavāneʿ-e Sangdelash” [The sad and incredible story of the attraction agencies in Iranian cinema and its cruel obstructions]. Film, no. 452 (1391 / 2013): 89.Google Scholar
Baharlu, Abbas. Sad Chehreh-ye Cinemā-ye Iran [A hundred figures of Iranian cinema]. Tehran: Qatreh, 1381 / 2002.Google Scholar
Bloomberg, Daniel. Reinventing Khomeini: The Struggle for Reform in Iran. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2001.Google Scholar
Chapardar, Hadi. “Mahbubiyat Mamnu‘” [No popularity allowed].” Film, no. 218 (1377 / 1998): 38‒39.Google Scholar
Danesh, Mehrzad. “SadShekanān” [Wall breakers].Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1390, Shomāreh-ye 21 [The annual book of Iranian cinema 2011, no. 21] (Esfand 1390 / March 2012): 88‒89.Google Scholar
“Dastmozd-e Reza Attaran Lo Raft” [Reza Attaran’s salary is revealed]. Entekhab.ir. Modified April 11, 2016. http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/262421/Google Scholar
Davis, Andrew. “Burlesque.” In Encyclopedia of Humor Studies, edited by Attardo, Salvatore I., 95–98. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2014.Google Scholar
Dyer, Richard. Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society. New York: Routledge, 2004.Google Scholar
Dyer, Richard. Stars. London: British Film Institute, 1998.Google Scholar
“Enteqād-e Mehran Modiri be Fazā-ye Cherk va Nāzibā-ye Film-hā-ye Attaran” [Mehran Modiri’s criticism of the unclean and unbeautiful atmosphere of Attaran’s films]. October 8, 2016. http://www.aparat.com/v/nCDoJ/Google Scholar
Eshqi, Behzad. “Rishkhand-e Zeshti-hā yā Zeshti-hā-ye Rishkhand? “ [Mocking the ugliness or the ugliness of mocking?]. Film, no. 494 (1394 / 2015): 79.Google Scholar
Esslin, Martin. The Theatre of the Absurd. New York: Vintage Books, 2001.Google Scholar
“Eʿtā-ye Simorq-hā-ye Sodāyi” [Giving out the melancholic phoenixes]. Isna.ir. Modified February 11, 2014. http://www.isna.ir/news/92112215928/Google Scholar
Etemadi, Arameh and Kahani, Abdolreza, “Jāmeʿeh be Revāyat-e Fard: Goftogu bā Reza Kahani, Kārgardān-e Bikhod va Bijahat” [Society narrated by individual: a conversation with Reza Kahani, the director of By No Reason]. Film, no. 452 (1391 / 2013): 92–96.Google Scholar
Farajpur, Amin. Cinemā-ye Siyāsi dar Iran [Political cinema in Iran]. Tehran: Namju Fard, 1380 / 2001.Google Scholar
“Farhang-e Seryāl-hā-ye Televizyoni-e Iran az Āqāz ta Emruz” [A dictionary of Iranian TV series from the beginning until now]. Film, no. 245 (1999): 79‒128.Google Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1390” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2011]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1390&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1391” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2012]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1391&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1392” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2013]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1392&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1393” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2014]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1393&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1394” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2015]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1394&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1395” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2016]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1395&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Koll-e Film-hā-ye Ekrān Shodeh dar Sāl-e 1396” [Ticket sales of all the movies screened in the year 2017]. Cinetmag.com. Accessed November 29, 2017. http://www.cinetmag.com/Movies/BoxOfficeYearly.asp?Saal=1396&Locality=240&Open=NoGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1390” [Daily box-office of the year 2011]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/foroosh1390Google Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1391” [Daily box-office of the year 2012]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/forooshGoogle Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1392” [Daily box-office of the year 2013]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/foroosh92Google Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1393” [Daily box-office of the year 2014]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/foroosh93Google Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1394” [Daily box-office of the year 2015]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/foroosh94Google Scholar
“Forush-e Ruzāneh-ye Sāl-e 1395” [Daily box-office of the year 2016]. Fcf.ir. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.fcf.ir/old/foroush111/foroosh95Google Scholar
Geraghty, Christine. “Re-examining Stardom: Questions of Texts, Bodies, Performance.” In Stardom and Celebrity: A Reader, edited by Redmond, Sean and Holmes, Su, 98–110. London: Sage, 2007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Golmakani, Hushang, and AmirFazli, Arjang. “Āsibshenāsi-e Yek Tajrobeh” [Pathology of an experience]. Film, no. 206 (1376 / 1997): 38‒43.Google Scholar
Golmakani, Hushang, and Attaran, Reza. “Komedi-e Khatarnāk” [Dangerous comedy]. Film, no. 473 (1393 / 2014): 74‒77.Google Scholar
“Gozāresh-e Isna az Ekhtetāmiyeh-ye Siyomin Jashnvāreh-ye Beynolmelali-e Film-e Fajr” [ISNA’s report from the closing ceremony of the 30th Fajr International Film Festival]. Isna.ir. Modified February 12, 2012. http://www.isna.ir/news/9011-13900/Google Scholar
“Hameh-ye Seryāl-hā-ye PorHāshieh-ye Mehran Modiri” [All Mehran Modiri’s controversial TV series]. Haft-e Sobh Newspaper. Modified January 7, 2015. http://akharinkhabar.com/Pages/News.aspx?id=1288577Google Scholar
Hekmat, Manijeh and Sartipi, Alireza. “ʿAqāyed-e Yek Actor-e Cinema: Goftogu-ye Siamak Ansari bā Reza Attaran” [The ideas of a film actor: Siamak Ansari’s conversation with Reza Attaran]. April 21, 2016. http://www.aparat.com/v/PTxQJ/Google Scholar
Heydari, Qolam. Terājedi-e Cinemā-ye Komedi-e Iran [The tragedy of Iranian comic film]. Tehran: Filmkhāneh-ye Melli-e Iran, 1370 / 1991.Google Scholar
“Jadval-e Forush-e Film-hā dar Sāl-e 1394” [Box-office chart of the year 2015]. Cinematicket.org. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.cinematicket.org/?p=boxoffice94Google Scholar
“Jadval-e Forush-e Film-hā dar Sāl-e 1395” [Box-office chart of the year 2016]. Cinematicket.org. Accessed July 2, 2017. http://www.cinematicket.org/?p=boxofficeGoogle Scholar
Jafari Rad, Mohsen. “Ahmaq va Ahmaqtar” [Dumb and dumber]. Film, no. 494 (1394 / 2015): 81.Google Scholar
Jalali Fakhr, Mostafa. “Dar Hāli ke Barāye Khodash Sut Mizanad!” [As he is whistling for himself!]. Film, no. 445 (1391 / 2012): 85.Google Scholar
Jeyrani, Fereydoun. “Dahe-ye Chehel: Roʾyā-ye Shirin va Shekast” [The 1960s: sweet dreams and their failure]. In Tārikh-e Tahlili-e Sad Sāl Cinemā-ye Iran [An analytical history of one hundred years of the Iranian cinema], edited by Baharlu, Abbas (Qolam Heydari), 79–124. Tehran: Daftar-e Pajuhesh-hā-ye Farhangi, 2000.Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1390, Shomāreh-ye 21 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2011, no. 21] (Esfand 1390 / March 2012).Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1391, Shomāreh-ye 22 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2012, no. 22] (Esfand 1391 / March 2013).Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1392, Shomāreh-ye 23 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2013, no. 23] (Esfand 1392 / March 2014).Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1393, Shomāreh-ye 24 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2014, no. 24] (Esfand 1393 / March 2015).Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1394, Shomāreh-ye 25 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2015, no. 25 (Esfand 1394 / March 2016).Google Scholar
Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1395, Shomāreh-ye 26 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2016, no. 26 (Esfand 1395 / March 2017).Google Scholar
Meeuf, Russell, and Raphael, Raphael, eds. Transnational Stardom: International Celebrity in Film and Popular Culture. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2013.Google Scholar
Mehrabi, Masoud. Tārikh-e Cinemā-ye Iran [The history of Iranian cinema]. Tehran: Film, 1365 / 1986.Google Scholar
“Moʿarrefi-e Shabakeh-ye Seh-ye Simā” [Introducing the third TV channel]. Tv3.ir. Accessed March 3, 2017. http://www.tv3.ir/aboutUsGoogle Scholar
Moaveni, Maziar. “Az Parvāz-e 57 ta Bezangāh” [From flight 1979 to crisis]. Etemaad Newspaper. Accessed April 14, 2017, http://vista.ir/article/340508Google Scholar
Mohammadi, Davud. “Ettefāq-e Farkhondeh” [Auspicious event]. Film, no. 140 (1372 / 1993): 29.Google Scholar
Mohammadi, Ehsan. “Sāʿat-e Khosh-e Zendegi-e Mā Cherā Tekrār Nemishavad?” [ Why the happy hour of our life is not being repeated]. Asreiran.com. Modified September 14, 2016. http://www.asriran.com/fa/news/492799/ .Google Scholar
MohammadKashi, Sabereh. “Khākestar va Almās” [Ashes and diamond]. In Filmfārsi Chist? [What is Filmfarsi?], edited by Mo’azzeziNia, Hossein, 137‒156. Tehran: Saqi, 1378 / 1999.Google Scholar
MohammadKashi, Sabereh. “Parvāz az Mahdudiyat” [A flight from limitations]. Film, no. 160 (1373 / 1994): 28‒30.Google Scholar
Mosafer, Sophia. “Yek Cinemāgar-e Khordehpā-ye Irani dar Farang” [A petty Iranian filmmaker in the West]. Film, no. 470 (1392 / 2014): 47.Google Scholar
Murphy, Kim. “Iran’s Revolution Finally Learns to Laugh at Itself.” Los Angeles Times, April 28, 1992.Google Scholar
Naficy, Hamid. The Social History of Iranian Cinema. Vol. 2: The Industrializing Years: 1941‒1978. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2011.Google Scholar
Naficy, Hamid. The Social History of Iranian Cinema. Vol. 3: The Islamicate Period, 1978-1984. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2012.Google Scholar
“Neshast-e Porsesh o Pasokh-e Pāyān-Nāmeh” [Thesis’ Q & A session]. Isna.ir. Modified May 31, 2011. http://www.isna.ir/news/9003-07448/Google Scholar
“PorDardesartarin Seryāl-hā-ye Televizyon” [The most troublesome TV series]. Isna.ir. Modified February 17. 2014. http://www.isna.ir/news/92112819754/Google Scholar
“PulSāztarin Bāzigarān-e Cinemā-ye Iran” [The most moneymaking actors of the Iranian cinema]. Faradeed.ir. Modified March 23, 2016. http://faradeed.ir/fa/news/14220/Google Scholar
Puria, Amir. “Bāzār-e KhoshKhiyāli” [Wishful thinking market]. Film, no. 173 (1374 / 1995): 9.Google Scholar
Puria, Amir. “Lezzat-hā va Zellat-hā-ye Bād dar Pust-e Digarān Kardan [The joys and sufferings of being kind to others].” Film, no. 452 (1391 / 2013): 84‒86.Google Scholar
Puria, Amir, Attaran, Reza, AmirFazli, Arjang, and Asadi, Davud. “Bozorgān Siah-Mohreh Bāzi Konand” [The great play with black men]. Film, no. 172 (1374 / 1995): 26‒29.Google Scholar
“Qāchāq-e PorForushTarin Film-e Cinemāyi-e Iran” [Bootlegging the highest-grossing film of Iranian cinema]. Tabnak.ir. Modified November 15, 2017. http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/747824/Google Scholar
Qaderi, Amir, and Attaran, Reza, “Yeki az Rofaqāyam ke Dozd Bud …” [One of my friends who was a thief …]. Film, no. 340 (1384 / 2005): 42‒44.Google Scholar
QaziNejad, Saeed. “Sharh-e Hāl-e Seh Kudak-e Yatim ke az Bad-e Ruzegār Sebil Dārand” [Biographies of three orphaned kids who, unfortunately, have moustaches]. Film, no. 494 (1394 / 2015): 80‒81.Google Scholar
Sadr, Roya. Bist Sāl bā Tanz [Twenty years with satire]. Tehran: Hermes, 1381 / 2002.Google Scholar
“Sarnevesht-e Bāzigarān-e Seryāl-e Māndegār-e ‘Sāʿat-e Khosh’ Cheh Shod?” [What happened to the actors of the unforgettable series “Happy Hour”?]. Tik.ir. Modified May 14, 2015. http://tik.ir/fa/news/85526Google Scholar
“Shalvār-e Reza Attaran va ʿAsabāniyat-e Jamshid Mashayekhi” [Reza Attaran’s pants and Jamshid Mashayekhi’s anger]. August 20, 2014. http://www.aparat.com/v/0Wl1Q/Google Scholar
“Shamaqdari: Yek Millyārd beh Sākht-e Qallādeh-hā-ye Talā Komak Kardim” [Shamaqdari: we aided The Golden Collars by a billion tomans]. BBC.com. Modified August 4, 2012. http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/2012/08/120804_l41_cinema_shamaghdari_ghalladeha_support.shtmlGoogle Scholar
Staiger, Janet. Media Reception Studies. New York: New York University Press, 2005.Google Scholar
Stott, Andrew. Comedy. New York: Routledge, 2005.Google Scholar
TalebiNejad, Ahmad. “Sāl-e Bad Barāye Sāʿat-e Khosh” [Sad year for happy hour]. Film, no. 174 (1374 / 1995): 29.Google Scholar
TalebiNejad, Ahmad. “Terājedi-e Cinemā-ye Komedi-e Iran” [The tragedy of Iranian comic film]. Ketāb-e Sāl-e Cinemā-ye Iran 1393, Shomāreh-ye 24 [The Annual Book of Iranian Cinema 2014, no. 24] (Esfand 1393 / March 2015): 74‒77.Google Scholar
“Tamām-e Zir o Bam-e Gisheh-ye Cinemā dar Sāl-e 92” [All the ups and downs of cinemas’ box-offices in the year 2013]. Isna.ir. Modified March 16, 2014. http://www.isna.ir/news/92122515967/Google Scholar
“Tanz-e Simā-ye Eqtesād-e Mā” [The satire of the image of our economy]. Jamejamonline.ir. Modified January 19, 2015. http://jamejamonline.ir/nama/1799589870879342570/Google Scholar
Yari, Abbas, and Attaran, Reza, Sho’eibi, Behruz, Tavassoli, Hanie. “Rāz-e Obur az Yek Dehliz-e Tārik” [The secret of passing through a dark corridor]. Film, no. 462 (1392 / 2013): 90‒95.Google Scholar
Zargar, Cyrus Ali. “Satiric Traversals in the Comedy of Mehran Modiri.” In Humor in Middle Eastern Cinema, edited by Devi, Gayatri and Rahman, Najat, 79–103. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2014.Google Scholar