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The Complete James Dean Collection includes two-disc special editions of the three major films Dean made during his meteoric career: East of Eden (1955, never before available on DVD), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and Giant (1956).In addition to new transfers, the films collect new and vintage documentaries, commentary tracks, publicity materials, and even the infamous "Drive Safely" commercial spot Dean filmed shortly before his death in an auto accident.

East of Eden is an acknowledged classic, and the starring debut of James Dean lifts it to legendary status. John Steinbeck's novel gave director Elia Kazan a perfect Cain-and-Abel showcase for Dean's iconic screen persona, casting the brooding star as Cal, the younger of two brothers vying for the love of their Bible-thumping father (Raymond Massey) in Monterey, California, at the dawn of World War I. Massey is a lettuce farmer, striving for market domination with an ill-fated refrigeration scheme. Having discovered that his presumed-dead mother (Oscar winner Jo Van Fleet) is a brothel owner in nearby Salinas, Cal convinces her to finance an investment that will restore his father's lost fortune, but neither money nor the tenderness of his brother's fiancée (Julie Harris) can assuage Cal's anguished need for paternal acceptance that comes nearly too late. Kazan's oblique camera angles and Dean's tortured emoting may seem extreme by latter-day standards, but their theatrics make East of Eden a timeless tale of family secrets and hard-won affection.

When people think of James Dean, they probably think first of the troubled teen from Rebel Without a Cause: nervous, volatile, soulful, a kid lost in a world that does not understand him. Made between his only other starring roles, in East of Eden and Giant, Rebel sums up the jangly, alienated image of Dean, but also happens to be one of the key films of the 1950s. Director Nicholas Ray takes a strikingly sympathetic look at the teenagers standing outside the white-picket-fence '50s dream of America: juvenile delinquent (that's what they called them then) Jim Stark (Dean), fast girl Judy (Natalie Wood), lost boy Plato (Sal Mineo), slick hot-rodder Buzz (Corey Allen). At the time, it was unusual for a movie to endorse the point of view of teenagers, but Ray and screenwriter Stewart Stern captured the youthful angst that was erupting at the same time in rock & roll. Dean is heartbreaking, following the method acting style of Marlon Brando but staking out a nakedly emotional honesty of his own. Going too fast, in every way, he was killed in a car crash on September 30, 1955, a month before Rebel opened. He was no longer an actor, but an icon, and Rebel is a lasting monument.

Giant got its name because everything in the picture is big, from the generous running time (more than 200 minutes) to the sprawling ranch location (a horizon-to-horizon plain with a lonely, modest mansion dropped in the middle) to the high-powered stars. Stocky Rock Hudson stars as the confident, stubborn young ranch baron Bick Benedict, who woos and wins the hand of Southern belle Elizabeth Taylor, a seemingly demure young beauty who proves to be Hudson's match after she settles into the family homestead. For many the film is chiefly remembered for James Dean's final performance, as poor former ranch hand Jett Rink, who strikes oil and transforms himself into a flamboyant millionaire playboy. Director George Stevens won his second Oscar for this ambitious, grandly realized (if sometimes slow moving) epic of the changing socioeconomic (and physical) landscape of modern Texas, based on Edna Ferber's bestselling novel. The talented supporting cast includes Mercedes McCambridge as Bick's frustrated sister, put out by the new "woman of the house"; Chill Wills as the Benedicts' garrulous rancher neighbor; Carroll Baker and Dennis Hopper as the Benedicts' rebellious children; and Earl Holliman and Sal Mineo as dedicated ranch hands. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Icon Who Never Gets Old
On Sept. 30, 2005, we mark the 50th anniversary of the death of James Dean.While baby-boomers may find that incredible, what's even more incredible is that throughout those 50 years, Dean's status as the icon of disaffected youth and rebellious adolescence has not only held up, but burnishes itself anew every time it is displayed before our eyes.
In a film career which spanned only 16 months and included only three films, James Dean defined the disorientation of disaffected youth, as one strives to carve out one's identity, separate from one's parents, and discover what values truly define and shape that identity and self.The remarkable thing about his movie roles is that they did this not only for his generation, but speak for each succeeding generation down to the present day.In no small part due to his tragic death at the age of 24, he never ages, and therefore remains the icon of all that is cool to all generations, whether you identify with Elvis, the Beatles, Sting or Kurt Cobain.Onscreen, James Dean remains the Real Thing in a way few other movie stars have ever been.
Bringing what Marlon Brando called "a subtle energy and a sense of intangible injury" to each of his roles, Dean created a cinematic presence which was so compelling, it had few, if any equals.He became at once the gravitational center and the propulsive force of every scene he was in.It did not matter if he was acting with Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Natalie Wood, Rock Hudson or Elizabeth Taylor.For each and every moment he was onscreen, you could not take your eyes off him and what he was doing.
In the process, Dean managed to encapsulate and project all the conflicts and contradictions of youth in a manner and to a degree which remains unparalleled.Dean's characters were full of hurt and hubris, anger and uncertainty, confidence and vulnerability... all at once.Other young actors are merely young, and maybe heartfelt.Dean's characters are young with an experience which defies their years, thereby expressing an intensity of feeling and inner conflict that no one else could match.
This collection of all three of Dean's starring vehicles providessomething of serious value to everyone who cares about movies and American culture.The DVD transfers are first rate, and it's hard to believe, for instance, that "East of Eden" has been unavailable to viewers in any format for the past 10 years.Take advantage, movie fans!Even 50 years later, James Dean remains as compelling, as fascinating and as powerful as he ever was, and... HE NEVER GETS OLD.

It's About Time!!!
James Dean will have been dead for 50 years on September 30th, 2005, and seeing that death has only enhanced his iconic image, even if Dean only starred in three studio pictures, I don't think it too much to ask that these films finally get the recognition they deserve. In fact, fans have had to wait so long for a "Dean Collection" that these discs better be flawless as the films themselves almost are. "East of Eden", "Rebel Without A Cause", and "Giant" will be included in this set and the first two mentioned really are screen burners in every aspect.

James Dean made his starring debut in "East of Eden", based on the best-selling John Steinbeck novel which retells the Adam and Eve story, and he was a star from then on. Dean plays Cal Trask, the "Cain" character, to glorious, brooding perfection. In fact, when Steinbeck himself met Dean, he told director Elia Kazan "He is Cal".

"Rebel Without A Cause", probably Dean's best-known film, is a landmark of method acting. Dean as Jim Stark, a pseudonym of James and Trask (as in Cal Trask from Eden), is not the quintessential teenager that everyone paints him. He is so much deeper and older than he appears. "Rebel Without a Cause", directed by Nicholas Ray, is truly a magnum opus of a film. A must see!

"Giant" is a very lush and grand film. Perhaps a bit overdone, but entertaining none the less. Edna Ferber, who wrote the novel, also said Dean was a wonderful choice to play Jett Rink, a common salt of the earth man, who rises to great heights, only to be ruined by his own demons. Dean is the most fascinating thing about "Giant" and easily steals every scene he is in. "The Complete James Dean Collection" is long overdue in any format, let alone DVD. Now, a new generation will be able to experience the myth that is James Dean. ... Read more

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East of Eden is an acknowledged classic, and the starring debut of James Dean lifts it to legendary status. John Steinbeck's novel gave director Elia Kazan a perfect Cain-and-Abel showcase for Dean's iconic screen persona, casting the brooding star as Cal, the younger of two brothers vying for the love of their Bible-thumping father (Raymond Massey) in Monterey, California, at the dawn of World War I. Massey is a lettuce farmer, striving for market domination with an ill-fated refrigeration scheme. Having discovered that his presumed-dead mother (Oscar^® winner Jo Van Fleet) is a brothel owner in nearby Salinas, Cal convinces her to finance an investment that will restore his father's lost fortune, but neither money nor the tenderness of his brother's fiancée (Julie Harris) can assuage Cal's anguished need for paternal acceptance that comes nearly too late. Kazan's oblique camera angles and Dean's tortured emoting may seem extreme by latter-day standards, but their theatrics make East of Eden a timeless tale of family secrets and hard-won affection. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (44)

A true classic!
I can't wait until May 31, 2005..I have this film on VHS tape and have practically worn it out..This is one of my alltime favorite films!I think after I saw this film for the first time I immediately became a big fan of James Dean's and had to read and find out everything about this young actor who died tragically at the young age of 23.I hope the special edition DVD will contain interviews with the principals involved with this film..that would be very interesting!

This film is still very powerful today and the scenes that stand out the most for me are the scenes with the lovely Julie Harris..Julie was the perfect choice to play Abra and her innocence and tenderness toward Dean's character in the film really drove the film for me..The chemistry between the two actors was amazing and I keep thinking if Dean had lived this could have been a great screen pairing!

This film showcased the talents of a wonderful actor and influenced generations of actors to come..Dean was amazingly gifted and was fortunate to catch the eye of Elia Kazan who knew talent when he saw it..What a wonderful film!It is a joy to see this film finally being released on DVD!

James Dean's debut
This is a good film (arguably Dean's best), and is very worthy of having in your dvd collection.

A masterpiece finally arrives on DVD! This is James Dean!
EAST OF EDEN is truly, and undoubtedly one of the greatest films ever made. Timeless. Brilliant...and unavailable to buy for over a decade due to legal squabbles...

At last, all has been settled, and in time to commemorate the sad, tragic premature death of James Dean.....

To those unfamiliar with the film, it is as vital and relevant (and painful) as the day it was made...

To those who know the genius here, I can only share in the celebration that the best home video company (WB) has cut through the legal red tape to get this film out (finally) on DVD, and I'm sure it will be as exceptional a presentation as any of their other exceptional releases.

This is filmmaking at its height, acting at its greatest, and writing at its most subtly exceptional. Do not pass over the miracle of John Steinbeck's amazing story & this perfect film!

A Long Overdue DVD Classic
Taken from us so soon James Dean with only 3 great films is an icon of America Cinnema. Unfortunatelly, on this great clasic, directed by the great but controversial Elia Kazan. Still awaits it's "Full Restoration Great DVD Release."

Wonderful acting by James Dean and Jo Van Fleet.
East of Eden is a great, sprawling American novel by nobel prize winning author John Steinbeck.The film East of Eden, directed by Elia Kazan, dramatizes only a small part of the magnificent book.However, what the film does, it does exceptionally well, thanks to the riveting performances of James Dean and academy award winner Jo Van Fleet.

Much has been written about Dean as an actor and what is certainly true is that when he is on screen, you can't take your eyes off him.As young Cal Trask, Dean vies for the attention and love of his father, Adam, Raymond Massesy, with his twin brother Aaron, Richard Davalos.Cal is a loser, no matter what he does, and Dean portrays sensitively the conflict Cal feels as he grows to manhood unloved and uncared for.

The rivalry between Cal and Aaron for their father's love as well as the affections of Abra, Aaron's girlfriend played by Julie Harris, generates much of the action and dramatic tension of the film. All Cal's gifts are rejected by his father, in contrast to Aaron, whose presents are appreciated and valued.

Like Cain in the Bible, Cal has a dark side which he thinks comes from his mother Kate, who abandoned him at birth and whom he has discovered runs a brothel in Salinas, California, a short train ride from the Trask ranch.Cal introduces himself to Kate, played to perfection by Jo Van Fleet, first to try to learn about himself, who he is and why he experiences his inner rage and frustration.Later he will borrow money from her to invest in order to help his bankrupt father.Cal's investment in bean futures, just prior to America's entry in World War I,pays off, but his father rejects his money in a confrontation which moves us toward the dramatic conclusion of the film.

The scenes with Dean and Van Fleet are the highlight of the film and a treasure of American movie making.Both actors are electric with Dean drawing from his inner uncertainty and fire and Van Fleet, the consumate professional, using all her skills and intelligence.They approach one another gingerly, each testing the response of the other, not trusting themselves and their own emotions, and finally becoming frustrated with their inablility to connect with one another.These scenes are wonderful to watch.We should not expect a happy ending and we don't get it.

East of Eden, released in 1955, justly takes its place in a small list of fine American films, not just because of the great performances of James Dean and Jo Van Fleet, but also because it dramatizes timeless themes in a most convincing fashion.Those viewers who love the film and like to read will almost certainly enjoy the novel on which the film is based. ... Read more

Description

Texan rancher Bick Benedict visits a Maryland farm to buy a prize horse. Whilst there he meets and falls in love with the owner's daughter Leslie, they are married immediately and return to his ranch. The story of their family and its rivalry with cowboy and (later oil tycoon) Jett Rink unfolds across two generations. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

The quintessential Texas epic loaded with stars!
This 202-minute slow-paced drama exemplifies the lives of three generations of cattlemen on a grandiose west Texas cattle ranch at the onset of the oil boom. Being a native Texan with relatives living close to the area near Marfa, Tx where GIANT was filmed, I LOVE this movie for the sheer drama and myth of our state. (and yes, there ARE some exaggerations) But it's also a well-crafted movie with exemplary performances by Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, and a very young Dennis Hopper! Viewers seeking a fast-action adrenaline-pumping film probably will be bored by GIANT, but viewers who enjoy classical performances, historical sagas, (and old movies) will cherish this movie. It's sort of like a western "GWTW"! They don't make 'em like this anymore!

A gigantic screen presence
What about this movie isn't big? Big stars (Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson); big state (Texas); big ranch (2 million acres of prime cattle land), and big length; at 202 minutes, this film runs about 45 minutes too long. The story is the familiar one about grandiosity run amok; the moral, which has been done to death, is that the simple life is the one best worth living. We've seen it all before. So why see this movie? In two words: James Dean. In his last film before his tragic death on the Freeway at the age of 24, Dean showed that he was what his legion of fans always claimed: a true genius. Try to imagine anyone else in the role of Jett Rink , and the character remains a cipher - lifeless, dull, nothing. It took Dean to bring it to life and make it his own. In this movie, James Dean and Jett Rink become indistinguishable from each other. And perhaps only an actor as brilliant as Dean could turn Rink from a character we love in the first half of the film, to a character we hate at the end. His drunken tirade near the movie's end is a tour de force. Dean's magnificent performance doesn't take away from the very creditable acting by Rock Hudson as the millionaire rancher Bick Benedict, Elizabeth Taylor as his wife Leslie, the young Sal Mineo, and especially Mercedes McCambridge as Bick's bitter, sexually frustrated sister with an unrequited passion for Jett Rink; but next to Dean's knockout performance, they pale into mere adequacy. Forget everything else; this is Dean's movie.

This is Texas?
I recently decided to view this film. Let's see - a reference to Neiman-Marcus - some wide open spaces, some cattle and oil wells. O.K. - but this film does not really tell about Texas and Texans. Thankfully, Chill Wills (from Seagoville, TX) was in it. He was the most Texan thing about this film. I wish I had something more positive to say - but I don't.

Giant Is Not A Widescreen Film
The product information here should be carefully read, as it reveals that this edition of Giant has been transferred in a 1:1.66 letterbox transfer. This is a travesty. Giant was filmed and released in the classic 1:1.33 "Academy" aspect ratio, which also happens to be the aspect ratio for NTSC analog television. George Stevens disliked widescreen processes, although he was forced to use them by studios on later films.
The time has come to put a stop to these unnecessary, phoney "restored" versions of classics. It's just a marketing ploy to squeeze more money out of old warhorses. Going back to the good old days of the laserdisc, I never much cared about the extras that were first introduced by Criterion and later imitated by the major studios. I've always responded to a high quality video transfer taken from the best film elements available. Getting the aspect ratio wrong and mutilating the images of Steven's classic film makes everything else irrelevant.
Thank goodness I still have my laserdiscs. Failing that, grab a copy on VHS.

FANTASTIC!
The DVD is superb -- I do not know what all the complaints about sound, etc. are all about! My goodness, this film is almost 50 years old -- and I think it is in wonderful shape!

I purchased this video because I have become a big James Dean film, but the acting of Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Carol Baker, and Dennis Hopper were splendid.

To think that Hudson was a mere 29, Taylor 23, and Dean 23 and could play characters who age 30 years with such reality is a true testament to their genius! Of course, the makeup artists must also receive recognition.

The most disturbing portion of the film to me is when Hudson confronts "Sarge" the restaurant owner in a fist fight and when "Sarge" lands into the juke box, "The Yellow Rose of Texas" begins to play. However, this epic film is full of irony and subtle twists and nuances -- to really grasp the entire message this film needs to be viewed more than one time.

The irony of the Mexican children singing The National Anthem during the funeral of Angel (played by a very young Sal Mineo) touched me. Little Angel was a person who died for the United States and yet was the focus of bigotry from his impoverished birth until his death.

Or course, in my opinion, there was and never will be another James Dean -- it is heartbreaking to watch this dramatic genius in the final film performance before his untimely demise. Like Buddy Holly, I will always wonder where Dean's career would have gone.

Carol Baker is fantastic in her first film role and the very young Dennis Hopper's performance is equally memorable.

This film speaks to the injustices of racial bigotry that unfortunately will always exist except in a utopian world.

The additions to this DVD make it a must-buy!

Please don't hesitate to purchase -- this DVD is worth every penny -- and then some!

Oh, the editorial review refers to Elizabeth Taylor as a Southern Belle and this is incorrect. Leslie Benedict is from Maryland and even makes the comment to Hudson and his crownies that she was from the "Center of Politics" when Hudson tries to push her aside so the men can talk "Business and Politics". ... Read more

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When people think of James Dean, they probably think first of the troubled teen from Rebel Without a Cause: nervous, volatile, soulful, a kid lost in a world that does not understand him. Made between his only other starring roles, in East of Eden and Giant, Rebel sums up the jangly, alienated image of Dean, but also happens to be one of the key films of the 1950s. Director Nicholas Ray takes a strikingly sympathetic look at the teenagers standing outside the white-picket-fence '50s dream of America: juvenile delinquent (that's what they called them then) Jim Stark (Dean), fast girl Judy (Natalie Wood), lost boy Plato (Sal Mineo), slick hot-rodder Buzz (Corey Allen). At the time, it was unusual for a movie to endorse the point of view of teenagers, but Ray and screenwriter Stewart Stern captured the youthful angst that was erupting at the same time in rock & roll. Dean is heartbreaking, following the method acting style of Marlon Brando but staking out a nakedly emotional honesty of his own. Going too fast, in every way, he was killed in a car crash on September 30, 1955, a month before Rebel opened. He was no longer an actor, but an icon, and Rebel is a lasting monument. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Rebel Without a Cause
"Rebel Without A Cause" is one of the finest films ever created. The story is about a troubled youth that seeks redemption and a sense security through his family, but when they fail to do that he seeks comfort through friendship. James Dean, Natalie Woods, and the rest of the cast are great in this film, so it's no wonder why this movie is a classic. With great scenes like the chicken run car race or the arguements James has with his parents, you'll never want to turn off the T.V. The direction for this film seemed very powerful and had you in suspense throughout the film. One moment you'll be sad at some of James Dean's struggles in the movie, but then you'll be happy at some of his more happy scenes in the film. I think many of today's youth can identify with Dean's character, so making it that much more of a powerful film. Although the film does seem a bit paced at time, it doesn't ruin the experience. Overall, if you like movies, then you'll love this one.

To the reviewer who asked if there is a Two-Disc Edition DVD coming: Yes, a Two-Disc SE is coming out on May 31st 2005!

The milestone film about the juvenile delinquency!
James Dean became a mythical legend after this cult movie which has stood up the status level through the years and doesn't age a bit .

The astonishing presence of a selected group of promising young actors made of this movie a must see for every movie conosseur : Sal Mineo , Natalie Wood and Dennis Hopper signed their names without knowing in this immortal artwork .

Nicholas Ray , Samuel Fuller , Elia Kazan and Otto Preminger were the most minucious and outlaw film makers of that decade.

It seems so useless to recommend this item because it's more than obvious.

A Brilliant Movie Of Coming Of Age In The 50s
This classic James Dean movie is exceptional. James Dean is charismatic as Jim Stark playing a high school youth trying to fit in with a 50s peer group not willing to except an "outsider." Jim trys to defend his honor by playing chicken in a game where his opponent loses his life, but not by Jim's hand. There are only a handful of films that fit the standard of classic "old hollywood" with outstanding acting. This movie is one of the very best.

Straight Talking
This exceptional movie probably deserves even more of a cult status than it already has. Most people, when they think of RWC, remember it only as one of the few examples we have of James Dean's eerie charisma; but it's also an entertaining and powerful film, well written and acted, and the credit for the lasting impression of Dean's character should go as much to the filmmakers as to Dean himself (not that Dean himself doesn't deserve bales and bales of credit).

Today, a lot of elements of RWC might seem obvious; the generational gap in more apparent now than ever, and the attemps of children to compensate for a lack of parental attention has been a common theme for decades. Not only, though, should you consider that the film was groundbreaking when it was released, but what it has to _say_ about the issues between children and their parents is more relevant today than ever. The script deserves credit mainly for a couple of reasons:

1) The film doesn't have that 'made by kids' feel that's afflicted a lot of more recent movies about kids, such as Better Luck Tomorrow. It has a definite sense of perspective, as in the scene where Jim's father tells him: 'I'm trying to show you how foolish you are!--Ten years from now, this won't mean anything; you'll look back on it and laugh!' In a way, he's right, but that doesn't make Jim's feelings or the problems facing him any less urgent at the moment.

2) The kids in RWC are smart, and they have personalities beyond basic love-starved psychosis. Buzz, especially, is a surprisingly fully-drawn character, and some of Dean's best moments as Jim come when he's doing innocent things, like jumping up behind the fence to get Judy's attention. Finally, the scene in which Jim, Judy and Plato parody adult behavior is especially incisive and especially relevant today - kids are, in many ways, shrewder than they're given credit for, and their eyes are open.

3) There are moments of overacting (Jim shouting: "You're tearing me apart!"), but there's understatement too. At the beginning, for example, after Jim's father complains that he's bought everything for his son, and the audience is ready to write him off as ignorant and materialistic, he immediatley adds that he's shown Jim love and affection too - which may not be entirely true, but he's shown as being more than just a stock Bad Parent.

4) Things like 'no stab' knife fights and racing with stolen cars might seem almost tame by modern standards, but the display of self-destructive behavior in RWC still has some emotional power. The kids may doing things which kids today would consider silly, but their attitudes are sometimes genuinely frightening. Again Buzz is a great character. The gang mentality, too, with its shifting attitudes and its effect on personality, is very striking and very accurate.


In an era when parents seem to be trying harder than ever to understand their children, the problems have really remained the same. The consequences today might be more severe, but psychology and the human thrist for love are timeless, and RWC may well be timeless. In fact, beyond still being relevant, the film is an effective antidote to modern films which glorify and enshrine adolescent problems, when many of these things are just as pathetic, in the end, as a boy whose socks don't match.

Love James Dean always
This film is a true classic, fine film making at its best. James Dean is perfectly cast as Jim Stark the misunderstood rebel, Dean gives a charasmatic performance and is extremely convincing. Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo star as his girlfriend and tag a long pal, both give great perfromance as well. This film perfectly captures the feelings of every lonley soul out there who ache to belong. James Dean is absolutley amazing in his most memorable role, a truly terrific actor. CLASSIC film and star! 5 stars! ... Read more

Description

In one of moviedom's most influential roles, James Dean is Jim, the new kid in town whose loneliness, frustration and anger mirrored those of postwar teens -- and reverberates 40 years later.Before the feature are three Behind-the-Cameras segments from the Warner Bros. Presents TV series (including a "safe-driving" interview withdrawn from airing following Dean's September 30, 1955 death) about Rebel Without a Cause.A documentary segment exclusive to this Warner Bros. Classics edition contains recently recovered screen tests and outtakes that show intriguing variations on what ended up in the final film. ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Quintessential punk rebel
This is a great movie. James Dean plays the quintessential teenage punk rebel. He is the sensitive soul misunderstood by parents and the society that surrounds him. His efforts to fit in with other students fail and this leads to problems. Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo turn in realistic portrayals of teenagers without a cause. This film shows a darker side of the '50s than the vision espoused by the Happy Days sitcom. These kids are feeling a lot of alienation and angst. This is Seattle grunge 40 years before Eddie Vedder and Kurt Cobain. The pain they feel is very real. The screenplay by Stewart Stern reveals great sympathy towards these kids. They are good kids who have gone bad because they don't fit in. People always tell you that the high school years are the best years of your life. That isn't true for all kids, however, as this film poignantly illustrates. It is heartbreaking but powerful. It is vintage James Dean and becomes more wrenching due to Dean's early death. One can only guess how good his career would have been if he hadn't died so soon.

1950s Utopia?
This will always remain one of my favorite films of all time. After seeing it I can finally understand the reasons why James Dean has such a following. He is what everyone either envisions himself as or wishes to be. In my mind, you can't quite label him an anti-hero in this movie. You have to show his character respect. In my mind, what makes this film great is what you might find fault with in other films. At times it seems overly melodramatic and so emotional it seems painful to watch. But this ain't no "Titanic." Somehow, all this intense emotion is what gives the film its power. When you are in high school everything seems as though it is a life or death situation. Who can honestly say that they weren't utterly self-absorbed at that age and even in the present? All the typical themes are included such as unrequited love, fitting in, complex family relations, and violence(today kids might have guns but name another scene as riveting and dangerous as the switchblade fight). The additions to the widescreen version are very worthwhile and offer some extra insight. Is it just me or does Natalie Wood seem on edge during her interview? The Dean "safe driving" interview is also rather interesting if not kind of sick.

True Classic.
This movie is one of the best however one reviewer had a lot of negativity about this movie do not listen to him this movie is not crap. For one James dean is not wearing a Leather Jacket on the Cover is happens to be his Red... Jacket in black and white.Anyhow the story line was very authentic Natalie Wood is just great in this Movie Sal Mineo Is Great and James Dean As always Is Exceptional.I recommend this movie trust me you will not be Disapointed.

These Rebels DID have a cause
For all that the title is such a classic one, it is rather inaccurate. And possibly, it was meant to be. Maybe a catchy title to draw in the crowds or a deliberate lie to show later that their cause, seeming meaningless, was a valid one. And in the end, this film is so poignant! Not a "dated" film at all, but a lesson to the generations of teenagers before and afterwards. Teenage angst has not changed in the last 50 years, and the reasons have not become any less meaningful. "Rebel Without a Cause" offers a very truthful look into the lives of teenagers, the reasons they rebel and gives a reason to why rebeliousness should not be taken so lightly.

The movie begins with all three of the main characters Jim (James Dean) Judy (Natalie Wood) and Plato (Sal Mineo) in a police station in the wee hours of the morning. All are dressed in obviously middle and upper-class clothes but have been picked up on the street for wandering, drunkeness and violence. The title of the movie immediately gives itself away, Judy is upset because her father was rough with her, Plato's father left him and his mother is never at home...
Then we meet Jim's parents. A submissive father, sharp-tongued mother and uptight grandmother. True, they may give him "many things" but the tension, strain and ignorance of Jim's needs are, as he says, "tearing me apart!"

We find out in the course of the movie, as Jim, Judy and Plato come together, that they are really good kids who are only looking for love and acceptance. We see how little their parents understand of them and how they are rebelling against the ignorance that has been starving them for years!

And truly, this is my FAVORITE James Dean movie, I think his portrayal of Jim is really a mirror of his own life with his biological Dad and some of the kids he grew up with. His acting is just so true, real, passionate and believable. This movie is my reasoning for why he is still such a legend. Truly, one of the greatest actors of all time. And a fantastic movie to boot!

Great 50's fun.
This film was first released in 1955 and stars James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. It was directed by Nicholas Ray and is probably one of the best, and most remembered movies from the 1950's.

"Rebel Without a Cause" begins in the local police station, where Jim (James Dean) has been arrested for drunkeness, Judy (Natalie Wood) has been picked up for walking around before dawn after a fight with her father, and the disturbed Plato (Sal Mineo) has been brought in for killing a puppy. Jim is new to the place (his parents are always moving) and finds it hard to fit in at school. He gets in a fight, which later leads him to have a chicken race with one of the gang bullies. Jim, Judy and Plato are brought back together again at the chicken race, but it ends in trouble. While Jim gets away unharmed, his opponent is killed when he gets caught in the car and goes flying straight off of the cliff. While being chased by the dead boy's friends, Jim, Judy, and Plato end up at a deserted mansion, to hide out, away from their parents and the trouble looking for them out on the streets. But still, it does not end nicely.

The film may seem dated to some people, but it still remains a brilliant movie to a lot of others.

Now for the DVD:
The film is presented in widescreen format and the print is brilliant. The sound is in 5.1 Dolby Digital. The extras include Trailers, behind-the-scenes documentary, and a few segments from TV Documentaries with Gig Young, including the 'Drive Safely' interview. Along with a few other little things aswell.

Overall, I think this is an excellent presentation for a great movie and I highly recommend this DVD.

PLEASE NOTE: Refers to Region 2 release, which appears to be the same as this Region 1 release, by the same company. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

They call it Giant because everything in this picture is big, from the generous running time (more than 200 minutes) to the sprawling ranch location (a horizon-to-horizon plain with a lonely, modest mansion dropped in the middle) to the high-powered stars. Stocky Rock Hudson stars as the confident, stubborn young ranch baron Bick Benedict, who woos and wins the hand of Southern belle Elizabeth Taylor, a seemingly demure young beauty who proves to be Hudson's match after she settles into the family homestead. For many the film is chiefly remembered for James Dean's final performance, as poor former ranch hand Jett Rink, who strikes oil and transforms himself into a flamboyant millionaire playboy. Director George Stevens won his second Oscar for this ambitious, grandly realized (if sometimes slow moving) epic of the changing socioeconomic (and physical) landscape of modern Texas, based on Edna Ferber's bestselling novel. The talented supporting cast includes Mercedes McCambridge as Bick's frustrated sister, put out by the new "woman of the house"; Chill Wills as the Benedicts' garrulous rancher neighbor; Carroll Baker and Dennis Hopper as the Benedicts' rebellious children; and Earl Holliman and Sal Mineo as dedicated ranch hands. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (65)

A great movie, but very poor restoration work
I bought this DVD with high expectations having first seen this film as a child - and should be giving it a five star rating.But I was extremely disappointed upon viewing the DVD which contains some of the worst edge enhancement I have ever seen. Hence the two star rating. In many scenes people and animals have glowing neon-like halos surrounding them! How can this film be said to have been restored??!!It would seem the Studio was in one big rush to get this DVD onto the market and had I been aware of this awful transfer, I would never have bought it.

Older movies than Giant have been restored to pristine quality - take a look at Spartacus as an example. So, Warner Bros. please go back to the drawing board with this film and restore it the way it should have been done in the first place.

Classic epic--- but flawed re-recording of music score
It's nice to have this classic Texas epic, one of the All-time great films, on DVD. And the extras are good.

Unfortunately, the sound mixing on both the DVD and the mid-to-late 90s tape version, is muted as the musical score was re-recorded during the remastering... The singing voices and the booming kettle drums can barely be heard at all, sucking much of the original drama out of the score.

The Texas T.
GIANT stars Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor as Jordan and Leslie Benedict in an epic story about one family's journey to power and respectability.Jordan Benedict is a Texan rancher who travels east searching for horses to ride and cattle to breed. He makes a stop at the Lynnton estate. While there he meets Leslie Lynnton. At first he is amused by her charm and she is infatuated by his good looks and wealth. Soon his amusement grows into love and he asks Leslie to marry him. After a brief honeymoon, the couple returns to Jordan's dilapidating
Texan family ranch.Leslie is an outcast at first, but she slowly begins incorporating herself into the society in which she has moved teaching kindness and compassion to her lunkhead of a husband along the way. The movie follows their relationship and the growth of their family through about 30 years of marriage.

GIANT is a visually spectacular movie. Though the film's scenery isn't it's best feature, it adds a lot to the film's substance. The acting is very well done, especially by Taylor and James Dean.GIANT is probably best known as Dean's last movie (he was killed before the picture was even released).Dean plays Jet Fink, the lead secondary character in the picture--a man fighting against the world to make a name for himself and always playing second fiddle to Jordan Benedict. Rock Hudson does a decent job of acting in the film, but he is upstaged every time that James Dean appears in a scene. The real-life animosity that Hudson felt towards Dean adds a great deal of texture to their performances and makes the rough relationship between Jordan Benedict and Jet Fink even that much more realistic. Taylor holds her ground with Dean perfectly capturing the sexual tension between the two.Besides those three, there really aren't any other standout performances.

Unlike many epic movies that focus on nations, empires, or dynasties (both literally and metaphorically), GIANT chooses to tell the tale of the generation of one family, and specifically one couple. It's more a film about love and family than it is about cattle, oil, big business, or money. That's really nice to see for a change.After all, even though most of us probably aren't as materially blessed as the Benedicts, we all live epic stories.

This is Texas?
I recently decided to view this film. Let's see -a reference to Neiman-Marcus - some wide open spaces, some cattle and oil wells. O.K. - but this film does not really tell about Texas and Texans. Thankfully, Chill Wills (from Seagoville, TX) was in it. He was the most Texan thing about this film. I wish I had something more positive to say - but I don't.

Giant Is Not A Widescreen Film
The product information here should be carefully read, as it reveals that this edition of Giant has been transferred in a 1:1.66 letterbox transfer. This is a travesty. Giant was filmed and released in the classic 1:1.33 "Academy" aspect ratio, which also happens to be the aspect ratio for NTSC analog television. George Stevens disliked widescreen processes, although he was forced to use them by studios on later films.
The time has come to put a stop to these unnecessary, phoney "restored" versions of classics. It's just a marketing ploy to squeeze more money out of old warhorses. Going back to the good old days of the laserdisc, I never much cared about the extras that were first introduced by Criterion and later imitated by the major studios. I've always responded to a high quality video transfer taken from the best film elements available. Getting the aspect ratio wrong and mutilating the images of Steven's classic film makes everything else irrelevant.
Thank goodness I still have my laserdiscs. Failing that, grab a copy on VHS. ... Read more

Description

This program is a double-sided CD with a DVD on one side and audio CD onthe other! The DVD contains 3 movies starring James Dean; "The Unlighted Road," "I’m a Fool (co-starring Natalie Wood)" and the lost movie - seen for the first time in 45years, "Something For An Empty Briefcase." The CD features 19 tracks from various artists such as Elvis Presley, Bill Haley & the Comets, Johnny Otis, Big Joe Turner, Ray Hubbard, The Champs, Pee Wee Crayton, Little Richard and many others! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Superb Dean tv performances - a must-own
Three of Dean's half hour tv dramas are presented here with lots of extras. I AM A FOOL and THE UNLIGHTED ROAD are well known but SOMETHING FOR AN EMPTY BRIEFCASE is a find- thought lost and not seen for half a century.

Dean is brilliant in these three very different performances, giving us a kaleidoscope of what he was capable of. He is vulnerable and yearning in I AM A FOOL, confident but sensitive in THE UNLIGHTED ROAD, and macho/sexy in BRIEFCASE. In fact, his performance in the latter makes one wish he had played Liliom or Billy Bigelow (LILIOM/CAROUSEL) - it's a case study for the perfect interpretation of that role.

Dean was incredibly sexy and incredibly talented - his talent as displayed in the dozens of tv dramas he appeared in showcase his abilities far more than the three released Hollywood films. Any fan of Dean's must collect these performances - there are a number of them out there on DVD and VHS: HARVEST, THE BELLS OF COCKAIGNE, HILL NUMBER ONE; I AM A FOOL; THE UNLIGHTED ROAD; SOMETHING FOR AN EMPTY BRIEFCASE; LONG TIME TILL DAWN; ABRAHAM LINCOLN, etc.

This is a must-own rarity DVD for every Dean fan.

peachy keen
This is a little gem of a DVD/CD thingy, It has three tv shows starring Jimmy one of which has never been seen before (ever by anyone i think...and as mine is the first review than maybe i am the only one...god i feel special) it also has veritable platter of lovely extras. The CD thingy is almost as pretty as the DVD thingy it has funky little intros from Elvis, some guy and a racist, the only problem being that they are not full versions of the songs and like most of the women in my life fade out just as im getting excited. Its still quite good in the car though ( the CD thingy I mean )
Something for an empty briefcase is the long lost film ( God knows how they lost it all I did was put James dean in a search engine and i found it) Its one of the better of Jimmys early works, about a guy who wants to go straight with the help of a woman ( never one to be type cast our Jim ) but its a cake style treat as Jimmy really seems to be enjoying himself and isnt as broody as some of his roles, I like it and i have great taste (presently im wearing a really nice t-shirt my mum bought). The extras on the disk are really short but really sweet, like a box of nice chocolates except not fattening, they include outakes from East of eden, trailers secret recordings of Jimmy on acting some racecourse footage and someother stuff i cant remember, all this and a chewy caramel centre.
In summary you should buy this cous i think it is good and for once it doesnt have tony curtis introducing it, and as a special treat the CD thingy has a ghostly recording of Jimmy on the ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Documentary
This Documentary was good because they focus on his career more than his trouble life. That being said I would rate this Documentary of a grade C+ because I believe they should focus equally on his life and career to give the audience who watches this documentary a whole understanding of how his life was affected by losing his mother and a father who was distant from him.

Forever James Dean
This is a great video about the short but legendary life of James Dean. It contains pieces of several interviews of friends, actors, and other people who knew James well. It also shows stunning scenes from James' three movies that will forever be remembered. You'll learn of James' complex life: from his grief-filled childhood to his fatal accident. You'll see in depth stories of his life which show just how much of fascinating person Dean truly was. The only set back of the film is its length. At only 69 minutes, I don't think you can get nearly as much information about Dean's life than you should from a movie all about this legend. The movie should have been longer, with more of the interviews and scenes and other stories. However, you still will be very pleased after watching the film; I was in tears for most of it. Why?- you'll have to see for yourself. I strongly urge you to buy "Forever James Dean" if you are a die-hard fan or if you are just a little interested about this star, or as the movie describes him: "a comet of Holloywood". After watching this film, your heart will be gasping for air, and you'll be left in awe only wanting to see and learn more about James Dean. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before James Dean conquered Hollywood, he toiled in New Yorktelevision. Hill Number One was an hour-long Easter special sponsored by the Family Rosary Crusade--the story of Jesus after the crucifixion, whenhe was buried in the tomb and then was risen. It's talky, stiffly staged, andvery earnest.Dean has a small role, about four lines of dialogue, and he's wildly miscast as the serene and pious John the Baptist.

I Am a Fool comes off much better.This half-hour episode of General Electric Theater is an adaptation of the SherwoodAnderson play about a young man who leaves the farm for the big city and fallsin love with a rich girl. Dean is perfectly cast as the sweet, vain, naive farm boy--the scene in which he mimics a rich dandy is solid gold. Natalie Wood is perfectly charming and Eddie Albert--mostly known for hisamiable schtick on Green Acres--shows what he can do, given the chance.The kinescope of this live performance is fuzzy, but the performances, thesets, and the staging are all razor sharp. --Geof Miller ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Birth of a Legend
Hill Number One was James Dean's first appearance on TV. Dean got his start in early television productions like this one. In Hill Number One, a religious production for Father Payton's Television Playhouse, Dean plays the Apostle John the Beloved. It's a small part, and yet one can see in this early performance the earnestness and charisma that were James Dean. Dean was still a student at UCLA when this production was filmed.
I'm a Fool is one of my favorite early Dean performances. It was filmed in Hollywood shortly after Dean completed East of Eden. It pairs him for the first time with Natalie Wood with whom Dean would again star in Rebel Without A Cause. Dean is wonderful in this stylized little drama especially because it gave him a chance to display his remarkable physicality as an actor--the mime scene is a gem--and he is believable as the naive misguided farm boy. One can see glimpses of future and evolving performances in Dean's work. In one scene he hangs his bowler hat on his foot, a piece of schtick he used again in Giant a year later. This is a rare opportunity to see one of the most unique actors of all time in an early TV production. Go for it!

A review
This DVD consists of 'Hill number one' and 'I am a fool', none of which are unenjoyable. Since they were made for TV they are not that clear, but you can still get a hold of Dean's peformances. James Dean become famous after his death after which his three only films were released. Hill number one was his first televised performance. It has an impressive cast consisting of Roddy McDowell, Michael Ansara, Leif Erickson and Ruth Hussey. Natalie Wood co-stars with James Dean in I am a fool which was aired in 1953. There is an introduction by Ronald Reagan. This interesting, well staged film marks one of Dean's first starring roles but yet exhibits the star power that made him an American legend. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not quite what the title implies
This film covers in a limited sense what THE CELLULOID CLOSET covers more professionally and comprehensively. The title refers to the reel of gay and homoerotic scenes from Hudson's studio films that he compiled for showing to his friends at parties. There are no candid home movie clips (no shots of Rock by the pool, Rock and Tab Hunter playing croquet, or of anyone dressed in women's clothes). If you can surmount that disappointment, it should be noted that the studio clips are mostly of extremely poor quality (as if photographed from a tv screen). On top of that, the film has an amateurish quality (a not-very-similar-looking actor plays Rock speaking from the world beyond, sometimes with his image inserted into the frame with the real Rock Hudson). I'm sure for some viewers these qualities will give the film a sort of underground cult classic feeling and add to its appeal. I found such effects distracting and annoying. On top of this, there are no interesting new revelations about Hudson (or about a Hollywood lavender underworld). All stones were left unturned.

Even so, ROCK HUDSON'S HOME MOVIES did make me appreciate the sheer number and variety of films Hudson made (westerns, war, Douglas Sirk melodramas, as well as the familiar, fluffy technicolor sex comedies with Doris Day). Not the best actor America ever produced, but certainly one the camera loved.

Clever
This clever film uses clips from Rock Hudson's Hollywood movies to tell the truth about his gay life. You will not be able to see those films the same way again. If you liked " The Celluloid Closet" you'll like this movie

Delight!
This movie explores the myth known as "Rock Hudson." What was up there on the screen and how did it mirror the real Rock Hudson. In fact, is there a real Rock Hudson or is he just a real-life manifestation of his Seconds character? The movie deftly blends real footage with an actor playing Rock Hudson. The result is a startling blend of intertextual delight.

"Fantastic" documentary about Rock Hudson
A masterpiece about comedy, a perfect complement for "Pillow Talk" and other Rock Hudson's comedies. Here, Rappaport make a editing from Rock Hudson's movies of all times, selecting scenes that suggest you the homosexuality of the star/charachter. Very funny, for all Rock Hudson's lovers/fans and people without prejudices.

A great gay "essay" film
I can understand the other reviewer's disappointment with this movie if he was expecting some kind of narrative "memory" play. The movie functions as a deconstructive essay, much like Rappaport's subsequent "From the Journals of Jean Seberg". Think also of the kind of shoestring budget essay films that Orson Welles made toward the end of his life ("F for Fake" and "Filming Othello"). This movie delighted me, made me see some familiar material in whole new ways (how could I have missed all of that coded material in Howard Hawks' "Man's Favorite Sport"?), and was a fun consciousness raiser. I watched this with friends and everyone came away buzzing about it. ... Read more

Description

West Coast Kustoms Car Show is an under-the hood over-the top lookat 850 Slammed, Chopped, Sectioned, Shaved and Decked customs rods from the"Kustom Kapitol" of the world. Featuring an insiders look at the "49 Mercury driven byJames Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause" and an exclusive interview with George Barriswho talks about his friend James Dean and the Porsche Spider death car "Little Bastard." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

West Coast Kustoms Car Show
This DVD shows, up close, some of the best Kustom paint jobs in the world, hundreds of low down, chopped, sectioned, shaved, nosed and decked cars along with the best of Southern California Hot Rods! The West Coast Kustoms Car Show was formed by Rich & Penny Pichette after re-driving the trip made by James Dean the day of his fatal crash. Since then, the show has become known as the "Kustom Kapital" of the West Coast. Over 850 Kustom Cars and Street Rods from all over the world flock to the downtown park in Paso Robles, California ... Read more

Description

The director's son put together this outstanding documentary of his father's life and work. In addition to interviews with actors and contemporaries (Fred Astaire, Warren Beatty, Frank Capra, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, John Huston, Joel McCrea, Alan Pakula, Ginger Rogers, Elizabeth Taylor, and others), the film features behind the scenes home movies. Stevens was also assigned by Eisenhower to film WWII and the documentary contains highlights from this spectacular footage - the only color footage shot of D-Day, the march through Paris, and the liberation of Dachau. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

stevens on stevens
When the son of a director makes a film about his father, you have certain expectations. Bias, yes, but also insight and facts that are otherwise unknown. George Stevens Jnr provides us with his father's behind the scenes footage and also the World War 2 film he shot of D-day, the liberation of Paris, and Dachau, since he was in the special coverage unit. (The war footage is actually badly edited, or is it that the material is still subject to the censorship of the military?, and accompanied by a Hollywood-type saccharine score by Carl Davis). Jnr tells us that he was bequeathed his father's memorabilia, yet when it comes to covering his Hollywood career, we get hardly anything new. Even the behind the scenes home movies are mostly tedious images of the actors waving to the camera. So then we are left with the movies Snr made, complemeted by present day interviews with some of the actors involved. Of these, Katharine Hepburn is particularly entertaining. George Stevens is admired in the same way as John Ford, a point driven home by iconic profile stills of Snr in a cowboy hat. Like Ford, Stevens style was simple. He boasted that he could manage any genre, though he never tried a thriller, and his contemporaries Howard Hawks, William Wyler or John Huston were just as versatile and also managed to add some individuality. So there hangs an air of suffocating self-importance to the films we see. What is interesting is that this air evolved. His career in Hollywood began as a cameraman and gag writer for Laurel and Hardy, and Hal Roach. The story of how he overcame the blue eyes of Stan Laurel that the camera didn't register is the promise of detail unfulfilled. And the action of Gunga Din looks fun. Hepburn may have hit upon the reason for Stevens loss of humour. She comments that she had fierce arguments over his abandoning comedy, which she felt was his true gift, and turning to more serious subjects, though Jnr makes the point that it was his war experience which contributed to this decision. I guess after Dachau, nothing is funny anymore. Jnr also tells us that his father watched Triumph of the Will alone in a screening room and then said it was the most influential of his life. (Interpret that as you may). What is mentioned in this doco but passed over quickly is Snr's notorious reputation for shooting multiple takes of the same scene at different angles, so that he could make decisions when editing, which the studios balked at because of the cost of film exposed. (In this way, he was the opposite of Hitchcock, who shot so that the film could only be edited one way - ie the way Hitch had storyboarded it.) However all this seems worth it when you consider the one-take long-shot of The Way You Look Tonight from the Astaire/Rogers Swing Time (a lesson in how to shoot a dance number), and the beautiful extreme closeups of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. Millie Perkins from The Diary of Anne Frank tells us that during their shoot, Stevens always wore dark sunglasses and treated the actors in the way he wanted them to perform. Since they were all meant to be frightened, that doesn't sound too positive. Luckily for Perkins, her character was to be loved. The perceived failure of The Greatest Story Ever Told also deprives us of anything of his later film, The Only Game in Town, though the discussion of his disagreement with Cecil B DeMille over Joseph L Mankiewicz and the Directors Guild during McCarthyism is fascinating.

a son's tribute
When the son of a director makes a film about his father, you have certain expectations. Bias, yes, but also insight and facts that are otherwise unknown. George Stevens Jnr provides us with his father's behind the scenes footage and also the World War 2 film he shot of D-day, the liberation of Paris, and Dachau, since he was in the special coverage unit. (The war footage is actually badly edited, or is it that the material is still subject to the censorship of the military?, and accompanied by a Hollywood-type saccharine score by Carl Davis). Jnr tells us that he was bequeathed his father's memorabilia, yet when it comes to covering his Hollywood career, we get hardly anything new. Even the behind the scenes home movies are mostly tedious images of the actors waving to the camera. So then we are left with the movies Snr made, complemented by present day interviews with some of the actors involved. Of these, Katharine Hepburn is particularly entertaining. George Stevens is admired in the same way as John Ford, a point driven home by iconic profile stills of Snr in a cowboy hat. Like Ford, Stevens style was simple. He boasted that he could manage any genre, though he never tried a thriller, and his contemporaries Howard Hawks, William Wyler or John Huston were just as versatile and also managed to add some individuality. So there hangs an air of suffocating self-importance to the films we see. What is interesting is that this air evolved. His career in Hollywood began as a cameraman and gag writer for Laurel and Hardy, and Hal Roach. The story of how he overcame the blue eyes of Stan Laurel that the camera didn't register is the promise of detail unfulfilled. And the action of Gunga Din looks fun. Hepburn may have hit upon the reason for Stevens loss of humour. She comments that she had fierce arguments over his abandoning comedy, which she felt was his true gift, and turning to more serious subjects, though Jnr makes the point that it was his war experience which contributed to this decision. I guess after Dachau, nothing is funny anymore. Jnr also tells us that his father watched Triumph of the Will alone in a screening room and then said it was the most influential of his life. (Interpret that as you may). What is mentioned in this doco but passed over quickly is Snr's notorious reputation for shooting multiple takes of the same scene at different angles, so that he could make decisions when editing, which the studios balked at because of the cost of film exposed. (In this way, he was the opposite of Hitchcock, who shot so that the film could only be edited one way - ie the way Hitch had storyboarded it.) However all this seems worth it when you consider the one-take long-shot of The Way You Look Tonight from the Astaire/Rogers Swing Time (a lesson in how to shoot a dance number), and the beautiful extreme closeups of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. Millie Perkins from The Diary of Anne Frank tells us that during their shoot, Stevens always wore dark sunglasses and treated the actors in the way he wanted them to perform. Since they were all meant to be frightened, that doesn't sound too positive. Luckily for Perkins, her character was to be loved. The perceived failure of The Greatest Story Ever Told also deprives us of anything of his later film, The Only Game in Town, though the discussion of his disagreement with Cecil B DeMille over Joseph L Mankiewicz and the Directors Guild during McCarthyism is fascinating. ... Read more

Description

This one-of-a-kind program traces the life and career of one of the world's most famous women--actress extraordinaire, Oscar winner, beloved collegue, AIDS activist, humanitarian, and a model of personal fortitude in the face of tragedy and illness. This comprehensive and refreshingly candid program is highlighted by interviews with Dame Elizabeth herself as well as her close friends Shirley MacLaine, Rod Steiger and Angela Lansbury. The ever-glamorous star opens her heart in frank reminiscences of legendary artists Richard Burton, Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, James Dean and Mike Todd, the pleasure of three Oscar wins (two for "Best Actress" and one Humanitarian), and her admirable responsibility in tackling the AIDS crisis head-on. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

There's Nothin' Like A Dame
This version was part of a PBS series and features the Dame
herself. She even uses a four letter word (not the "F" one)
and comes across well. She is our last true star and this
is a fine tribute to her. ... Read more

Description

This 6-DVD set includes Rebel Without a Cause, North by Northwest, Singin' in the Rain, The Bad and the Beautiful, Designing Woman, and Ben-Hur. ... Read more