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Plot: What’s it about?
In what has now been over 70 years since he left this earth, James Dean’s star hasn’t dimmed a bit. The young actor was only 24 years old when he died in a car crash all the way back in 1955. He had only 3 films to his name, but they were impactful and only helped showcase the actor he was and hinted at things to come. There may be actors who have his sort of charm and style, but I highly doubt we will ever see another star quite like him. One must remember the time and place in which he existed as well. He had the 50’s era rebellion aspect, but also existed in a simpler time, a time free of cell phones, internet and social media. I have owned and covered his 3 films: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant on this site, and have often wondered what Dean would’ve thought of the world today.
There have been many interviews and documentaries and even films based on James Dean, but here we find a program released a mere two years after his death. This is a program I may have seen many moons ago, but when I saw the Blu-Ray was being released, I quickly looked for a streaming service in a hurry to see it. I am that interested in Dean that I simply couldn’t wait. We were told early on that this was put together using photographs and features a running narration as well as various interviews with those who knew him well. We hear from his grandparents, who have much to say, and speak of his early life. Dean lost his mother at an early age to cancer, leaving him angry at the world and a bit secluded. Right as the program begins, we’re taken to September 30th, 1955 which as we know is the day that Dean was killed in a car accident.
I can recount everything that is touched on here, but that would feel redundant as that is the job of this documentary. It is also better viewed seeing it for the first time or even after a few viewings. With so much content out there, this one is still worth seeing and offers a brisk, but detailed look into a life that was cut short. It also sealed his fate and made him the legend that we all know and still love today.
Video: How’s it look?
The image is 1.78:1 and is about as good as I’m sure it can be given the source material. It appears no remastering attempt was made, however. With the knowledge that a lot of the visuals were taken from less than stellar sources, I can give some forgiveness here.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The 2.0 track is more than adequate as the narration and interviews are all clear and presented nicely. The opening moments showing the car crash really draw us in. Mostly, these are clips and interviews, so the results here are what I fully expected.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Sadly, nothing additional has been included. This is as basic as it gets. We have a static menu with a play option and subtitle option. This is broken into chapters, so easy toggling is here. I wish some additional interviews were included or even a booklet insert with some notes, but that wasn’t meant to be, I’m afraid.
The Bottom Line
The content itself is great, and I am sure that is what most consumers will want out of this. James Dean fanatics will love having this in their collections. The Blu-Ray disc is about as basic as it comes, but the documentary is the selling point. Recommended with caveats.
