Forever James Dean (1988)

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Director:

Ara Chekmayan

Writer:

Ara Chekmayan

Stars:

Bob Gunton, William Bast, Bob Roth

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Gunton	...	Narrator (voice)
William Bast	...	Himself
Bob Roth	...	Himself, James Dean's boyhood friend
Frank Worth	...	Himself
Jack Grinnage	...	Himself
Steffi Sidney	...	Herself
Julie Harris	...	Herself
Adeline Nall	...	Herself, James Dean's drama teacher
Rex Bright	...	Himself, James Dean's boyhood friend
Bob Pulley	...	Himself, James Dean's boyhood friend
Kenneth Kendall	...	Himself
Frank Mazzola	...	Himself
Beverly Long	...	Herself
Corey Allen	...	Himself
George Barris	...	Himself

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

actor | sculptor | screen test | rejected lover | ransacking | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ikuisesti James Dean

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chelsea Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Features East of Eden (1955)

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Soundtracks

American Rebel
Words and Music by George Elworthy
Produced by George Elworthy and John Convertino
Vocal by Chris Busone

User Reviews

Dean Documentary

This documentary on James Dean has the advantage of archival footage, as opposed to re-enactments, to convey the life and career of this unique screen personality.

Dean's life is charted from birth, including the untimely loss of his mother at an early age, the estrangement from his father, his junior and senior high school activities, and on to his acting studies and early career experiences in New York and Hollywood.

Short commentaries by Dean's teachers, close friends and associates paint revealing pictures of both the actor and person. Film clips are used to help flesh out the degree to which Dean brought his own life's experience into his roles, taking great risks in improvisation with the printed script.

It was indeed fortunate that Dean had such remarkably sensitive directors to work with. Elia Kazan waited to get Dean's signal to begin a shoot, rather than the other way around. Nicholas Ray allowed Dean to structure and direct the scenario the way he saw it, rather than the way Ray may have chosen. And George Stevens accommodated Dean every step of the way, providing for maximum comfort level for Dean to prepare and execute a scene.

In a way, Dean's bonanza of directors was not unlike that of Audrey Hepburn, who also inherited a string of great directors. The only way to accurately sum up Dean's brief and mecurial career is "phenomenal." This documentary provides interesting footage for the film researcher and the Dean devotee.