James Dean - Hardcover

Perry, George C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0756609348 ISBN 13: 9780756609344

Publisher: Dk Pub, 2005

Synopsis

Marking the fiftieth anniversary of his tragic death, a richly illustrated biography celebrates the remarkable career of actor James Dean, drawing on personal commentary from friends, colleagues, and family members to provide an authorized portrait of Dean's personal life and film legacy.

About this title

About the Author

As a journalist and former film editor, George Perry has traveled the world to interview some of the greatest names in movies. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Steven Spielberg: The Making of His Movies, The Life of Python, and The Films of Alfred Hitchcock.

Reviews

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of James Dean's death, this beautifully designed book features popular and previously unpublished photos of the actor, many of which were drawn from his family's collection. Though a number of the photos are classic Dean-him walking alone, ever-present cigarette dangling from his lips, or scowling at the camera-there are also several of him as a child and as an awkward, teenager who, despite some unwieldy glasses, still bore the handsome face that would make rebellion cool. Perry does an admirable job of uncovering this early history through interviews with everyone from Marcus Winslow, Dean's cousin and executor, to his drama teacher and childhood pastor in Fairmount, Indiana. This book is not so much a probing study of the man as it is an overview of his life, however, and Perry's sometimes superficial treatment of controversial aspects of Dean's history may disappoint. (When addressing the issue of the actor's widely suspected homosexuality, for example, Perry equivocates, calling Dean "a great experimenter" who "avidly and almost greedily soaked up all the experiences life could offer.") But the book's primary draw is its photos, and in this regard, it does not disappoint.
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Marking the fiftieth anniversary of James Dean's death, a new book about the star who embodied the live fast, die young, leave a beautiful corpse ethos. Perry offers what is essentially a picture book with text, primarily devoted to Dean's film career. It includes a fine filmography and such other features as a time line, listing of stage and television appearances, and select bibliography, and because it was authorized by the actor's estate, contains many candid photos from the Dean family's private collection. Though it ventures precious little on messy topics, such as the young star's sexuality, its detailed rundown of the various romantic relationships simmering on the set of Rebel without a Cause is a definite asset. Truly wonderful illustration, more than the workmanlike prose, makes Perry's effort attractive as a cornerstone for any Dean collection. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Dk Pub
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0756609348
• ISBN 13: 9780756609344
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240