The life of JEAMS DEAN

James Dean

Original name: James Byron Dean

Nickname: Jimmy Dean

Birthday: 1931-2-8

Birthplace: Seven Gables Apartments in Marion, Indiana, USA

Date of death: 1955-9-30

Place of death: Cholame, California, USA

Burial: Park Cemetery in Fairmount, Indiana

Height: 5'8" (1.73 meters)

Parents: Winton and Mildred Dean

High School : Fairmount High School, Indiana

College: Santa Monica Junior College and UCLA

Occupation: Actor

First acting job: Pepsi commercial

Starring movies: "East of Eden" (1955), "Rebel Without A Cause" (1955), "Giant" (1956)

"James Dean made three movies in one ***. However, even if he only made one movie in his life, he was still the greatest male star of the 1950s. His films include "East of Eden," "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant." These names alone are enough to inspire an epic look, and the three films live up to their names, constituting a trilogy of heroic poems about youth in the atomic age, full of beauty and trouble... James Dean is the embodiment of eternal struggle. Or the struggle between innocence and sophistication, or between youth and maturity, or between man and his image. But in every way, his struggle held up a mirror to a generation that rebelled without a cause. His pain is extremely real on and off screen, and his moments of joy are rare and precious. What makes him our hero is not his perfection, but his perfect representation of the damaged yet beautiful soul of our time..."

——Andy Warhol

In the United States in the 1950s, a new generation of young people was lost between material prosperity and spiritual emptiness. They doubted the traditional concepts and moral creeds of their parents. They were preparing for adult fission, waiting for the outbreak of rebellion. They needed a new generation. Cultural icons serve as spokespersons - Cary Grant is too elegant, Humphrey Bogart is too vicissitudes of life, and upright Hollywood classical heroes such as Jerry Cooper and John Wayne are only suitable for their middle-class parents to worship.

James Dean, with fluffy messy hair, a cigarette in his mouth, and wearing jeans, a jacket, and a T-shirt, walked into Hollywood with hesitant and dazed steps, and struck with an almost brutal raw power. The sensitive nerves of a hesitating young man: he is wandering on the edge of adult society, confusedly looking for the entrance to the Garden of Eden. The resentment in his eyes reflects the pain of being involved in the world; he provokes the stereotypes and secularity with his cold and indifferent eyes, and proves that rebellion is youth with his unreasonable resistance. The original color. Perhaps for the first time, teenagers have found an idol with whom they can identify. Their gradually numb vitality has been awakened, and they have found a long-lost belief and liberation in themselves.

This kind of unruly style has become so deep in his bones that the movie character is just his interpretation of himself, projecting him on the screen like a mirror image. James Dean maintains an amazing consistency in front of and behind the scenes, the real Dee. There is no boundary between En and those fictional characters. In life, he also refuses to follow the rules and compromise. His arrogance often causes headaches for his collaborators. He almost never arrives at the studio on time, keeping everyone waiting. He is very angry; he likes to improvise, which often makes his co-stars at a loss; he sticks to his opinions extremely stubbornly and openly refutes the director without flinching. He is a bit childish and naive, and a bit young and arrogant.

< p>So James Dean always arouses extreme emotions: people who have interacted with him are either fanatical about and worshiping him, or they strongly hate and curse him. Judy, the heroine of "East of Eden". Harris said that he was as naughty and cute as Tom Sawyer; Dennis Hopper had great admiration for him, "He was 20 years ahead of his time"; and in the eyes of director Nicholas Ray, his ability "cannot be compared with the past or the past". "Compared to any actor today". But for Elia Kazan and George Stevenson, the experience of filming with him was simply a nightmare, and Stevenson even gritted his teeth and vowed never to do it again Dean has been criticized for being rude and eccentric since he was an unknown extra in the movies he directed.

These comments, whether warm or cold, For him, it doesn't really matter. Dean lives in his own world, and he doesn't care what others think of him. It can even be said that he doesn't care about anyone around him at all. From the day his mother died, he changed. Became alone.

He is not good at communicating with others, is afraid of being hurt, and is always vigilant to protect himself. Finally, he completely retreats into his own little world. When he first arrived in Hollywood to film "East of Eden", he carried a gun with him. He would not talk to anyone when he was not filming, and would often stay alone in the dressing room. And when it came to filming his last movie "Giant", he would still quietly avoid the crowd and drive his Jeep alone to catch hares in the middle of the night. The glitz and glamor of Hollywood is far away from him. In fact, there is no place where he can feel a sense of belonging, and no one can maintain a long-term close relationship with him. People said he was bisexual and hung out in gay bars, indulging himself in orgies of sex and alcohol. But even so, his eyes still showed loneliness, and he often suddenly fell into deep thought, meditating as if no one was around. Perhaps acting is his only way to vent. He has completely integrated his inner sadness into the character, so his lonely eyes on the screen are heartbreaking, like a homeless child.

It is not surprising why there are rumors that he has a latent death drive, because he has always been too lonely and desperate. He liked to quote a line from the movie: "Life is indulgent, death is hasty, leaving only the remains of youth." He really got what he wanted: death is the most successful performance in his life, youth is eternally fixed, and life is sublimated into An ageless legend. The generation of young people who followed him in cynicism have long since aged, but James Dean, time has not eroded his handsome face, and his sharp lines are still full of determination. Perhaps he refuses to end his rebellion and stubbornly fights against the adult world. The cruel story of youth will be repeated again and again in each generation, so he also accompanies each generation through the flying years of youth and frivolity. He ushered in an era with his rebellion, and when that era ended, he remained an unshakable icon.

The Sorrow of Oedipus

Jimmy (James Dean's nickname) was born in a small town in Indiana in 1931, and his family moved to California when he was 4 years old. As a child, he was as delicate as a porcelain doll. Under the influence of his mother, this sensitive child became interested in art and poetry. Mother and Jimmy created a small theater where they used dolls as actors to stage their own fairy tales. This was the happiest time of his childhood, but the beautiful days were so short. When Jimmy was 8 years old, his mother contracted cancer. When his father told him the unfortunate news, he said nothing, just stared at his father silently with his eyes wide open.

Jimmy has been looking for a mother's replacement all his life, from his relatives, teachers, lovers, to characters in movies, but this lack can never be filled. In fact, no one knows what his mother is like. His love and pain have completely beautified the vague memory. Maybe what he loves is just a fictitious person. Regardless, he felt abandoned.

His father, who was burdened with heavy debts, was unable to raise him, so he could only send him back to his hometown to be taken care of by his sister. Although his aunt's family regarded Jimmy as their own son, and although he spent an idyllic boyhood on the farm in Indiana, this lonely child did not fit in. He was regarded as an outsider and could never integrate into the local peer group. middle. At school, the taciturn Jimmy rarely got the understanding of his teachers, and he began to adopt an indifferent attitude towards everything. What makes him passionate are performances and sports. He expresses himself through performances, and in order to play basketball, he broke more than ten pairs of glasses. By the time he graduated from high school, he had become famous for his dramatic performances and recitations. This shy boy with thick glasses and a childish look decided to go to California and Hollywood to pursue his dream.

The Wanderings of the Dream Traveler

Jimmy came to California to join his father. Years of separation have made them as estranged as strangers. Although he was not able to major in acting over his father's objections, he took as many theater courses as he could. Jimmy gradually rose to prominence and began to play a leading role in school dramas. But like most young people who want to come to Hollywood to make a career in the world, it is difficult for him to find a foothold here. The occasional small roles in advertisements and TV dramas obviously cannot satisfy his ambitions. The more often he could not find a job, the more depressed he became, and he kept dreaming that he was dying. Just when he felt his future was bleak, a friend introduced him to the Actors Studio in New York, which used Stanislavsky's "methodology" to train actors and gathered a group of young people who loved performing arts. Fascinated, Jimmy packed his bags and embarked on the journey to New York with longing.

Coming to Manhattan, an unfamiliar place, Jimmy was once again surrounded by a strong sense of loneliness. This period of time was particularly difficult for Jimmy. He worked as a cashier, ticket seller, waiter, etc., but still couldn't eat for several days. He spent all his money in movie theaters and sought refuge in the world of the screen.

At the same time, he began to try to reinvent himself according to methodology, learning from others anytime and anywhere, observing people on the street, and imitating various behaviors, expressions and expressions. In a short period of time, he changed qualitatively, no longer the country boy, but became the actor James Dean. Finally, he passed the screening and entered the Actors Studio of his dreams. In the 1950s, this institution became famous for training Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe.

Jimmy soon discovered that the teaching format of the studio was not suitable for him. When his performance was analyzed and commented on by a group of students and teachers, he felt like a rabbit being put on the operating table for anatomy experiments. Most of the time, he just sat quietly and studied eagerly.

The prosperous television industry in New York provided Jimmy with fertile ground for growth. During the fast-paced filming process, he quickly perfected his acting style, and his face, body, and movements all became part of his personality. .

The resolute forehead, slightly frowned eyebrows, deep eyes, deposited with tortured depression, and a mocking smile hanging on the corner of his mouth, sad fragility and beast-like strength coexist so harmoniously in him. On the body.

At this time, he not only gradually gained a position on the screen, but also attracted the attention of Hollywood with his outstanding stage performance - Elia Kazan, who was casting for "East of Eden", discovered this A rising star, he brought him back to Los Angeles. Jimmy's dream finally begins to take off.

The rapid flight of youth

Jimmy's second trip to Hollywood was much smoother. As if overnight, he became the brightest star in Beverly Hills. Not only does he have a sharp talent, but he also gets the role that suits him best. His three movies seem to be tailor-made for him, and each time people are amazed that he was born for that role. Jimmy always identifies most deeply with his characters, and this investment reaches the point where he can't tell the difference between human and drama, whether it is the love-hate relationship with his father in "East of Eden" or the longing for adulthood in "Rebel Without a Cause". The ostracized green boy is a reflection of his own life.

When his personal charm and character charm were blended together, the whole United States went crazy for him, with boys cheering and girls screaming. He is both a boy and a man; he is both gentle and violent, delicate and strong; he is both domineering and weak. He created a new sexy model, teasing the camera and seducing the world with his sinister and dangerous eyes.

Jimmy knows that Hollywood needs a bad gangster. No matter how bad he does, he can always be forgiven like a spoiled child, so he indulges him unscrupulously, deliberately strengthens his unruly image, and teases him like a game. of the public. But he hates being manipulated. When the film company arranged for a female star to accompany him to a party with fake intimacy in order to create gossip, he felt awkward and couldn't squeeze out a smile at all. In the wandering between true and false, virtual and real, he became more and more lost.

Jimmy found solace in racing, "Only then did I feel complete." He was obsessed with speed, and he was able to find himself during the acceleration process. He does not rely on technology to win the game, but challenges death with an adventurous spirit of gambling with life. Did he really obey the call of death involuntarily? On September 30, 1955, he finally broke free from all fetters and drove a Porsche directly towards death.

Marlon Brando and Dean

Many people say that James Dean became famous by imitating Marlon Brando. Although Dean did not admit it publicly, he privately Li really admired Brando very much.

While filming "East of Eden", Elia Kazan introduced Dean to Brando. At that time, Dean was trying his best to copy his acting style and even life style. Brando recalled that meeting, and he clearly felt that Dean was experiencing the same panic he had experienced - standing at a loss on the threshold of the glamorous world of Hollywood.

Dean has always wanted to get close to Brando and sincerely hopes for friendship. He called several times. Sometimes Brando would briefly chat with him, and sometimes he would simply turn on the answering machine and listen to Dean nervously leaving a message on the other end of the phone, without speaking or answering the phone. . The sensitive Dean was hurt, and Brando sensed it, but he always kept his distance.

At a party, Brando saw this boy rushing in, taking off his jacket like a madman, crumpling it into a ball and throwing it on the ground. Brando felt a little annoyed, so he pulled Dean aside. After giving Dean a hard lesson, he finally gave Dean the name of a psychiatrist.

Perhaps Dean was more loyal to himself than Brando. Death made him a legend, while Brando who survived could only become a classic at best.

Elizabeth Taylor and Dean

When filming "Giant", Taylor was already the queen of Hollywood, while Dean was just a newcomer. When the film first started filming, she was jealous that Dean's unconcealable brilliance had stolen her spotlight. She complained that Dean often interrupted rehearsals without authorization in order to perform his method acting. She felt that this wild boy was cold, rude, and extremely selfish.

An incident that happened soon changed her negative view somewhat. In fact, Dean was so nervous about playing opposite Taylor that he could hardly relax and get into the zone. They rehearsed it over and over again, but Dean still looked stiff. Suddenly, he stopped, took a few steps, unzipped his pants and peed in full view of everyone. No one knew what was going on. When people were stunned, he returned to his position calmly and said calmly: "Okay, let's start shooting!" This time they passed smoothly.

According to Dean’s later explanation, he was too nervous at the time to release the energy in his subconscious.

At that moment he thought that if he could do that, he would have the courage to perform any performance in front of the camera. It was this incredible reckless behavior that aroused Taylor's curiosity, and she began to look at this heretic in a new light.

As filming progressed, Taylor and Dean grew closer and closer, sitting together at dinner and even mysteriously disappearing at night. Taylor also gave Dean a kitten. She later admitted that there was a special friendship between the two. They used to talk until midnight, listening to Dean talk about his past, his mother. But the next day, Dean would become very cold and even avoidant - he was afraid of exposing himself. This made Taylor feel unreasonable.

Anyway, on the day she heard the news of Dean's death, Taylor did break down and cried non-stop. A few days later, she was admitted to the hospital with a fever and loss of voice, but no doctor could diagnose her illness.

He is both a boy and a man; he is both gentle and violent, delicate and strong; he is both domineering and weak. He created a new sexy model, teasing the camera and seducing the world with his sinister and dangerous eyes.

James Dean only made three movies in his life. Even if he only made one in his life, he was still the greatest male star in the 1950s.