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Post by buelahwitch on Jul 26, 2008 19:42:03 GMT -6
I've always scratched my head over the hype about James Dean. Why would a guy who made three movies surpass the icon status of people like Charlie Chaplin and others who were around much longer? I would often get huffy when I'd go to the Hollywood souvenir shops and find all kinds of Dean stuff and no Chaplin or Gene Kelly or anybody else (except for Marilyn and Elvis-but they'd been around alot longer than Dean, so that was understandable).
Well, about a week or so ago I rented "Rebel Without a Cause" from Netflix. As a classic film fan I'm embarrassed to say I'd never seen it. I had it in my head that it was a movie about racing cars. BOY WAS I WRONG! After seeing the film and reading a book about the making of the film called "Live Fast, Die Young," I'm now a great appreciation for James Dean. Now, I'm not going to make a pilgrimage to his grave in Fairmont, IN or anything, but I think he was an excellent actor and feel bad that he didn't stick around to make more films.
Who did you change your mind about, for better or worse, and why?
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Post by debra71 on Jul 26, 2008 19:55:57 GMT -6
I've never been into James Dean, but i guess some people could see his potential, and it is too bad that he was not given the chance to really shine. His life was cut very short, and so people think about what could have been.
This is how i feel about Rudy Valentino. Rudy also died while a very young man. Contrary to the image some people may have seen, Rudy had a lot of range. Most of his acting is very relaxed and natural, but with convincing emotion. In very few scenes does his eyes bulge out like in the Sheik !!! But, you can blame the director for that one !
Sadly, he wasn't given the opportunity to do more films. He wanted to expand himself and play more historical figures like El Cid, but the movie project fell through. I could see how his acting was improving with each film, and his last film may have been his best where he played the parts of both father and son convincingly. So, i see in Rudy the possibilities of what could have been had he lived.
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Post by buelahwitch on Jul 26, 2008 20:24:16 GMT -6
When you think about it, there are more than a few parallels between Rudy and Dean. Both died young, and people continue to remember them on the day they died. Valentino made more films, but he passed on just as he was about to get more control of his product with UA (away from both Paramount and Rambova). Dean and his Rebel director Nick Ray had planned on starting an independent film company. Dean was disgruntled with acting after his "Giant" experience and wanted to direct.
I didn't get the hype about Rudy either until I saw him on the big screen in "Blood and Sand." He's a commanding presence on film, and was a much better actor than people gave him credit for.
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Post by debra71 on Jul 26, 2008 22:23:01 GMT -6
When you think about it, there are more than a few parallels between Rudy and Dean. Both died young, and people continue to remember them on the day they died. Valentino made more films, but he passed on just as he was about to get more control of his product with UA (away from both Paramount and Rambova). Dean and his Rebel director Nick Ray had planned on starting an independent film company. Dean was disgruntled with acting after his "Giant" experience and wanted to direct. I didn't get the hype about Rudy either until I saw him on the big screen in "Blood and Sand." He's a commanding presence on film, and was a much better actor than people gave him credit for. Yes. Like James, Rudy also was thinking about directing. He was very interested in cameras, and he wanted to be behind the camera as well. To tell you the truth, i was impressed with Rudy the first moment i saw him. He had such "star" quality that it just jumped right out at me. I am just drawn to the man. But, then i really began to seriously watch him in many of his films. Now, i guess i am obsessed. I just like his acting style and little things he does. His best films to me are The Eagle and Son of the Sheik (his last film). With these films he had more control. |
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snorrem
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Post by snorrem on Sept 14, 2008 14:12:59 GMT -6
One thing that seems to bother people with Dean is his self-made resemblance to Marlon Brando, although I personally think that criticism is unfair. Like almost any other actor, Dean needed time to develop his style and in the process, it is quite natural that he had to explore the techniques of other talents. By the time of his third film he wasn't trying to be anyone but himself.
One classic star I first didn't understand the least was W.C. Fields. I first saw him in The Fatal Glass of Beer and I couldn't stand that movie. It's not that I thought the gags and jokes were weak; I simply didn't notice any gags or jokes at all. My appreciation for Fields began when I read his quotes on the Internet. "I'm free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally." I loved that stuff. Hence I decided to give him a real try. I watched his features, and it took time all right, but was it worth it!! Now, Fields is one of my top favorite comedians of all time, right alongside Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Peter Sellers. I'm totally addicted to him, and I finally learnt to like "Beer," too.
There's no doubt that Fields is an aquired taste and his rather adult-centered humor may not appeal to everybody. But now my admiration is so unlimited that I may call anyone who doesn't like him a mooncalf. And if that means I was once a mooncalf too, I can live with it.
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Post by kelly on Sept 18, 2008 19:02:31 GMT -6
You know I change my mind about is two pre code actors Glenne Farrell and Ricardo Cortez yeah both of them at first I thought their acting sucks nowww they pretty good actor after seeing both of two separate Kay Francis film this month on TCM
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Post by diane on Sept 18, 2008 21:16:55 GMT -6
I have never disliked Glenda Farrell but since seeing a lot more pre-code films in the last few
years I really, really like her now. Ricardo Cortez, I have seen in only a few films - "Wonder Bar",
"Illicit", and "Bad Company". In the last named (a Helen Twelvetrees movie) he plays a most
psychotic gangster who plans to have Helen's husband killed so he can have her for himself!!!
I have an old VHS copy but it is certainly worth watching if TCM plays it.
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Post by rmichaelpyle on Sept 19, 2008 5:02:29 GMT -6
Watch Ricardo Cortez in the original "The Maltese Falcon". He's a great Sam Spade, much more like the book than is Bogart. Not that he's Bogie by any stretch of the imagination, but he's very, very good. Also, in the film "Symphony of Six Million" he's wonderful. He really was a fine actor in many respects. A couple of his silents are quite good, too. He was originally supposed to be a sort of substitute for Rudolph Valentino, another Latin lover. Not bad for a Jewish guy from Vienna, Austria whose real name was Jacob Krantz!! His father had worked on wall street when he moved to America, and when the money ran out in Hollywood, Ricardo Cortez went to New York and worked very successfully as a stockbroker at the end. He didn't die poor like a lot of his cronies!
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Post by Midge on Sept 19, 2008 13:53:59 GMT -6
R. Michael, thanks for all that information about Ricardo Cortez. I knew his name was Jacob Krantz but I didn't realize that he was Austrian. I thought he was excellent as a villain. Bogart's Sam Spade and Astor's Brigid O'Shaughnessy are iconic for me, but on the strength of your recommendation I will try to catch Cortez in the original Maltese Falcon.
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Post by kelly on Sept 19, 2008 14:33:04 GMT -6
Yeah that what I hear on Winkperiga I did search mode on Ricardo he did died confortably after retired from movie business live in NYC for lots of years
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addie
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Post by addie on Nov 27, 2008 5:01:47 GMT -6
I still think John Wayne was a terrible person, but I recently discovered he was a much better actor than I ever believed he could be, including being very funny at times.
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Post by Hedvig on Nov 27, 2008 16:13:42 GMT -6
I could never see the appeal and talent of Garbo when I was a kid. I remember watching a documentary about her and thinking, "cool, a Swedish girl in Hollywood, that's an interesting story, but I don't really get the big deal about her." As a matter of fact I hated the whole 30's Hollywood style, the makeup, the acting, everything. I thought the fashions were harsh and unflattering, and the acting was exaggerated and bad. I'm glad I learned to appreciate the 30's stars.
I changed my opinion of Mae West quite recently when I saw Belle of the Nineties and re-watched I'm no Angel. I thought she was funny before, but didn't really like her as a personality. Now I like her a lot. I admire how strong and witty her characters are, and I can admire how even if Mae seemed to be playing the same characters again and again (popular demand, and they displayed her wit to its best advantage I guess) she could bring something extra to the roles.
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snorrem
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Post by snorrem on Dec 13, 2008 7:36:29 GMT -6
I still think John Wayne was a terrible person, but I recently discovered he was a much better actor than I ever believed he could be, including being very funny at times. What film made you change your mind about him? Personally, I find that his over-macho characters get on my nerves, and would like to know where that may not be the case. |
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Post by Larry's 66 Diner on Dec 13, 2008 7:40:51 GMT -6
I still think John Wayne was a terrible person, but I recently discovered he was a much better actor than I ever believed he could be, including being very funny at times. What film made you change your mind about him? Personally, I find that his over-macho characters get on my nerves, and would like to know where that may not be the case. I agree, Snorre. I think that's the thing that always bothered me about John Wayne. I have to be in just the "right" frame of mind to be able to watch any of his movies. |
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Post by hummingbird on Dec 13, 2008 15:47:26 GMT -6
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Post by Kimmer on Dec 15, 2008 16:27:37 GMT -6
I always liked him too. One thing you can say about him is this: you can mention his name and people definitely know who you're talking about.
Regarding James Dean....I was at a casino several years ago with my mom, they had lots of movie memorabilia on display including the red jacket that he wore in "Rebel Without a Cause." First of all, I was surprised at how small it was and then I commented to my mom that I didn't really understand the fuss about him. She just looked at the jacket, sighed and said, "You had to be there." (the era, I guess) I never disliked him, he's just never affected me one way or the other.
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Post by Larry's 66 Diner on Dec 15, 2008 16:40:38 GMT -6
I guess it's just because he represented the stereotypical macho, tough guy! Maybe he "was" what many wanted to be! ;D  |
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snorrem
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Post by snorrem on Dec 16, 2008 11:59:21 GMT -6
I guess it's just because he represented the stereotypical macho, tough guy! Maybe he "was" what many wanted to be! ;D John Wayne or James Dean?  |
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Post by Larry's 66 Diner on Dec 16, 2008 14:42:17 GMT -6
I guess it's just because he represented the stereotypical macho, tough guy! Maybe he "was" what many wanted to be! ;D John Wayne or James Dean? Oops, sorry. :huh: I guess that would apply to both of them. ;D However, I was actually referring to James Dean when I made my comment. |
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