Underplayed Gems

James Dean (1976)

James Dean poster
Directed by
Robert Butler
Genre
drama film
Country
United States
Runtime
1h 34m
Rating
4.7 of 10 from 9 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

This television film is about actor James Dean as remembered by his close friend and roommate William Bast. It follows Dean's early acting career and his drive to find real depth in his work.

intimatebiographicalreflectiveemotionalnostalgicaffectionateearnestsensitive

What happens

James Dean (also known as James Dean: Portrait of a Friend) is a 1976 NBC television film about actor James Dean and starring Stephen McHattie in the title role. The role of screenwriter William Bast, Dean's best friend, is played by Michael Brandon. This portrayal is based on the 1956 biography by Bast, which recounts the early acting career and rise of Dean. The film paints a clear picture of James Dean's pursuit for authenticity, depth and artistic meaning. Bast claimed that Dean's inspiration as an actor was inspired by what he learned from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 1943 novella The Little Prince. The 1976 made-for-TV movie James Dean (also known as James Dean: Portrait of a Friend) includes scenes that depict a gay story, as it portrays James Dean through the eyes of his friend and roommate, William Bast. The film includes a scene where Dean encourages Bast to be more sexually adventurous, leading Bast to go to a gay bar, (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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