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James Dean in Giant
Posted on 9/19/17 at 9:33 pm
Posted on 9/19/17 at 9:33 pm
..I think it's by far his best performance (granted only 3 starring roles) but he just fricking steals every single scene he's in...especially when he was portraying young Jett. The "rope" scene where the old time cattle guys try to swindle him out of his land hes so good it's stupid.
People gush about Daniel Plainview and Day-Lewis, but without Jett Rink, there is no Plainview and there is no There Will Be Blood as we know it. Giant as a whole is just an incredible feat of filmmaking, but Dean was at his apex. Plus, he was one cool bastard.
People gush about Daniel Plainview and Day-Lewis, but without Jett Rink, there is no Plainview and there is no There Will Be Blood as we know it. Giant as a whole is just an incredible feat of filmmaking, but Dean was at his apex. Plus, he was one cool bastard.
This post was edited on 9/19/17 at 9:35 pm
Posted on 9/20/17 at 12:45 am to Jack Ruby
Were you watching Return to Giant on TCM? They focused on the land deal scene.
Sounds like an interesting relationship with George Stevens really pushing him and trying different tactics to get the performance he wanted. And the way Dean embraced the whole thing and hung out with West Texas locals during the filming is fascinating.
Sounds like an interesting relationship with George Stevens really pushing him and trying different tactics to get the performance he wanted. And the way Dean embraced the whole thing and hung out with West Texas locals during the filming is fascinating.
Posted on 9/20/17 at 1:34 am to Jack Ruby
One reason Dean comes off well in Giant is that everything around him seems so stiff and phony (especially Liz and Rock). Whether it's a passing moment, like his bitter if vague gripe that his family didn't end up with lots of land b/c "they wasn't so foxy", or his big scene after striking oil, his vitality in the early part of the film blows everyone else of the screen.
I find his later scenes as the Howard Hughes-ish millionaire* much less interesting. In fact I find Giant rather boring aside from Dean's early scenes.
And a lot of his performance was improvised. For example in this scene he was just supposed to walk along his new property, but he was pissed off with director George Stevens about something (they didn't get along) so he walked very stiffly, making a big deal out of hitting his marks. It adds a fascinating visual element to the scene.
LINK
And at the end, Dean decided to climb the windmill, which was not in the script. But it was so good Stevens left it in, and later added a CU of Dean at the top to match it.
*Yes I know the character of Jett Rink was technically based on Glenn McCarthy. But Dean's old man makeup as well as many of his mannerisms are clearly based on Hughes.
I find his later scenes as the Howard Hughes-ish millionaire* much less interesting. In fact I find Giant rather boring aside from Dean's early scenes.
And a lot of his performance was improvised. For example in this scene he was just supposed to walk along his new property, but he was pissed off with director George Stevens about something (they didn't get along) so he walked very stiffly, making a big deal out of hitting his marks. It adds a fascinating visual element to the scene.
LINK
And at the end, Dean decided to climb the windmill, which was not in the script. But it was so good Stevens left it in, and later added a CU of Dean at the top to match it.
*Yes I know the character of Jett Rink was technically based on Glenn McCarthy. But Dean's old man makeup as well as many of his mannerisms are clearly based on Hughes.
Posted on 9/20/17 at 7:14 am to Kafka
Giant is boring after the midpoint of the movie. That's why you never see it on TV much.
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