The best James Dean’s documentary movies
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best James Dean’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about James Dean.
The James Dean Story
6.2/10
Released two years after James Dean's death, this documentary chronicles his short life and career via black-and-white still photographs, interviews with the aunt and uncle who raised him, his paternal grandparents, a New York City cabdriver friend, the owner of his favorite Los Angeles restaurant, outtakes from East of Eden, footage of the opening night of Giant, and Dean's ironic PSA for safe driving.
Tab Hunter Confidential
7.5/10
In the 1950s, Tab Hunter was number one at the box office and number one on the music charts and was Hollywood’s most sought-after young star. Natalie Wood, Debbie Reynolds and Sophia Loren were just a few of the actresses he was romantically linked to. He was America’s Boy Next Door and nothing, it seemed, could damage Tab Hunter’s career. Nothing, that is, except for the fact that Tab Hunter was secretly gay. Now, the secret is out.
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
7.8/10
Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
7.7/10
Biography of the legendary filmmaker directed by his son.
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
6.3/10
A film scrapbook, images, phrases from our past, hiding their meanings behind veils. Let's lift those veils, one by one, to find how images, at one time seeming innocent, have revealed, after decades, to have homosexual overtones.
James Dean: Little Prince, Little Bastard
5.6/10
The collar of his coat turned up in New York: Images which have collaborated on building a myth – the image of eternal and misunderstood youth. Unlike Marlon Brando, the proletarian rebel with identifiable goals, James Dean was the timeless and androgynous youthful rebel. His death on the Interstate 46 leads us back to 1950s America, a time when youth was re-interpreted all anew.
Death Scenes 2
4.9/10
DEATH SCENES II continues the exploration into the dark recesses of violence and rage that ended in such heinous crimes as the Manson Family's assault on society. You'll see the gruesome aftermath of mob reprisals, public executions and international terrorism. DEATH SCENES II uniquely ushers the brave and curious into a spellbinding trip through the reality that is our world today.
The Real James Dean
8.5/10
Although he'd starred in just three films before his untimely death at age 24, James Dean cast a long shadow that came to define cool. Using excerpts from Dean's personal diaries, found footage from screen and wardrobe tests and interviews with those who knew him best (including Dennis Hopper, Dick Van Patten, Graham Nash and Rod Steiger), this fascinating documentary explores the screen icon's lingering mystique.
James Dean: Forever Young
7.4/10
A brief career. A timeless stardom. In just three major movie roles, James Dean became an icon for the ages. Now his legacy shines even brighter thanks to this fascinating film that, filled with an astonishing treasure trove of newfound or rare glimpses of Dean's TV performances, is like a road map to his meteoric success. Michael J. Sheridan directs and Martin Sheen narrates this revealing documentary showcased at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Movie clips, romances, photos that are part of our national DNA (and the stories behind them), and the small-screen work that paved the way to the big screen are all part of the James Dean you couldn't see until now. Forever young. Endlessly fascinating.
James Dean: Born Cool
7.3/10
James Dean: Born Cool tells the story of James Dean's rise from small town boy to immortal icon as told by Jimmy's closest family and friends from the perspective of his hometown of Fairmount, Indiana. Made with the full cooperation of the Dean Estate, Born Cool includes unprecedented access to hundreds of rare and never before seen photos and home movies, plus exclusive interviews with those who knew Jimmy best.
Summer Sunset Songs
WE'VE BEEN HAVING FUN ALL SUMMER LONG! Most everyone remembers their youth but forget to remember each moment for what it was. Here for your viewing pleasure are the little moments captured each and every day of Cash Davenport's last summer of his youth. A documentary by Cash Davenport.
James Dean Screen Tests (1954-55)
Screen tests for East of Eden and Rebel Without A Cause, compiled by Warner Bros.
