Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Warner Home Video:
BURBANK, Calif., August 6, 2013 — When
he died in 1955 at the age of 24 in a car crash, James Dean was mourned by
millions of fans throughout the world. Despite only making three films – all of
them for Warner Bros. – Dean became one of Hollywood’s most spectacular stars, and 50
years later still remains an internationally compelling force, an iconic image,
and a cult favorite of timeless fascination.
On
November 5, Warner Home Video will debut East of
Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant (a
George Stevens production), remastered Blu-ray as the James Dean Ultimate Collector’s Edition – a limited and numbered six-disc set that boasts
three feature-length documentaries about Dean’s life including James Dean Forever Young, narrated by Martin Sheen; American Masters James Dean Sense Memories and
George Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Journey. Packaged in a double-wide gift set, the
collection also contains a 48-page photo book with behind-the-scene images and
rare insight into each film. The Ultimate Collector’s
Edition will sell for $99.98 SRP; each
film will also be available as a stand-alone Blu-ray book for $27.98 SRP
each.
All
three films were 4k restorations from original camera negatives at Warner Bros.
Motion Picture Imaging (MPI). Due to color fading, the original camera
negatives could no longer yield an acceptable photochemical print.
For
Rebel
Without a Cause, the stereo soundtrack was reconstructed from the
magnetic soundtrack stripes of Cinemascope release prints. The film’s restoration
was done by Warner Bros. in collaboration with The Film
Foundation. Restoration funding was provided by Warner Bros., Gucci and
The Film Foundation.
Details of the James Dean Ultimate Collector’s Edition
East of
Eden (1955)
Based
on John Steinbeck’s novel and directed by Elia Kazan, East of Eden is the first
of three major films that make up James Dean’s movie legacy. The idol-to-be
plays Cal, a wayward Salinas, California
youth who vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey) with
his favored brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Playing off the haunting
sensitivity of Julie Harris, Dean’s performance earned one of the film’s four
Academy Award® nominations[i]. Among
the movie’s stellar performers, Jo Van Fleet won the Oscar® for Best
Supporting Actress (1955).
Special Features:
- Commentary
by Richard Schickel
- "Forever
James Dean" [1987 Documentary]
- "East
of Eden:
Art in Search of Life"
- Screen
Tests
- Richard
Davalos" [Wardrobe Test]
- "James
Dean and Richard Davalos" [Wardrobe Test]
- "James Dean, Richard Davalos and
Julie Harris" [Wardrobe Test]
- "James
Dean and Lois Smith" [Wardrobe Test]
- "Lois
Smith" [Wardrobe Test]
- "James
Dean and Jo Van Fleet" [Wardrobe Test]
- "Jo
Van Fleet" [Wardrobe Test]
- "Costumes
and Production Design" [Wardrobe Test]
- Deleted
Scenes
- 3/9/1955
NYC Premier
Rebel Without a Cause
(1955)
In one of the most
influential performances in movie history, Dean plays Jim Stark, the new kid in
town whose loneliness, frustration and anger mirrored those of postwar teens –
and still reverberates 50 years later. Natalie Wood (as Jim’s girl Judy) and
Sal Mineo (as Jim’s tag-along pal Plato) were Academy Award®
nominees[ii] for their
achingly true performances. Director Nicholas Ray was also an Oscar®
nominee for this landmark film which was released less than one month after
Dean’s fatal car crash.
Special
Features:
- Commentary
By Douglas L. Rathgeb
- Documentary "James Dean
Remembered" [1974 TV Special]
- Documentary "Rebel Without A
Cause: Defiant Innocents"
- Dennis Hopper Interview NEW!
- Screen Tests
- Wardrobe Tests
- Deleted Scenes
- "Behind The Cameras: Natalie
Wood"
- "Behind The Cameras: Jim
Backus"
- "Behind The Cameras: James
Dean"
- Theatrical Trailers
Giant (a George Stevens
production) (1956)
Based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling family
saga about a Texas
family of ranchers and oilmen, Giant stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rock
Hudson and Dennis Hopper. In his final film role, Dean stars as wrangler turned
oil baron Jett Rink. Directed by the legendary George Stevens, this sprawling
epic received ten Academy Award® nominations[iii]
including a Best Actor nod for Dean and earned Stevens a win for Directing
(1956).
Special Features: