Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean (a film about the actor's gay life).

[milomorris]

Is that what this movie is about, or is it just a salacious and ultimately sad story of a self-destructive kid?

I honestly hope that the story is salacious and fallacious. But "sad" and "self-destructive" are not excuses for dishonor.

[Jeff Wrangler]

 

[Mandy21]

Milo, I'm not sure why you think he was a "scumbag" just for telling the truth as he believed it to be?  If he had entered the service, and been caught in an act with another man, wouldn't he have been dishonorably discharged anyway, and just gone right back to Hollywood?  The way I see it, he just saved himself a trip.  Plus, I don't think a buzz cut would have been a good look on him, despite his gorgeous face.

Jeff, I'm curious -- why do you think of him as "self-destructive"?

[southendmd]

(restoring my lame review)

Has anyone actually seen this mess? 

I finally did, last night. 

Oy.  I'll be brief:  it's a pretentious film-school-oh-so-artsy project that should have been a short film.  Clunky acting and laughable dialogue.  Not-very-sexy sex scenes.  Nonlinear story telling for its own sake.  Heavy-handed cinematography.  Ooh, and literary references to Rimbaud and Le Petit Prince.  Ugh.  It stars James Preston's hair.

Don't waste your time--go see "Giant" instead. 

[x-man]

(restoring my lame review)

Has anyone actually seen this mess?  
Don't waste your time--go see "Giant" instead.  

Being old enough to have been there when James Dean burst on the scene, I remember the effect he had on my horny teenage heart.  I know exactly how Sal Mineo felt in Rebel Without a Cause.  But East of Eden was the Dean film that really swept me away.  You urge us to watch Giant.  That for me was a disappointment. Imagine what Dean could have done with Shelter or Weekend--but maybe those 2 films are not the place for tortured angst that Dean does  so well--perhaps Undertow?

Your reaction to Joshua Tree was like mine--pretentiousness, and silly acting and screenplay--if that's what you want to call the script.  The whole mess had nothing to do with Dean, and was a pathetic attempt to cash in on his name.  And for heaven sake, why was Robert Gant in that movie?  He should be ashamed.

[southendmd]

X-man, I agree with you about East of Eden.  It was because of the western connection that I mentioned Giant.

I too was surprised to see Robert Gant (Michael's hubby in QAF) in this mess.  Ugh.  And he allowed that awful makeup! He looked embalmed.