Chad, thank you for sharing your thoughts and your stories. Isn't it amazing to actually meet one of your heroes and they turn out to be as nice as can be. I am also a big fan of James Dean. He was a very special person and a great actor. The first time I saw James Dean was in East of Eden. It's like he gave us permission to be vulnerable. That it was okay. Rebel Without a Cause and Giant just blew me away. Like Dennis Hopper once said, Marlon Brando changed the way people acted. James Dean changed the way people lived. Did you ever meet Bill bast in person.
GREAT documentary. Rocks first. idol and one who helped. to open. the doors for. everything that was to follow. From elvis to bowie. Bob Dylan Iggy pop and beyond dean has been a continuing influence on them all
james Dean was my idol too , never feeling that I belonged ,moved from one school to another, I felt like a complete outsider not accepted anywhere ,so in Dean I could identify with the characters on screen , in the end I was happy to be a loner, a rebel without a cause the kid who didn.t fit in which in a way made me a kind of enigma, people wanted to know me wanted to see why I chose to do my own thing, the way i dressed ,how I styled my hair , suddenly James Dean was cool again.
U'r young looking for your age, Chad. I guess you were born in 1969. I had a cousin born in '69 (7-yrs older than me), whose name was Marcus. He died from gunshot into his stomach at age-24, in 1993-North Carolina, on same day Brandon Lee died the identical way. I was 17 and into martial arts and acting in movies then and I really felt i needed to get out of NC for my safety and head for Los Angeles by 19, in 1995. I called a psychic to confirm my calling as an Actor and she told me Im an Actor and am planning a career in LA, w/o my telling her anything, but my name: David Jonathan Bass. And she turned me on to James Dean and to read his book: Mutant. So i got it and found out not only did he become a star, overnight, but he also had a cousin named Marcus, as well, who was traumatized by horror. He was taken to Marcus his cousin so much, that he gave Bill Bast his cat to watch (given to him by Elizabeth Taylor) and whom he named 'Marcus', while he goes to race his new Porsche 550 Spyder. James Dean never returned to care for Marcus and make movies with Bill, and was only 24. Marcus wanted to be an Actor, too, and sometimes it's just not possible to live your life freely with the one(s) you love the most. I guess Bill Bast came the closest to that 'friend'. I really enjoyed his book of his partnership with Dean since UCLA, thru exile transition to NY, and back to the Valley, LA to get a house together. I see 'Marcus' as yourself, or any and all these who have had their paths crossed by his sudden encounter and passion for living authentically and with fierce boldness against conformity to a rigged society. The difference between JD and Marlon Brando is that Brando tried to hide from Dean when unexpectantly stalking the alpha, young masculine star. Dean didn't even try. Things just happened. Brando warned him: "Take my advice. Just give 10% of yourself to others and keep the 90% to yourself. Better yet, keep all 100% to yourself. You don't need to try at all." In silence is how James Dean left everyone, since the director of Giant ordered everyone to not acknowledge Jimmy even if he begs you to pay attn to him. That's why Elizabeth gave him a kitty kat, I believe, for all the silent meows in the many lives he lives behind in the life of himself. Those who were forced to be silent. And can now opt out for 'the road'.
Neat story Chad! ❤️ I don't know if I totally knew the origins of how you got into JD's work:)
Chad, thank you for sharing your thoughts and your stories. Isn't it amazing to actually meet one of your heroes and they turn out to be as nice as can be. I am also a big fan of James Dean. He was a very special person and a great actor. The first time I saw James Dean was in East of Eden. It's like he gave us permission to be vulnerable. That it was okay. Rebel Without a Cause and Giant just blew me away. Like Dennis Hopper once said, Marlon Brando changed the way people acted. James Dean changed the way people lived. Did you ever meet Bill bast in person.
James Dean was special and Dennis Hopper one of my favorite actors! Good to see the red Squier make an appearance. Still a great looking axe!
GREAT documentary. Rocks first. idol and one who helped. to open. the doors for. everything that was to follow. From elvis to bowie. Bob Dylan Iggy pop and beyond dean has been a continuing influence on them all
james Dean was my idol too , never feeling that I belonged ,moved from one school to another, I felt like a complete outsider not accepted anywhere ,so in Dean I could identify with the characters on screen , in the end I was happy to be a loner, a rebel without a cause the kid who didn.t fit in which in a way made me a kind of enigma, people wanted to know me wanted to see why I chose to do my own thing, the way i dressed ,how I styled my hair , suddenly James Dean was cool again.
U'r young looking for your age, Chad. I guess you were born in 1969. I had a cousin born in '69 (7-yrs older than me), whose name was Marcus. He died from gunshot into his stomach at age-24, in 1993-North Carolina, on same day Brandon Lee died the identical way. I was 17 and into martial arts and acting in movies then and I really felt i needed to get out of NC for my safety and head for Los Angeles by 19, in 1995. I called a psychic to confirm my calling as an Actor and she told me Im an Actor and am planning a career in LA, w/o my telling her anything, but my name: David Jonathan Bass. And she turned me on to James Dean and to read his book: Mutant. So i got it and found out not only did he become a star, overnight, but he also had a cousin named Marcus, as well, who was traumatized by horror. He was taken to Marcus his cousin so much, that he gave Bill Bast his cat to watch (given to him by Elizabeth Taylor) and whom he named 'Marcus', while he goes to race his new Porsche 550 Spyder. James Dean never returned to care for Marcus and make movies with Bill, and was only 24. Marcus wanted to be an Actor, too, and sometimes it's just not possible to live your life freely with the one(s) you love the most. I guess Bill Bast came the closest to that 'friend'. I really enjoyed his book of his partnership with Dean since UCLA, thru exile transition to NY, and back to the Valley, LA to get a house together. I see 'Marcus' as yourself, or any and all these who have had their paths crossed by his sudden encounter and passion for living authentically and with fierce boldness against conformity to a rigged society. The difference between JD and Marlon Brando is that Brando tried to hide from Dean when unexpectantly stalking the alpha, young masculine star. Dean didn't even try. Things just happened. Brando warned him: "Take my advice. Just give 10% of yourself to others and keep the 90% to yourself. Better yet, keep all 100% to yourself. You don't need to try at all." In silence is how James Dean left everyone, since the director of Giant ordered everyone to not acknowledge Jimmy even if he begs you to pay attn to him. That's why Elizabeth gave him a kitty kat, I believe, for all the silent meows in the many lives he lives behind in the life of himself. Those who were forced to be silent. And can now opt out for 'the road'.