East of Eden - some Cain and Abel histrionics

I’ve been hearing about James Dean all my life. I’ve seen the posters. I’ve seen the fashion look recur every few years. But I’ve never been too taken by it or very interested in the James Dean thing.

Well, now I’ve developed some interest thanks to the DVD issues of his three movies (available individually or in The Complete James Dean).

Last night, I watched the DVD East of Eden - Special Edition. It definitely has a histrionic quality that makes it a bit anachronistic as it tells a variation of the Cain and Abel story. But you can definitely see the James Dean quality and why he became a modern myth. But hey … you also get to see a great performance by Raymond Massey, and others.

I hope to scribble some thoughts into a review soon. Meanwhile, I think the movie is worth seeing for its cultural interest but also on its own terms as a pretty good film.

Tag: Classic Film, Movie Classics, Movies, DVDs