Hollywood filming a dead celebrity is like snapping an embarrassing selfie: It’s a portrait of the past that should be left in the past.
We’re talking about the news that Dane Deehan, a top notch actor, will portray icon James Dean in Anton Corbijn’s drama “Life;” costarring Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, Alessandra Mastronardi (“To Rome With Love”) and Robert Pattinson. It’s not the first time Mr. Deehan is portraying a dead ‘50’s icon; albeit a minor one, when he played Beat Generation confidante Lucien Carr opposite Daniel Radcliffe‘s Allen Ginsberg in “Kill Your Darlings.”
But do we need another flick about a star-who-died-before-their-time? Wasn’t Michelle Williams playing Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn” enough? And hasn’t this been done way more than once (i.e. Johnny Knoxville in “Grand Theft Parsons” about ‘60’s rock star Graham Parsons, Gary Busey as “Buddy Holly,” Penn Badgley as rocker Jeff Buckley etc. etc. etc.) ? Besides, the world has already seen an “emotionally wrought” (those words and James Dean always go together) James Franco play Mr. Dean in a 2001 TV movie imaginatively called “James Dean.”
Any day now, we’ll read how Jonah Hill is playing Philip Seymour Hoffman and Lady Gaga will play Amy Winehouse in Ms. Gaga’s first and breakout movie role; which will recall Bette Midler playing a Janis Joplin character in her “a movie star is born” role in “The Rose.”
Then again—a great deal of people have seen the porn movies of porn star James Deen (who also co-starred with Lindsay Lohan in “The Canyons”); and have never seen the three movies of James Dean or even heard of him. At least “Life” could act as a short Hollywood history lesson.
But to make a “hot, Tweetable” movie, one must have a “hot, Tweetable” director—and Anton Corbijn is not exactly a trendsetter anymore. He is responsible for the so-called “thriller” movie, “The American,” starring George Clooney as a hitman. Unfortunately, George should have spent his time hitting on models than sign on to do hits in this snoozer.
It’s a shame that Mr. Corbijn, an ex-photographer, can’t make a “Time Machine” for the world instead of making this “Dean” movie, and transport us all to 1984 or 1994. That is, in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, he was an in demand music video director; (although a bland one) who lensed a total of 24 videos (!!??) for Depeche Mode including “Personal Jesus,” as well as directing the “Heart Shaped Box” video for “Nirvana” and “Pride (In the Name of Love)” for U-2. Unfortunately, these days, music videos are passé and played out; showing up on MTV as much as a calm demeanor shows up on Chris Brown. And a full length movie is a slightly different animal than the rock star ones Mr. Corbijn filmed. For now, his most recent notoriety was filming Phillip Seymour Hoffman in one of his last roles in “A Most Wanted Man.”
In conclusion, all parties involved with “Life” are hoping this vehicle will wind up like the last vehicle James Dean drove in: a big smash!
CLICK HERE to see Depeche Mode’s Martin L. Gore talk about the band’s collaboratuion with director, Anton Corbjin