I saw the Elia Kazan movie 'East of Eden' this afternoon. It's a film interpretation of Steinbeck's novel, which I haven't read; I imagine if I did, the people and atmosphere I would picture as I read would be very different from the film.
But that doesn't mean this isn't an excellent film. It really is. I'd say that's mostly because of James Dean, though the whole thread of thought about Cain, Abel, acceptable offerings, and the dangers of self-righteousness...that's pretty important as well. . . . . But there's something about James Dean. I found a commentator that I think captured it pretty well. (Does anyone care about this? It doesn't matter. I'm sharing it anyway... Maybe you've seen a James Dean movie and maybe you've been drawn to him. )
So the commentator (Rosey Golds) writes:
"...with traditional Hollywood actors or those from the British theatre tradition (Lawrence Olivier for example), you feel … safe. As if nothing can go wrong. You feel you're watching great art through a great 'performance'. And, oddly enough, this distances you from the performer. You simply don't have to worry about them. You know that even if something disastrous or humiliating happens to their character, they'll still manage to retain their dignity. Not so with James Dean.
Dean is authentically awkward, authentically demoralized. . .To watch the Method actor is to engage in voyeurism. To watch the Hollywood actor is to watch a 'presentation'. The Method actor's spontaneity, his deep introspection and vulnerability, the fact that he has drawn his character from his own life experience results in an audience genuinely flinching at what they see. James Dean was one of the best actors at making people flinch — and one of the best at being humiliated. It is this humiliation that is the key to his charisma."
I think that is a very good attempt at capturing the man and the character(s) he plays in words. He does make you flinch. Like real people do. People shouldn't be easy to 'figure out.'
Maybe if I am easy to figure out, I'm putting on a stock character instead of letting my unique and God-created character out. Like Hollywood acting vs. Method acting.
Sometimes I try too hard to make myself 'understandable.'
