The Legend of James Dean
Demonic Heroes Have Villainous Virtues
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"According to the online dictionary, a 'rebel' is 'a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler.' Therefore, the fact that James Dean is seen as a 'rebel against the establishment' is bizarre. Though James Dean may have rebelled against the status quo, he did not rebel against the establishment. He remained loyal to the Republican Form of Government, and he held on to his patriotism. James Dean was the personification of the principles upon which America is founded. He was the living embodiment of the American ideal. He struck to his guns and refused to abandon his moral values at a time when most young actors were selling their souls for an acting job, and by holding on to his ideals, James Dean was able to historicize the Biblical idea of the Kingdom of God.
"To everyone who examined James Dean's world, it appeared to be Heaven. The new era that James Dean ushered in on the set of Giant established the reign of Christ over human history. James Dean's triumph was such an important victory for the principles of Christianity and Democracy over the forces of darkness that it makes sense to see James Dean as a Christ-figure. Perhaps that is why some people thought that James Dean was the reincarnation of Jesus of Nazareth. Imagine Jesus sitting on a motorcycle and wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans, boots, and a t-shirt in the middle of the 1950s. That was James Dean, who was so close to God that many people believed that he was the Second Coming of Christ."
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About the Book
The Legend of James Dean: Demonic Heroes Have Villainous Virtues challenges previously conceived notions about the actor James Dean.
Author Derek Reeves argues that Dean was not a rebel against the establishment, and that class conflict, the need to redefine his public image, and a desire to attack Christianity prompted the men who ran the motion picture industry in the 1950s to portray the actor as a rebel against conformity of any kind.
Members of the postwar generation embraced Dean as a symbol of rage and rebelliousness because they believed that the thuggish characters he played reflected his essential persona. Dean’s characterization of the tough teenager gave a sense of belonging to misdirected young people, whose adolescent rebellion stemmed from their inability to cope with societal demands during the Eisenhower era.
The author’s analysis of Dean’s legend provides rare insight into the actor’s life, viewed from a historical perspective. If you’ve ever wondered what Dean did to earn a star on Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame,” you’ll want to read this book, which shines a spotlight on an American legend who was posthumously nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor in a Leading Role in 1956 and 1957.
About the Author
Derek Reeves started writing this comprehensive biography twenty-five years ago. He read several books and watched several documentaries focusing on the life of James Dean, from which he gained a thorough understanding of James Dean’s legend. He began to study James Dean’s film roles as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1986. He also earned a master’s degree in theological studies. In 1991, he graduated from Harvard Divinity School.