56 Years ago in Hollywood history: James Dean meets tragic end

      9/30/1955

James Dean met death head on while driving to Salinas,California for a car race that he was to participate in on this day. The great thing about Dean is that no matter your age one can relate to the characters and his portrayal of them. Growing up I liked East of Eden the best but have grown to have a greater appreciation for his Jett Rink in George Stevens' Giant. I believe it was a little more of a reach, a stretch of his ability and talent. He ages from a 20-something ranch hand to a 50-something oil baron all in the course of 3-plus hours. The reason I chose this song is because of the reference to his name and I always think of him when I hear it. It seems to fit his restless, youthful, always searching spirit. If he had lived he probably couldn't have fulfilled his potential as an actor. But who knows? He could have wound but similar to Marlon Brando, a burn out. Or possibly he would have had a career like Paul Newman, respected and admired for his personal and private life. Who knows ? RIP Jimmy, we are lucky to have your performances to live on and inspire us. You will remain, forever young. Godspeed.

57 years ago in Hollywood history : A Star Is Born

Forget about any other version of this story you may have seen, this is the version! On September 29,1954 " A Star is Born " Directed by George Cukor and starring Judy Garland and James Mason had it's world premiere at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. It was a huge affair with all the stars there are in the heavens in attendance: Clark Gable, Bogart & Bacall, Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, in the background James Dean, Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford and on and on and on. All broadcast on that new fangled contraption called television. It was a movie that ended up costing Warner Brothers studio nearly 6 million dollars, at the time the most expensive movie they ever made [  $49 million in 2011 dollars ] It went on to receive 6 Oscar nominations and become one of the most beloved films of all-time. But it was not successful at the box office on it's initial release. A film would have to make twice what it earned to break even. " A Star is Born " made only 6 million  by September 1955, which means it lost about 5- 6 million on it's original release. And it won no Oscars. The great torch song " The Man Who Got Away " lost best song. And  Judy Garland lost for Best Actress. As Groucho Marx said about Judy's loss  " This is the greatest robbery since Brinks ".  And the film originally ran for 3 hours but the exhibitor's were losing money because of the long running time so, Warners, under pressure, cut approx 27 minutes out of the film. This footage was restored in 1983 by preservationist Ron Haver in 1983. A dramatic musical " A Star is Born " is one of the greatest achievements in the history of the cinema. A tragic love story, a Hollywood success story a comedic story and a story full of pathos, it is one of my all-time favorites. I have seen Hollywood thru the eyes of this movie ever since. If you have seen it before, relive the splendor, if you haven't seen it  how I envy you as you discover for the first time a  true treasure of the cinema. This is what movie watching and great moviemaking is all about!!