My First Dean
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 3:00PM 
JA from MNPP here with my first post in Nathaniel's renovated home. Over at my own, I just asked the simplest of queries about James Dean on this here 80th woulda-been birthday of his - that is, which character of his was the hottest, natch - but I avoided making one terrible admission therein.
See... we've all got holes in our cinematic histories, right? Like I've been in a well-documented Gary Cooper fit lately - how I made it this far into my life without gaping much at him I still haven't wrapped my head around. Every time the light catches his face and he bursts off the screen I boggle anew. Where have you been all my life, Gary Cooper? And it was only a couple of years ago that I finally watched the Godfather films. It seems nuts to me for the longest time that I hadn't plunked down and done then, and then I did, and all was fine. Everybody has such instances. You do! There's an obscure Venezuelan documentary about rice production that you haven't seen, you know it.
So don't judge me when I admit that -- Well, I haven't seen any of James Dean's films. Quelle horreur! Not exactly an obscure Venezuelan documentary about rice production, I know. But before you throw me all the deserved shade I got coming I'm looking to you folk, you kindly cineastes, to help me right my wrong. I'm asking you to tell me which of the three films which his legend rests upon - Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause, Elia Kazan's East of Eden, and George Stevens' Tex-epic Giant - that I need to sit down and watch immediately.
And then I will go and watch this movie you tell me to go and watch, and then I will report back to you with my impression. Feel free to make your case (and scold me, of course) in the comments!
The poll ends on Saturday, so vote yourselves silly until then, and look for my report back next week.
James Dean, reader requests