Life (2015 film) (4 Stars)

True Stories #18

Name: Dennis Stock

Lived: 24 July 1928 – 11 January 2010

Film dates: February to March 1955

Film made in 2015

Some other reviews claim that this is a film about James Dean. That's an easy mistake to make. The film is about the relationship between James Dean and the photographer Dennis Stock in the two weeks leading up to the premiere of "East of Eden". We see the relationship through the eyes of Dennis Stock, and he has slightly more screen time, but if you want to know the film's intention you need to ask the director, Anton Corbijn. He started his career as a photographer before he became a film director, and he was fascinated by the iconic photos taken by Stock for Life magazine. He says that he wanted to make a film about how Dennis Stock made the photos.

On the other hand, if I tell a friend I've just watched a film about James Dean he'll smile and nod his head. If I tell him I've watched a film about Dennis Stock he'll have a blank expression and say "Huh? Who's that?"

Were Jimmy (as James Dean liked to call himself) and Dennis friends? That's difficult to say. They spent day and night together for almost two weeks, but after this they didn't meet again before Jimmy's death seven months later. On the other hand, it was more than a business relationship. Jimmy felt that Dennis understood him.

Dennis Stock was a free-lance photographer who did most of his work for Life Magazine. He came from New York, but he lived in Los Angeles, where he specialised in photographing actors. He met James Dean at a wrap party for "East of Eden". At the time he had no idea who James Dean was. He noticed him because he was sitting alone in a corner while everyone else was drinking and socialising. Jimmy didn't fit in. The next day Dennis was invited to a pre-release screening of "East of Eden". He was amazed by the difference between the shy young boy on the sofa and his powerful appearance on screen. Dennis thought that this unknown actor had the potential to become a big star, so he followed him for days, begging him for a photo shoot.

Jimmy wasn't interested in becoming a star. All he wanted to do was make good films. He was an artist. He didn't want to play the games expected from him. When Jack Warner, the head of Warner Brothers, told him what he had to do to become a big star, he just stood with a blank face. Jimmy did what he wanted to. He didn't even show up for the premiere of "East of Eden", because he thought it would be boring.

When Jimmy travelled to New York, Dennis followed him. Two days later Jimmy spontaneously decided to visit his grandparents in Indiana, not telling his manager where he was. Dennis accompanied him, and the two men spent a few days on his grandparents' farm. Dennis managed to photograph Jimmy in his natural environment, where he felt comfortable.

The film has excellent performances by Robert Pattinson as Dennis Stock and Dane DeHaan as James Deam. The viewer is drawn in and feels that he intimately knows both men. If you asked me to name my favourite actors, I probably wouldn't name either of them, but after seeing them together in "Life" I think I should pay more attention to them.

Success Rate:  - 8.3

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de