Product Details

• Actors: Casper Van Dien, Carrie Mitchum
• Directors: Mardi Rustam
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: February 23, 2010
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002U1LGUA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,796 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Casper Van Dien of STARSHIP TROOPERS stars as James Dean, whose remarkable talent and rebel attitude took Hollywood by storm. But as Dean s star begins to rise, his passionate affair with Italian ingénue Pier Angeli (Carrie Mitchum of THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) angers her disapproving mother (Academy Award nominee Diane Ladd) and studio chief Jack Warner (Mike Connors). How did a broken heart, reckless behavior and his relationships with Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo and director George Stevens (the legendary Robert Mitchum in his final screen role) lead to Dean s ultimate race with destiny? Connie Stevens, Joseph Campanella and Casey Kasem co-star in this revealing biopic that goes behind the myth to tell the true story of the superstar who lived fast, died young and left a legacy that changed movies forever.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NOT A GOOD MOVIE, July 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: James Dean: Live Fast, Die Young (DVD)

Sorry, but this film is rediculous. Casper Van Dien is awful in the role. It's obvious he doesn't know how to act and whoever said Van Dien looked like he did alot of research on the role has got to be out of there mind. It's even a horrible love story, it's often very corny and is horribly photographed. And seventy-five percent of the whole film wasn't even true. He never came on to Natalie Wood and never talked to Pier Angeli after she broke up with him.
To start with: Casper here, portrays the Hollywood legend as if he were some big time macho skirt chaser (as mentioned, in the film he came on to Natalie Wood), looking for trouble. James Dean was not a skirt chaser, he was shy and took his acting seriously. He wouldn't moon the camera (as at the beginning of the film he moons the camera when shooting for "East of Eden"). And when he's at Pier Angeli's house in the film. He turns on some Rock'n'Roll music. Jimmy listened to classical music, with classic singers like Frank Sinatra (not insulting Rock'n'Roll or anything, just noting it). Also, the racing sequences are horrible. It looks more like they're racing at a theme park. And also the film doesn't even cover Jimmys whole life, it didn't cover the years that effected his life. And at the end when the cars collide it's horrible. It shows the hero dead, it's really painful and heart breaking (even if it is pathetic Casper Van Dien) to see the hero die, especially when it's supposed to be James Dean.
As asnother reviewer said, I would recommend the bio-pic starring James Franco, although not totally accurate (but more accurate than this film) it shows James Dean for who he was. James franco is a real gifted actor (unlike Casper Van Dien) he has a bright future ahead if he keeps acting.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A big time stinker!, March 10, 2000

By 

"moviemanny" (Burlingame) - See all my reviews

This review is from: James Dean: Live Fast, Die Young [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This film has got to be the single, most atrocious bio-pic ever put on film. I'm not exagerrating when I venture to say that it is one of the very worst films I have ever seen and I've seen many. This poor excuse for a movie focuses on mostly on the love affair between James Dean and Pier Angeli. The acting is awful. Casper Van Dien is laughable as James Dean. He tries but fails big time. Diane Ladd, who plays Mama Angeli, hits an all-time low. The competent, often excellent actress gives an amazingly terrible performance and happens to sport the single, most awful Italian accent ever in the history of movies. It's not just the acting that stinks but also the sloppy editing, the horrid direction, the stupid script and the laughibly lame songs that fill the soundtrack. This whole abomination has to be seen to be believed!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly made,low-budget garbage, February 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: James Dean: Live Fast, Die Young [VHS] (VHS Tape)

As James Dean's cousin,and a friend of Sal Mineo's,I can confirm that this film is not only poorly researched,but full of lies.But even as a fictional film, it could have served as entertaining, but this mess is so poorly scripted,directed,edited,and acted,it's a wonder the film was ever made.Definatly one of the worst movies I have ever seen.Casper Van Dein is laughable as James Dean,as is Diane Ladd's performance as Piere Angeli's mother.It is sad that an Acedemy Award winning actress,now accepts roles in such low-budgeted disasters such as this.She doesn't even keep her accent through-out the film,going in and out of character.Seriously,as a relative of James Dean,this is insultive.As a movie fan,It is a waste of film. Not even worth one star.