Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: April 4, 2023
Rating: NR
Film: 3.5/5
Plot James Dean stars in a movie that shocked the United States with a performance that still electrifies the screen twenty-five years after his untimely death prior to the film's release. In this archetypal drama of teenage angst and rebellion, three high school students who should lead idyllic lives in their stable, comfortable suburban families explode with a violence and sexuality that their parents cannot understand. This film--which ripped the façade from the post-war American dream to expose the rage of the country's youth--resonates with an energy that has made it a modern classic and a powerful coming-of-age story.
The 1955 film is directed by Nicholas Ray from a story by Ray, a screenplay by Stewart Stern and an adaptation by Irving Shulman. It is produced by David Weisbart and James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, and William Hopper.
In 1990,
Rebel Without a Cause was added to
the Library of Congress's National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant."
My ThoughtsWhile the film was released in 1955 and I was born 14 years later, I had never actually seen this film until I watched it in 4K this past weekend. I can’t say I was blown away by it. While it’s considered Dean’s finest performance, I didn’t find it to be that ground-breaking compared to today’s standards. One of the things that bothers me about films from this era is the melodramatic nature of the acting—it just wears on me throughout a two-hour film. We watched the film with our adult daughter and her husband, who are both movie fans, and all of us agreed that the first act was a bit slow but found the ending to be satisfying, but without this historical context of the time, something gets lost in translation.
The presentation is quite good given the age of the film, particularly the low-light sequences and the color saturation. Dean’s red jacket jumps off the screen and detail in clothing and facial pores is excellent. While Natalie Wood was way before my time, she’d still be considered a hottie by today’s standards. One caveat regarding the video encode is that when there are screen transitions from one to the next, the video quality takes a measurable step back. I surmise this is so because as one scene fades to the next the video engineers can’t clean up the print because of technological limitations.
On the audio side, the film has a Dolby Atmos track, which is very surprising. That being said, it doesn’t offer much in the way of modern-day atmosphere. The presentation is heavily focused to the front soundstage and while the rear and overhead channels get uses occasionally, they are main there for atmospheric effects and very little discrete activity.
Video 9/10 (AVC)
Audio 8/10 (Dolby Atmos)
Special Features: - Commentary Douglas L. Rahgeb
- “Hames Dean Remembered” 1974 TV Special
- “Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents” featurette
- “Dennis Hopper: Memories from the Warner Lot” featurette
- Screen Tests
- Wardrobe Tests
- Deleted Scenes
- 4K + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
Conclusion While I understand the historical significance of this film, without any emotional tie to the time period it was difficult to get into. By the end we all enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it’s something I’d go out of my way to watch again in the near future. Probably the most enjoyable aspect of the film I enjoyed was seeing Jim Backus in another role besides Thurston Howell III from
Gilligan’s Island and a young Dennis Hopper, who would go on to have a storied career in Hollywood. Regardless of my personal thoughts, the 4K presentation is outstanding and fans of the film will be very pleased with it.
Reference Review System: JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
SVS SB3000
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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