Four feature films in and photographer-turned-director Anton Corbijn is carving out a very interesting career for himself, mixing the sensibilities of art-house pictures and smart, character-driven dramas that often come with a personal touch. So far, he’s made a movie about ‘70s post-punk band Joy Division and singer Ian Curtis (“Control”), a moody and atmospheric assassin drama (“The American”), a war-on-terror drama (“A Most Wanted Man”) and for his next picture, a biopic about James Dean and the LIFE magazine photographer that took some of the first, now-iconic, pictures that helped launch his superstardom (our review from the Berlin International Film Festival here).
Titled simply “Life,” Corbijn brings his well-observed understanding between the photographer and subject in a drama that stars Dane Dehaan as the reluctant star James Dean, and Robert Pattinson as the sensitive photographer Dennis Stock who manages to capture some intimate moments with the iconic actor. Here’s the official synopsis.
Corbijn’s follow-up to A Most Wanted Man, LIFE captures the nuances and complexities of the relationship between photographer and subject in a way rarely seen or understood by someone outside the business. In a nod to Corbijn’s own past experience, the film is told from the perspective of the Life photographer Dennis Stock (played by Pattinson) who meets and profiles Dean (DeHaan) for the magazine, turning out some of Dean’s most iconic photographs.
Co-starring Ben Kingsley, the script was written by Luke Davies (“Candy,” “Lion”) and is due out this fall by Cinedigm in the U.S. and opens in France on September 9th. The couple of international trailers have arrived and you can watch it below.
@Stephenm
I don\’t understand what you mean. How can Rob Pattinson look and sound like himself when he wears clothes from the fifties and speak with an NYC accent while he is British pur sang? Just saying.
While Dane DeHaan looks perfectly jaded, it\’s Robert Pattinson who provides the reason to watch Life. It looks like Pattinson will steal the show with his honest depiction of the struggling Dennis Stock. Wonderful accent and character traits already obvious in this short trailer. Plus he has that thing that makes audiences root for him to succeed. Indefinable charisma.
I dunno, in this trailer I didn\’t really believe either of them. They just look and sound like Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan acting really hard at each other.
they both are such good actors and their work can\’t be more creative.Dane\’s roles in Place Beyond Pines,Spiderman,Life all totally defferent characters,accents etc.and Rob\’s roles in Cosmopolis,The Rover and now Life,it\’s like 6 different men with unique lives.This is acting.
The attention to period detail in this movie is extraordinary and a real treat for James Dean fans. DeHaan looks like he captured the Dean vibe, and Pattinson can work in any era or any accent, he\’s already proved that. Can\’t wait to see this in a theater.
James Dean was handsome, though.