Here’s James Dean Just Before He Became A World-Famous American Icon

There have been countless articles, books, documentaries and film bios made about the late mercurial James Dean, but the short time the bisexual actor spent on this planet (he died at age 24 in 1955) continues to provide fodder for folks determined to dissect his continued grasp on popular culture. The latest is Anton Corbijn, the gifted filmmaker who made the gorgeous Ian Curtis bio Control in 2007, who has directed Life, which depicts Dean’s relationship with photographer Dennis Stock. Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson stars as Stock who followed the not-yet-famous Dean around New York City and to his hometown Fairmount, Indiana and captured him in a series of evocative, iconic photos that are still framed and hanging on bedroom walls across the globe. The film hits theaters September 25, less than a week before the 60th anniversary of Dean’s tragic demise behind the wheel of his Porsche.

Like Corbijn’s other movies and numerous music videos for bands such as Depeche Mode and Nirvana, the cinematography here is stunning. So is the period detail. We’re not 100 percent on the casting of Dane DeHaan, who’s a promising, charismatic young actor, as the screen icon, but, hey, at least it wasn’t Justin Bieber.

Watch the trailer for Life below.