Was watching the documentary on the DVD of The Wild Bunch, and L. Q. Jones revealed that he and Strother Martin decided to play their parts (two bickering outlaws) as gay, and that Sam Peckinpah said, “great, go for it.” Once it was pointed out to this clueless southern boy, it was obvious. Martin tells Jones something like: “That was a black evil thing to do,” and smacks Jones. Jones petulantly huffs: “You shouldn’t say that to me,” etc.
So what other films have these subtexts which WHOOSHED right over me and most viewers?
I am familiar with Stephen Boyd playing his character as in love with Judah Ben-Hur in Ben Hur, so that one needn’t be discussed unless you wish to.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Joanne Woodward used to joke that Newman and Redford would one day run off together and leave her behind with Redford’s wife Lola.
The subtext in Top Gun is best described by Quentin Tarantino’s character in this quote from the movie Sleep with Me.
And, Sir Rhosis, did you notice the subtext in Rebel Without a Cause? Sal Mineo’s character was clearly in love with James Dean’s character. And for all I know Sal Mineo may have been in love with James Dean in real life.
Frodo & Sam, which most everyone got, at least by the time Sam was holding Frodo on Mt. Doom after they destroyed the ring. My girlfriend actually smacked me to shush! 'cause I was laughing so loudly at that scene.
And the subtle faggery of Legolas and Gimli, which seems to have skipped over most people’s heads.
I still crack up watching that scene on Mt. Doom, thinking about all the gay guys having a film festival of LotR and Jackass: The Movie.
I think Knockaround Guys (which is a really underrated movie, and now mostly forgotten) has a gay subtext between Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel’s characters. I mean, the two of them are the only people
I’ve been posting to comedy threads all night. Perhaps if you were funnier…
You’re actually right about the second part, though- some of the friendly banter between Legolas and Gimli in Return of the King gave off an accidentally gay vibe to these ears.
Otis and Lex Luthor in the Superman movies. That’s the only semi-plausible way to explain why a “criminal genius” would continually employ a dumbass for a henchman. Lex was obviously Otis’ bitch.
And I suppose Lex’s obsession with destroying Superman was a result of him being spurned by Clark Kent so many times in “Smallville,” since Clark appears to like older, more father-figure like men.
But I think it’s easier to have males (like the Lone Ranger and Tonto) together as “heroes” as opposed to females (like Thelma and Louise[sp?]). I don’t know why. Also, Tonto and the Lone Ranger were rarely together. Tonto was always off somewhere else doing “research,” IIRC. This may have little to do with the conversation.
I couldn’t see Sam and Frodo in the books, but definitely in the movies.
I’ve noticed that the queer subtext massively increases in any movie that includes Sir Ian MacKellan – who’s openly gay. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
I know that he made suggestions during one scene – I think at Rivendell – that’s frequently interpreted as homoerotic, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence either
One movie I’ve always thought had a fair bit of subtext around the edges, but nobody seemed to notice, was The Lost Boys, at least with the main character.
At various moments he’s watching a buff guy onstage with his mouth open, completely ignores the girl his brother obsesses over, has a poster of gorgeous male model in a seductive pose on his bedroom or closet door (!), and at one point is singing “I ain’t got a man” in the bathtub.
He always dresses fasionably, and spends all his time around the two butchest guys in the city, with whom he has nearly nothing in common.
[sub]And while we’re on the topic, we all know what “subtext” is an anagram for, don’t we? :D[/sub]
