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This is probably odd timing for me to confess this fact; but the '80s movie with actor John Travolta in it (with co-star, Debra Winger?), "Urban Cowboy", is one of those Hollywood flicks I never went out to see.... And so, I have a question for anybody who has seen it: Is it any good? (And is it worth my time and $$ renting it now?)
I got this computer 4 years ago, --- a 50th birthday gift from my sister-in-law. Prior to that, I was totally computer illiterate (as well as computerless), and knew nothing about online culture or sites like these. Once I discovered the fascination of the Internet, and started joining sites like this one, I felt I had to come up with a "handle" of some kind... Since I do a lot øf C&W dancing (or at least did so at the time), and I live in a city, I came up with the name, "Longhaired Urban Cowboy", --- shortened to just, "Urban Cowboy"...
Yes, of course I'd heard of the movie by that same name; but for some dumb reason, I didn't associate ME with "THAT MOVIE"... Go figure! To top that off, there is probably not one single dance friend of mine, other than maybe a sparse few close friends, that even have a clue that I have this on-line alter-ego named, "Urban Cowboy!" In fact, the only nicknames as of recent that these dance friends have called me is: "Grandma Peaches" (AKA just, "Peaches", or also just, "Grandma", or also, "Abuela Duraznos", --- which is Spanish for Grandma Peaches)... Don't ask, --- I have NO clue (and probably don't want to know, either - lol)!!
I'm TERRIFIED to go see that movie, because I'm afraid I'll hate it (lol)! I'm also a dance snob, and will probably criticize Travolta's C&W dancing style (not that I'm so hot a dancer myself that I'm really in any POSITION to judge - lol).... So, here I sit, prefering to never see a movie because if I do, then I may suddenly hate the name I chose as my on-line handle...
- Ken in San Francisco
PS - If I can successfully upload an old pic, it will be of me taken in June of '04, when I marched with my Sundance C&W friends on SF's Gay Pride Day of that year.
I've attended plenty of dance events in my lifetime, both gay and strait. I've only won a sparse few dance contests, --- the only times I ever was honored with first-place being those with a "silly" theme of some kind (I won 1st place in a "Tacky Tango" contest at SF's Metronome Ballroom one New Year's Eve in the early '90s; then again a few years later in an, "Anything Goes Swing Dance", --- a contest where you don't know ahead of time who your partner will be, what the music will be, or even if you will be leading or following). Other than that, I've only won 2nd or 3rd or below place in mostly Jitterbug or Swing dance competitions when I was much younger.
Anyway, if it's one thing that I've noticed over the years, it's that dance competitions have gotten more and more "gay"-looking in their dance styles, --- and I'm talking about the STRAIT men here!!! Those swishy hips and stoccato karate chops flailing through the air have just gotta go! If you want to see what REAL men "should" dance like, I hate to say this, but.... Nowadays, the styling that is being taught in strait C&W clubs look more "gay" than we do, --- so, on you're next visit to San Francisco, stop in for a Beginning Two-step lesson at a real gay bar instead!!!!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
I admit that I have never seen the movie myself, but regardless, you are looking GREAT here! And I have to confess I got a laugh out of your "Grandma Peaches" nickname, where did they ever come up with THAT one, anyway!
I hope you are having a GREAT day, Ken!
David
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Hi Ken. Cool pic of you BTW! Anyway as for the movie Urban Cowboy I remember seeing it many years ago on cable and not when it first came out in the theaters.From what I remember it was a good movie with a decent storyline and I think you might actually like it.One thing I remember about it was the main characters would always go to this C&W bar in Texas and ride this mechanical bull thing and they actually had contests on who could ride it the longest as some sadistic person operating it sped it up during the competition.LOL. Basically it was about life in Texas being a working stiff in some oil refinery and stuggling to make a living.Also was sort of a love story involved as well.Thats about all I really remember but if you go see it I'd like to hear what you think about it and I don't think you will want to change your handle afterwards!LOL.Be cool out there in SF:)) Mark
I think you would like the movie;it was pretty well done. It was filmed at a bar not far from where I now live called "Gilley's". One of my close friends now was the band leader at Gilley's back then, and was the fiddle player also! The bar no longer exists (it was torn down) but a sign still marks the spot where it stood.
The mechanical bull thing was a fad that cropped up, became popular, and pretty much died in a one to two year period. It wasn't easy staying on one of them, especially when you had enough to have trouble getting on in the first place!
Travolta is a good dancer; and the dancing at Gilley's was the true Texas country dancing! Debra Winger was pretty hot in this movie also!
One or two hit songs were written for this movie. I would recommend it.
George
Ken, Not a great movie but not that bad either. Think you might enjoy it. It's been a while but don't remember any longhairs in the flick. Still a good story. Believe that there was a lot of buzz about Debra Winger's performance. Best newcomer nominations etc! Great soundtrack featuring Joe Walsh, Bob Seger, Dan Fogelberg and Boz Scaggs. Thought for sure that's where you got your "handle". oh well!
peace, jonalbear
For a minute there, I thought you were talking about Midnight Cowboy! I saw that movie, but I've never seen Urban Cowboy either.
Midnight Cowboy was about a Texan, played by John Voight, moving to NY city with a dream of becoming a gigolo (aiming low there to begin with!) and ending up servicing male clients in bathrooms instead, and then at the end he heads South on a greyhound bus with his sick friend Ratso Rizzo, played by Dustin Hoffman (there's no suggestion that they were meant to be more than friends), who I believe quietly passes away on the bus (maybe from TB or bronchitis). Oddly, none of the reviews mention either the gay sex or the death at the end of the movie. I wonder why? I have always considered it to be a great classic film, a real landmark, and I am straight (but I'm sure you knew that), whereas OTOH for example I've seen the trailers for Brokeback Mountain and wouldn't be seen dead watching it, and yet both won awards.
I don't think Midnight Cowboy would be a good handle, though, for several reasons. Let's just say it's a lot less wholesome than Grandma Peaches! I also think in retrospect that Midnight Cowboy maybe doesn't treat gay men in a positive light, although it is a long time since I actually saw it. It's a very touching movie, though.
I'm not sure how appropriate this is for the board, although apparently it's been downgraded from X to R rated in the US, but mention cowboy and movie together and that's the one I think of.