So This Is How The World Will End: by Rick Castro 6/3/2020
Last night I watched Thelma & Louise, (1991) for the umpteenth time. It had been awhile since I revisited this classic film. On this particular viewing I honed in on the scene after Louise shoots Harlan, attempting to rape Thelma.
In the now historic cinematic moment, Harlan, (Timothy Carhart) representing misogynist men throughout history, decides since he bought Thelma drinks and was nice to her, he’s entitled to fuck her in the parking lot. When Thelma, (Geena Davis) says no, he precedes to rape her, only stops when Louise, (Susan Sarandon) puts a gun to his head. As they walk away, Harlan calls Louise a bitch, Louise turns back around, “what did you say?” Harlan, “I said suck my dick!” And with that Louise blows him away.
I know it’s not PC, but I find this hysterical. I did so the first time I saw it, and I do now. The scene is so factually intense, that one line- “suck my dick”, followed by gunshot- BOOM!, is like comic relief. Thelma even mentions it later in the film, and Louise hushes her to atone the gravity of the situation.
We are beyond that now. The collective anger and violence erupting daily, is years, decades, centuries in the making. All minorities, (including women) will not take it anymore. We’ve had it. There’s no where else to push us. Like a schoolyard bully, Amerikkkan government has treated a vast group of it’s citizens as disposable, and the rest as collateral damage. If you’re concerned about damage to property and THINGs, over human life, move to an all white country, or step the fuck back. This is not going to end in your favor.
Right after the shooting scene in Thelma & Louise, I began to fixate on a long shot of the two women fleeing the scene, making a U-turn in traffic, almost causing accidents. Louise is behind the wheel of her 1966 electric blue Thunderbird convertible. If you look closely, it’s obviously a stunt driver behind the wheel. If you look closer you will see the stunt driver is a man with a bad wig. I was amused to no end of the idea that some macho stunt driver had to wear a bad wig and drag to complete his job.
I have first-hand experience with this….
Way back in 1984, (can you imagine!) I was a wardrobe person for Limelight Productions; a UK based production company. I was part of the LA team responsible for many early classic videos for MTV. Among my many projects, I was key wardrobe for the video “Stay The Night,” the song composed by the 70’s soft rock band, Chicago.
The plot; lead singer Peter Cetera, is having time with a “hard to get girl,” (Ingrid Anderson) at his faux blue collar mechanic garage. He gropes her a bit too much, she hits him with her purse, (provided by me) jumps into her 1964 red convertible Oldsmobile 442 with him latched on to the side. After pushing him off, the mechanic, (Peter Cetera) begins to pursue her in his Ford pick up truck, conveniently driven by the other members of the band.
There are many car stunts and elaborate crashes throughout the video, at the time, it was one of the higher budgeted videos. Obviously many stunt people were required. The head of the stunt team was a gruff burly guy named “Bud.” He was an obvious “good Ol Boy,” and somewhat homophobic, as was all the film crews of that era. I was always one to promote and push fetish in a subversive way, whenever I could. The idea that I was interjecting fetishistic imagery to a mainstream public brought me immense joy. Bud would be the stunt double for the “hard to get” girl driving the 1964 red convertible Oldsmobile 442. This actress was gorgeous; raven black hair classic 36-24-36 hour glass figure, legs of death. Bud was a middle aged man balding in the back, and overweight. I took my wardrobe partner, Michi aside and told her my idea, “let’s make Bud a pretty girl as much as we can get away with!” I didn’t have to tell her twice, after a day of shopping we both brought back so many outfits and accessories specifically for Bud. When it came time for the fitting, we decided Michi was best suited to talk Bud into the fem outfits. At first Bud said, “ there was no way I’m wearing any of this shit”, then after consulting with the director it was agreed. Bud need to be in drag from the waist up.
Between Michi and myself we were able to outfit Bud in complete drag from head to toe. A black lace off the shoulder top, blue suede gloves, blue suede skirt, (homage to the 50s song- Stay Off My Blue Suede Shoes) and seamed stockings, even though he’s only seen from the shoulders up. We even got him to wear black women’s shoes, (just in case there was an overhead shot) and hold a purse! We then spoke to the hair & makeup girl, (who was our friend) she loved the idea and put Bud in the most full body brunette wig, long false eyelashes, lipstick and blush. Bud walked out of the dressing room a full-on drag queen. His crew burst into laughter, then shushed themselves. Bud was not smiling. He looked like he would fire on the spot, anyone who said anything. For the entirety of filming Bud was in drag. The makeup girl even did touch ups throughout the day. At one point, Bud caught on that all this wasn’t necessary. He no longer wanted touch ups.
stuntman Bud at work in drag: courtesy me
After many years of viewing Thelma & Louise again, I focused on the rape scene, intense and harrowing. Then the getaway scene with a male stunt driver in drag in place of Susan Sarandon. I was struck by how it all played out.
Geena Davis rarely, if at all works. After her much publicized divorce from Jeff Goldblum her career slowed down. Besides A League of Their Own, she’s not been in many memorable films. Meanwhile Jeff Goldblum is considered a quirky actor institution. Susan Sarandon became a pariah, because she didn’t buy into Hilary’s bullshit and said so publicly, despite acting in or producing numerous high profile films. Once these two were feminist icons, now they are dismissed obscurities. “Liberal’s” blamed Sarandon for Trumpworld, which in my opinion was a mistake. For all the changes and awareness Thelma & Louise brought to the mainstream, creating “MeToo” before there was such a thing, the two heroines are forgotten and, (in Sarandon’s case) vilified. Sarandon spoke real truth to power and was erased by the same people that lauded a performance in a film, but despised her for speaking out in real life. Meanwhile a bit player with a cameo roll, (Brad Pitt) is now the most famous power player in Hollywood. He played a “thug” who has sex with Thelma and seals her money. If this role was giving to a young unknown black actor, do you think his career would go the way Brad Pitts did?
I wonder if Susan Sarandon’s stunt double had as much a problem being in drag as Bud did in my Chicago video?
In my own subversive way I did my part. I created queerness where there was none. I now live in obscurity in the high desert.
In my own subversive way I did my part. I created queerness where there was none. I now live in obscurity in the high desert.
So this is how the world will end.
copyright- rick castro- 6/2020
