'Strange Way of Life' Review: Treatg Gay Cowboys as Cloth Hors - Variety

Contents:

• SO ABOUT THAT GAY COWBOY MOVIE STARRG PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE…
• PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE’S GAY COWBOYS TAKE CANNIN PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S SHORT FILM STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, THE PAIR LEAVE WANTG MORE.BY RICHARD LAWSONMAY 17, 2023COURTY OF CANN FILM FTIVALSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHE PROMISE OF A GAY WTERN STARRG PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE AND DIRECTED BY PEDRO ALMODóVAR PROVED TO BE TNIP TO CANN DIENC WHEN THE SHORT FILM STRANGE WAY OF LIFE PREMIERED AT THE FTIVAL WEDNDAY. NOT EVEN A STEADY RA KEPT THE CROWDS AWAY—SPE HAVG TO WA LE, GETTG DRENCHED, FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR. WHEN ALMODóVAR TOOK THE STAGE TO TRODUCE THE FILM—ONE OF HIS FEW FORAYS TO ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CEMA—HE WAS JOED BY HAWKE AND A QUARTET OF HUNKY ACTORS (AMONG THEM MANU RS, OM THE H SPANISH TEEN SOAP ELE). IT ALL SEEMED TO SET THE STAGE FOR SOMETHG VIVID AND SENSUAL THE STYLE OF SO MANY OTHER ALMODóVAR FILMS. AND WAS BORNE OUT, ALBE LIMED WAYS, THE ACTUAL FILM. HAWKE PLAYS A SMALL-TOWN SHERIFF, JAKE, WHO IS VTIGATG THE MURR OF HIS SISTER--LAW AT THE HANDS OF HER LOVER. PASL IS SILVA, AN OLD IEND OF JAKE’S WHO RIS TO TOWN FOR SHADOWY PURPOS. AT LEAST PART OF HIS TENTN IS ROMANTIC: JAKE AND SILVA HAD A TWO-MONTH FLG MEXI SOME 25 YEARS PREV, A BRIEF AND WONRFUL GIVG- TO FORBIDN SIRE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE HNTED THE TWO MEN EVER SCE. SILVAN WANTS TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF, WHILE JAKE HALFHEARTEDLY RISTS. IN THAT SENSE, STRANGE WAY OF LIFE IS A MELODRAMA, WH LOTS OF HEAVY TALK ABOUT THE SWEET, EROTIC GLEAM OF THE PAST AND ALL THE BTER PROMIS OF THE PRENT. HAWKE AND PASL FD THE RIGHT TONE TO HANDLE ALL THIS FLORID EMOTG, WH ALMODóVAR MOSTLY GETTG OUT THEIR WAY. THOUGH HE DO LET ALBERTO IGLIAS’S SWELLG SRE SH AT THE LOVELORN PAIR, A DASH OF OLD HOLLYWOOD FLARE AT ONCE MOURNFUL AND SWOONG. THERE IS EVENTUALLY A SHOOTOUT, OF SORTS, BUT ’S NOT PLAYED FOR FUN. AND ’S ULTIMATELY SERVICE OF A POIGNANT NCLN. STRANGE WAY OF LIFE CUTS THROUGH S GRIZZLE TO ARRIVE AT SOMETHG SOFT AND SENTIMENTAL, A VISN OF HOW JAKE AND SILVA ULD HAVE BEEN HAD THEY ALLOWED PASSN TO W OUT OVER NVENTN AND THE HARSH STRICTUR OF LIFE THE OLD WORLD. THERE IS A SMALL B OF SEXY STUFF TOO, PARTICULARLY A DREAMY AND WE-SOAKED FLASHBACK TO WHAT WAS PERHAPS THE BEGNG OF JAKE AND SILVA’S FIRST RNAL RELEASE. IT’S BRIEF, JT LIKE THE SEXUAL EPIPHANY FLASHBACK ALMODóVAR’S PA AND GLORY. ALSO HELPG RAISE THE VAPORS LEVEL ARE THOSE HANDSOME SPANISH FELLOWS, WHO ARE BARELY THE FILM BUT ADD TO THE FILM’S HEADY, HOT-AND-BOTHERED AIR NOHELS.IT’S A KICK TO SEE ALMODóVAR’S GAY GAZE APPLIED TO A WTERN, THOUGH AT ONLY 31 MUT, THE FILM LEAV WANTG QUE A LOT MORE. ONE HOP THAT THIS MIGHT BE A MERE MO REEL FOR A FULL FEATURE FILM; ALMODóVAR HAS SAID HE IS GAG NFINCE DIRECTG ENGLISH, SO PERHAPS HE MIGHT FEEL READY TO PURSUE A MORE SUBSTANTIAL STORY WH PASL AND HAWK. THERE’S MORE TO BE EXPLORED HERE, MORE NVENTNS OF THE WTERN TO BE TURNED ON THEIR HEADS—OR, RATHER, EXPAND TO CLU NEW NARRATIV. WH STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, ALMODóVAR, SUCH A FULL-THROATED AND SGULAR FILMMAKER, PROV JT THE RIGHT MAN TO LEAD THAT REVOLUTNARY CHARGE.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYTHE HNTG REAL STORY THAT INSPIRED THE EXORCISTBY ROSEMARY COUNTERRICHARD LAWSON
• SAM ELLTT RIPS GAY THEM ‘POWER OF THE DOG,’ LLS A ‘PIECE OF S – – T’
• THE REAL GAY WBOYS
• GAY WBOYS? ‘POWER OF THE DOG’ DO NOT STAND ALONE GOG THERE
• ‘STRANGE WAY OF LIFE’ REVIEW: PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S FASHN SHORT RC ITS GAY COWBOYS TO A COUPLE OF CLOTH HORS
• GAY COWBOY

SO ABOUT THAT GAY COWBOY MOVIE STARRG PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE…

We know that homosexualy existed back the days of the Amerin Frontier, though wasn’t somethg people often drew attentn too.

PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE’S GAY COWBOYS TAKE CANNIN PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S SHORT FILM STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, THE PAIR LEAVE WANTG MORE.BY RICHARD LAWSONMAY 17, 2023COURTY OF CANN FILM FTIVALSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHE PROMISE OF A GAY WTERN STARRG PEDRO PASL AND ETHAN HAWKE AND DIRECTED BY PEDRO ALMODóVAR PROVED TO BE TNIP TO CANN DIENC WHEN THE SHORT FILM STRANGE WAY OF LIFE PREMIERED AT THE FTIVAL WEDNDAY. NOT EVEN A STEADY RA KEPT THE CROWDS AWAY—SPE HAVG TO WA LE, GETTG DRENCHED, FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR. WHEN ALMODóVAR TOOK THE STAGE TO TRODUCE THE FILM—ONE OF HIS FEW FORAYS TO ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CEMA—HE WAS JOED BY HAWKE AND A QUARTET OF HUNKY ACTORS (AMONG THEM MANU RS, OM THE H SPANISH TEEN SOAP ELE). IT ALL SEEMED TO SET THE STAGE FOR SOMETHG VIVID AND SENSUAL THE STYLE OF SO MANY OTHER ALMODóVAR FILMS. AND WAS BORNE OUT, ALBE LIMED WAYS, THE ACTUAL FILM. HAWKE PLAYS A SMALL-TOWN SHERIFF, JAKE, WHO IS VTIGATG THE MURR OF HIS SISTER--LAW AT THE HANDS OF HER LOVER. PASL IS SILVA, AN OLD IEND OF JAKE’S WHO RIS TO TOWN FOR SHADOWY PURPOS. AT LEAST PART OF HIS TENTN IS ROMANTIC: JAKE AND SILVA HAD A TWO-MONTH FLG MEXI SOME 25 YEARS PREV, A BRIEF AND WONRFUL GIVG- TO FORBIDN SIRE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE HNTED THE TWO MEN EVER SCE. SILVAN WANTS TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF, WHILE JAKE HALFHEARTEDLY RISTS. IN THAT SENSE, STRANGE WAY OF LIFE IS A MELODRAMA, WH LOTS OF HEAVY TALK ABOUT THE SWEET, EROTIC GLEAM OF THE PAST AND ALL THE BTER PROMIS OF THE PRENT. HAWKE AND PASL FD THE RIGHT TONE TO HANDLE ALL THIS FLORID EMOTG, WH ALMODóVAR MOSTLY GETTG OUT THEIR WAY. THOUGH HE DO LET ALBERTO IGLIAS’S SWELLG SRE SH AT THE LOVELORN PAIR, A DASH OF OLD HOLLYWOOD FLARE AT ONCE MOURNFUL AND SWOONG. THERE IS EVENTUALLY A SHOOTOUT, OF SORTS, BUT ’S NOT PLAYED FOR FUN. AND ’S ULTIMATELY SERVICE OF A POIGNANT NCLN. STRANGE WAY OF LIFE CUTS THROUGH S GRIZZLE TO ARRIVE AT SOMETHG SOFT AND SENTIMENTAL, A VISN OF HOW JAKE AND SILVA ULD HAVE BEEN HAD THEY ALLOWED PASSN TO W OUT OVER NVENTN AND THE HARSH STRICTUR OF LIFE THE OLD WORLD. THERE IS A SMALL B OF SEXY STUFF TOO, PARTICULARLY A DREAMY AND WE-SOAKED FLASHBACK TO WHAT WAS PERHAPS THE BEGNG OF JAKE AND SILVA’S FIRST RNAL RELEASE. IT’S BRIEF, JT LIKE THE SEXUAL EPIPHANY FLASHBACK ALMODóVAR’S PA AND GLORY. ALSO HELPG RAISE THE VAPORS LEVEL ARE THOSE HANDSOME SPANISH FELLOWS, WHO ARE BARELY THE FILM BUT ADD TO THE FILM’S HEADY, HOT-AND-BOTHERED AIR NOHELS.IT’S A KICK TO SEE ALMODóVAR’S GAY GAZE APPLIED TO A WTERN, THOUGH AT ONLY 31 MUT, THE FILM LEAV WANTG QUE A LOT MORE. ONE HOP THAT THIS MIGHT BE A MERE MO REEL FOR A FULL FEATURE FILM; ALMODóVAR HAS SAID HE IS GAG NFINCE DIRECTG ENGLISH, SO PERHAPS HE MIGHT FEEL READY TO PURSUE A MORE SUBSTANTIAL STORY WH PASL AND HAWK. THERE’S MORE TO BE EXPLORED HERE, MORE NVENTNS OF THE WTERN TO BE TURNED ON THEIR HEADS—OR, RATHER, EXPAND TO CLU NEW NARRATIV. WH STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, ALMODóVAR, SUCH A FULL-THROATED AND SGULAR FILMMAKER, PROV JT THE RIGHT MAN TO LEAD THAT REVOLUTNARY CHARGE.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYTHE HNTG REAL STORY THAT INSPIRED THE EXORCISTBY ROSEMARY COUNTERRICHARD LAWSON

), his very gay, long-lost tw brother (now llg himself ‘Bunny’), to replace him as the ped hero, who mak some drastic chang to his Zorro persona. And wh a great blend of quirky zany quips, an credible sre, and plenty of homage to classic Wtern films of ‘old, there is no doubt that this twist on the legend of Zorro is very queer and gay. I’m mixed on this, and the only reason why I’m leavg this list is bee wh the ensemble st are a “probable” gay uple.

While there are some major issu wh the film, such as the very obv stg of whe Europeans to portray Native Amerins, qutnable seventi art film techniqu, and low budget, “Song of the Loon” tak a rather nocent approach to regards to acceptg one’s homosexualy. Jt about everythg about the wboy way of life screams gay: leather, assls chaps, wboy hats, nim jackets, tight jeans, and spendg a lot of time buildg up a sweat wh other guys. Brokeback Mounta was a heartbreakg movie, but also was one of the first gay films to be regnized as a te masterpiece.

SAM ELLTT RIPS GAY THEM ‘POWER OF THE DOG,’ LLS A ‘PIECE OF S – – T’

It’s not exactly the same type of prtige drama as the other films on this list, but Dashg December has s own special place our gay wboy hearts. The promise of a gay Wtern starrg Pedro Pasl and Ethan Hawke and directed by Pedro Almodóvar proved to be tnip to Cann dienc when the short film Strange Way of Life premiered at the ftival Wednday.

Also helpg raise the vapors level are those handsome Spanish fellows, who are barely the film but add to the film’s heady, hot-and-bothered air ’s a kick to see Almodóvar’s gay gaze applied to a Wtern, though at only 31 mut, the film leav wantg que a lot more. Wtern film in Sam Elltt is beg sp-roasted onle after railg on Jane Campn’s 12-time Osr-nomated drama “The Power of the Dog” for cludg “allns to homosexualy” and other LGBTQ them. For the uniated, the much-praised “The Power of the Dog” stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a closeted gay rancher 1925 Montana who’s abive toward his new sister--law and her son.

Another wonred why Elltt hated the LGBTQ them “Dog” when he apparently loved Ang Lee’s 2005 flick “Brokeback Mounta, ” another pneerg wboy movie that was rife wh gay them.

THE REAL GAY WBOYS

Sam Elltt is chastisg Jane Campn’s Osr-nomated film “The Power of the Dog” for s “allns to homosexualy, ” llg a “piece of s–t. “The whole homosexual thg was tertg — they stepped over the le — but Kathare and I both looked at and thought, ‘What’s the big al? Pedro Almodovar is makg his own Brokeback Mounta, and we nnot wa to see how all turns upg gay wtern romance, tled Strange Way of Life, will feature Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pasl the lead rol.

GAY WBOYS? ‘POWER OF THE DOG’ DO NOT STAND ALONE GOG THERE

"The sire to make his own gay wtern film me om Almodovar not beg ntent wh the rtrictns placed on him when he was beg nsired to direct Brokeback Mounta. As a rult, many fans have been expectg Strange Way of Life to be a much more unfiltered movie when to the gay uple 'll have to stay tuned for more tails about Almodovar's new film, but we're really likg what we're hearg so far!

RELATED | Here's When & Where You Can Fally Stream BrosFrom Your Se ArticlPedro Pasl Is Daddy & Sarah Plson Is Mommy This 'SNL' Sketch ›The Inter Is Redisverg This Gay Role Pedro Pasl Played the '90s ›​35 Sexy Pics of Manu Ríos From 'Éle' & 'Strange Way of Life' ›.

”We fally have the first official trailer for Strange Way of Life, Pedro Almodóvar’s gay Wtern movie starrg Pedro Pasl (Silva) and Ethan Hawke (Sheriff Jake). As the story go, this film is supposed to be Almodóvar’s rponse to once beg attached to direct Brokeback Mounta but not havg the same visn for as the new gay wboy drama will also feature actors José Conssa, Manu Ríos, Jason Fernánz, Sara Sálamo, Erenice Lohan, Gee Steane, and Pedro Casablanc.

‘STRANGE WAY OF LIFE’ REVIEW: PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S FASHN SHORT RC ITS GAY COWBOYS TO A COUPLE OF CLOTH HORS

”We will absolutely be seated to watch Strange Way of Life whenever out Your Se ArticlHere's First Look at Pedro Almodóvar's New Queer Wtern ›Pedro Pasl on Why He Joed Pedro Almodóvar’s Gay Cowboy Short Film ›The 5 LGBTQ+ Cowboy Movi Will Buck Your Bron ›The Inter's Daddy Pedro Pasl Served Legs at the 2023 Met Gala ›Here's All the Hot Guys Starrg 'Strange Way of Life' ›. (Image cred: Alamy)The actor Sam Elltt's ntroversial recent ments cricised The Power of the Dog's 'allns to homosexualy', but queer readgs of wterns stretch back s, and Zachariah is a prime example, wr Sean the ialistic 1960s gave way to the cynil 1970s, US cema began servg up creasgly nihilistic and psychologilly plex stori, all wh sour endgs to match. Zachariah ptur the overlap between anti-Vietnam War, rock mic, sexual liberatn, femism, the emergence of gay rights, civil rights, environmentalism – they're all alcg – Gary NeedhamZachariah's screenplay was rewrten many tim.

In all s Firign-fuelled youth-culture provotn, Needham tells BBC Culture, the film "ptur the overlap between anti-Vietnam War, rock mic, sexual liberatn, femism, the emergence of gay rights, civil rights, environmentalism – they're all alcg" wtern was a predomant mo through which mascule performance was tght, pecially to young whe Amerin menThe boys' embrace at the end of Zachariah, then, is an earnt rebuttal of the toxic, vlent mascule mor on which the wtern genre was built.

Wh Don Johnson gracg s ver, the March 1971 edn of The Advote, the US's olst LGBT publitn, featured a review wh the headle "Are they gay? On the homosexual implitns of the iendship, he wrote, "I'm aaid that's all is – iendship, " addg that the film's script leads to the brk of homosexualy only to back away before be explic. " Gay people will be posive that the boys were lovers, and the straights will be left wh only spicns.

GAY COWBOY

The New York Tim' Roger Greenspun looked closer (too close, perhaps), ncludg that the film "propagandised homosexual love".

In his book Idol Worship: A Shamels Celebratn of Male Bety the Movi (2003), Michael Fergon refers to Johnson at this stage of his reer as "an stant h wh gay dienc", and "sold as chicken feed and pecked at wh light". Nu stills om his works were regularly prted gay magaz, and Johnson was, says Fergon, "extremely gay-iendly and gay-thankful". When Zach first approach Matthew, he’s shirtls and sweaty, wearg ltle but a blacksmh's smock, Fergon wrote: "the homoerotic possibili of this exchange [might] turn to the first gay wtern sce Andy Warhol's Lonome Cowboys (1969)".

Red River (1948), a film laced wh nuendo which John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, a closeted gay man, admire each other's firearms, was labelled a queer touchstone – alongsi Calamy Jane (1953) and Johnny Guar (1954), which also upend genr rol – Vo Rso's 1981 book The Celluloid Closet: Homosexualy the Movi, and the documentary of the same name (1995). Andy Warhol's Horse (1965) and Lonome Cowboys (1969) make clear the nnectns between stume, Amerin male inty and homosexualy. "The wboy has always had a lot of currency gay eroti and eventual pornography, " says Needham, who pots also to gay-liberatn films such as Song of the Loon (1970), and gay porn featur such as The Savag (1971), as exampl.