Before there was Brokeback...

There was Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man.

Let me preface this with the fact this movie was released in 1991 and transition from the eighties to the nineties was not an easy one.

It was a weird weird shift from the greed, coke, and big BIG hair of the 80's to the earthy crunchy, grunge fuel slacker fest of the early nineties. SOOO awkward!

Sort of like giving birth to a 48-lb orangutan covered in peanut butter - can't stop it from happening but that doesn't mean it has to make sense.

So yeah, back to my main point. I really think that Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man was the Brokeback of the early nineties. I watched it again today. Yes, again. I am a glutton for crap tv.

Anyway, there was definite tension between Mr. Johnson and Mr. Rourke.

Especially at the end when Don is about to hop on the horse at the rodeo and Mickey leans in. Just when you think they are heading for a big wet one, they hug....

Back then, that's how Hollywood treated gay love - with heartfelt hugs.

And another thing.

How come the bad guy ALWAYS announces his intentions, just in case the good guy is a little retarded.

Example: in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, there is a scene where two men are holding up a gas station and Harley (played by the semi-retarded Mickey Rourke) advances on the knife-wielding bad guy who says (with a straight face)

"I am going to cut you long wide and deep"

Well duh.

What else were you going to do with that knife? Peel him a grape?

Please.