We are all deeply saddened to lose Patrick Swayze who died from pancreatic cancer –a particularly evil sort– this week at 57. Rest assured, the Monday Hotness WILL be Johnny Castle, who catapulted my entire female generation into puberty, but I truly believe his best role was Miss Vida Boheme, in what may actually be the single greatest film of all time, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Love, Julie Newmar.
“Well pumpkins, it comes down to that age-old decision: style… or… substance?”
“Internal combustion, the ultimate accessory.”
“A car? Mary Alice Louise, no. This is a land yacht.”
“I think tomorrow is a “Say Something” hat day.”
[referring to Diana Vreeland’s memoir DV] “Read it? My dear child you should commit entire passages to memory!”
“Oh! No one say anything frivolous for the next few moments. I am having a significant experience.”
(I love how this outfit is a wink to Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in the cross-dressing buddy film that started it all, Some Like It Hot)
“I want you to believe in yourself, imagine good things and moisturize, I cannot stress this enough.”
and most importantly, the last line has been my personal credo for years:
Larger than life is just the right size.
I have lusted for the dress in the 2nd photo forever. It is perfection. And the suit in the 5th photo is not far behind…
Comment by Jewels — September 18, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
He was quite amazing in this film. I always admired that performance.
Comment by Chiken — September 18, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
Too Wpmg foo is such an amazing movie.
Love the Friday fierceness..although everyday should be a say something hat day!
Patrick Swayze is a pretty woman
Comment by jessie — September 18, 2009 @ 5:29 pm
Love Miss Vida. Love this movie.
Pervy Cop: “Do you know what you career girls want?” Miss Vida: “Careers?”
And Patrick Swayze…so statuesque. ;)
Comment by Cheeky — September 18, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
Somehow, I only got around to seeing this movie a few months ago. I’m not sure how I lived without it.
Comment by Evie — September 18, 2009 @ 7:38 pm
I absolutely love this movie (and I finally got my husband to see it a few years ago). It paints such a wonderful image of living life exactly the way you want to and respecting yourself (even if others don’t respect you).
For me the most touching moment is when Miss Vida is outside her childhood home. Even before I really seriously thought about having kids, I swore to myself that as long as my children were happy with they way they live their lives, I would be happy too.
Comment by dr nic — September 18, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
“Little Latin girl in a dress, why are you crying?”
What I really loved was that they showed the small town that they didn’t need to change, they just needed to start respecting themselves again. The same theme popped up again in “Cars,” which is one of the most truly American stories ever told.
Comment by Obi-Wandreas — September 18, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
So love this movie, and this dear actor. He was a tour-de-force in so many ways. Now I have to see this again!!
Comment by pamici — September 18, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
Saw this in the theaters. I still remember the final scene when all my girlfriends and I turned to each other and hissed, “Why does John Leguizamo look better in pale pink lipstick than we do?!”
The scene with “Brick House” and the train = cinematic greatness.
He was an Amazon of a woman in this flick!
Comment by Monica the Tiara Chick — September 19, 2009 @ 1:23 am
I love you, Miss Vida Boheme! (And you too, Miss Plumcake!)
Comment by Jane — September 19, 2009 @ 8:07 am