In 1991, 12-year old Jordan Christopher Michael starred in
Motorama, about a boy named Gus who runs away from his abusive parents and drives cross-country, through an arid wilderness something like the Western United States. His goal is to acquire enough coupons from Chimera Gas stations to win a fabulous prize.
Early on, Gus meets a gas station attendant, Phil (John Diehl), who is lonely and asks him to stay.
But Gus refuses and continues on through the bleak landscape, having unsavory adventures and meeting nasty people. He is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. He loses an eye. His arm is forcibly tattooed. Years pass, and Gus grows old (though he is still played by the same actor). Finally he claims his prize, but it turns out to be a chimera. He ends up back where he started, outside the gas station where Phil works. He decides to stay after all. The film ends with their hug.
A father-foster son bonding moment? Or since Gus's age is unclear, he could be a teenager or an adult -- a homoromantic conclusion?
But the video cover shows a picture of Drew Barrymore -- overwhelming Gus -- with the caption: "There's only one way to win the girl of your dreams -- floor it!"
Except Gus never wins her, never tries to win her. She's not the girl of his dreams. He only dreams about her because she is holding out the Chimera prize. He wants the prize, not her.
Gus experiences no heterosexual interest, at all, ever. And every heterosexual relationship depicted in the movie is abusive and nasty.
Leave it to Hollywood to try to sell a same-sex romance as a heterosexual romance.
After a few more projects, including
Full House, Jordan Christopher Michael retired from acting (left, recent photo).
What is he doing now?
ReplyDeleteMotorama appears to be filmed in Arizona and southern Utah.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's where it is filmed, but not where it is set. They show a map, with states that look nothing like the states in our U.S., and every time he enters a new state, there's a "welcome sign" For instance, he begins in the State of South Lyndon. Brand names are different, too.
DeleteIs there a gay subtext? Did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteThis post is from 2012, so I don't really remember. I think it has something to do with the advertising promoting a "dream girl," who the boy actually isn't interested in, so the movie is being sold as a heterosexual romance when it isn't.
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