P and I are sitting here spending our Saturday night watching one of the true cinematic classics, “The Electric Horseman”. He’s never seen it which frankly is a travesty and makes me wonder how we ended up together.
And I hate to say this but I think he may be mocking one of my favorite movies of all time.
Granted, it is slightly unbelievable that a man on a horse could outrun a band of police cars and several police motorcycles.
Without losing his cowboy hat.
But back in 1979 when I was a ten year old girl wearing some sweet cowboy boots from Weiners, something in this movie spoke to me deeply. I just knew I wanted to spend my life out on the range with wild horses.
Unless I decided to spend it trying to win cross-country races disguised as a nun in an ambulance with Dom Deluise as Captain Chaos and Burt Reynolds as J.J. McClure.
And if you were born after 1980 you have no idea what I’m talking about.
Tragic.
But, most importantly, watching “The Electric Horseman” and seeing Robert Redford’s lightly feathered hair has triggered a memory that P has never shared with me. In 5th and 6th grade he used to blow dry his hair using a brush attachment to achieve that winged-back look.
This piece of information has made my Saturday night complete.
BrownEyedGirl says:
Sadly, I don’t know what you’re talking about. ‘83 baby!!
April 19th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
jubilee says:
‘72 and I never saw the movie, but my husband has quoted it enough that I feel like I have seen it!
Never saw The Electric Horseman either. Did I just admit to how incredibly sheltered I was as a kid? Ah well. There are worse things . . .
April 19th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Lisa @ The PW says:
Brings back memories of how I used to lovingly blowdry Luke’s mullet for him. It was blonde, Greek god perfection.
I would love to show you but I’ve been threatened with the complete and utter removal of all technology from my life should the hair pictures appear on the blog.
Isn’t he such a party pooper?
April 19th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Kelly @ Love Well says:
Please tell me he kept a large-handled comb in his back pocket in case the feathers went limp.
April 19th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Jennifer says:
Cannonball Run? 1974 baby! I also loved “Smoky and the Bandit” as well as “Every Which Way But Loose”. Oh boy, now that’s a classy list of films!
April 19th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Diane J. says:
Please, can you talk about the black Firebird Trans Am a little? And Fred was kinda cute too….
April 19th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Holly Smith says:
I am slightly older than you and have never met the wonder that is “The Electric Horseman.” I like the horse part!!
Have a wonderful week, Melanie!!
holly
April 19th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Moriah (Please Pass the Salt) says:
Yep, no idea. But I can relate to the husband and past funny hair habits, oh yes ma’am.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Karen (Simply A Musing Blog) says:
Born June 22, 1969. Loved the fact that he saved the horse. What a romance. Sigh.
Smokey and the Bandit? A classic from which we still quote lines - especially in super heavy traffic in big cities we visit - I get a kick out of telling my husband, “Stand on it, Stroker!”
(and only if you’ve ever actually seen SATB would that make sense - otherwise, you might think I was being a tad rude - which I assure you, I am not.)
April 19th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Andrea says:
I love teh electric horseman and I was born in ‘81! Ahhh…Robert Redford. There will never be another like him! And who doesn’t love Jane Fonda. Of course, speaking of the two, one of the best movies ever is Barefoot in the Park. If you haven’t seen it, OMG, go out and get it today! Netflix, blockbuster, whatever! You will be rolling!
April 20th, 2008 at 12:03 am
mrs. f5 says:
Chagrined confession: I’ve never seen The Electric Man of Horse, either.
I cannot muster an explanation for this.
I was b. 1970 and am a self-professed fan of All Things Redford (he was, after all, the original Brad Pitt).
I have every one of his facial expressions from The Way We Were committed to memory. (Oh, Hubbell: SWOON.)
I even remember seeing commercials for the movie on our wee color teevee with no remote control, but… that’s it.
Will rectify this soon. Sans mocking.
By the by, his mom has a picture of a young mr. f5 with carefully winged-back hair, wearing a stylin’ brown corduroy pantsuit and proudly posing with two thumbs up, in happy salute to the Fonz.
I’m not sure, but he may even be wearing a gold necklace of some sort.
I’ve produced three grandchildren for her, but she still won’t. give. up. that. picture. Arrghh.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Becky (FrumpMama) says:
Born in ‘71, but never saw that movie.
However, I DO remember those fancy hairdryers that had brush and comb attatchments for feathering ones hair, lol. Ours was kind of school-bus yellow, and lasted for years longer than todays models do.
In fact, we were the last people I know of to finally get the much coveted salon style Vidal Sassoon brown hair dryer with the long tube on the blowing end.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Ashleigh (Heart and Home) says:
I saw this was on tv tonight… but–please forgive me–I didn’t stop. Blame it on being an ‘86 girl. Now, if you want to talk about… well, I won’t say, because I’m a leetle embarrased to admit the movies I remember from my early years in the late ’80s. Ahem.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:50 am
suburbancorrespondent says:
I don’t want to know my husband’s hair-styling history. Some things are better left buried.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Darlene says:
picture…we need a picture!
I had the feathered look going on, too. It was a sad time.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Mrs. Who says:
My daughter was BORN IN 1979, so that shows you how old I am. OF COURSE I loved that movie - Redford was hot and who wouldn’t like to ride off with a cowboy? My husband couldn’t achieve the feathers with his thick, curly hair, but he did blow it dry and tame it with mousse until, in old pictures, it looks rather like a plastic wig. But he was stylin, baby.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Big Mama says:
The chicks at the Cotillion dance were putty in my hand.
P
April 20th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Minnesotamom says:
Classic? I’ve never even heard of it, unfortunately. But the other one might be The Flying Nun?
1980 here.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Minnesotamom says:
Oh, and Husband’s idea of styling his hair back then? Bedhead.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Becoming Me says:
Big smile after reading this post. I have never seen the movie but have many movies that are dear to my heart but are deemed cheesy
April 20th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Stephanie says:
P must have had a long handled comb with his name on it that he could whip out of his painter pants side pocket. No self-respecting boy who would take time with his wings would be without it. We still have my dh’s =) Ahhh - good memories…
April 20th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Heidi says:
Hmm, I might have to go rent that movie. I’m sure Mr. C has seen it, what with him being ancient compared to me.
Plus, he’s a big movie person.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Jeanette says:
My hair dryer was bright orange and matched by digital alarm clock!
Stephanie cracked me up with the painter’s pants comment. My mom hated mine. She also hated my overalls. That was right before the Levi’s 501 button fly.
That was right about the time a guy I liked in high school gave me a ride home in his car and I found out he used Dr. Pepper lip smackers. I never went out with him after that. I must have been jealous because that was the flavor I wanted.
April 20th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Linda at 2nd Cup says:
Big Mama, I have posted answers to the questions you posed about blogging pertaining to She Speaks: http://2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com/2008/04/answer-questions-for-big-mama-and.html
April 20th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Gini says:
Loved the Electric Horseman– just loved it! Even insisted that my parents buy the sound track (”Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys….”)! But I was a sucker for any good horse story as a kid –also loved The Man From Snowy River.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
cindi weber says:
fair warning, both walgreen’s and target have armor all products on sale this week. hide his keys and wallet…
April 20th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Cheri says:
Ah, Cannonball Run, now there’s a classic! The best part were the bloopers at the end.
Love Electric Horseman, how can you not?
P - I’m sure the “chick” is still putty in your hand!
Only Husband never had any hair to feather, poor thing lost his on top while still in high school. Ah, but the first time I met him I fell in love with the long black curls hanging down from the back of his cowboy hat. Found out on our first date that there was none on top but I married him anyway. Twice!
April 20th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Dana says:
Electric Horseman rocks but Smokey and the Bandit was better…can’t you just hear Burt’s laugh and Sally was so precious!
April 21st, 2008 at 7:48 am
Amy Wyatt says:
We started watching The Electric Horseman Saturday but had to leave to go somewhere. My hubby recorded it so we could finish it later
I love Robert Redford, but Burt Reynolds is close to my heart too.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:39 am
Hstull says:
Okay-I don’t know if I laughed harder at the fact that P had that haircut or that he commented that the ‘Cotillian’ chics were putty in his hand. I actually spit up my diet coke!
April 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Krista says:
I was born in ‘79 and still have no idea what you’re talking about…
April 21st, 2008 at 3:20 pm