Bob...gay? - Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) Discussion

[–] ScottiDA 13 years ago

Very plausible theory. I often wondered that about Bob myself.

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No, he's not gay. The film does a great job playing with gender roles. Elvira is the hero, therefore she's "masculine". Bob is Elvira's love interest, therefore he's "feminine". And Patty is the rival, therefore also "masculine". The two masculine characters compete for the love of the feminine character.

If their roles were filled by characters of the opposite sex (if Elvira was Elvis, Patty was Patrick, and Bob was Betty), you'd have the same, regular love triangle that's in every other film.

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[–] Doc110894 13 years ago

Yeah, the whole reversal thing was kind of fresh.

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[–] smeth 12 years ago

He's not gay. Mongrove M. explained it well. The old movie "Johnny Guitar" 1954 does a similar thing. It's a western with a rivalry between two women (Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge) who fight over a guy (Sterling Hayden).

And also, we never see Bob flirting/kissing/holding hands/making out/walking on the beach/having a romantic candle lit dinner with a GUY. If he did that, that would be a pretty good clue.

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[–] ElysianGolden525 13 years ago

I don't think he was gay and I don't think the actor did bad in the role, to be fair he was supposed to be a simpleton and all. If Patty was the only woman in town and I was straight, I'd avoid her too since she's mean-spirited, selfish, and nasty. I always thought he was just a lovable oaf and maybe didn't get that she liked him because he was too simple to get she was flirting with him.

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[–] AlienTerminator 13 years ago

I would agree with that except for the fact that she had already kissed him on the street and then when they were on the couch after her show, she basically had to throw herself at him.

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[–] Clothes-Off 12 years ago

But the way the townspeople were all expected to behave, an outsider would have to make the first move. They probably have several morality clauses in the town's bylaws.

"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!" C. M. Burns

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[–] Alek_Hidell 12 years ago

Also, all the men in the town were timid and henpecked. In Fallwell, the women were the bosses, not the men. Bob was just acting like he had been raised in a town where women were in charge.

------------------
I'm just a patsy!

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[–] DesperateHouseboy 12 years ago

No i dont think he was gay.

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[–] sam_orozco2002 12 years ago

i think he's just shy, and doesn't date much, and is nervous about making a move. def. not gay. just shy.

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[–] liamforeman 12 years ago

Gay. Guys I knew back in my small town who were like that were gay. Small town, old fashioned mores. Get him to a big city and he'd lose the shyness and be the big old bottom he was destined to be. Absolutely gay.

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[–] I_Love_Hutch 8 years ago

Sounds like you want him to be gay. Bob is a totally hot, handsome, hunky, sweet lummox of a man. And I would love him to play for our team. But he's not gay.

I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

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[–] I_Love_Hutch 8 years ago

At least I don't think he is.

I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

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[–] I_Love_Hutch 8 years ago

At least I don't think he is.

I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

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[–] I_Love_Hutch 8 years ago

At least I don't think he is.

I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

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[–] I_Love_Hutch 8 years ago

Sounds like you want him to be gay. Bob is a totally hot, handsome, hunky, sweet lummox of a man. And I would love him to play for our team. But he's not gay.

I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] ElectricWarlock 12 years ago

I think everyone in that town was conditioned from birth to believe that anything having to do with sex, rock music, violent movies, etc. were wrong and immoral. So when Elvira came along, nobody knew quite how to handle her, especially Bob. I think he had the mindset of the rest of the town because of the way he was brainwashed to think those things were wrong.

Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.

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[–] AlienTerminator 12 years ago

I get that the idea is that everyone is repressed, but she throws herself at him so many times, and actually does kiss him when she falls off the ladder, and then has to keep throwing herself at him later on until it's almost like he finally relents (like a gay person would).

If that's the end of the story, how come all of the teenage boys are enthralled by her? Yes, they're teenagers, but if that's just the answer that they're taught to not look at women, it doesn't make sense that the kids would and Bob would not.

Also, I think it speaks better for her character that again, she is so charming, she can turn a gay man straight.

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[–] ElectricWarlock 12 years ago

I know teenagers are more focused on sex than adults because of their hormones, so maybe Bob outgrew that and went back to the town's normal way? Your theory does make sense too, though. I'd love to know whether the writers intended for him to be gay or not.

Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] PeterBlues 8 years ago

yes, he seemed pretty happy. but that's a funny thought, i never looked at it that way before, the idea never struck me, that will make it interesting to keep in mind next time i view it, i usually watch elvira host horror movies, and i forget the actual movie she's starred in herself. i've had this on a uk vhs release for years and just recently got a dvd release, a double feature along with transylvania 6-5000.

on this lonesome journey,
ive got nobody,
life as a fugitive,
seem everybodys after me,
nothing around seem real,
if i pushed would cardboards reveal,
dont know where to go,
nowhere to belong,
stranger without a home,
feels like taking to sea,
seem people here only want to play tricks on me,
trying to find an exit some place,
so exhausted i can't see straight,
on this heartbreakin journey by myself.

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[–] legnadibrom (5743) 4 years ago

Daniel Greene is a phenomenal actor & showed his chops in this flick

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[–] Kokoro (40) 2 years ago

Bob was a VIRGIN without much experience. Her hotness and forwardness scared him.He was hetero.... didn't you see him checking her out at the bowling alley. His eyes were glue to that dress.

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