these two films have a failry similar storyline, not exactly the same but it's a similar subject matter, but isnt it strange that in pretty woman she lives practiacally on the poverty line struggling to pay the rent and colouring her boots in with a marker pen, yet in Gigolo he lives in a fancy apartment and wear armani suits.
what does this say about sexual culture? female prostitutes are dirty creatures but male ones are acceptable.
In AG, Julian started as a gay street hustler and became Leon's lover to get off the street. From there he progressed to a high-end call boy. He stepped on many toes during the limb and that's way he was frame-able for the murder committed by Leon's current boy-toy.
In PW, the Roberts character was at the point where Julian was years before.
I think you bring up a good point.
Be honest how often do you hear about street male prostitutes.
I'm sure they exist, but they're not mainstream.
I certainly havn't seen any movies with a "low scale" male prostitute being portrayed.
EAT THIS!!!!!
(no mater what happened in Alien 3.. Hicks lives!!!!)
You should check out "My Own Private Idaho" with Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. They both portray street level male hustlers in the film.
shareYou can't really compare the prevalence of male and female prostitutes. The great majority of male prostitutes are serving male clients. This brings, quite obviously, male homosexuality into the picture in what could very well be seen as a bad light.
I suppose you could have a movie about a rich woman who buys a man for the evening (the Pretty Woman plot with role reversal). That has been done, but, once again, showing women as having to pay for sex probably wouldn't be good box office.
ya these 2 movies are intertwined alright
shareI read a column in the newspaper once where the female columnist said that it's very rare for women to hire male prostitutes because as she put it, there's too many men out there willing to do it to them for free! (not original, but LOL anyway).
shareI thought the films were quite similar as well...and with Hector Elizondo righteous in both movies, I had to smile a bit...
shareI noticed that too about Hector Elizondo. However, the only similarity that I see between Pretty Woman and American Gigolo is the prostitution and, of course, Hector. That's where it ends. This is the first time I have seen this movie, this evening, and I'm kind of lost. I hadn't realised that Kayne was involved with Leon. Did I miss something? I'll watch again to make sure!
shareThe difference was in American Gigolo, he made big money making older, rich women feel wanted/feel beautiful/feel appreciated. These women have the money for it and were willing to pay big for it. That's how he was able to live in a fancy apartment. Whereas in Pretty Woman, she was a straight up street walker where men paid her $20 or so for 10 minutes of her time when all they wanna do is bang.
shareI thought the films were quite similar as well...and with Hector Elizondo righteous in both movies, I had to smile a bit...
The difference was in American Gigolo, he made big money making older, rich women feel wanted/feel beautiful/feel appreciated. These women have the money for it and were willing to pay big for it. That's how he was able to live in a fancy apartment. Whereas in Pretty Woman, she was a straight up street walker where men paid her $20 or so for 10 minutes of her time when all they wanna do is bang.
I noticed similarities, too, and found it quite amusing.
Of course you all didn't mention that one of the similarities of the movies is Richard Gere, probably because it's so obvious.
And when you see him cruising in his car looking for (male) hookers in American Gigolo, doesn't that remind you of the situation where Gere meets Roberts in Pretty Woman? In both cases, he's not looking for the obvious, but for directions.
I disagree with your notes on sexual culture, though. As other posters have said before, they are on differents steps of the career ladder. There are female equivalents of Julian Kay, too.
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What a weird thread. The difference in the two characters is not in their respective sexes. Gere is a beautiful young man. Julia Roberts is a very ugly woman who looks ten years older than she really is. Of course her character would not be able to make the same money Gere's character is making. The woman should be happy if anyone would have sex with her if she payed them. What's wrong with some of you people?
Hidyho!
Fedorevsky, I am usually attuned to the unfair differences between the way men and woman are treated. But, you are correct here. Julian was a high-class male hooker. Vivian was basically a street walker. There are also, on the flip side, high-class female call girls (remember Heidi Fleiss and Sidney Biddle Barrows) and male street hustlers. The sex makes no difference at all.
shareI think also that respectability and companionship were important to the older wealthy women Julian worked for. He was someone you could take to a country club, Senator Stratten's dinner, spoke 6 languages, could speak intelligently about art, etc. That made him more valuable.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne
How can you say JR is ugly?) Most everyone else sees her as beautiful.
shareWhy do so many movies romanticize prostitution?
share