Channing Tatum - A wrestler controlled in 'Foxcatcher'

 

Channing Tatum in the Wrestling Arena

 

Those of you who enjoy my stories of hunky male stereotypes being controlled and dominated might enjoy watching the film 'Foxcatcher' which I discovered this week. A fleshy Channing Tatum plays a Gold Medal winning, Olympic amateur wrestler (above). His character is one of the US team taken under the wing of a wealthy sponsor, John Du Pont, who wants to help them win more medals for the US. As part of the deal they have to live and train in the grounds of his mansion.

Channing Oiled up

Du Pont takes a particular interest in Channing' s character, showering him with attention, using his image to promote the venture (above) and parading him to conventions to talk about it.

It soon becomes apparent that Du Pont is delusional about his abilities as a wrestling coach but the wrestling establishment is enthusiastic about the live-in workcamp arrangement and the hefty financial sponsorship he provides.

Channing in the back seat

There's a suggestion that Du Pont's interests in his sportsmen are homosexual as he repeatedly contrives encounters where Channing is partly undressed - like personally oiling him up for the photoshoot or visiting his cabin to confer on training late at night.

Channing is intimidated by the man's confidence and wealth and flattered by the attention he is getting. Anxious not to rock the boat, he accepts the offer of friendship and gradually falls under Du Pont's spell.  His increasing hero-worship and subservience also contributes to that 'is-it-gay?' theme but it's just a hint. There's no confirmation of a sexual relationship but he ends up performing personal, menial tasks for his mentor (above). 

Channing hammered in the Ring

 

Gradually Channing's training suffers and his performance in the ring deteriorates (above), he fails to win a second gold medal and retires to a lesser existence as a coach and Pro-wrestler (below)

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Channing stripped for action

The gay angle has caused something of a spat with the author of the story, Mark Schultz, whose own real life story the film is based on. He denies having any homosexual relationship with Du Pont but this outrage seems to have been triggered mainly by the predictable insinuations of the media following release of the film. Prior to that he seems to have found the manipulations and closeness shown in the film and Channing's moody and slightly dense portrayal as acceptable. 

 

Channing leaves Camp

 

It's rather sad that Schultz believes it matters to anyone important whether he was seduced or not, or that it's a matter of shame. He certainly would not be the first young man to experiment or to fall under the control of power and wealth. Actually the film is harder on his character than his sexuality. It suggests that he was groomed and no more. He is humiliated but proudly walks away from it all at the end, explaining "You know why I can't stay". But sadly his sporting career is already in ruins. 

There's a lot more to the film than this, which I won't give away, but just as a study in mitchmen-esque grooming and control of a strong and attractive man it makes fascinating (and disturbing) viewing.

Foxcatcher produced by Annapurna Pictures , Likely Story, Media Rights Capital

Mitch-Man under Pressure

Mitchell - Bondage Furniture No 7 (The Surfboard)

I drew this picture shortly after posting my A-Z article on 'The Amir' in 2008 and have just noticed it's resemblence to a bondage arrangement used by that artist there 

(and also reproduced in my most recent post about him). 

It is an interesting example of how we subconsciously absorb influences, but I'm happy to acknowledge it. The Amir went a lot further than me in promoting the captive's discomfort. I left my man merely anticipating developments. These are unseen by us, but they do seem to be worrying ones for him!

This image is No 7 from my Bondage Furniture series,
which can be seen in full at the Yahoo! Group. (Link in sidebar).

There's another from the series in this blog post:- Bondage Furniture No 1 

No 6 is posted in the Blog Gallery
along with a selection of other pictures by me (click on image in sidebar)

See other Mitchell pictures posted on this blog by clicking on the 'mitchpix' label below

A-Z article updated - The Amir

The Amir - In Punishment

An infernal machine worthy of Franco!

I just updated my A-Z article on the artist 'The Amir', 

(click on name for link)

I'm still looking for a web link for his work - any offers?.

Tom's Bar Predators - a new addition

Tom of Finland - Sketch of Bar Scene

 

Whilst researching my recent series of articles on Tom of Finland, I came across this sketch and it reminded me of his well known Bar Predators series, discussed here in 2012. It was the figure on the right that triggered this thought, his jaunty cap and upturned collar is very much in the same mould as that group (see below). The bar itself (with the barman in a cameo role) and the figure bent over it also fit the original scenario quite neatly.

 

On closer inspection I also thought I could see a chain on the same biker's left shoulder, but that may be wishful thinking. The most compelling evidence though must be the tear in his T-shirt revealing his right nipple (see above and below). The other biker looks as though he has a beard in the new scene, which would be wrong, but it's possible this is just evidence of a correction of the jaw line, beards are fairly rare in Tom's work (more on Tom's Beards).
.

 
Tom - Bar Predators 1

If my reasoning is correct (and I make no claims to 'discovering' this picture) it resurrects the argument as to why Tom never finished this widely admired series. It's not hard to imagine why this particular picture didn't go any further, there's something of a hole in the middle of the composition although this could probably be fixed - by lowering the viewpoint or bringing the cop in closer for example. The cop's pose and garb shown here feature in many of Tom's images and it's interesting that this is the only part of the sketch which is anything like complete, illustrating Tom's obsession with it. For my money the bikers are much more interesting, but that's just my obsession!

You can see the extended series in it's entirety 
at the revised version of my original Bar Predators article.

A Space Cadet is Chastised

Space Cadet Chastised by Mitchell Gay Art

In a far distant Galaxy that time had forgotten, 

a Space Cadet from the visiting Starship 'Mantopia'

 is arrested  by the locals for not concealing his offensive hair.

He is sentenced to 5,000 pulses of Laser Tit Augmentation Torture.

The rest of the crew (all brunettes) look on in envy. 

I rarely do Spacemen in my art, but there's another example in this blog - The Astronaut

which uses similar designs.

Click on the 'mitchpix' label below for more of Mitchell's artwork

Men Sharing Clothes 19 - Cut-offs and Cowboys

Doug Courtney

 Getting different models to pose in the same clothes is nothing new as these pictures from the AMG era show. You get the impression that the set-up then was pretty casual then and the men picked up off the street, so there must have been some interesting reactions when they were asked to put on someone else's skanky cut-offs - without having any underwear on. Later they would realise just how much previous wearers had perspired under studio lights. Perhaps that explains the less than joyous expression on the boy's face in the picture below - or maybe it's just the draught from that open door.

The models in these pictures seem far less muscular and sensual than modern day imagery but these pair are well developed and trim, it's the photographic style that is different. Model No 2 whose name I haven't discovered seems to be raging with testosterone and his unthreatening, boy next door  appeal is timeless.

I discovered this image more recently, Doug Courtney again, I think, showing his torso muscle to better effect.

For other articles about men sharing clothes click on the 'sharing' label below

Nous Sommes Charlie!

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

FREEDOM FROM BIGOTRY

FREEDOM FROM DICTATORSHIP

IN THE NAME OF RELIGION

FOR EVERYONE.

Canard translates as 'duck' and also 'joke, witticism'

"The ducks/jokes always fly higher than the bullets"

 "Oh no......... Not them......."

 and politicians, and religious bigots.........

 A wake up call for muslims?

 Postscript......