Nothin in here about two men skating! - Blades of Glory, Jimmy/Chazz
Title: He Taught Me Some Stuff.
Author: xenafox
Fandom: Blades of Glory
Pairing(s): Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElory
Spoilers: The entire movie. If Chazz and Jimmy were in a scene, it's spoiled!
Warnings: Um..innuendo, pictures. Not TOO many, but enough. Oh and a couple videos.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Dreamworks and the wonderful people who worked on this movie :)
Notes: Some of my pictures are low quality. Still easy to see, but I know that can bother some people!
Introduction:
On October 6th, 2007 I rented a funny looking movie I’d seen advertised for a few months. It had Will Ferrell, whom I wasn’t too fond of at the time, but I decided to try it anyway. It was just a way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends since previous plans had been cancelled and nothing more, right?
Wrong. This has pretty much consumed me, and that viewing was over a year and a half ago! I pretty much instantly attached to the main characters, and became obsessed with the certain chemistry they have. During the week that followed I found there was a fanbase that thought exactly as I did, and I was enthralled! There were wonderful stories and thoughtful posts, and what seemed like a fun crew of regulars. However, as with most comedies, it died down rather fast, even though it still has fans. So, it has been my mission to bring new interest to this movie. For what’s regarded as such a silly idea, this movie really means a lot to me, and I’m sure it could mean a lot to someone else. I just love what these two characters have between them.
The story is about the ice skaters Jimmy Macelroy and Chazz Michael Michaels. Jimmy, a famous skater built on elegance and grace, while Chazz is the “Lone Wolf,” a rough, sex addict, hip-thrusting, “ice-devouring sex tornado” - and the complete opposite of Jimmy. They are skating rivals who happen to get matching scores, which leads to a fight on the ice since neither likes each other enough to share the spotlight. As a result, they are banned from men’s singles for the rest of their lives, the ultimate punishment for both of them.
Jimmy and Chazz each get jobs that obviously neither of them is fond of, and both are absolutely miserable. Then three years after being banned, they meet up again. They still hate each other, but learn that they are only banned in men’s singles, and end up coming together as a team for pairs’ skating. As they do, they are noticed by the villainous Stranz and Fairchild van Waldenberg, two talented twins that have dominated pairs’ figure skating for years.
What follows is a beautiful friendship formed by Jimmy and Chazz as they learn to open up, trust each other, and do their very best to win gold. They overcome the obstacles thrown at them including the van Waldenburg’s third, unluckiest sister, a death-defying move that could end with decapitation, and Stranz with a crossbow. The movie flows from one fun scene to another, fleshing out the story of these two men, and placing them in a much closer relationship than some might initially realize.
The movie is very flamboyant. Male figure skaters always seem gay, whether they are or not, it’s not regarded as a manly sport compared to football. It involves glitter and spandex, and when it comes to pairs, sexually charged positions…ice skating wins! As far as the characters in Blades go, they don’t come off as straight, even when they try. And honestly, they don’t even try that hard. During points in the movie when the public is commenting about them as a team (“as if figure skating wasn’t gay enough already”, said by a random fan in the film), there is nothing shown about Jimmy and Chazz bothering to try and fight it.
Our Stars!
Jimmy MacelroyJimmy is a sheltered guy, almost your standard, narcissistic rich brat except he faced an extreme case of tough love after being disowned when he was banned. He has a girly hairdo and his overall appearance is feminine. His clothes are feminine colors. His opening act has him dressed as a peacock, a beautiful but unmasculine bird. Jimmy dresses as the Ice in their first routine, the pair’s first routine. The outfit itself wasn’t gay, as far as skating outfits go, but it certainly gave off vibes when paired with Chazz’s Fire. Jimmy acts fairly whiny, like a “woman”, he likes skittles and Froot Loops…stereotypical “fruit”.
Chazz is the overcompensating macho male. He acts confident and voices every thought, although he is pretty vulnerable, something that comes into play when matched with Jimmy. He does his sexy dance moves and humps the air, anything to make him look manly. It is interesting to note he shoots fire. There is no explanation for it and he does it in each of his skating costumes…Combined with a Fire outfit he wears, it’s easy to draw one thing from this: Flamer. Whether seen as a derogatory comment for homosexuals or fun slang, it’s there. He dresses manlier than Jimmy, his bedwear being simply a loose tank top, small black underwear, and a black robe. He calls “top” in the bunk-bed they are forced to sleep in, as he is the dominant personality. Fun fact: Chazz is also known as "Ice skating's backdoor lover".
Chazz Michael Michaels
A great quote from Will Speck, one of the two directors, goes as follows: ”They perfectly mirror one another, yet both are completely dysfunctional. Each needs to learn from the other guy a little bit in order to get on with his life.”
They really do learn and grow with each other. Jimmy is a loving, sweet guy under that brattiness. He opens up a little more, both with Chazz, and trying to push his own limits such as asking a girl on a date. An important turning point in the movie, which I will bring up a couple of more times, is when Jimmy falls on the ice in their first routine. Chazz helps him up and gives him confidence to finish despite the embarrassing moment, and that makes a huge difference. By the end of the movie Jimmy is able to do things a bit more independently, and has warmed up to Chazz. He was cold, i.e. the ice. He’s gotten over a few. For example he starts out being grossed out by Chazz’s fat, and in the middle of the movie he is able to hug a shirtless Chazz without any nasty comments. He smiles a lot just being around him when all he used to do was look pissed off he had to share space with him. It’s easy to see that Jimmy absolutely enjoys Chazz’s company, and supports him.
Chazz’s growth is more noticeable - he is “The Lone Wolf.” He wears a tattoo of suchon his shoulder, although he doesn’t like talking about it. In the beginning, Chazz is blunt, rude, full of self confidence, and calls Jimmy a girl. After getting banned from skating, Chazz stops caring, letting himself go as he takes a job in a children’s ice show where gets stoned with his cast members, walks around drunk, and smells like urine, according to his boss. He is aggressive and competitive when he starts to skate with Jimmy. It is only really after Jimmy falls and they get through it together that he is friendly with Jimmy and reveals more of himself. He’s more hands on, having no problem being half naked while picking up Jimmy and twirling him around. In the end, he’s reduced to tears as he clings onto Jimmy after having his ankle broken, during which he says he was a sex addict because no one ever loved him.
Picking Apart the Movie:
Nothing seems to fuel romance like two characters who absolutely loathe each other, but in many cases of television shows and movies, it’s a stretch. It’s only when the enemies are forced to trust each other does that spark emerge. Although, in the beginning of the movie during Chazz’s first routine as a sexy cowboy, there is obvious…interest. Jimmy watches almost too intently as Chazz moves, and at one point Chazz soars through the air pointing at Jimmy while mouthing “I want you.” And even if it was meant to be insulting, after exiting the ice and having Jimmy tell him to get out of his face, Chazz lets loose with the gem “I’ll get inside your face!” Jimmy is confused and disgusted, and all the viewer can think of is a blowjob.
There’s not much to say for the time that they’re separated except that their lives fully suck. Chazz is unhappy working for Grublets, the children’s ice show, and after having been disowned by Darren, Jimmy is just working some retail job at a store for sporting goods. After being clued in by his strange gay stalker Hector that he can compete in pairs, Jimmy sees the advertisement for Grublets and goes there seeking a partner. As he is there, Chazz is seen leaving the premises after being fired. He is not looking at Jimmy, whose back is turned to him. Suddenly, and with no explanation, the two men suddenly realize each other is there, stop, turn around, and start arguing before getting in a physical fight. I’ll admit this might be a weird one, but doesn’t that almost sound like an extreme case of gaydar? They immediately argue and fight as if they couldn’t wait to get on each other.
Robert, Jimmy’s old coach sees their fight on the news and notes how they are able to hold each other up and toss each other around, so he goes to visit them in the jail where he suggests they team up. They don’t jump on the idea of skating together, but don’t outright object to it without thinking about it either. At one point, Robert asks Chazz if he is satisfied with his “fifteen dollar hookers” and Chazz responds by saying “I am never satisfied!”. Chazz gives Jimmy a look like he’s going to eat him up, as if HE can satisfy him.
More predatory than angry here, or am I nuts?
Jimmy doesn’t really seem affected…in a way, he seems excited and interested in skating with Chazz as he stands up to challenge him, even with weird offers such as Chazz asking him if he could hold his jock sweat. Jimmy’s more than ready to take that one on with “I could hold it all night!” The next morning they are taken to sign up as a team. As they wait for Robert, Jimmy notices Katie, the third sibling of the aforementioned van Waldenbergs. and tugs on Chazz’s sleeve to ask who she is. Chazz describes her as “Fairchild’s legs and Stranz’s ass”. So, he’s been examining a man’s ass has he?
Jimmy and Chazz are forced to share bunkbeds, told they will sleep together, urinate together, and file a joint income tax return. The point is to strengthen them as a team, but it still comes off as two men just living together. And when they have their first scene of “bonding”, it’s like they just turn each other on. Jimmy finds Chazz’s Mane N’ Tail, a horse shampoo, and asks him if he really uses it. Chazz says he does and this leads to him showing Jimmy his most prized possession: a brush made from whalebone named the Verticolli. It is highly illegal, expensive, and only a handful are made a year. Throughout the entire discussion about how much Chazz loves his brush and how great it makes him look, the discussion seems more and more intense. Jimmy is getting really into it, reaching for the brush and practically touching himself (he sure looks like he’s rubbing his nipple). That’s some power Chazz has, and it’s like he’s purposely using it on Jimmy, who is easily falling victim.
Oooh, rubrubrub!
Their first training session together is pretty much them arguing who gets to be the girl and having stupid contests of manliness, including sliding across the ice on your bare chest. Robert finally decides that Jimmy is the girl because he’s whiny. Chazz responds to this with “You’re my pretty lady MacElroy”. He’s not just a “lady” or “girl” to Chazz. He’s “Chazz’s lady” specifically, which is less of an insult than staking a claim in a relationship. Also, up to this point Chazz has claimed he is interested in women, while being so insistent on Jimmy being a girl.
As the training progresses, Robert asks his friend Jesse to help him out. Jesse brings Jimmy and Chazz to his dance studio, where they wear tight black clothes as they are forced to dance with other men to get used to the feel. The dancing is a bit questionable - one move looks like Jimmy is being offered to Chazz by a bunch of men and it looks as though Chazz is gladly taking possession of him. Some of this is also further questioned by Jesse’s sexuality, as he seems to have a relationship with Robert - I’ll touch on this in a bit.
Now we’re at about the middle of the movie and the important turning point: The Fire and Ice routine to qualify for Nationals. This is where they are put to the test, in skill and in trusting each other. Their routine starts off with an erotic move, as Chazz circles behind Jimmy, pushes his legs apart and positions himself to start.
I doubt this was absolutely necessary...
“I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith is the song they skate to first. THIS is the song Chazz and Jimmy get to start defining themselves with. The first moves are ridiculous, but yummy as they start with Chazz’s hand on Jimmy’s waist, and kneeling before each other as they twist together to give some hot and heavy looks.
Chazz throws Jimmy, and he lands badly, falling hard against a wall. Chazz is immediately concerned and offers a hand to help Jimmy up instead of laughing at him or looking angry. Their next moves flow together naturally and they look much more at ease with each other despite their gay lookin’ moves. Chazz holds Jimmy by his crotch, then turns him upside down and holds Jimmy’s crotch in his face, and then holds Jimmy by his hips in a position that is pretty much representative of anal sex. This is topped off by the two ending by sliding across the ice to clash crotches and lay in a scissoring position.
Sublety is not one of their strong points.
What’s most important is their attitude directly after. They aren’t disgusted, they are relieved, and as they stand to look at each other, happy with themselves and with the other. When their scores are announced Chazz eagerly shouts and does hugs Jimmy. He would not have done that before, but now feels closer to his partner. He also declares to Scott Hamilton that they are “going straight up the ass of the competition”. BUTTSEX ANYONE!?
This starts the second half of the movie begins a true relationship between Chazz and Jimmy. In the first scene of the second half, Chazz is shown shirtless and clad only in a towel. Jimmy acts disgusted at first, although the fact he’s not annoyed past an opening sentence gives the vibe he was just prodding at Chazz in a friendly way. He can’t seem to stop looking at Chazz, and Chazz interprets that as Jimmy checking out his tattoos. He offers to explain them, and the first one Jimmy picks is the hardest to see, closest to Chazz’s crotch, and Chazz has to pull down his towel to show it completely. Jimmy’s eyes go straight to the spot, Chazz explains his tattoos to Jimmy, all of them representing women he has slept with, and when he gets one describing a relationship he had with the female skater Oksana, he even makes Jimmy sort of shudder and gasp. It’s as intense as it was with the brush. However he doesn’t explain the wolf tattoo on his shoulder..
After that, Jimmy claims to have a crush on Katie. He has no idea how to ask her out and follow’s Chazz’s advice as he talks to Katie over the phone. During the entire conversation, Chazz is pressed against Jimmy, doing squat thrusts against him, rubbing his leg in front of him, and grabbing onto his wrists and arms as he gets close to hear the phone, getting really into it. Only when Jimmy gets away from Chazz does he have any success with Katie, which leaves some wondering if Chazz was really giving advice, or if he was trying to sabotage Jimmy’s chances with Katie to get him to himself.
I wouldn't rub my thigh at anyone I didn't have a thing for!
The scene where Chazz and Jimmy learn the Iron Lotus is a little odd, aside from the men finding out they have to do a move that can easily end up with one of them decapitated. The whole time, Chazz keeps an eye on Jimmy, as if he is obsessed with looking at him again and again. When they try to practice the Iron Lotus, Jimmy loses his focus and falls down, nearly cutting Chazz’s crotch in the process. Chazz immediately gets angry at him but Jimmy takes a new route - he apologizes to Chazz and says he’ll be more careful. Chazz is surprised, but apologizes back to Jimmy for overreacting. They get back on their feet, determined and feeling better about each other, grab hands, and skate in a circle on the ice.
*Stare*
*Staaaare*
*Staaaaaaaaaare*
Well that was gay. Let's hold hands.
After a press conference where they show very openly that they like each other, as friends or more, the evil twins Stranz and Fairchild come into play and convince Katie to try and sleep with Chazz to upset Jimmy and break up their team. She is coerced into agreeing and goes through with it instead of ever trying to just tell Chazz and Jimmy what’s up. Chazz goes off to his sex addict meeting after fondly referring to Jimmy as “brotherman”. Katie attends the meeting and tells Chazz to meet her later. He meets her at her room where she tries to seduce him. The whole time Chazz is tempted, but also completely uncomfortable. Even as he grabs her breasts he tells her he can’t sleep with her and he can’t do that to Jimmy, that Jimmy “has a heart of gold”. That’s a high and almost mushy compliment coming from Chazz. Jimmy walks in before Chazz manages to get her hands off her. Hurt, he runs away and Chazz is unable to catch him, so he goes to their hotel room. He frantically calls Jimmy all night, just like a sad ex-boyfriend might. He leaves him messages saying he’s sorry, telling him stories about himself, getting mad and saying stuff he doesn’t mean, and ending by singing “I don’t want to fall asleep, cause I’d miss you Jimmy, and I don’t wanna miss a thing! into the phone.
The next day is when the villains come out in full force. As I had written, Chazz is kidnapped by Stranz and Jimmy is handcuffed in the bathroom stall by Fairchild. In their frantic efforts to get to the ice in time for the event and perform their routine, the two also are eager to get to each other. Chazz senses danger for Jimmy, and as Jimmy struggles in the stall he says ‘I’m coming Chazz”, as if he knows for sure that something bad is happening to him. Chazz frees himself by cutting his ropes on an ice skate. He skates down the river to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, with Stranz hot on his trail. Chazz gets away after an amusing slow ice skate chase through a mall, and eventually dives into some frozen water to escape and get to Jimmy. Poor Jimmy doesn’t get to do anything as cool. No, he has to eat toilet paper that rolled out of a trashcan to pull the key to the cuffs towards himself - yuck! When they reunite, Chazz is desperate to apologize to Jimmy about Katie. Jimmy, having already been informed by Fairchild in the bathroom, is calling Chazz down to the ice so they aren’t disqualified for taking so long to arrive.
When they finally come together on the ice, there’s a definite sense of them being beyond happy to see each other again, knowing neither of them ever meant to hurt the other. They go through their routine, totally comfortable with their moves, set to “Flash’s Theme” by Queen. They aren’t as blatantly gay, but Jimmy and Chazz still smile more, have fun, and seem confident. Not to mention Chazz gets Jimmy to improvise on the ice something Jimmy would have never doneearlier in the movie. And hey, it's pretty hot and Chazz-like too. When Fairchild releases a piece of her necklace and breaks Chazz’s ankle he is worried - but he trusts Jimmy to perform the Iron Lotus with their parts reversed. If Jimmy messes up, Chazz will lose his head and he is clearly terrified.
Sweet innocent Jimmy, is that YOU with your tongue out!?
They pull it off successfully, although as they skate off the ice Chazz is hollering in pain and Jimmy has him by the waist, escorting him to safety. Jimmy leaves to find Katie as Chazz is treated. He and Katie kiss, and Katie comments he’s been practicing - to which Jimmy responds Chazz taught him some stuff. Katie has the same alarmed reaction that we do; has Jimmy been kissing Chazz? In the end she doesn’t seem to care. It’s either that, or when she jumps on him to furiously kiss him again, she’s trying to make up for the fact Chazz was kissing him and Jimmy may have enjoyed it…
Chazz admits he was a sex addict because no one loved him. But he now has someone who does, Jimmy, whom he calls his brother. He kisses Jimmy on the cheek and gets even more emotional. And very noteable - he shows Jimmy his newest tattoo. Next to the tattoo of the wolf, the “Lone Wolf”, is a tattoo of Jimmy’s face. Chazz refers to him as “the wolf…that…runs with the lone wolf, so that the lone wolf never has to be alone again.” He may have called Jimmy a “brother”, but the tattoo, not being alone anymore…hints that he sees him as much more. Jimmy is the one who has saved him from being alone, and Chazz obviously loves him for it. There’s also the fact that Chazz’s other tattoos are in memory of those he slept with. Chazz tells Jimmy “let’s get out of here”. His expression, the way he says it, the words are like that of a new couple, just gotten together at a party or social function where all eyes are on them and all they want to do is sneak away, be alone, and do certain things together. The end of the movie sees them flying away into the sky, looking into the sky, and then looked ahead excitedly as Chazz shoots fire from his hand. The very minute I saw this I thought immediately of the end scene of Grease, in which the main characters have just come back together as a couple, sing a song, and then fly away into the clouds in their car. For those unfamiliar with Grease (a SHAME), it’s a very romantic musical.
All it needs is some hearts and lipstick marks.
The Theme Song:
One of the juiciest parts of the movie is the song, “Blades of Glory”. It was included in the deleted scenes, which would normally all be pushed aside since they weren’t included and in doing so also eliminated some important bits of storyline. However in one of the scenes, Jimmy and Chazz sing the song written for their movie. Chazz starts, singing about how he was a lone wolf in a cage, and goes on about his partner. Jimmy catches him and joins in on the song, which they finish together, both apparently just knowing the lyrics. The scene may have been cut, but the song remains as sung by Bo Bice in the end credits. The official video to the song also makes use of the deleted scene footage.
Let’s look at the lyrics!
Most of the lyrics are seemingly just about their growth as people, as skaters, and views on where they were and are in life, as read here:
A man who’s scared of truth
Can only trust in lies
A boy who’s scared to dream
Can never touch the sky, oh yeah
Chazz, scared of the truth, can only lie to himself and put on a fake face because he’s terrified to face who he really is, to be the loving person he is. Jimmy is scared to dream. He’s more practical than Chazz, sheltered by Darren, and lost as to how to hold a friendship with a male to just functioning in inconveniences such as sharing a bedroom. Keep in mind how the lyrics seem to talk about them individually, then look at the next lyrics and how they pretty much put Chazz and Jimmy together, closer than a normal friendship.
I don’t know what to say
I don’t know where to turn
All I know is if I stay
Ooh this ice it sure can burn
Chazz doesn’t know what he should do, but in staying, Jimmy will leave his mark on him.
Settin’ fire to the ice
Is the dream that keeps us alive
In turn, Chazz leaves his mark on Jimmy, changing him, growing closer to him and drawing Jimmy further in. Them being together keeps them alive; they need each other to keep a grip on things.
Today is the first chapter
Of our mythic story
We’ll never part
On these blades of glory
And we’ll cross our hearts
On these blades of glory
“Jimmy and Chazz” has just started. They have just gotten close, they each found someone to be with and will never ever be apart. Jimmy keeps Chazz from being alone, and Chazz helps Jimmy to be more comfortable, to accomplish so much more. It’s the beginning of something beautiful.
We’ll go all night
‘Til we finish the story
I don’t feel as though this really needs explaining…when two people explain they’re going to “go all night”, what do you usually think of?
The dream is alive
And we’ll never be sorry
Now we’re comin’ home
On these blades of glory
They’re living in a dream, they’re happy, and they’ll never look back. It’s like..life is complete, they are together. This song is about more than victory, more than winning the gold, it’s about finding an accomplishment in that you’ve found someone to compliment you, help you with your dream. Jimmy and Chazz complete each other and should never be apart.
Influences from the Original Script:
Next is the original script. Now, previously I had a huge section for this, but there are really only a few things worth focusing on in terms of this paper. The first would be the canon gay couple. In the movie we see, Robert and Jesse are pretty close, and little hints show up to hint they are actually together. This is further supported the script as Robert was written with a husband, a petite Asian man named Kim. Script-Robert has anger management issues and is a big loud guy, while Kim is snarky and fussy but sweeter. He balances out Robert much in the way Jimmy balances out Chazz. It’s like that relationship was lifted from the script, made more background with movie-Robert and Jesse, while having a more prominent effect with Jimmy and Chazz.
Couple mirroring couple, with a gay pride symbol in the middle!
Other relevant changes in the script include Chazz’s unnatural obsession with Michael Douglas, and the song for the final routine. For whatever reason, Chazz is so obsessed he carries around a giant cardboard cut-out of Michael Douglas. Now I know guys who have obsessions with male actors, but none so gay for them they have them life-size. As for the final routine, the song was meant to be “Open Arms” by Journey, the ultimate song for lovers who have come back together after a depressing separation. If I have to explain this one, you haven’t been following!
The Actors:
The last little bit I’d like to look at is how the actors’ portrayal of their characters, and maybe some other roles have contributed to this feeling of Chazz and Jimmy as an item. Jon Heder tends to play withdrawn characters, pathetic characters, idiots and Napoleon Dynamite (yes, that is a personality type!) Jimmy is a bit of a mix of all of those, although Jimmy has more confidence than any of them and he is pretty smart. He’s just been horribly sheltered somehow, even if for three years of the movie he was free from his dad. Jon Heder has never really played a MEAN character, although his role in Mama’s Boy came off as a little jerk at times. The fact that Jon Heder plays nice guys might be some of why Jimmy, while he can be an arrogant prick, comes off as a sweet character who is nicer than he acts, just a little unsure for all his glittery fame. He wants to be friends with Chazz, he’s curious about his thoughts and parts of Chazz’s life, and Jon Heder gives him what he needs.
There’s also the fact Jon Heder doesn’t seem too against the gayness. In fact, he stated in an interview that when they kneeled on the ice in the Fire and Ice routine, he thought a kiss might look good there!
More funny videos from the "Mantime" channel at Heavy.com
Will Ferrell is another story. I know a lot of guys completely obsessed with their penis, and everyone ELSE’S penis, but he takes it to the big screen. How many movies has he kissed men in? A few, but to name some big ones, he has locked lips with Sacha Baron Cohen in Talladega Nights, and managed to touched tongues with Sean William Scott in Old School. He also had a few nice kisses in Saturday Night Live….
I’m not going to get into questioning Will’s sexuality of course, that’s probably a little creepy. But evidence suggests he really is in his comfort zone whether in a straight role or an in-your-face gay one. He adds a little of Will to Chazz, his self confidence, his dumb sayings, and his loveable character. But he also adds that little edge…that vibe that Chazz is genuinely interested in Jimmy as more than a friend. When looking at his other movies and characters, Chazz almost comes off as the gayest one. Even if Ricky Bobby was actively kissing Jean Girard in Talladega Nights, he comes off as less gay than Chazz, what with his decision to marry a girl for flashing him rather than her personality. Chazz may claim to be a sex addict for women, but he has glitter-eyes for Jimmy.
Chazz is rough around the edges and at times an outspoken moron, and Jimmy might be too easily disgusted and a little bit of a princess, but they still compliment and bring out the best in each other. They have a true relationship and it’s clear they are incredibly close.
Outro!
A lot of people will only ever take this at face value, a comedy that is basically a big gay joke, and that’s okay. In fact, that’s probably healthier than what I’m doing! So why watch it? Well, Blades of Glory is very well put together movie that can also bring an emotional reaction. If you want a funny movie without feeling, there’s a lot out there. If you want a funny movie with interesting characters you can speculate on, watch Blades. If you want a movie that encourages you to follow your dreams no matter how down and out you are, watch Blades. And if you want a movie that shows you how wonderful a friendship can be and how it can grow despite all the extreme hardships you might face, watch Blades! …And hey, if you’re in it simply for the slash, I don’t see how you can possibly skip this movie.
I do hope I’ve managed to convince someone with this essay! I’ve taken everything in this movie, put it to use, and it’s turned out for the better. I will probably never stop believing Jimmy and Chazz are together, and if more people join me, the better. :)
Links of Interest:
Blades of Glory Official Site: http://www.bladesofglorymovie.com/
IMDB Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445934/
Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blades_of_Glory_(film)
The LJ Community: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/profile
Large Image Gallery: http://outnow.ch/Movies/2007/BladesOfGlory/Bilder/
Some Fanfic Recs:
Love and Tequila, rating "R" by hecate_12: http://hecate-12.livejournal.com/36835.html#cutid1
Mind Bottling, rating "NC-17" by tripperfunster: http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=17774
Rebound Guy, rating "NC-17" by zoicite: http://community.livejournal.com/z_fic/3119.html#cutid1
Addicted Too, rating "PG-13" by jennjenn274: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/258258.html#cutid1
The Morning After, rating "R" by enigmalea: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/234239.html#cutid1
The First Time, rating "PG-13" by therentgirls: http://therentgirls.livejournal.com/21311.html
The Devil You Know, rating "PG-13" by fightyourdragon: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/204060.html#cutid1
There are SO MANY MORE! Check the fic tag on the comm, and join to read the locked (PORN) stories x3
Artwork!
Two artists stand out in particular for their Blades artwork!
http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/
Samples:
- http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/art/Chazz-Micheal-Micheals-74767588
- http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/art/Flash-Gordon-Kiss-76095236
-And check out her Blades comic starting here: http://tripperfunster.livejournal.com/108140.html#cutid1
http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/
Samples:
- http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/art/Blades-Confrontation-95006058
- http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/art/Blades-of-Glory-Cake-Game-100575763
Other art:
- http://soundofcolor.deviantart.com/art/Blades-of-glory-60399770
- http://onepieceofshitake.deviantart.com/art/Don-t-Wanna-Miss-a-Thing-52247376
- http://sweet-nymph.deviantart.com/art/Two-of-a-Kind-80483100
Videos!
Here are some fanvideos:
- "Wicked Game" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMvZHVoWO7E
- "Fun on the Ice" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYrLvid7Oy4
- "Lover Like Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxJjXiN5gRY
- "Take Me of Leave Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUAp3XrUgwI
Some interviews:
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder on Ask a Ninja http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQM2VYaWzSs
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder with Chuck the Movieguy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbrQg93DZ4
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder with Mike Richards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz7n4RL-6KE
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder on L.G. Tag Teams http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfFdYucTP9U
THANKS FOR READING!
Author: xenafox
Fandom: Blades of Glory
Pairing(s): Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElory
Spoilers: The entire movie. If Chazz and Jimmy were in a scene, it's spoiled!
Warnings: Um..innuendo, pictures. Not TOO many, but enough. Oh and a couple videos.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Dreamworks and the wonderful people who worked on this movie :)
Notes: Some of my pictures are low quality. Still easy to see, but I know that can bother some people!
Introduction:
On October 6th, 2007 I rented a funny looking movie I’d seen advertised for a few months. It had Will Ferrell, whom I wasn’t too fond of at the time, but I decided to try it anyway. It was just a way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends since previous plans had been cancelled and nothing more, right?
Wrong. This has pretty much consumed me, and that viewing was over a year and a half ago! I pretty much instantly attached to the main characters, and became obsessed with the certain chemistry they have. During the week that followed I found there was a fanbase that thought exactly as I did, and I was enthralled! There were wonderful stories and thoughtful posts, and what seemed like a fun crew of regulars. However, as with most comedies, it died down rather fast, even though it still has fans. So, it has been my mission to bring new interest to this movie. For what’s regarded as such a silly idea, this movie really means a lot to me, and I’m sure it could mean a lot to someone else. I just love what these two characters have between them.
The story is about the ice skaters Jimmy Macelroy and Chazz Michael Michaels. Jimmy, a famous skater built on elegance and grace, while Chazz is the “Lone Wolf,” a rough, sex addict, hip-thrusting, “ice-devouring sex tornado” - and the complete opposite of Jimmy. They are skating rivals who happen to get matching scores, which leads to a fight on the ice since neither likes each other enough to share the spotlight. As a result, they are banned from men’s singles for the rest of their lives, the ultimate punishment for both of them.
Jimmy and Chazz each get jobs that obviously neither of them is fond of, and both are absolutely miserable. Then three years after being banned, they meet up again. They still hate each other, but learn that they are only banned in men’s singles, and end up coming together as a team for pairs’ skating. As they do, they are noticed by the villainous Stranz and Fairchild van Waldenberg, two talented twins that have dominated pairs’ figure skating for years.
What follows is a beautiful friendship formed by Jimmy and Chazz as they learn to open up, trust each other, and do their very best to win gold. They overcome the obstacles thrown at them including the van Waldenburg’s third, unluckiest sister, a death-defying move that could end with decapitation, and Stranz with a crossbow. The movie flows from one fun scene to another, fleshing out the story of these two men, and placing them in a much closer relationship than some might initially realize.
The movie is very flamboyant. Male figure skaters always seem gay, whether they are or not, it’s not regarded as a manly sport compared to football. It involves glitter and spandex, and when it comes to pairs, sexually charged positions…ice skating wins! As far as the characters in Blades go, they don’t come off as straight, even when they try. And honestly, they don’t even try that hard. During points in the movie when the public is commenting about them as a team (“as if figure skating wasn’t gay enough already”, said by a random fan in the film), there is nothing shown about Jimmy and Chazz bothering to try and fight it.
Our Stars!
Jimmy MacelroyJimmy is a sheltered guy, almost your standard, narcissistic rich brat except he faced an extreme case of tough love after being disowned when he was banned. He has a girly hairdo and his overall appearance is feminine. His clothes are feminine colors. His opening act has him dressed as a peacock, a beautiful but unmasculine bird. Jimmy dresses as the Ice in their first routine, the pair’s first routine. The outfit itself wasn’t gay, as far as skating outfits go, but it certainly gave off vibes when paired with Chazz’s Fire. Jimmy acts fairly whiny, like a “woman”, he likes skittles and Froot Loops…stereotypical “fruit”.
Chazz is the overcompensating macho male. He acts confident and voices every thought, although he is pretty vulnerable, something that comes into play when matched with Jimmy. He does his sexy dance moves and humps the air, anything to make him look manly. It is interesting to note he shoots fire. There is no explanation for it and he does it in each of his skating costumes…Combined with a Fire outfit he wears, it’s easy to draw one thing from this: Flamer. Whether seen as a derogatory comment for homosexuals or fun slang, it’s there. He dresses manlier than Jimmy, his bedwear being simply a loose tank top, small black underwear, and a black robe. He calls “top” in the bunk-bed they are forced to sleep in, as he is the dominant personality. Fun fact: Chazz is also known as "Ice skating's backdoor lover".
Chazz Michael Michaels
A great quote from Will Speck, one of the two directors, goes as follows: ”They perfectly mirror one another, yet both are completely dysfunctional. Each needs to learn from the other guy a little bit in order to get on with his life.”
They really do learn and grow with each other. Jimmy is a loving, sweet guy under that brattiness. He opens up a little more, both with Chazz, and trying to push his own limits such as asking a girl on a date. An important turning point in the movie, which I will bring up a couple of more times, is when Jimmy falls on the ice in their first routine. Chazz helps him up and gives him confidence to finish despite the embarrassing moment, and that makes a huge difference. By the end of the movie Jimmy is able to do things a bit more independently, and has warmed up to Chazz. He was cold, i.e. the ice. He’s gotten over a few. For example he starts out being grossed out by Chazz’s fat, and in the middle of the movie he is able to hug a shirtless Chazz without any nasty comments. He smiles a lot just being around him when all he used to do was look pissed off he had to share space with him. It’s easy to see that Jimmy absolutely enjoys Chazz’s company, and supports him.
Chazz’s growth is more noticeable - he is “The Lone Wolf.” He wears a tattoo of suchon his shoulder, although he doesn’t like talking about it. In the beginning, Chazz is blunt, rude, full of self confidence, and calls Jimmy a girl. After getting banned from skating, Chazz stops caring, letting himself go as he takes a job in a children’s ice show where gets stoned with his cast members, walks around drunk, and smells like urine, according to his boss. He is aggressive and competitive when he starts to skate with Jimmy. It is only really after Jimmy falls and they get through it together that he is friendly with Jimmy and reveals more of himself. He’s more hands on, having no problem being half naked while picking up Jimmy and twirling him around. In the end, he’s reduced to tears as he clings onto Jimmy after having his ankle broken, during which he says he was a sex addict because no one ever loved him.
Picking Apart the Movie:
Nothing seems to fuel romance like two characters who absolutely loathe each other, but in many cases of television shows and movies, it’s a stretch. It’s only when the enemies are forced to trust each other does that spark emerge. Although, in the beginning of the movie during Chazz’s first routine as a sexy cowboy, there is obvious…interest. Jimmy watches almost too intently as Chazz moves, and at one point Chazz soars through the air pointing at Jimmy while mouthing “I want you.” And even if it was meant to be insulting, after exiting the ice and having Jimmy tell him to get out of his face, Chazz lets loose with the gem “I’ll get inside your face!” Jimmy is confused and disgusted, and all the viewer can think of is a blowjob.
There’s not much to say for the time that they’re separated except that their lives fully suck. Chazz is unhappy working for Grublets, the children’s ice show, and after having been disowned by Darren, Jimmy is just working some retail job at a store for sporting goods. After being clued in by his strange gay stalker Hector that he can compete in pairs, Jimmy sees the advertisement for Grublets and goes there seeking a partner. As he is there, Chazz is seen leaving the premises after being fired. He is not looking at Jimmy, whose back is turned to him. Suddenly, and with no explanation, the two men suddenly realize each other is there, stop, turn around, and start arguing before getting in a physical fight. I’ll admit this might be a weird one, but doesn’t that almost sound like an extreme case of gaydar? They immediately argue and fight as if they couldn’t wait to get on each other.
Robert, Jimmy’s old coach sees their fight on the news and notes how they are able to hold each other up and toss each other around, so he goes to visit them in the jail where he suggests they team up. They don’t jump on the idea of skating together, but don’t outright object to it without thinking about it either. At one point, Robert asks Chazz if he is satisfied with his “fifteen dollar hookers” and Chazz responds by saying “I am never satisfied!”. Chazz gives Jimmy a look like he’s going to eat him up, as if HE can satisfy him.
More predatory than angry here, or am I nuts?
Jimmy doesn’t really seem affected…in a way, he seems excited and interested in skating with Chazz as he stands up to challenge him, even with weird offers such as Chazz asking him if he could hold his jock sweat. Jimmy’s more than ready to take that one on with “I could hold it all night!” The next morning they are taken to sign up as a team. As they wait for Robert, Jimmy notices Katie, the third sibling of the aforementioned van Waldenbergs. and tugs on Chazz’s sleeve to ask who she is. Chazz describes her as “Fairchild’s legs and Stranz’s ass”. So, he’s been examining a man’s ass has he?
Jimmy and Chazz are forced to share bunkbeds, told they will sleep together, urinate together, and file a joint income tax return. The point is to strengthen them as a team, but it still comes off as two men just living together. And when they have their first scene of “bonding”, it’s like they just turn each other on. Jimmy finds Chazz’s Mane N’ Tail, a horse shampoo, and asks him if he really uses it. Chazz says he does and this leads to him showing Jimmy his most prized possession: a brush made from whalebone named the Verticolli. It is highly illegal, expensive, and only a handful are made a year. Throughout the entire discussion about how much Chazz loves his brush and how great it makes him look, the discussion seems more and more intense. Jimmy is getting really into it, reaching for the brush and practically touching himself (he sure looks like he’s rubbing his nipple). That’s some power Chazz has, and it’s like he’s purposely using it on Jimmy, who is easily falling victim.
Oooh, rubrubrub!
Their first training session together is pretty much them arguing who gets to be the girl and having stupid contests of manliness, including sliding across the ice on your bare chest. Robert finally decides that Jimmy is the girl because he’s whiny. Chazz responds to this with “You’re my pretty lady MacElroy”. He’s not just a “lady” or “girl” to Chazz. He’s “Chazz’s lady” specifically, which is less of an insult than staking a claim in a relationship. Also, up to this point Chazz has claimed he is interested in women, while being so insistent on Jimmy being a girl.
As the training progresses, Robert asks his friend Jesse to help him out. Jesse brings Jimmy and Chazz to his dance studio, where they wear tight black clothes as they are forced to dance with other men to get used to the feel. The dancing is a bit questionable - one move looks like Jimmy is being offered to Chazz by a bunch of men and it looks as though Chazz is gladly taking possession of him. Some of this is also further questioned by Jesse’s sexuality, as he seems to have a relationship with Robert - I’ll touch on this in a bit.
Now we’re at about the middle of the movie and the important turning point: The Fire and Ice routine to qualify for Nationals. This is where they are put to the test, in skill and in trusting each other. Their routine starts off with an erotic move, as Chazz circles behind Jimmy, pushes his legs apart and positions himself to start.
I doubt this was absolutely necessary...
“I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith is the song they skate to first. THIS is the song Chazz and Jimmy get to start defining themselves with. The first moves are ridiculous, but yummy as they start with Chazz’s hand on Jimmy’s waist, and kneeling before each other as they twist together to give some hot and heavy looks.
Chazz throws Jimmy, and he lands badly, falling hard against a wall. Chazz is immediately concerned and offers a hand to help Jimmy up instead of laughing at him or looking angry. Their next moves flow together naturally and they look much more at ease with each other despite their gay lookin’ moves. Chazz holds Jimmy by his crotch, then turns him upside down and holds Jimmy’s crotch in his face, and then holds Jimmy by his hips in a position that is pretty much representative of anal sex. This is topped off by the two ending by sliding across the ice to clash crotches and lay in a scissoring position.
Sublety is not one of their strong points.
What’s most important is their attitude directly after. They aren’t disgusted, they are relieved, and as they stand to look at each other, happy with themselves and with the other. When their scores are announced Chazz eagerly shouts and does hugs Jimmy. He would not have done that before, but now feels closer to his partner. He also declares to Scott Hamilton that they are “going straight up the ass of the competition”. BUTTSEX ANYONE!?
This starts the second half of the movie begins a true relationship between Chazz and Jimmy. In the first scene of the second half, Chazz is shown shirtless and clad only in a towel. Jimmy acts disgusted at first, although the fact he’s not annoyed past an opening sentence gives the vibe he was just prodding at Chazz in a friendly way. He can’t seem to stop looking at Chazz, and Chazz interprets that as Jimmy checking out his tattoos. He offers to explain them, and the first one Jimmy picks is the hardest to see, closest to Chazz’s crotch, and Chazz has to pull down his towel to show it completely. Jimmy’s eyes go straight to the spot, Chazz explains his tattoos to Jimmy, all of them representing women he has slept with, and when he gets one describing a relationship he had with the female skater Oksana, he even makes Jimmy sort of shudder and gasp. It’s as intense as it was with the brush. However he doesn’t explain the wolf tattoo on his shoulder..
After that, Jimmy claims to have a crush on Katie. He has no idea how to ask her out and follow’s Chazz’s advice as he talks to Katie over the phone. During the entire conversation, Chazz is pressed against Jimmy, doing squat thrusts against him, rubbing his leg in front of him, and grabbing onto his wrists and arms as he gets close to hear the phone, getting really into it. Only when Jimmy gets away from Chazz does he have any success with Katie, which leaves some wondering if Chazz was really giving advice, or if he was trying to sabotage Jimmy’s chances with Katie to get him to himself.
I wouldn't rub my thigh at anyone I didn't have a thing for!
The scene where Chazz and Jimmy learn the Iron Lotus is a little odd, aside from the men finding out they have to do a move that can easily end up with one of them decapitated. The whole time, Chazz keeps an eye on Jimmy, as if he is obsessed with looking at him again and again. When they try to practice the Iron Lotus, Jimmy loses his focus and falls down, nearly cutting Chazz’s crotch in the process. Chazz immediately gets angry at him but Jimmy takes a new route - he apologizes to Chazz and says he’ll be more careful. Chazz is surprised, but apologizes back to Jimmy for overreacting. They get back on their feet, determined and feeling better about each other, grab hands, and skate in a circle on the ice.
*Stare*
*Staaaare*
*Staaaaaaaaaare*
Well that was gay. Let's hold hands.
After a press conference where they show very openly that they like each other, as friends or more, the evil twins Stranz and Fairchild come into play and convince Katie to try and sleep with Chazz to upset Jimmy and break up their team. She is coerced into agreeing and goes through with it instead of ever trying to just tell Chazz and Jimmy what’s up. Chazz goes off to his sex addict meeting after fondly referring to Jimmy as “brotherman”. Katie attends the meeting and tells Chazz to meet her later. He meets her at her room where she tries to seduce him. The whole time Chazz is tempted, but also completely uncomfortable. Even as he grabs her breasts he tells her he can’t sleep with her and he can’t do that to Jimmy, that Jimmy “has a heart of gold”. That’s a high and almost mushy compliment coming from Chazz. Jimmy walks in before Chazz manages to get her hands off her. Hurt, he runs away and Chazz is unable to catch him, so he goes to their hotel room. He frantically calls Jimmy all night, just like a sad ex-boyfriend might. He leaves him messages saying he’s sorry, telling him stories about himself, getting mad and saying stuff he doesn’t mean, and ending by singing “I don’t want to fall asleep, cause I’d miss you Jimmy, and I don’t wanna miss a thing! into the phone.
The next day is when the villains come out in full force. As I had written, Chazz is kidnapped by Stranz and Jimmy is handcuffed in the bathroom stall by Fairchild. In their frantic efforts to get to the ice in time for the event and perform their routine, the two also are eager to get to each other. Chazz senses danger for Jimmy, and as Jimmy struggles in the stall he says ‘I’m coming Chazz”, as if he knows for sure that something bad is happening to him. Chazz frees himself by cutting his ropes on an ice skate. He skates down the river to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, with Stranz hot on his trail. Chazz gets away after an amusing slow ice skate chase through a mall, and eventually dives into some frozen water to escape and get to Jimmy. Poor Jimmy doesn’t get to do anything as cool. No, he has to eat toilet paper that rolled out of a trashcan to pull the key to the cuffs towards himself - yuck! When they reunite, Chazz is desperate to apologize to Jimmy about Katie. Jimmy, having already been informed by Fairchild in the bathroom, is calling Chazz down to the ice so they aren’t disqualified for taking so long to arrive.
When they finally come together on the ice, there’s a definite sense of them being beyond happy to see each other again, knowing neither of them ever meant to hurt the other. They go through their routine, totally comfortable with their moves, set to “Flash’s Theme” by Queen. They aren’t as blatantly gay, but Jimmy and Chazz still smile more, have fun, and seem confident. Not to mention Chazz gets Jimmy to improvise on the ice something Jimmy would have never doneearlier in the movie. And hey, it's pretty hot and Chazz-like too. When Fairchild releases a piece of her necklace and breaks Chazz’s ankle he is worried - but he trusts Jimmy to perform the Iron Lotus with their parts reversed. If Jimmy messes up, Chazz will lose his head and he is clearly terrified.
Sweet innocent Jimmy, is that YOU with your tongue out!?
They pull it off successfully, although as they skate off the ice Chazz is hollering in pain and Jimmy has him by the waist, escorting him to safety. Jimmy leaves to find Katie as Chazz is treated. He and Katie kiss, and Katie comments he’s been practicing - to which Jimmy responds Chazz taught him some stuff. Katie has the same alarmed reaction that we do; has Jimmy been kissing Chazz? In the end she doesn’t seem to care. It’s either that, or when she jumps on him to furiously kiss him again, she’s trying to make up for the fact Chazz was kissing him and Jimmy may have enjoyed it…
Chazz admits he was a sex addict because no one loved him. But he now has someone who does, Jimmy, whom he calls his brother. He kisses Jimmy on the cheek and gets even more emotional. And very noteable - he shows Jimmy his newest tattoo. Next to the tattoo of the wolf, the “Lone Wolf”, is a tattoo of Jimmy’s face. Chazz refers to him as “the wolf…that…runs with the lone wolf, so that the lone wolf never has to be alone again.” He may have called Jimmy a “brother”, but the tattoo, not being alone anymore…hints that he sees him as much more. Jimmy is the one who has saved him from being alone, and Chazz obviously loves him for it. There’s also the fact that Chazz’s other tattoos are in memory of those he slept with. Chazz tells Jimmy “let’s get out of here”. His expression, the way he says it, the words are like that of a new couple, just gotten together at a party or social function where all eyes are on them and all they want to do is sneak away, be alone, and do certain things together. The end of the movie sees them flying away into the sky, looking into the sky, and then looked ahead excitedly as Chazz shoots fire from his hand. The very minute I saw this I thought immediately of the end scene of Grease, in which the main characters have just come back together as a couple, sing a song, and then fly away into the clouds in their car. For those unfamiliar with Grease (a SHAME), it’s a very romantic musical.
All it needs is some hearts and lipstick marks.
The Theme Song:
One of the juiciest parts of the movie is the song, “Blades of Glory”. It was included in the deleted scenes, which would normally all be pushed aside since they weren’t included and in doing so also eliminated some important bits of storyline. However in one of the scenes, Jimmy and Chazz sing the song written for their movie. Chazz starts, singing about how he was a lone wolf in a cage, and goes on about his partner. Jimmy catches him and joins in on the song, which they finish together, both apparently just knowing the lyrics. The scene may have been cut, but the song remains as sung by Bo Bice in the end credits. The official video to the song also makes use of the deleted scene footage.
Click to viewLet’s look at the lyrics!
Most of the lyrics are seemingly just about their growth as people, as skaters, and views on where they were and are in life, as read here:
A man who’s scared of truth
Can only trust in lies
A boy who’s scared to dream
Can never touch the sky, oh yeah
Chazz, scared of the truth, can only lie to himself and put on a fake face because he’s terrified to face who he really is, to be the loving person he is. Jimmy is scared to dream. He’s more practical than Chazz, sheltered by Darren, and lost as to how to hold a friendship with a male to just functioning in inconveniences such as sharing a bedroom. Keep in mind how the lyrics seem to talk about them individually, then look at the next lyrics and how they pretty much put Chazz and Jimmy together, closer than a normal friendship.
I don’t know what to say
I don’t know where to turn
All I know is if I stay
Ooh this ice it sure can burn
Chazz doesn’t know what he should do, but in staying, Jimmy will leave his mark on him.
Settin’ fire to the ice
Is the dream that keeps us alive
In turn, Chazz leaves his mark on Jimmy, changing him, growing closer to him and drawing Jimmy further in. Them being together keeps them alive; they need each other to keep a grip on things.
Today is the first chapter
Of our mythic story
We’ll never part
On these blades of glory
And we’ll cross our hearts
On these blades of glory
“Jimmy and Chazz” has just started. They have just gotten close, they each found someone to be with and will never ever be apart. Jimmy keeps Chazz from being alone, and Chazz helps Jimmy to be more comfortable, to accomplish so much more. It’s the beginning of something beautiful.
We’ll go all night
‘Til we finish the story
I don’t feel as though this really needs explaining…when two people explain they’re going to “go all night”, what do you usually think of?
The dream is alive
And we’ll never be sorry
Now we’re comin’ home
On these blades of glory
They’re living in a dream, they’re happy, and they’ll never look back. It’s like..life is complete, they are together. This song is about more than victory, more than winning the gold, it’s about finding an accomplishment in that you’ve found someone to compliment you, help you with your dream. Jimmy and Chazz complete each other and should never be apart.
Influences from the Original Script:
Next is the original script. Now, previously I had a huge section for this, but there are really only a few things worth focusing on in terms of this paper. The first would be the canon gay couple. In the movie we see, Robert and Jesse are pretty close, and little hints show up to hint they are actually together. This is further supported the script as Robert was written with a husband, a petite Asian man named Kim. Script-Robert has anger management issues and is a big loud guy, while Kim is snarky and fussy but sweeter. He balances out Robert much in the way Jimmy balances out Chazz. It’s like that relationship was lifted from the script, made more background with movie-Robert and Jesse, while having a more prominent effect with Jimmy and Chazz.
Couple mirroring couple, with a gay pride symbol in the middle!
Other relevant changes in the script include Chazz’s unnatural obsession with Michael Douglas, and the song for the final routine. For whatever reason, Chazz is so obsessed he carries around a giant cardboard cut-out of Michael Douglas. Now I know guys who have obsessions with male actors, but none so gay for them they have them life-size. As for the final routine, the song was meant to be “Open Arms” by Journey, the ultimate song for lovers who have come back together after a depressing separation. If I have to explain this one, you haven’t been following!
The Actors:
The last little bit I’d like to look at is how the actors’ portrayal of their characters, and maybe some other roles have contributed to this feeling of Chazz and Jimmy as an item. Jon Heder tends to play withdrawn characters, pathetic characters, idiots and Napoleon Dynamite (yes, that is a personality type!) Jimmy is a bit of a mix of all of those, although Jimmy has more confidence than any of them and he is pretty smart. He’s just been horribly sheltered somehow, even if for three years of the movie he was free from his dad. Jon Heder has never really played a MEAN character, although his role in Mama’s Boy came off as a little jerk at times. The fact that Jon Heder plays nice guys might be some of why Jimmy, while he can be an arrogant prick, comes off as a sweet character who is nicer than he acts, just a little unsure for all his glittery fame. He wants to be friends with Chazz, he’s curious about his thoughts and parts of Chazz’s life, and Jon Heder gives him what he needs.
There’s also the fact Jon Heder doesn’t seem too against the gayness. In fact, he stated in an interview that when they kneeled on the ice in the Fire and Ice routine, he thought a kiss might look good there!
More funny videos from the "Mantime" channel at Heavy.com
Will Ferrell is another story. I know a lot of guys completely obsessed with their penis, and everyone ELSE’S penis, but he takes it to the big screen. How many movies has he kissed men in? A few, but to name some big ones, he has locked lips with Sacha Baron Cohen in Talladega Nights, and managed to touched tongues with Sean William Scott in Old School. He also had a few nice kisses in Saturday Night Live….
I’m not going to get into questioning Will’s sexuality of course, that’s probably a little creepy. But evidence suggests he really is in his comfort zone whether in a straight role or an in-your-face gay one. He adds a little of Will to Chazz, his self confidence, his dumb sayings, and his loveable character. But he also adds that little edge…that vibe that Chazz is genuinely interested in Jimmy as more than a friend. When looking at his other movies and characters, Chazz almost comes off as the gayest one. Even if Ricky Bobby was actively kissing Jean Girard in Talladega Nights, he comes off as less gay than Chazz, what with his decision to marry a girl for flashing him rather than her personality. Chazz may claim to be a sex addict for women, but he has glitter-eyes for Jimmy.
Chazz is rough around the edges and at times an outspoken moron, and Jimmy might be too easily disgusted and a little bit of a princess, but they still compliment and bring out the best in each other. They have a true relationship and it’s clear they are incredibly close.
Outro!
A lot of people will only ever take this at face value, a comedy that is basically a big gay joke, and that’s okay. In fact, that’s probably healthier than what I’m doing! So why watch it? Well, Blades of Glory is very well put together movie that can also bring an emotional reaction. If you want a funny movie without feeling, there’s a lot out there. If you want a funny movie with interesting characters you can speculate on, watch Blades. If you want a movie that encourages you to follow your dreams no matter how down and out you are, watch Blades. And if you want a movie that shows you how wonderful a friendship can be and how it can grow despite all the extreme hardships you might face, watch Blades! …And hey, if you’re in it simply for the slash, I don’t see how you can possibly skip this movie.
I do hope I’ve managed to convince someone with this essay! I’ve taken everything in this movie, put it to use, and it’s turned out for the better. I will probably never stop believing Jimmy and Chazz are together, and if more people join me, the better. :)
Links of Interest:
Blades of Glory Official Site: http://www.bladesofglorymovie.com/
IMDB Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445934/
Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blades_of_Glory_(film)
The LJ Community: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/profile
Large Image Gallery: http://outnow.ch/Movies/2007/BladesOfGlory/Bilder/
Some Fanfic Recs:
Love and Tequila, rating "R" by hecate_12: http://hecate-12.livejournal.com/36835.html#cutid1
Mind Bottling, rating "NC-17" by tripperfunster: http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=17774
Rebound Guy, rating "NC-17" by zoicite: http://community.livejournal.com/z_fic/3119.html#cutid1
Addicted Too, rating "PG-13" by jennjenn274: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/258258.html#cutid1
The Morning After, rating "R" by enigmalea: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/234239.html#cutid1
The First Time, rating "PG-13" by therentgirls: http://therentgirls.livejournal.com/21311.html
The Devil You Know, rating "PG-13" by fightyourdragon: http://community.livejournal.com/blades_of_glory/204060.html#cutid1
There are SO MANY MORE! Check the fic tag on the comm, and join to read the locked (PORN) stories x3
Artwork!
Two artists stand out in particular for their Blades artwork!
http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/
Samples:
- http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/art/Chazz-Micheal-Micheals-74767588
- http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/art/Flash-Gordon-Kiss-76095236
-And check out her Blades comic starting here: http://tripperfunster.livejournal.com/108140.html#cutid1
http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/
Samples:
- http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/art/Blades-Confrontation-95006058
- http://claudiakat.deviantart.com/art/Blades-of-Glory-Cake-Game-100575763
Other art:
- http://soundofcolor.deviantart.com/art/Blades-of-glory-60399770
- http://onepieceofshitake.deviantart.com/art/Don-t-Wanna-Miss-a-Thing-52247376
- http://sweet-nymph.deviantart.com/art/Two-of-a-Kind-80483100
Videos!
Here are some fanvideos:
- "Wicked Game" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMvZHVoWO7E
- "Fun on the Ice" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYrLvid7Oy4
- "Lover Like Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxJjXiN5gRY
- "Take Me of Leave Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUAp3XrUgwI
Some interviews:
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder on Ask a Ninja http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQM2VYaWzSs
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder with Chuck the Movieguy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbrQg93DZ4
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder with Mike Richards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz7n4RL-6KE
- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder on L.G. Tag Teams http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfFdYucTP9U
THANKS FOR READING!